Here's what Rosa's fans say about our restaurant...
yee
17:23 23 Dec 20
A wonderful gem of a restaurant which is able to provide bookings and tables at the last minute (on the day). Wonderful vegan selection of dishes. Generous portions. Good table service. Try and request a table away from the front door - as it gets drafty. And avoid the table in front of the till / bar area and the staff hoover and stand there - and will accidentally keep staring at you due to your tables proximity.
abi T.
20:08 13 Dec 20
Great noodles!
Alexander R.
16:14 02 Dec 20
Ordered
Sejal P.
20:17 04 Nov 20
Good food and the waitress who served us was lovely. Great service!
Lloyd B.
20:10 01 Oct 20
Reasonable prices, tasty Thai food, more of a cafe feel but very good atmosphere
Olivia C
00:13 28 Sep 20
Good Thai food and cocktails. Yummy food and quick service and really good cocktails. Also yummy prawn crackers. The only thing is that we were sat downstairs in the corner and the lighting was so dark. I asked to turn the lights up, which they did, but it still was pretty hard to see menu / food. Overall nice experience and would probably come back!
ไฝ ป.
00:18 22 Mar 20
I love noodles soup with beef. Awesome
jackholidayofficial
22:18 13 Mar 20
Sensationell - authentische Thaiküche
Muhammad P.
21:47 07 Mar 20
One of the best Thai restaurants in Carnaby Street
David A H
06:40 03 Mar 20
Bit cramped, but great food.
aad82
20:36 17 Feb 20
Very nice food
Ariel Y.
14:27 31 Jan 20
Great food but the female service attendant was not friendly. Got discriminated by her taking orders from others first whom are long late from us and we have to wait until she is totally free 🙄
Poornima R.
15:11 29 Jan 20
Great food and good service but the ambience was not great . We were there at 8pm for dinner and they said they'd no more tofu ... Bit of a let down especially for a vegetarian like me . I loved the cocktails, but overall the place was very expensive for the quality /taste /ambience !
Marzia D.
11:07 29 Jan 20
I love Rosa's. Food is always good and staff kind. Can't miss it
Juan Miguel D.
20:08 22 Jan 20
Great pad thai! One of the best I ever had!
Ainhoa R.
20:35 11 Jan 20
No nos cansamos de repetir en este Thai, nos encanta. Súper recomendable
Mark B.
22:13 07 Jan 20
Great food and service. Bit pricey but great quality
Lea B.
20:34 06 Jan 20
Lovely tasty food
Janine M.
11:39 04 Jan 20
Lovely Thai food in Carnaby. Only tip would be book at table for peak times (and be prepared for tight seating).
Jaime J.
17:25 19 Dec 19
맛이 좋다. 바깥 쪽에 있으니 잘 찾아 가시길
Harry S.
12:41 13 Dec 19
Good food, the price was about what you’d expect for the cbd, nice place.
Daria P.
10:36 13 Dec 19
I've been in many Rosa's Thai around London because i really love their Masaman Curry, but the Carnaby Street one is definitely my favourite one!! As you can tell by my face 😂😊Love their coconut water too!
KooKAH A.
22:46 07 Dec 19
الاكل وايد لذيذ للي يحب الاكل التايلندي والاسيوي- كل الاطباق تقريباً اعجبتني بس يمكن نوع واحد من الشوربة.. خدمتهم بطيئة نوعاً ما والمكان متواضع او شعبي نوعاً ما ولكن الاكل يشفع لهم.. خصوصاً مع الازدحام وتقديم اكل بهالمستوي يستاهلون تتعنون لهم.. ♥️
NOAM C.
07:51 07 Dec 19
Very good and tasty
Alan L.
22:21 22 Nov 19
Nice restaurant with good selection of food. They also state whether it has dairy or is suitable for vegans which I thought was helpful. Has upstairs and downstairs. Toilets are quite small.
Ian H.
06:48 06 Nov 19
Always tasty and though busy, quick, friendly service.
Keith B.
