London Restaurants | London Guide

Puppet Show at Ora Restaurant

London’s fine dining Thai restaurant Ora, introduces for the first time in the UK – an award winning Thai puppet show, favoured by the Thai Royal family to celebrate Songkran (Thai New Year) this April.
Traditionally, Songkran is celebrated with the throwing of water, but with April showers, there is only so much water one wants to see. Instead, from the 12th-16th April, Ora will mark the end of the dry season with a series of festive dinners showcasing some of the finest puppeteers in the world, which are as unique as they are authentic.  

From 6.30pm enjoy a series of dramatic plays and dances from the traditional to the more contemporary whilst indulging in a special three-course set menu for £35, which showcases a host of signature Thai dishes. 

Start with Yum Pu Nim (soft shell crab in a light batter with a green mango salad) or Kaow Naam Tod Pla Salmon (smoked salmon rice-rocquettes served on a betel leaves with chilli and fresh herbs).  Mains include Moo Sarm Chun Yang (grilled marinated pork belly with chilli oil dip) and Kaeng Sai Bua Pla (red mullet cooked in coconut cream with rhubarb and chillies).  To finish, enjoy a refreshing dish of melon in coconut syrup with crushed ice.

With each puppet standing at over a metre high, and controlled by three puppeteers, it takes many years to master the smooth movement and interpretation of each performance.

A rare treat and one beloved of royalty, it is not to be missed. For tickets please contact info@ora-restaurant.co.uk.

Valentine’s Day at Mango Tree

This year, why not treat your loved one to a delicious three course meal at Mango Tree. The restaurant is offering a special Valentine’s Day three course menu which promises to make a memorable night of fine dining and romance in London. 

Award-winning restaurant Mango Tree is located in the heart of Belgravia. The spacious feng-shui designed venue has a minimalist decor coupled with a warm and inviting atmosphere. The menu offers authentic Thai cuisine of the highest caliber, using the finest ingredients sourced from the best suppliers both locally and abroad. 

Mango Tree has devised an aphrodisiac menu which will kick-off with a selection of mouth-watering starters including Hug Me More, a mix of pomegranate, avocado, sweetcorn and kidney beans topped with lemon cream in Betal  nut leave, or Bag of Love, a chicken, water chestnut, onion and carrot dish wrapped with tofu skin. 

Mains will include a selection of dishes such as On the Beach, a grilled lobster tail with chu chi cream sauce or Swimming With Honey, a grilled chicken green curry with aubergine and other delectable fare will be on offer.

Finally, to finish off your romantic meal, Mango Tree has created a stunning desert for its diners: Poached Pear served with Clotted Cream which will satisfy any romantic’s pallet. And for vegetarians, Mango Tree has also devised a special menu too. 

The Valentine’s menu costs £59 per person. Every lady will receive a special gift, hand-selected from Thailand, so head to Mango Tree this Valentine’s Day to win your way into someone's heart! 

The Mango Tree                                        
46 Grosvenor Place                                  
London SW1X 7EQ                                     
020 7823 1888                              
www.mangotree.org.uk

Busaba - New Thai Restaurant on Old Street

Opening 19th August 2010, the latest Busaba Eathai is nestled between Hoxton Square and Old Street, EC1. This is the first opening for Busaba outside of the West End and into the thriving heart of East London’s Hoxton.

Staying true to the original design concept the interior incorporates materials including, bronze, rattan and hardwood which are warmed by the soft lighting from the watercolour paper lampshades. The decor provides a soothing backdrop to the animation and acoustics created by the dynamics of group eating whilst seated on sculptured benches around large square tables.

There are 140 covers available from midday to 11.30pm (10pm Sundays).

Ten years since its inception, Busaba is still providing London with a youthful yet sophisticated Thai casual dining venue offering an affordable eating experience. With the long standing popular dishes of Thai calamari, Stargazer monkfish curry, Sen chan phad Thai and Som Tam–green papaya salad, the menu also includes more recent additions such as the Grilled chicken salad with Thai celery, cherry tomato and Isarn style chili sauce and Ostrich stir-fried with pickled Thai garlic.

