21 February 2015 | Food | By: Sejal Sukhadwala

In this series,we review restaurants from an entirely vegetarian angle. While some restaurants will be specifically vegetarian, others will be mainstream. Well be tasting everything from veggie burgers, to posh meat-free menus. Along the way, well try to find out, as far as possible, whether chicken stock, cheese made from animal rennet, gelatine, fish sauce and so on are not lurking in the supposedly vegetarian dishes.

Nipa Thai interior

Londonist Rating:

Many years before Smoking Goatand Som Saawere whipping Londoners into a frenzy, this 19-year old restaurant,located on the first floor of the Lancaster London,was one of a tiny number of excellent places to eat Thai in the capital. Of course, this was back in the day when Thai was having its moment, just like Korean is now but without a cult dish like kimchee for food bloggers to fetishise over and Instagram endlessly for posterity.

Nipa is where the Thai embassy staff dined, distinguished Thai functions were held, and the Thai government launched Thai Select a scheme that gives approval to authentic Thai restaurants that uphold high culinary standards. (To be honest though, the award isnt, as far as we can tell, particularly consistent, meaningful or influential.) Then the restaurant closed for refurbishment for several weeks last summer, officially re-opening in November 2014.

At a first glance, not much seems to have changed. It still rocks a corporate-chic look of teak wall panels, airport-lounge patterned carpets, and sombre Thai carvings and ornaments. A coveted dining area on a raised platform by the window still overlooks the Italian Gardens in Hyde Park. Livening up the sedate interior are artworks depicting Thai Buddha, gold wallpaper, silk fabrics and oriental-design glass lamps. The ceiling and walls are different, now decorated with striking carved teak lotus motifs. There are new, somewhat cumbersome black granite dining tables and cream silk chairs. Like the adjoining hotel lobby bar where we kicked off the evening with a drink, it looks far from trendy or welcoming. So its just as well, then, that the food is worth travelling for.

Shredded papaya salad with long beans, cherry tomatoes and peanuts

Sanguan Parr, whos been working here in different roles for the past 16 years, is now the head chef. Her kitchens had a complete re-fit, and she has an all-female brigade (unusual for any restaurant kitchen, let alone a Thai one). Parr has made only a few changes to the menu, which includes classics from northern Thailand and specialities from the central region. Curiously, in the vegetarian section, theres little distinction in prices (or portion sizes) between starters, mains and side dishes, all of which uniformly cost between 10-12.

Som tam shredded green papaya salad with long beans, cherry tomatoes and chopped peanuts almost knocks us sideways with its pervasive fieriness. Its a vivacious, refreshing dish, with enough tang and sweetness to balance the chilli heat. Larb hed little sliced button mushrooms with chillies, shallots, Thai parsley, fresh mint and lettuce is just as distinctive, but with a mellower bright, verdant flavour. Little spring rolls with glass noodles, cabbage and mushrooms are fairly standard though, and the accompanying dipping sauce (probably from a bottle) didnt set our pulses racing like the other two curtain-raisers.

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Vegetarian London: Nipa Thai Restaurant Review