14:19 05 Nov 19
Great Thai restaurant in the heart of carnaby
Sophie R.
20:16 30 Oct 19
Authentic, casual & cheap Thai cafe. May struggle to get seated without a booking.
P S.
06:26 30 Oct 19
Food was great. Went on a Thursday night. Too busy for a catch up,.couldn't r hear each other speak to well.
Sameul S.
14:33 28 Oct 19
Slight waiting time during lunch hours but otherwise the red Thai curry was really nice with spring rolls!
James J.
14:15 18 Oct 19
Rosa's is always amazing. The food is always fresh, delicious and perfectly portioned. All of the drinks are so good especially the cocktails and the lemon iced tea. The choices on the menu in red are their specialties and the Red Butternut Squash Curry is to die for. The Pumpkin crackers are also so good. Conversely the staff are generally pretty disinterested and kind of rude - it can be hard to get their attention. It's very weird but the food is so good I really don't care.
moro's K.
20:33 13 Oct 19
My favourite thai place ,from delicious food to amazing friendly staff to a good vibesAbsolutely the best .I ordere always masaman beef curry with coconut rice and prawn cracker as starter and thai coffee with milk .I love this place
swathi B.
22:11 29 Sep 19
It's the 1st Thai food which I liked. The food here is good. Vegetarian options are available. It's better to ask the staff for the quantity of food you get. Its generally crowded during peak hour. There are many sea food dishes which my friends really liked. Would recommend people to try the food here.
Kelly D.
14:01 09 Sep 19
Rosa's is always amazing. The food is always fresh, delicious and perfectly portioned. All of the drinks are so good especially the cocktails and the lemon iced tea. The choices on the menu in red are their specialties and the Red Butternut Squash Curry is to die for. The Pumpkin crackers are also so good. Conversely the staff are generally pretty disinterested and kind of rude - it can be hard to get their attention. It's very weird but the food is so good I really don't care.
Rinda Febriani F.
18:30 04 Sep 19
I had the Clean noodle soup and it was heavenly! The staff was kind, I felt welkom. My kinda place to be. Wish that Rosa's was in The Netherlands.
Kim W.
20:57 21 Aug 19
Love a Thai meal after a theatre matinee. Not been here before. Great food in one of my favourite parts of west end. We were lucky as arrived about 5.30. Got really busy after but staff great at managing logistics. Will definitely go again and can thoroughly recommend. Enjoy!
Azariah K.
11:16 06 Aug 19
My go to place for Thai food
Amita D.
06:59 01 Aug 19
great food... good service... bit cramped though
Vivek G.
23:42 20 Jul 19
Awesome and tasty food !! Do checkout this place if you like Thai cuisine. Lots of options and variety.
Farzana M.
20:20 19 Jul 19
Great food, fast service!! Loved the atmosphere and everything was delicious! We had the Green Papaya salad, mixed seafood grill, aubergine with chilli and brown rice. It was all gone!!
Karl 1.
13:41 18 Jul 19
Relaxed venue with bare wooden tables and pavement seats for classic and contemporary Thai dishes.
Sam B.
18:32 13 Jul 19
Really great food and a nice atmosphere - not super busy which is nice for a change from Carnaby Street! The waiters could have been a bit more attentive but apart from that a really nice visit!
Jo C.
20:28 11 Jul 19
Loved it.. !!
Janette M.
19:16 22 Jun 19
Excellent Thai cafe
Serge M.
21:21 19 Jun 19
Best Thai food I had in a long time. I will be back... Thank you for taking us so late in the evening.
Alfonso L
23:02 02 Jun 19
Fast and great service. DELICIOUS!
Jason B.
08:24 18 May 19
Pad thai was amazing, fairly priced.
Karen E.
21:38 16 May 19
Best thai in London. Always a must when in Carnaby Street. Yum yum tum
Dharmesh P.
05:18 16 May 19
Nice Thai food!
Erik H.
13:51 13 May 19
Prima eten en prijs valt mee, leuke bediening
Steve B.
