Rosa’s Thai, Richmond. Thai flavours, Thai cooking, Thai vibes
Rosa’s Thai Richmond is situated on Hill Street, 9 minutes’ walk from Richmond railway and tube stations and from my personal experience a great choice for lunch.
I am a big supporter of local businesses as it can benefit both the community and individuals in several ways by boosting the local economy, helping to preserve and celebrate the unique flavours and dishes that are part of your community’s identity as well as fostering a community connection, therefore, keen to try Richmond’s latest culinary addition and thoroughly enjoyed my lunchtime selection of the crispy shrimps coated in breadcrumbs served with a Sriracha mayo dipping sauce, Thai Calamari seasoned with Tom Yum spices, served with, sweet chilli sauce, and the delicious Tom Ka Coconut Soup with a complementary side of Pumpkin Crackers.
Something of a first was the Bubble Tea, which are a huge part of Thai culture; sweet, delicious, and super‐addictive. The Lychee & Jasmine with 5.75 Mango Bubbles lived up to its description of light and refreshing a Thai tropical beach through a straw.
Rosa’s Story
Rosa’s Thai was born out of co-founder Saiphin’s passion for authentic Thai food served in a no-frill and relaxed atmosphere. They put genuine hospitality and great recipes at the heart of everything that they do and are proud to have been born in Thailand and raised in England.
Rosa’s Thai grew from a humble beginning of a street stall on Brick Lane’s Sunday market in the East End of London, which quickly became the locals’ favourite. The very first site ‘Rosa’s Spitalfields’ was born in 2008 of which they kept the name Rosa’s as a nod to English tradition and heritage. Since 2008, Rosa’s has opened multiple locations all around London and the UK. Each restaurant has its own character, but all have every dish on the menu created by Saiphin, based on family recipes or inspirations from places where she has lived. Each dish carries fond memories for her and sharing that with her customers is what Rosa’s Thai is all about.
“My life in Thailand was entirely supported by the vegetables we grew on our farm and the local fish and meat from my grandparents’ grocery store. We’d use whatever produce was available and in season. So, when I came to London, I challenged myself to cook authentic Thai dishes using seasonal British ingredients to support UK & European producers. Since first opening our doors our ethos remained the same.
My family still live and work on that farm in Khao Kor and to this day it remains unspoilt by deforestation or roads. At Rosa’s, we want to reduce our own impact on the environment by using sustainable suppliers and practices. This is why we’ve put so much effort into our membership of the Sustainable Restaurant Association.”
Rosa’s menu uses the best ingredients straight from Thai producers working directly with Thai farmers producers to source their Asian ingredients. From tamarind sauce that goes into every Pad Thai to coconut sugar used in their curries, so that the final dishes taste exactly like how they cook it in Thailand. If you’re visiting Rosa’s for the first time you should try their signature dish, Pineapple Red Curry. Spicy and ever so slightly sweet curry, with tangy pineapple and sweet basil, the red curry paste is made in the south of Thailand for the spicy and authentic flavours. Alternatively, their signature Green Curry comes recommended.
Their green curry sauce is made in Trang, in the south of Thailand by a husband-and-wife team. The recipe uses the freshest lemongrass, galangal, and green chillies to create a fragrant curry sauce. This Thailand’s best loved curry comes with aubergine, bamboo shoots, and sweet basil, and is perfectly with fragrant jasmine rice and a crispy fried egg to make it a complete meal.
If you’re visiting with little ones, they can choose from the little Rosas menu designed to make everyone (adults and children) happy.
Poppy Watt