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Trying Thai

Mumbai's iconic eatery, Thai Pavilion, opens at the Vivanta by Taj in Hyderabad

Thai pavilion. Photo: Sebastian Zachariah.Premium
Thai pavilion. Photo: Sebastian Zachariah.

Thai Pavilion opened in Hyderabad at Vivanta by Taj in early September. “It is a spicy city in many ways... Obviously, they want to try our food. I am sure I will be able to fill the restaurant here and that is the reason why we chose Hyderabad ahead of Delhi, Bangalore, or even Chennai to open the second Thai Pavilion," says chef Ananda Solomon, who set up the original Thai Pavilion in 1993 in Mumbai.

Perhaps Solomon has placed his bets right. On a weekday, the restaurant, with a seating capacity of 60, was almost full at dinner time, and people were still trickling in when we left.

Thai Pavilion, Hyderabad, will have the same menu initially as the Mumbai outlet. Based on the feedback from patrons, it will be adjusted later to suit the local palate, says Solomon, who will be visiting the restaurant regularly.

The good stuff

For us, the main course and the desserts were the stars but the appetizers need to be put on a “rescue now" list. The egg noodles with vegetables (Ba mee je, 495) was a harmonious balance of herbs and spices, topped with basil, with no single flavour dominating. The Thai green curry and rice (Gaeng Kiew Warn, 495), the true barometer of any Thai restaurant, was delicious, with just the right blend of green Thai chillies, garlic, galangal, holy basil, coriander, kaffir lime leaves, sugar and coconut milk.

The waiters were prompt and well-informed; they offered help with choosing the dishes, explained what a dish tastes like and even suggested the right sauces. At times, they were a little too enthusiastic or, should we say, intrusive.

We chose the dessert platter ( 325), which serves mini-portions of four desserts that are also available in the à la carte section. The diced water chestnut with coconut milk (Tub Tim Grob, 275), with its smoky coconut milk flavour, is a must-try. The cool, sweet coconut milk was soothing after all the spicy food we had had. The spiced crème brûlée with sun-dried rose petals ( 255) was flavourful but it could have been baked for another minute to achieve that perfect consistency. The steamed custard in baby pumpkin (Fok Thong Sankaya, 255) and the hot Thai chocolate soufflé ( 275) rounded off the meal on a happy note. For a five-star restaurant, the prices were reasonable, but the portions could have been more generous.

The not-so-good

The place isn’t couple-friendly and is certainly not one where you’d go for a date. We saw only one table meant for two. The rest of the tables are for larger groups (seating 6-10). Our party of three was seated on one such round table (meant for six) and we had to strain our necks to talk. Also, there is hardly any space between the tables, which means a well-mannered guest will have to speak in whispers through the meal while an obnoxious one can ruin your evening with non-stop loud chatter.

The famed Tom Yum soup ( 195) was spicy and sour, the way it is meant to be, but an overdose of lemon grass ruined the balance.

The appetizers didn’t quite hit the spot. The crispy soft shell crabs (Poo Nim Krob), which Thai Pavilion fans swear by, weren’t available the day we went. The waiter recommended pan-grilled white prawns (Koong Pad, 595) instead, but the dish had too much garlic. The red snapper cakes (Thord Man Pla, 525) were almost tasteless and the coating was soggy.

The fried katuri flower (Phad Dok Kae Sum Lot, 425) in sweet sour and spicy sauce left a bitter taste. When we pointed this out to the executive chef, Rajeev Janveja, he brought us katuri flowers tossed in chilli and honey, spices and sauces, usually served as a main course. This was much better.

Talk plastic

A meal for three cost 3,971, with taxes, and without alcohol.

Thai Pavilion, Vivanta by Taj, Begumpet, Hyderabad. For reservations, call 67252626.

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Published: 21 Oct 2012, 08:02 PM IST
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