08:43 07 May 19
Really good food
Arsalan S.
20:27 04 May 19
Very good Thai restaurant. Authentic and very tasty food 😋
vivian T.
21:06 29 Apr 19
Used to come here at least once a week. Limited seats. Food is very delicious and great ambient.
Amanda P.
02:04 24 Apr 19
Having had a poor experience at another branch, I was hesitant to eat here. However, I was pleasantly surprised at the fantastic service and tasty food. This was despite the fact that there was a big party in the basement downstairs to attend to.
Anup C.
19:10 23 Apr 19
Lovely, cozy and vibrant place for eating. Not very expensive compared to location of the shop. They have lots of drinks and foods to choose. A must try café if you are around.
Caroline R.
12:19 10 Apr 19
Good options between spicy and not spicy. Does takeaways and good value for money! 👏
Cristina C.
09:32 06 Apr 19
Opções veganas. Duas pimentinhas ao lado do prato no menu é verdadeiramente apimentado.
Steve S.
17:41 25 Mar 19
Excellent food in small comfortable atmosphere.
Alex
08:35 25 Mar 19
Great Thai restaurant with a home cooking feel to it. The menu includes familiar Thai dishes such as Pad Thai, but also more adventurous dishes such as spicy seafood soup. The quality of the food is very good and the Carnaby street location is usually busy but worth the wait.
Digital P.
08:40 19 Mar 19
My boys 1dt Thai dinnet. Didnt disappoint.
Pamela P
23:02 18 Mar 19
Every time I come here the food and service is great. The staff are friendly and because its not a big place you don't have too much trouble trying to get their attention, even at the busiest times. The Massaman Curry has to be my favourite as it is not very spicy but it is full of flavour. The only thing is that this restaurant is quite small and cramped and you may have to queue to wait for a table sometimes, otherwise I think that the wait is worth it.
Noor F.
17:39 16 Mar 19
Great food as usual! Had pad Thai this time. Delicious authentic fresh Thai food in London.
Oh_Hii'mHelen
12:38 10 Mar 19
Lovely restaurant with 2 floors for dinning in, food and drinks was delicious and authentic, they had unique coat hangers on the walls downstairs
Alfonso G.
22:14 06 Mar 19
Good food if you are lookin' thai!! And a nice location
J M
10:04 19 Feb 19
Favourite branch among all Rosas. The best service and management and the food is consistently delicious
Glai M.
08:18 19 Feb 19
Love their curry!
Arup G.
15:26 18 Feb 19
Good quality food. No real complaints.
Richard B.
16:19 15 Feb 19
Great food
juli A.
10:20 12 Feb 19
delicious ..value for money
Adam K.
08:39 08 Feb 19
One of the better Thai options in London. Had a beef pad Thai that took a long time to arrive but it was very good.
Kelly M.
17:11 02 Feb 19
Average Pad Thai, Chang made it better...
David B.
16:41 31 Jan 19
Great Thai food. Laid back. Excellent for quick tasty lunches
joan
12:09 24 Jan 19
Yen ta fo did not hit the spot, spice level was 2/10 compared to what I had in Bangkok. Tomyum soup too catered to western tastes, spice level 1/10. But good flavours overall!
Paul R.
10:02 22 Jan 19
Tasty food in a great location. Very attentive staff who ensured that allergens were removed from the meal. Nice vibe.
D Z
19:17 20 Jan 19
Tasty and rather quick food in a cozy and bustling space
Ani H.
22:05 19 Jan 19
Tasty. I try visiting Rosa's every time I travel to London.
Thanos K.
07:33 14 Jan 19
Best pad Thai I've had in London! The portions are very filling and reasonably priced. The only downside is it gets a little busy and there's not much room to feel comfortable enough - but I guess that's probably because of the location as it is in the heart of the city.
waltmap
14:46 05 Jan 19
Honestly the best restaurant I’ve been to. The food & service was amazing! Definitely the best meal I’ve had in years.😆
Jack B.
