Thai food is very simple to cook but it is hard to get the authentic flavors right. A bottled paste or sauce will never give you a restaurant style tasting curry, as the secret to the cuisine is in the fresh ingredients and the original style of cooking. Authentic Thai food is not easily available in Mumbai, and many restaurants have tried and failed in their attempts. That said, the restaurants that managed to overcome this challenge have developed a good reputation for themselves and are doing pretty well even today. Green curry is arguably the most popular dish available in most restaurants. Here are my picks of the places that make it exceptionally well:

Thai Pavilion: A fashionable restaurant specializing in very authentic Thai food located in the Taj President, Cuffe Parade. The ambience is flashy  – very South Mumbai! The service is prompt, as aside from the curries, I recommend the corn cakes in the appetizers, papaya salad, stir fry vegetable with basil sauce and Pad Thai noodles. Here, a green curry for two with a serving of rice would cost you Rs. 500 all inclusive.

India Jones: A regular hang out of the elite, this restaurant is located in the famous five star of Mumbai, Trident, Nariman Point. It’s sophisticated and very stylish and the service is accordingly top class.  Upon inquiry, some of their very popular dishes are Som Tam salad, Penag curry, Hormok Pak, Pad Thai and Pab Tim Kro. A green curry for two with a serving of rice would cost you Rs.700 all inclusive.

Shiro: This happening restaurant and lounge located in Bombay Dyeing Mills, Worli. It’s a lot hipper than the previous two restaurants, and would be perfect for a romantic date.  Shiro specializes in fusion food, so you can try Don Buri which is a Thai style vegetable served with Japanese rice.  The tofu casserole, Schiuan style green bean, stir fry vegetables in a basil sauce are all excellent choices,  and the decidedly non- Thai ‘chocolate volcano’ dessert is popular. A green curry for two at this restaurant would cost you  Rs. 450 all inclusive. Shiro does not serve the curry with rice so you would have to order it separately.

Joss: A bustling favorite of Mumbaiakars, located in the cultural hub, Kala Ghoda. It’s hugely popular, so it can be very noisy at times, but the service is still good and efficient. Apart from the curries, other Thai dishes that you can enjoy at Joss include Pad Thai, raw papaya and water chestnut salad, Tom Yum soup,and Thai fried rice. A green curry for 2  served with rice would cost you Rs.475 all inclusive, which is a pretty good deal!

East: A perfect place for a romantic Asian dinner, East is located in Kemps Corner. At East I would recommend the Thai basil and tomato soup, Thai Smabal tofu/paneer for an appetizer, Penag curry, Masamman curry and Pad Thai
A green curry for 2 would cost you Rs.260 all inclusive. East does not serve rice with the curry, you can order it separately.

So all you Thai food fans make sure you choose the right place to enjoy a tasty, filling meal. Make sure you have your table reserved however, especially on weekends!

Photo by Adacito used under Creative Commons License.

This post was originally written for mumbai.metrotwin.com where I am a regular food writer http://mumbai.metrotwin.com/2010/03/the-best-thai-in-mumbai/