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The
Benja experience is based on hundreds of years of Thai tradition,
with comfort and intimacy in equal measure. Welcoming and friendly
staff provide unrivalled hospitality, and the grandiose surroundings
are unpretentiousness, and stay true to the regal associations of the
restaurant.
Opulence is a theme that spreads
through the building courtesy of interior designer Ou Baholyodhin
drawing on the colours of the polychrome eighteenth century ceramics
used by the Thai royal family. The red, black, green, turquoise and
yellow can be seen through the rich furnishings and décor of
the restaurant. It is these five colours of 'Benjarong' that are the
inspiration behind the name of the restaurant, and it is no
coincidence that the food is as beautiful and delicate as the
immaculate porcelain from which the name comes.
Spread over three floors in an
old Soho town house, Benja has a relaxed and cosy feel that comes
with a total capacity of sixty coves. The dining areas are located on
the ground and first floors, while the bar on the lower-ground level
provides the perfect pre and post meal location; serving a range of
authentic Thai cocktails that are made using methods and ingredients
that are faithful to Thai convention.
The bar is a truly elegant
hideaway that makes the perfect setting for all occasions from
romantic dates to after work drinks; it serves from a separate menu
with a range of smaller choices, so also acts as a stand alone venue.
Head Chef ML Kwantip has created
dishes that have been tried and tested on Thai royalty from her
family's role as official chefs to the Thai palace. With credentials
enforced by her role as guest chef at Bangkok's internationally
renowned five-star Shangri-La Hotel, MLKwantip is also a columnist
for Thailand's distinguished women's magazine 'Ploy Gam Petch' where
she presents her trademark mouth-watering dishes.
She ensures that Benja's cuisine
matches exactly to her standards of taste and presentation by using
freshly prepared produce and ingredients that she has checked first
hand. One example of this is ML Kwantip's version of Pad Thai, which
stays true to its South East Asian origins, and is prepared
indigenously using tamarind rather than European substitutes such as
tomato or chilli sauce.
The chef prides herself on having
delicate recipes that she insists are followed to the letter and
upheld at all times.Benja brings freshness to the Thai dining
experience with a meticulously planned menu that marries
painstakingly researched local produce and suppliers with a
distinctively genuine taste of Thailand. This sets the restaurant
apart from other Thai restaurants that have hackneyed adaptations of
Thai dishes.
A concise choice of dishes that
regularly alternate means that rather than experiencing an
inconsistency that is commonplace on expansive menus, every dish
meets the same high standards. It also means that there is no
signature dish at Benja as all offerings deliver gastronomic
excellence, and customers will have the opportunity to sample less
obvious and well-known dishes.
Krua Ltd Managing Director and
owner of Benja Kriangsak Vorakoondumrong commented: "I have
created a restaurant that is true to Thai heritage and custom. It
gives those that have never experienced Thai eating a learning
experience that they will never forget, and for people who are
regular Thai eaters, I would invite them to sample food that they
will acknowledge replicates the best in fine Thai cuisine."
Benja head chef ML Kwantip added: "I
have been in the kitchen ever since the age of three when my mother
first put a rolling pin in my hand. My Thai cooking is unique in that
it uses simple recipes and methods which mean that they are easy for
my kitchen staff to prepare; however all the dishes deliver a
sophisticated taste that is straight from Thailand."
A lunchtime menu is also
available, offering set meals from the main menu at special prices.
Benja,
17 Beak Street, London, W1F 9RW Tel: 020 7287 0555
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