22:03 04 Jan 19
Fabulous intimate Thai food with home cooked recipes and friendly, welcoming vibe
Frank G.
13:28 04 Jan 19
Nice ordinary Thai food.
Dillon P.
21:17 29 Dec 18
Quick service, great food
Bhavin S.
00:06 28 Dec 18
Good food. Reasonably priced. Seperate menu for vegetarians. But, check before you order as some veg options do include fish. Seating in groups better downstairs. Very noisy upstairs. Great for anhour meal before a London show.
Jakob L.
16:24 23 Dec 18
Well made thai food, worth your time if your in the area. Nice service
Quest R.
16:03 22 Dec 18
I love it!
Tee T.
07:24 22 Dec 18
A causally modern restaurant chain with delicious food and good service. A little pot of cut chilies with soy sauce was £1. Lol
Wisam A.
23:06 18 Dec 18
Good food ...a place for a quick meal
Daniel S.
21:46 15 Dec 18
Great food, lovely atmosphere.
Morgan Johnson S.
16:28 15 Dec 18
Rosa’s is our favorite Thai delivery so had to come to the restaurant. Wonderful as we expected! Chicken Pad Thai and Panang Curry were great and didn’t leave any for take away.
Anastassiya V
18:00 14 Dec 18
I love Rosa's thai, this brunch in particular. Food is wholesome and service is fast, there is plenty of seating downstairs.
amar H.
05:52 06 Dec 18
Good Thai Rest...some meat is halal.
Julie P.
15:24 05 Dec 18
Lovely food, excellent service. Pristine surroundings.
Punky P.
13:42 05 Dec 18
Love the noodles special menu
Tom L.
17:42 02 Dec 18
Great Thai food, very reasonable prces.
Rikesh C.
21:00 01 Dec 18
Love the food here, lots of options of veggies
Laura H.
20:31 01 Dec 18
Food was delicious and excellent service. Will return!
Camilla
22:31 28 Nov 18
Great food, nice service. Bit pricey. Really nice cocktails. Can't go wrong if you like Thai food-
Bob W.
15:59 22 Nov 18
Brilliant food.
Jonathan A.
20:46 21 Nov 18
Cramped, busy little place. Loud, bustling and quite charming.The food was fantastic. Flavoursome and perfectly cooked. Staff could have been a little more attentive but were were tucked away in a corner and perhaps difficult to spot! I’ll be sure to go back.
Robert
18:20 11 Nov 18
Nice Thai food over here. Prices are reasonable.
Katrine S.
14:17 10 Nov 18
Great red curry. Super for lunch
Rafa Saga S.
11:12 08 Nov 18
Great for a quick lunch in busy Soho!
Claire B.
19:22 07 Nov 18
Fantastic authentic food, quick service,we was great for a pre theatre fix
Chris M.
17:58 02 Nov 18
Delicious
Gabrielle H.
15:32 02 Nov 18
Having been to Thailand many times, i find myself often disappointed by "Thai" restaurants in London. Rosa's Thai has a great casual and friendly feel. It's not the fanciest or the absolute MOST authentic thai restaurant but the food is close and delicious. It's much better than most Thai restaurants and it has all the well known Thai favourites and does them well!
Jetsada M.
20:53 24 Oct 18
Quite rare to find a Thai style noodle menu. A bit less intense taste but I can give it as enough authentic taste.
Rastko I.
15:34 21 Oct 18
Average Thai food that is overpriced.
Jason G.
07:22 21 Oct 18
Great food and the staff were very kid friendly, but I don't think they had a kids menu. This was no problem since we were all sharing food anyway.
Tim E.
12:26 15 Oct 18
Great little Thai café. Quick and easy.. Service simple, food fresh and tasty - had tofu and veg red curry stir fry. Perfect to keep you shopping...
Jhevel J.
18:52 13 Oct 18
Quaint. Perfect spot for a quiet meeting. Food is delicious.
Renata M.
21:04 10 Oct 18
Comida tailandesa muito saborosa com preço honesto. São cuidadosos com a pimenta.