By way of an introduction and in an attempt to cause as little disruption as possible to the area, Busaba aimed to positively contribute and support the local community. Hence whilst works underwent inside,

rather than pitching up archetypal branded hoarding, Busaba dedicated this space to a sequence of local artists such as graphic designers, illustrators and photographers so they would have a platform to exhibit their work; subsequently delivering an amusing space to Hoxton residents. Over the period of three months Busaba exhibited works by photographer Jason Lowe, Illustration agency HigginsonHurst, VNA Magazine and Curated Project Big Antidote.

Whilst the hoarding was being installed, each stage was filmed and made into a short film by Higginson Hurst. The screening of which will be on opening night. All artwork is available online with links to the artists at www.busaba.com.

Busaba Eathai

319 Old Street

London EC1 V 9LE

T 0207 729 0808

Opening times

Monday – Thursday 12 noon – 11.00pm

Friday – Saturday 12 noon – 11.30pm

Sunday 12 noon – 10.00pm

Average spend £16

www.busaba.com

Vegetarian Week Menu at Mango Tree and Awana

Are you getting your five a day? Need some inspiration, motivation or help to get your daily intake? Vegetarian Week (24th – 30th May) is the perfect opportunity for you to rediscover the fruits of the earth and explore delicious meat-free alternatives. Celebrating all things botanical, Executive Chef Mark Read has created two Vegetarian Festival Menus showcasing South Asian dishes bursting with exotic flavours and fresh ingredients at his restaurants Mango Tree and Awana. Available from 17th until 30th May, find out why eating vegetarian is tastier than you think.

Mango Tree, the fine-dining Thai restaurant in Belgravia and Awana, the fine-dining Malaysian restaurant in Chelsea, are the cream of the crop when it comes to serving the finest seasonal and locally sourced produce. Combining traditional dishes with innovative modern interpretations, whether it’s stir-fries, curries, grills or salads, there is a wide selection of vegetarian festival dishes to choose from, so you can enjoy something different everyday of the week.   

At Mango Tree, delicious Thai offerings include starters of deep fried salt and pepper marinated tofu; snow fungus salad with chilli and coriander; or crystal wrap fragrant herb and vegetable rolls. Spice infused mains include chickpea and roasted butternut squash yellow curry; stir-fried “five treasures” with water-chestnuts, jujubes and yam in oyster sauce; or wheat-bean stir-fry with king oyster mushrooms, snake bean and chilli paste.

At Awana, exquisite Malay offerings include Malaysian bread filled with chickpea, sweet potato with spicy red curry sauce; stir fried mixed vegetables with bean curd and mushrooms; stir fried assorted mushrooms with asian celery and green onion in a rich soy sauce; or butternut squash and brinjal curry with chickpeas, okra and bitter melon. 

To refresh your palate, Mango Tree and Awana serve a delicious selection of cocktail blends, alongside an international wine list and range of premium spirits and beers. 

In celebration of Vegetarian Week, Mango Tree and Awana’s Vegetarian Festival menus are the perfect antidote to help you get your 5 a day and are available from 17th until 30th May. Forever evergreen, both restaurants showcase a delightful selection of vegetarian dishes throughout the year. 

To make a reservation please contact:

Mango Tree

 46 Grosvenor Place, London, SW1X 7EQ, Tel: 020 7823 1888 Email : info@mangotree.org.uk

  

Awana

85 Sloane Avenue,London, SW3 3DX, Tel: 020 7584 8880 Email: info@awana.co.uk

Taman Gang Opens for Lunch

This month Park Lane restaurant Taman Gang will open for lunch for the first time.  Already a hugely popular dinner destination, this glamorous Pan-Asian restaurant should prove a huge hit with West End shoppers and workers alike for lunch.

