Benja – Royalty-inspired traditional Thai cuisine

With a menu fit for a king, Benja brings a genuine taste of Thailand to the London restaurant scene

The Benja experience is based on hundreds of years of Thai tradition, with comfort and intimacy in equal measure. Welcoming and friendly staff provide unrivalled hospitality, and the grandiose surroundings are unpretentiousness, and stay true to the regal associations of the restaurant.

Opulence is a theme that spreads through the building courtesy of interior designer Ou Baholyodhin drawing on the colours of the polychrome eighteenth century ceramics used by the Thai royal family. The red, black, green, turquoise and yellow can be seen through the rich furnishings and décor of the restaurant. It is these five colours of ‘Benjarong’ that are the inspiration behind the name of the restaurant, and it is no coincidence that the food is as beautiful and delicate as the immaculate porcelain from which the name comes.

Spread over three floors in an old Soho town house, Benja has a relaxed and cosy feel that comes with a total capacity of sixty coves. The dining areas are located on the ground and first floors, while the bar on the lower-ground level provides the perfect pre and post meal location; serving a range of authentic Thai cocktails that are made using methods and ingredients that are faithful to Thai convention.

The bar is a truly elegant hideaway that makes the perfect setting for all occasions from romantic dates to after work drinks; it serves from a separate menu with a range of smaller choices, so also acts as a stand alone venue.

Head Chef ML Kwantip has created dishes that have been tried and tested on Thai royalty from her family’s role as official chefs to the Thai palace. With credentials enforced by her role as guest chef at Bangkok’s internationally renowned five-star Shangri-La Hotel, ML Kwantip is also a columnist for Thailand’s distinguished women’s magazine ‘Ploy Gam Petch’ where she presents her trademark mouth-watering dishes.

She ensures that Benja’s cuisine matches exactly to her standards of taste and presentation by using freshly prepared produce and ingredients that she has checked first hand. One example of this is ML Kwantip’s version of Pad Thai, which stays true to its South East Asian origins, and is prepared indigenously using tamarind rather than European substitutes such as tomato or chilli sauce.

The chef prides herself on having delicate recipes that she insists are followed to the letter and upheld at all times.

Benja is open Monday to Saturday:
Lunch 12:00 – 14:30
Dinner 18:00 – 22:30
Address:
Benja,
17 Beak Street,
London, W1F 9RW
Tel: 020 7287 0555
Email: info@krua.co.uk

Benja brings freshness to the Thai dining experience with a meticulously planned menu that marries painstakingly researched local produce and suppliers with a distinctively genuine taste of Thailand. This sets the restaurant apart from other Thai restaurants that have hackneyed adaptations of Thai dishes.

A concise choice of dishes that regularly alternate means that rather than experiencing an inconsistency that is commonplace on expansive menus, every dish meets the same high standards. It also means that there is no signature dish at Benja as all offerings deliver gastronomic excellence, and customers will have the opportunity to sample less obvious and well-known dishes.

Krua Ltd Managing Director and owner of Benja Kriangsak Vorakoondumrong commented:

“I have created a restaurant that is true to Thai heritage and custom. It gives those that have never experienced Thai eating a learning experience that they will never forget, and for people who are regular Thai eaters, I would invite them to sample food that they will acknowledge replicates the best in fine Thai cuisine.”

Benja head chef ML Kwantip added:

“I have been in the kitchen ever since the age of three when my mother first put a rolling pin in my hand. My Thai cooking is unique in that it uses simple recipes and methods which mean that they are easy for my kitchen staff to prepare; however all the dishes deliver a sophisticated taste that is straight from Thailand.”

Benja is available for corporate hire and party bookings, as well as reservation. Rates are available on request.A lunchtime menu is also available, offering set meals from the main menu at special prices.