MIKO Mei Fair

Fans of Samyukta Nair’s MiMi Mei Fair will be thrilled to hear that MiMi has found her prince. Nestled in the same Georgian townhouse as Nair’s opulent Chinese concept, Thai restaurant MIKO Mei Fair has since taken over the split-room ground floor, a compact 50-cover dining room dressed in timber panelling and warm brass accents.

The team has done a lot with the small space. Red leather booths resembling a vintage train carriage offer intimate seating for couples and small groups, while calming teal tones ripple throughout the decor, from ocean-hued tabletops to intricate wallpaper. Like all of Nair’s restaurants, the design does a lot of the talking, but the food is certainly no withering wallflower.

MIKO’s bold, generous cooking revolves around recognisable Thai classics – salads, curries, stir fries - albeit with a Mayfair upgrade. Thai fish cakes and prawn toasts make for familiar reading, but everything out the kitchen brings a fresh surprise. One of the best things we ate was a bright, citrus-driven pomelo salad tossed with shredded coconut and fish sauce, a dish that demands to be eaten with something deep-fried from the snacks section. The grills and curries are where things get pricey, but the pay-off is very good. A twist on prawn pla-ra sees two gargantuan, Tiger prawns – smoky and charred from the robata grill – served on a majestic silver platter with a spiky, green chilli sauce. Elsewhere, flaky crabmeat served in a delicious, coconut-rich sauce is a bowl of golden joy, and we happily scoop this up with spoonfuls of perfectly steamed jasmine rice.

Opulent decor and luxurious ingredients might make MIKO Mei Fair appear flashy on the outset, but five minutes here will have you feeling at home. Service is kind and understated, and for those who feel £45 for a curry is too steep an ask, there are plenty of flexible set menus starting from just over £20 a head. It's only been open a few weeks, but MIKO has certainly made his mark on Mayfair.

MIKO Mei Fair is a Thai restaurant from restaurateur Samyukta Nair, joining a star-studded portfolio that includes Jamavar, Bombay Bustle and MiMi Mei Fair. Located on the ground floor of MiMi Mei Fair’s Georgian townhouse, it brings together elements of the glamorous Chinese dining rooms with the cooking style developed at KOYN Thai. The space seats 50 and includes a private dining room for eight.

The kitchen is headed by Soonthorn Apaipat, previously Head Chef at KOYN Thai. His menu focuses on the principles of Thai balance and draws from regions across the country, from the bolder flavours of Isaan to the coconut-rich dishes of the South. Fire-led cooking remains central to the approach here, with a robata grill used throughout the menu.

Dishes include netted spring rolls, tofu with spring onion, prawns pla ra, toasted rice beef tenderloin and lobster choo chee. One of the headline plates is the applewood-fired Peking duck Penang curry, which makes use of MiMi Mei Fair’s signature duck. Popular dishes from KOYN Thai also reappear, such as Chiang Mai sausage, black pepper squid, pad see ew, yellow crab curry and lamb massaman.

The bar continues the restaurant’s ingredient-led focus, offering Thai-inspired cocktails like the Sabai Sabai (Mekong rum, kaffir lime, Thai basil and soda). Other drinks include the Thai Pink Spritz, Golden Mango Margarita and a Hibiscus Negroni. There is also a non-alcoholic section featuring options such as Dirty Soda with cola, lime and coconut cream, and Akoya with cucumber, Thai basil, lychee and jasmine tea.

Interiors retain much of the townhouse’s existing character, with teal and timber panelling, red leather booths and brass accents. Gold-leaf lotus details and tropical wallcoverings introduce subtle Thai references. The Peacock Room serves as a small private dining space, shared with MiMi Mei Fair and decorated with hand-painted chinoiserie wallpaper.