The chefs at Taman Gang have created a delicious à la carte menu made up of Starters, Dim Sum, Tempura and Desserts.  Starters include Prawn Toasts, Wasabi Tiger Prawns and Fuji Apple with Roasted Sesame and Thai Fish Cakes with Chilli Jam.  Enjoy Taman Gang’s signature Dim Sum dishes such as Chicken and Snow Pea Gyoza, Scallop and Prawn Dumplings and Beef and Foie Gras Gyoza with Teriyaki.  There is a full range of tempura dishes, including Salt and Pepper Squid, Soft Shell Crab Tempura with Green Chilli Mayonnaise and Sweet Potato and Asparagus with Yuzu Mayonnaise.  Round off the perfect lunch with an indulgent dessert such as Warm Chocolate Pudding with Green Tea Ice Cream or Mochi Vanilla and Honeycomb Ice Cream with Strawberry.

Taman Gang has also created several set menus that are great value and are composed of either vegetarian, chicken, beef or seafood ingredients.  Try the Vegetarian Set Menu which offers Miso Soup, Asparagus and Mixed Leaf Salad with Vegetable Pad Thai Noodles for £10.95 or the Seafood Set Menu offering Miso Soup, Salmon Sashimi and Mixed Leaf Salad, and Steamed Seabass with Yuzu Soy for £12.95.

‘Taman Gang’ means  ‘Park Lane’ in Balinese.  Taman Gang has established itself as a Mayfair hotspot, often frequented by London’s leading lights. Jetsetting stars make it their first port of call in the Capital, with the likes of Samuel L Jackson, model Erin O’ Connor and Strictly’s sweetheart Jo Wood sipping on champagne, and basking in the sultry surroundings and exclusive clientele.  The restaurant transforms into a nightclub every Friday and Saturday evening, attracting a dynamic and stylish crowd.

Taman Gang                                          
141 Park Lane
Mayfair
London, W1K 7AA
www.tamangang.com
Tues – Sat: 6am to 03.00am
 

Thai Beer Menu at Mango Tree

Although beer is the world’s oldest and most widely consumed alcoholic beverage, its complexity and compatibility with certain cuisines is often overlooked. Fine-dining Thai restaurant, Mango Tree in Belgravia, is revealing how Thailand’s best selling Chang beer enhances the delicate flavours of its dishes with a Street Food Beer Festival pairing menu, available from 5th until 25th October 2009.

With a cuisine historically influenced by Eastern and Western techniques, Thai food is a deliciously unique explosion of fresh tastes and textures. Sweet and sour, bitter and spicy, the host of culinary contrasts can be brought to life with a carefully considered brew. Through the Street Food Festival menu, executive chef Mark Read’s astute palate and attention to flavour guides diners to a host of his creations that are all best enjoyed with an ice-cold beer. With money saving beer packages available, including five bottles at just £15, groups of two or more can really make a night of it and enjoy exploring why beer can be the sophisticated choice.

Starters

goong sarm rod
sweet, sour & spicy prawn skewers, with sesame and a mixed cress salad
£7.50

pla muek yang
barbecued squid with a spicy seafood sauce and carrot salad
£7.00

thai hae gun
deep fried pork and chicken mince parcels with green onion and water-chestnuts, served with plum sauce
£6.50

Mains

pla kra-pong pad tow see
stir-fried red snapper fillets with celery, ginger, spring onion and a soya bean sauce
£14.00

gaeng pa ruam mitr
mixed meat and seafood jungle curry with bamboo, peppercorns, kra chai, chilli and thai herbs
£14.00

pla nueng bauy
steamed pomfret fillets filled with a mustard green, pickled plum, ginger and garlic puree, served in a crispy carcase shell
£15.00

Dessert

kow niew dum
warm black sticky rice with taro, longon fruit, coconut cream and garnished with banana crisps
£5.00

Chang beer packages

3 bottles for £10 (normally £12.75)
or
5 bottles for £15 (normally £21.25)

So Indulge at the Street Food Beer Festival at Mango Tree from the 5th until 2th October and see for yourself how beer perfectly complements Thai cuisine.

Mango Tree, 46 Grosvenor Place, London, SW1X 7EQ, tel: 0207 823 1888