One of the City’s favourite cooks and head chefs, Saiphin Moore of Rosa’s Thai Café, has opened London’s first Laotian restaurant. If you don’t know where Laos is, it’s a landlocked country in Southeast Asia in the middle of Thailand, Myanmar (Burma), Vietnam and China. Laos Café is located in Victoria, in a restaurant that will soon become another Rosa’s Thai Café; so you’d better go and try the only Laotian food in London while you can, as this pop-up closes at the end of February. If you really can’t make it out there, they do have a delivery service (and takeaway, too).
Hailing from Petchabun in the north of Thailand, Saiphin Moore is known for her delectable Thai menus; but she has decided to give Londoners a taste of the flavours from her family origins that lie a little further east, in Laos.
As you can imagine, this country’s cuisine takes inspiration from its neighbouring countries, but also has influences of French cuisine, as it is a former French colony. This country has many regional specialties that have rich, bold flavours.
The menu of Laos Café is focused mainly on salads and chargrilled meats. The food here is designed for sharing, with the mix-and-match dishes consisting of small plates and sides (rice, noodles, etc.), and a few main dishes.
There are 18 dishes in total on the menu of this limited edition pop-up restaurant, and there is also a selection of drinks including wine, beer, gourmet coffees and homemade iced teas. The generously sized dishes are brought to your table individually as soon as each one is ready, which is great if you’re starving and don’t want to wait too long.
Rumour has it that if the restaurant is well-received and there’s a high-enough demand, Moore is considering opening a permanent version (probably in Shoreditch). So, if you like it, make sure to spread the word and help open London’s first permanent Laotian restaurant!
Must Try:
Laab
Also known as laap, one of the national dishes of Laos.
Grilled duck, red onion, dried red chillies, toasted rice, mixed green herbs.
Coconut Ice Cream
Pretty self-explanatory. Yum.
Pricing:
The average cost is around £15–£20 per person, not including drinks.
Small Plates: £5–£7
Main Dishes (for sharing): £6–£15
Noodles or Rice: £3
Beer: £4
House Wines: £18 per bottle
| Address: 25 Gillingham Street London SW1V 1HN |
Transport: Victoria Station (Circle, District and Victoria Lines) |
| Phone: 020 3813 6773 |
Opening Hours: Monday – Saturday: 12:00 p.m. – 10:30 p.m. Sunday: 2:00 p.m. – 10:00 p.m. |
| Email: bookings@rosaslondon.com (Specify your enquiry is about Laos Café) |
Website: Click Here for Rosa’s Thai Café Click Here for Laos Café Information |
