London was graced with the Chinese New Year celebrations this weekend, which would have meant the Royal China Group would have been quite busy. With six locations around the city, hungry Londoners will have been whetting their appetite as they embraced the Year of the Rooster. However, I took a different approach by visiting the Group’s latest addition – Thai Silk.

It’s a brave new venture for the Royal China Group, taking on a Thai restaurant that may have some of their customers scratching their heads. But, in the very capable hands of head chef Pornthep Kongha – his background includes the Ambassador Hotel in Bangkok and Thai Garden in London – and his nine-man team, diners can feel a touch excited when they go.

Located two minutes away from Southwark underground, the stylish restaurant with its gold and red decor, complete with gold Buddha and eye-catching Hong (a celestial swan), seats 100 in the restaurant, 250 in the bar with indoor and alfresco dining, 24 in the King room and 40 in the Queen room.

The pick of the starters has to be the Kai Bai Teoy, chicken parcels wrapped in a Pandan leaf that lends a lovely aromatic flavour.

We mixed it up a little with the mains, ordering a signature dish, a classic and something different. The signature was Poonim Phad Prick Thai Dam, or wok-fried softshell crab with black pepper to you and I. Wonderful texture with a moreish flavour. The same applies to the alternative pork dish we selected, Moo Yang. The grilled pork was tender and had an amazing barbecued flavour. The alternative part to this dish was the chilli and coriander dip it came with. It was pungent, delivering an overpowering zingy kick with the fish sauce it was blended with.

The winning dish though was the classic – the Thai Green Chicken Curry, which we ordered with pineapple rice. To keep it brief, both my partner in taste for the evening and myself were in agreement that it could well have been the best Thai Green Curry we’ve had in London. Salivating just thinking about it.

For authentic flavours, awe-inspiring decor, friendly staff and a no-nonsense kitchen, Thai Silk certainly comes as a welcome addition to its adoptive Chinese parents.

新年快乐 / สวัสดีปีใหม่ (Happy New Year in Mandarin and Thai)

For more information visit thai-silk.co.uk