David N.
07:17 03 Oct 18
Always great food and affordable.
Sandra B.
22:33 29 Sep 18
Excellent food, price and service!
paul A.
08:49 20 Sep 18
Great food and great prices for London
Renu B.
07:23 12 Sep 18
Awesome food
Birgir M.
22:26 07 Sep 18
Dependable
Randeep
06:03 06 Sep 18
Nice cosy place. Good flavours and spices
Lunaticharlie
15:11 03 Sep 18
Excellent
Jane B.
22:59 26 Aug 18
The place is tiny and cramped, but my God, the food is good!
Louise A.
19:34 26 Aug 18
We enjoyed the meal very much, good value for money. Fast, efficient service. Definately Recommend.
Rebecca W.
15:09 16 Aug 18
We really enjoyed our meal here and will definitely be coming back, what a happy surprise!
K K.
09:08 28 Jul 18
Delicious food and great service!
Larry M.
17:59 15 Jul 18
Tell you what,,, great food not to expensive. Looks like the locals ( tia) love it so must be good. 12 out of 10 from me
tim W.
14:23 06 Jul 18
Simple menu done well... Good value for quick lunch
Moshi J.
14:25 05 Jul 18
Reasonable price, excellence service, and good taste
Nindya K.
14:33 03 Jul 18
Pad thai is really reccommended. The portion is huge
Charlie on T.
20:37 23 Jun 18
Good vegetarian Thai food. Enjoyed the butternut squash red curry. Fresh lemongrass tea was also good. A little more pricey than other places. £16 for curry, rice and tea (inc service charge).
chi L.
07:42 21 Jun 18
I actually like this Thai cafe! A little bit more expensive than I like but this chain brings a breath of fresh air from the dominating high street chains like Thai square...
Samantha E.
11:43 10 Jun 18
Amazing food and cocktails. Great after work hang out
Gavin R.
21:52 06 Jun 18
Great service.
Ben G.
15:09 03 Jun 18
Great food and service, would go again.
Mário David S.
18:55 31 May 18
Muiti bom e acolhedor
Kuljeet D.
19:17 27 May 18
Good food, quick service, plenty of vegan and veg options.
Satish C.
22:01 21 May 18
Cozy little Thai restaurant with great tasting food. The staff were very nice and helpful. The service was excellent. The quality was good, beautiful flavours and decent quantity. Overall, we had a nice evening. Credit cards accepted including Amex. Can get quite busy even on weekdays.
Monika V.
08:21 21 May 18
Tasty thai. Slow service but great location. Book table in advance to avoid disappointment.
Miles N.
08:32 17 May 18
Good food and good service!
Jannat S.
20:00 13 May 18
Came as walk ins, having stumbled upon the place. Really good choices even for vegetarians (the sauces don't contain fish), and when I asked for egg to be removed from a dish, it was. Friendly and attentive staff made the experience really good. The setting is very much like a small café, with a bar. The food can be spicy, but it is to be expected in dishes like the papaya salad, and I personally really enjoy that level of spice. They bring out any house sauces on request as complimentary. I can't wait for the Vegetarian edition of the cookbook to come out, and my next visit to any one of Rosa's Thai Cafés!
Eugenie O.
11:53 09 May 18
Really tasty Thai dishes!!
Stella Y.
01:03 07 May 18
Thai food served like you’re in a street cafe in Thailand! Absolutely wonderful fragrances and super tasty!
michelle ira L.
20:35 05 May 18
The food and the staff made me feel like I’ve been to Thailand 🇹🇭. The food was delicious. The staff were accommodating. Will definitely go back!
劉曉儒
21:24 01 May 18
不是瓦城那種泰式口味，但是也蠻好吃的，稍微偏鹹但很下飯
grace H.
22:46 17 Mar 18
Had a delicious Pad Thai and good house red wine. It's a little small, however the decor is nice. Nice staff
Theo P.
13:02 13 Feb 18
Great food, a little bit slow to come but exceeded expectations!!!
