Located off Grosvenor Square, the menu spans curries, noodles, and stir-fries.
London is brimming with Thai restaurants, and it can be hard to stand out from the culinary crowd. KOYN Thai aims to change this with the help of Chef Rose Chalalai Singh. Located in Mayfair, the team succeeds at offering a taste of authenticity in the capital.
Sitting on Grosvenor Street, the site is home to two Asian restaurants: upstairs is KOYN Japanese with sushi, sashimi and an omakase tasting menu; and downstairs is KOYN Thai with curries, noodles and stir fries.
KOYN has been created by the restaurateur Samyukta Nair. Her biggest restaurant success story is the MICHELIN-starred restaurant, Jamavar. The London restaurant opened in 2016, and expanded to Doha, Mumbai, and, most recently, Dubai. She is also behind Bombay Bustle on Maddox Street, MiMi Mei Fair on Curzon Street, Socca on South Audley Street, and the soon-to-open Nipotina. So, you know you’re in critically acclaimed culinary hands.
Even though we were visiting mid-week at lunchtime, KOYN Thai was reassuringly busy. The crowd spanned Gen Z to local office workers. The basement boasted a classic, contemporary vibe. Great for a date, it included dimmed lighting, red banquettes lining the wall, and countertop seats overlooking the open kitchen.
KOYN Thai’s kitchen is headed up by Chef Rose, who hails from Bangkok and opened a restaurant in Paris. She draws inspiration from her childhood. The menu spans small plates, salads, soups, specials, curries, stir-fries and noodles. The menu is superb for sharing, and includes classic Thai dishes. Some of dishes wouldn’t look out of place at home or on a street food stall, but have been given an elegant update. Warning: the spice levels are high.
For starters, we loved the Black Pepper Crispy Squid, which had an added sweetness. The Crispy Prawn Cakes were not as crisp as we would have liked, but had a fluffy finish. The Grilled Beef Salad was oh-so spicy, but was balanced beautifully by the chilli lime dressing, cucumber and tomatoes.
The Red Chicken Curry came with pea aubergine and sweet basil, and the Morning Glory hit our healthy spot. While the portions for the mains were on the smaller side, the flavours felt amazingly authentic. Plus, the Mango Sticky Rice is given an upgrade with coconut sorbet, mango panna cotta and sticky rice.
KOYN Thai’s signature cocktails draw inspiration from Thailand. The Golden Serenity includes mango, orange, turmeric and whisky, and the Dragon Fizz comes with cherry, dragon fruit, gin and Thai peppercorn. Plus, there are non-alcoholic options including a Thai Iced Tea, which we ordered multiple times.
Throughout our meal at KOYN Thai, the staff were knowledgeable about the food and drinks. They offered recommendations with confidence and were mindful of spice levels. Come for bold flavours, and stay for the warm and welcoming hospitality.
GO: Visit https://koynrestaurants.com for more information.