Thai and Pan Asian cuisine served with style and grace. A must for anyone who enjoys authentic food in chic surroundings.

The Venue
Benja is a stylish venue inside that looks rather ordinary on the outside. Set in a large Soho townhouse just off historic Carnaby Street, Benja’s rather crude red and black sign outside does very little for the eyes but it’s a whole different ballgame once you push open the heavy glass doors and are greeted by the staff who smile and welcome you.

This eatery is split into three levels. On the ground floor as you walk in there is a small reception area and a restaurant area full of bold colours, velvet covered seats and colourful carvings. On the lower floor there is a cocktail bar split into semi private booths with large tables and huge wooden carved mirrors; it’s very relaxing, almost tranquil. The top floor is also another dining area adorned with green walls, wooden carvings and Buddha statues. Lots of money has been spent on making this place very grand. It’s sumptuously designed and the patterned silks and hand carved lotus flowers are all just part of the experience.

The Atmosphere
Benja has a very relaxing atmosphere as it’s not a loud restaurant. It’s a peaceful experience and once you enter you leave your troubles at the door. All the floors fill up quickly and the bar is a useful place to enjoy a fabulous cocktail and wait for a table. The clientele includes lots of business types and a few couples having a romantic chat in a low lit corner. On the whole, the feel is very intimate.

The Food
The menu is very authentic and fortunately the food matches this. The food reflects the chef’s deep passion for authentic and fresh Thai cuisine, the choices are quite extensive and show immediately that this isn’t just an ordinary Thai restaurant. Everything has a twist to it to make the dish their own.

As you take a seat you are given a piece of Meaung Kum, a traditional appetiser that consists of fresh coconut, lime juice, nuts and herbs all wrapped in a leaf. It acts as a palate cleanser before the rest if your meal and is utterly delicious. It’s a delicate and fragrant mouthful but every bite is worth savouring.

Starters include handmade spring rolls served with a Thai dip, mussels with chilli and lime, corn cake with squids and prawns and a house selection at £7.95 which offers you a bit of everything. The satay king prawn starter is beautifully presented on elegant turquoise square plates with a bowl of spicy peanut and lime sauce. The prawns are large and fresh served on wooden sticks. The peanut sauce is punchy and light, delicious. Thai fishcakes are handmade and spicy, they come served with a cool cucumber and lime relish which is a wonderful addition to the flavours. The food is beautifully presented and very tasty.

Main courses are just as good. Fresh and innovative recipes include lightly stir fried duck breast with whiskey (£14.95), a freshly steamed sea bass in lime dressing (£16.95) which goes perfectly with the Benja jasmine rice, grilled chicken breast with fresh papaya and Thai rice (£13.95) and fillet of lamb steak char grilled and served on freshly ground red chilli paste with pepper corn and grachai (£13.95). There is a choice of Thai curries, the king prawn curry with Thai aubergine and coconut (£13.95) is spicy, creamy and just the right consistency of everything. The Thai aubergine is very thinly sliced and brings a delicate flavour to the dish. The red chillies float about like little devils tempting you to take another mouthful and the steamed sticky rice is perfect for soaking up the sauce.

Pad Thai (£13.95) is fresh and tasty. The rice noodles are stir fried and cooked to perfection and stick nicely with the egg and peanuts. Elegantly served, this dish is light and zingy and the prawns (you can choose chicken instead) are succulent and delicious. Bean sprouts and tamarind sauce blend this dish together and the portion leaves you feeling satisfied without being too full. A side dish of asparagus and mange tout in a light oyster sauce is hardly necessary but makes a happy addition. The asparagus is crunchy and not overcooked and the oyster sauce is delicate and subtle.

Puddings include banana in coconut milk served warm, sweet mango and apple frittata. The banana in coconut milk would be a prefect treat to have every day in the winter. It’s warm and nourishing and it’s amazing how the coconut milk brings out the natural sweetness of the banana even more than usual. It’s lovely to have it served warm too!

The Drink
Make a deal with yourself and arrive early enough before your table booking so you can visit the cocktail bar on the lower ground floor. The cocktails are reasonably priced for the area and are heavenly. There are long cocktails for £7, short cocktails for £6, shooters for £5 and Champagne cocktails for £7.50. Examples include the Chiang Mai which is gin, fresh mango and Champagne and the Argento which is made using vanilla vodka, lychee liquor shaken with cinnamon, lemongrass and Champagne. The lemongrass is fresh and arranged delicately over the top of the glass, the idea being that you sip though it to get the taste. Cinnamon is dusted over the top of the glass and the end result is very luxurious. A Benja special and well worth trying.

The Buddha Palm is made of vodka, Cointreau, passion fruit liquor and lemon juice and is served over ice in a short glass. The Hazel Berry is a blend of rum, fresh raspberries and hazelnut liquor and is designed as an after dinner digestif or a shot to start the evening. The wine list is impressive too. There is a large selection red, white and rose wines including some lovely Thai wines too, however, most seem slightly overpriced. The house wine, however, is well priced at £14.00 for red or white and is a nice Vin De pays d’oc. It’s a good choice as it’s light and tangy and works well with the food. There’s also a Thai Shiraz for £20 and a famous French Pouilly Fume at £30, as well as a lovely Australian Brown Brothers in the red selection at £25 and an Italian Baralo at £44. Most people here stick with the cocktails as they are both delicious and very well priced, and there’s also a selection of fresh teas which include Thai tea, pistachio nut tea and coconut tea.

The Last Word
With lots of restaurant competition in the area you have to stand out to attract the crowds and that’s what Benja does, successfully. The opulent interior makes you feel a million miles away from London and the food is of an excellent standard. A complete dining experience and a must for everyone.

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