Nipa at the Lancaster London

Squirrelled away on the first floor of the Lancaster London hotel, with views of Hyde Park, Nipa takes a bit of finding. The ornately decorated dining room plays host to international guests & corporate groups in the main, who aren’t troubled by the prices. Nevertheless, staff couldn’t be more obliging to all – & the cooking is a show-stopper. Traditional Thai dishes are fine-tuned, fresh, zingy & quite simply delicious. To open the show with a bang, order the crisp sweetcorn cakes fragrant with kaffir lime leaves, or some chicken & peanut dumplings. Next up, try the plump scallops & asparagus stir-fried in a light green curry sauce, sweet & sharp pad thai, or crispy soft-shell crab with a vibrant salad of chilli-spiked green mango. Set menus from £27 can help curb bills, otherwise expect to pay a princely sum for elevated cooking.