Reading about Nipa Thai you can’t help but be impressed. The restaurant, based at the Lancaster London hotel in West London, is the recipient of two AA rosettes and is one of only a few restaurants to have been recognised by the Thai government for the quality of its cooking. It could also make a strong claim to being the most authentic Thai in London, with kitchen ingredients being flown in daily by Thai Airways who own the restaurant. Needless to say, I couldn’t wait to check the place out.
Perhaps what is most striking upon arriving at Nipa Thai is the sheer amount of effort devoted to offering diners an authentic experience. Gentle panpipe music flows around the room, which is decorated with provincial artefacts and lined in teak-panelled wood. As soon as I arrive, an affable Thai waitress is on hand to show me to my table, which offers lovely views of Hyde Park across the road.
The starters all look delicious but I opt for the Ruam Mitr (£24), a selection of the chef’s special Thai starters. It’s not long before I’m brought a generous plate of satay chicken skewers, spring rolls, Thai fish cakes and crispy fried prawn dumplings. Though I’m not bowled over by the presentation, every element of the starter is cooked to perfection. The batter on the prawn dumplings and springs rolls is wonderfully fresh and crispy, though I’m expecting stronger flavours from the filling inside the roll. The satay chicken skewers are equally tasty, but improved upon immeasurably once they’re dipped into the exquisite satay sauce that accompanies the dish. It’s the best I’ve had in recent memory.
After a short pause, I’m ready for the main course and it’s a very easy choice: the lamb massaman curry (£19). I base my judgement of every Thai restaurant on the quality of its massaman curry, and Nipa Thai is no exception. Perhaps my expectations are a little too high but I find the curry mildly disappointing. The lamb is slightly overcooked and the sauce is rather oily. The curry still has a good depth of flavour, but sadly it doesn’t quite match up to massaman curries I’ve had elsewhere (and for much less than £19 a pop). Still, I’m hoping the restaurant will manage to redeem itself with dessert.
I go for the crunchy fried bananas topped with honey and vanilla ice cream (£9). Again, presentation leaves a little to be desired, but the combination of sweet, slightly caramelised bananas with fresh vanilla is an absolute dream. I finish off the meal with an espresso and then sit back on my chair, wishing I could become more horizontal.
Nipa Thai certainly ticks all the boxes for authenticity and I would definitely return to eat here again. It’s a hotel restaurant and so I’m willing to accept the food being a little pricier, although it would have been nice if the dishes were more consistent in terms of quality. Next time, I vow to return for the very reasonably priced early bird menu, and maybe, just to break the habit, I’ll choose a dish that doesn’t have the word ‘massaman’ in the title.
Lancaster London Hotel, Lancaster Terrace, London W2 2TY, United Kingdom
+44 20 7551 6039
Piece by Paul Stringer, FG Contributor