Rory M.
18:53 13 Jan 18
I went a while ago and forgot to review it, but it had a great red curry. I was tempted to ask for a straw at the end 😉
Michael B.
08:22 11 Nov 17
Fantastic food and amazing value for the west end
Jamie B.
12:55 27 Sep 17
Great food
Ray W.
10:46 06 Sep 17
I lunch at Rosa's Soho or Carnaby more or less once a week; its a cracking spot and the food is outstanding, especially the 'Thai Northern Soup.' Highly recommended. Soho is a little quieter than Carnaby so recommend making the effort to go there to sit down quicker.
Tim
13:47 25 Aug 17
Super Essen in einem sehr kleinen Lokal. Von der schärfe her perfekt und nicht zu scharf. Besonders zu empfehlen ist der Kokos-Reis sowie das thick red Chicken Curry. Wir hatten einen Tee bestellt, welcher leider nur lauwarm serviert wurde. Dieser wurde allerdings, von unserer sehr netten Bedienung sofort ausgetauscht.
graemethatsme
16:36 12 Aug 17
Great food, service was quick and friendly for a Friday night. Highly recommend!
Scott G
10:09 23 Jul 17
Informal and easy going place to get a quick lunch or a bite to eat. Would be happy to return.
Valentina S
08:22 20 Jul 17
Locale sempre pieno, chicken pad thai veramente perfetto. In due abbiamo preso un antipasto a metà (thai calamari, non male anche se niente di speciale), pad thai (stupendo) e un primo piatto al curry (molto piccante ma molto buono), due bottiglie di acqua da 1 litro e un caffè e abbiamo speso 42£. Non male considerata la location. Merita poi una passeggiata nei dintorni. Un po' rumoroso, i tavoli sono molto vicini, ma merita.
Alexander M.
14:42 29 Apr 17
Nice Thai place
Rhys J.
14:49 26 Feb 17
Great food and speedy service!
Neil M.
12:53 21 Feb 17
Food sublime.
Marc W.
13:10 05 Feb 17
Pretty great food in a lovely cafe atmosphere. Noodles and papaya salad were spot on. Will totally come back.
Yasir A
11:20 04 Feb 17
Great food and friendly staff.
Obadah F.
10:54 03 Feb 17
Great food, the aubergine and pineapple fried rice are to die for. The appetizers are all great, and the chilli beef noodles are fantastic.
Jean S.
23:49 02 Feb 17
Authentic Thai food! We are from Asia and going Thailand very often, the food here is like taking us to Bangkok! Absolutely lovely
Tony L.
22:00 23 Jan 17
Tom yum soup so good,lovely foods
SEN L.
16:58 01 Jan 17
Great food, lovely staff and child friendly.
Roland K.
17:06 24 Nov 16
Prices are on the high side but are made up for by a friendly and quick service in this cozy place. Food was authentic and tasted good.
P J S
20:38 20 Aug 16
Great little restaurant. Usually go there for their curry. It has a lovely feel to it, is quite simple and not part of a chain.
ade O.
18:56 28 Jul 16
Just finished eating here. It's probably a 3.5 - 4. It was quiet when we arrived, got a table quickly and the food was very nice. It's a little over pricey but it's the centre of London! Don't understand the really negative reviews it's a cafe not a Michelin 2 star. It was full by the time we left and everyone seemed to be having nice food.
Pascal F.
12:11 23 Jul 16
Rosa's had one of the best PadThai I've had in London so far, and staff was welcoming and friendly. This is the place I'd recommend for Thai food in this area!
Rory O.
17:04 02 Jul 16
Some of (if not the best) thai food i have had in london. Cant get enough of the butternut squash curry
Scott C.
09:25 15 Jun 16
Simple cafe style with a select menu. Food was nice and full of flavor.
Nikita
07:49 14 Jun 16
Small, but friendly staff and excellent food!
Zac P.
22:49 15 May 16
Always good food reasonably priced.
Jason L.
