Category: Bistro
Since Rosa’s has opened its first branch in Spitalfields a couple of years ago it has consistently been featured as one of the best cheap eats in time out. I have given Rosa a chance twice and I tend to disagree with time out. I don’t think the food is that great and I don’t think it’s that cheap either.
I am not so keen on the place itself, it feels claustrophobic and very loud, especially when you go there at peak times.
We had Yam Som O (7.15) as one of the starters, a rather generous portion of pomelo salad with prawns and deep-fried tofu. It came with some nice but quite heavy/creamy sauce. Even though we really liked it, it was very filling, something one is not quite used to from Thai salads.
The vegetable Tom Kha (5.10) was served with loads of fresh vegetables and even more lemongrass. Not the best Tom Kha I’ve ever had but really quite tasty.
As a main we went with another classic – Pad Thai with prawns (8.25) which was light and very nice even though there was something not quite right with the consistency of the prawns, we left most of them behind.
And then the disappointment of the evening: The Thai Green Curry with chicken (9.50) was one of the worst Thai curries I’ve had (if I don’t count my own attempts to cook Thai curry) – watery, bland, not at all spicy – it was lacking any depth or flavour. Green Thai curry is one of my all time favourite dishes so this made me quite unhappy.
3 ok dishes and one that didn’t deliver at all – clearly no recommendation from me for Rosa’s…
They have recently opened another branch in Soho, I haven’t been there. Not sure I necessarily need to go though..
- Food: 6/10
- Service:7/10
- Ambiance: 5/10
- Value for money: 6/10
- Chances of returning: 5%
- Verdict: really quite mediocre Thai
Wife was reading your post and was like, “ah, she’s at Rosa too.” Though she agrees that it’s nothing to shout about, Rosa does provide some variety to the lunchtime crowds that descend on Spitalfields during peak lunch hours.
[...] authenticity of Thai restaurants in London (see my post on Siam Central or Suda Rice Bar or Rosa’s), time to stop whining and try myself in Thai cooking. I love Thai green curry and have always [...]