Rosa's Thai Cafe restaurant review: Where east simply meets central

Even with a flashy interior the food isn't overlooked where western infused modest dishes are perfected

Thick red chicken curry (Rosa's Thai Cafe)

With the freshest of interiors owed to its mere two days of life, the seventh edition in the micro-chain of Thai cafes adorns the corner of Gillingham Street and Wilton Road. The latest restaurant comes eight years after the original Spitalfields cafe opened by husband and wife team Alex and Saiphin Moore, who brought their vision from Saiphin’s home in northern Thailand to London.

It’s almost floor to ceiling windows and a cool-canteen feel interior gives it an urban gleam, where small white tiles rise three quarters of the way up the wall and small old-school style tables and retro chairs sit. But its sleek interior is no mask for what we’re really there for; the food.

Adhering to the quick service all Thai places seem to acquire, it wasn’t until the third time of being asked that I‘d decided what to order. But not because of an over-populated and off-putting menu where thankfully there are no pictures insight.

Spicy seafood hotplate (Rosa's Thai Cafe)

Of course the menu is home to the favourites, with chicken satay skewers and a tangy peanut sauce on the starters, followed by green Thai curry and pad Thai –but why fix something if it’s not broken. The difference here is, Saiphin adds her own western influence, including a sweet roasted duck curry taking its flavours from cherry tomatoes, pineapple and grapes. She also adds chunky salmon to her red Thai curry dish which has been ever so lightly battered. A spicy Tom Yum soup and salads from spicy beef to papaya salad also adorn the starter selections, deviating from heavier choices and fish lovers are well catered for in all avenues of the menu.

For something mellow but bursting with flavour, go for the beef masaman curry and partner it with a classic Chang beer. With a creamy sauce, extremely tender British beef, soft potatoes, a hearty handful of cashews the smooth dish is rounded off with sufficient amount of Silk Road spices – but just a few too many stair-anises to fish out.

Curries don’t come with rice, so pick one from the generous side menu list, which includes coconut and jasmine rice. One portion is more than enough per person – I’d advise sharing between two – coming in a bowl and cooked just as Thai rice should be: slightly sticky, fluffy and fragrant.

Alongside the main menu is a Laos menu – a remnant of the Laos pop-up that inhabited the space before the café – an ode to its popularity. Meat and fish dishes are char-grilled and coated in either salt, onions or coriander, chillies and coriander.

The small downstairs is slightly more what you might expect from a Thai café. The living room style room has a palm-printed wallpaper and Bollywood style retro posters adorning the walls and bamboo furniture.

Pad Thai (Rosa's Thai Cafe)

But despite only being open for its second night, the café was abuzz, populated with lone suits to elderly mothers with their daughters to post-work get-togethers. Even though it was not short of customers – despite being in a rather quiet area off the main road – the only thing it was short on slightly is space, with two-person tables only ever so slightly squeezed in to a corner or two.

After two hefty courses, dessert wasn’t really an option, despite our waitress ever so sweetly trying to encourage us into trying something. With two beers each and two courses, the bill came to around a very reasonable at £55 for simply, tasty food done well.

Food ****
Ambience ***
Service ***

Rosa's Victoria, 25 Gillingham Street, London, SWIV IHN