12:32 08 May 16
Best Thai in Soho. Not all the dishes I had there were perfect, but none of them were bad. Staff are nice and friendly and it's always quite busy around lunch and dinner times.Great Pad Thai and Tom Yum soup.
Christine J.
18:46 04 May 16
Great little Thai place, always busy, good value for money.
Charlie D.
07:51 03 Apr 16
Nice place for a quality Thai
Andrew W.
00:18 15 Feb 16
5 of us all had good (authentic) Thai food which was served in good time after we had ordered. We all had something different (Green Curry - with Tofu and with chicken, Butternut Red Curry, Beef Massaman, Penang) and all of us enjoyed it. The service was efficient and friendly so we would definitely recommend it.
Adam G.
15:54 28 Dec 15
Pleasantly surprised. Just randomly searched for a Thai restaurants on Google Maps and came across this place. It's a cafe setting and very casual. The food is very tasty and I would definitely come back if I was on the area.
Godwin S.
15:10 03 Dec 15
Excellent food and friendly staff who are solicitous without pestering the punter. Slightly more comfortable seating would have been welcome.
William S.
16:23 29 Nov 15
Good stuff
Mia
21:55 07 Oct 15
Went in on a whim and was pleasantly surprised - a sweet cafe with good Thai food
marisa M.
23:34 25 Sep 15
Lovely food , good potion , real tasty Thai .. I bring friend of my from Australia to there coz she missed Thai food pretty much so she was enjoyable we have a good time together , cool place great atmosphere , that's why I give 5 star .
Anneke S.
12:56 22 Aug 14
Good not great. Food slightly on the greasy side but great value for central London and good, prompt service.
Coralie G.
11:48 05 Mar 14
One of those addresses which, in the midst of winter, have the power to transport you elsewhere, add sunshine and exoticism instantly. I have walked passed the Rosa’s in Shoreditch a hundred times, always in a rush, glimpsing the cute interior of this handkerchief-sized restaurant, stopping a second to enjoy the rich flavours escaping through the door, suddenly hungry. But luckily, they have recently opened in Carnaby, adding to the splash of colours this neighbourhood brings to London.Step in – such a delightful atmosphere! Funny, cheerful, inspired by American diners, long tables to be shared, smaller ones for more intimate meetings, a pinch of design here and there, a discreet feminine influence too. Little details. Inviting blond wood, Asian sauces in a kitsch plastic basket, doilies painted on the tables, round 70′s style lamps above the counter, each spelling a letter of Rosa’s. You will fall under the charm within seconds.What’s on the menu? So many mouthwatering dishes, it probably is easier spying the surrounding tables and pointing out the dishes to your waitress. Let’s see – like the Lab Tod: thinly minced pork, marinated with a lovely mix of galangal (a cousin of ginger), lemon grass, garlic, chilli. How it dances and teases the taste buds, always changing yet juicy, moist, comforting. Forget your English manners, Thai is much more fun – just wrap it in the lettuce leaves on the side, it tastes even better this way. Still in the finger-food category, try the pandan chicken (gai hor bai teay). Unwrapping them feels so festive, a little like opening a Kinder surprise when you were a kid. The pandan leaves infuse the meat with their exceptional flavour, leaving it tender, just slightly crispy on the outside.For mains, our choices proved voluptuous. Ah, the luxury of a venison red curry (gaeng dang nuea kwang), the sauce silky, rich, creamy coconut, eggplant, the heat of galangal and the final peppery hint of fresh basil. Add a few spoonfuls of broccoli cooked in oyster sauce (if you weren’t fan of that vegetable before, this will totally change your mind). I was completely seduced by the extraordinary hoh mok ta lae, a seafood mousse cooked in a butternut squash. Imagine the complexity of a fish soup with mussels, smoothed with coconut milk and suddenly sharpened by a little chilli. Wow. The menu has a nice selection of wines, but really, pair this with a simple lager, it goes so well with the spice. Chang, a local thai one, is sweet enough, citrus and grass notes, not too strong on the hop, just perfect
