The food and beverage scene in Mumbai is competitive, even when it comes to Thai cuisine. Thai Pavilion in President Mumbai, being the first Thai restaurant in India, stands out in the crowd. If you live in Mumbai and want to eat out Thai food, then Thai Pavilion in President Mumbai is definitely a restaurant that you must check out. Thai Pavilion serves exquisite Thai cuisine. Priced at around INR 1,400 (plus taxes), for the vegetarian meal and at INR 1,600 (plus taxes) for the non-veg set meal, the Chandiyo meal or the Thai Set Meal is perfect for single diners. The Chandiyo Meal or the Thai Set Meal at Thai Pavilion is a reflection of an amazing blend of texture, flavours and colours. The set menu in this iconic 24-year-old Thai restaurant in Mumbai is available for lunch on all days, except Sundays.

Thai Pavilion has been re-designed by master Japanese designer Noriyoshi Muramatsu in 2007. There are beautiful glass jars and wine bottles stacked prettily. The semi-private dining corner that we were offered for dining was sophisticated and spacious, with fretworked wooden walls on one side and a rustic wooden wall made with scraps of wood stacked side-by-side with intricate Thai motifs, on the other side. The ambience is homely, strikingly Asian, yet refined.

Chef Kanyaphat Faisal at this award-winning Thai speciality restaurant in President, Mumbai presented a very impressive array of dishes. In the Non-Veg Set Meal, we first tasted the Prawn Tempura with Tamarind Sauce, Tom Yum Soup, Winged Bean Salad and Chicken Dumplings in a light sauce. The Winged Bean Salad refreshed the palate. It certainly outshone most of the dishes in the set meal and was unbelievably delicious with the crunch and freshness that came with every bite of this sweet and sour salad. With so many textures and flavours interplaying, the Winged Bean Salad in itself was worth the whole deal.

The succulent Prawn Tempura was cooked just right. Crispy from outside and soft from inside, the prawn starter went perfectly well with the tamarind sauce. The Tom Yum Soup was great, too! We loved the authentic Thai flavours in this irresistible soup. We loved the Chicken Dumplings for their simplicity and umami.

In the set meal, we also tasted luscious Thai Green Curry with Chicken, Pad Thai and Fish in Black Bean Sauce. The Thai Green Curry was very flavourful and had a subtle green colour arising from green chillies, coriander leaves, basil and Kaffir lime leaves. The curry was creamy and perfect. As for the Fish in Black Bean Sauce, the two steamed John Dory fish fillets were juicy and tasted great with the black bean sauce. The Pad Thai in itself, however, in case it is eaten separately, could have been better if the chef could add a few pieces of tofu and eggs. It was a toned-down version of the robust Pad Thai dish. But I loved the fact that it had bean sprouts for the crunch. When eaten with the Thai Green Curry or the Fish in Black Bean Sauce, the combination, however, had a different chemistry altogether and I felt that the toned-down version went perfectly well with these two side dishes.

The warm hospitality of Chef Kanyaphat and the surreal dining experience culminated on a sweet note with a delectable quenelle of rich Chocolate Mousse.

At Thai Pavilion in President Mumbai, we immersed our palate in heart-warming Thai flavours. Thai cuisine is an interplay of salty, sweet, sour and spicy flavours and a clever balance of these. I am fascinated and inspired by the enthusiasm that Chef Kanyaphat displays in her dishes. It takes experience and instinct to curate such a beautiful Chandiyo set meal with varied flavours and textures. The best thing about the Chandiyo set menu at Thai Pavilion is that even after eating the Amuse Bouche and the three-course meal thereafter, you go home feeling satiated, but light!

For reservations, call 022-66650808