Located in the Hempel Hotel, home away from home for the likes of Posh and Becks and Michael Jackson, I-Thai combines Thai and Japanese cuisine with an exclusive atmosphere.

The Venue
Although the hotel is located in a series of stately old townhouses in Bayswater, inside it’s as trendy as they come: think sharp lines and neutral colours. The hotel regularly plays host to private parties for events like the Brits and London Fashion Week, whether they’re in the cool minimalist lobby with sunken seating or outside in their private Zen garden. I-Thai is located in the basement of the venue, a short lift ride or staircase away from the main floor.

The restaurant is often rife with celebrities, so as you’d expect the decor is very modern, trendy and minimalist. Large white roses sit at every table and the stark white walls are reflected with subtle pinks, blues and greens. Aside from those colours, everything is black or white, and as it’s in the basement, there are no windows so the lighting is very dim and atmospheric.

The Atmosphere
The clientele are everything from single hotel guests to local wealthy residents and groups celebrating to elderly couples – it’s the luck of the draw, really. Similarly the place can be alternately packed and completely empty depending on circumstances, but the hotel is almost nearly fully booked so a diner or two is probably guaranteed.

Service is professional with a twist of friendly banter that makes you feel comfortable. All the customers are treated with the same attention no matter who they are or what they’re wearing, although saying that, you probably should make a bit of an effort with your clothing.

The Food
Mainly Thai and Japanese food, with a few European dishes like Scottish beef and Welsh lamb. Prices are high but not unexpectedly so, given where you’re eating. Sushi sets, for example, can range from anywhere in the £8.95 - £69.95, and mains are around £15 - £20. A three course set menu is available for £25 pounds, with plenty of choices and a free Bellini at the start.

The Thai starters include classic choices like tom yam ghoong soup, a spicy broth filled with generous prawns and large pieces of lemongrass. The soup has a great kick and the prawns are almost perfect, but unfortunately taste like they’ve been cooked just a bit too long. The yam nuea is a salad with thin slices of shredded cucumber and beef onions mixed with razor-thin slices of rare beef – a great combination of sweet and sharp, with a vinegar-y sauce marinating the meat and the salad nicely.

For mains there’s a range of Thai curries, noodles and Japanese sushi sets. The Sakura set contains salmon and tuna nigiri, salmon and tuna maki, a vegetable roll, two California rolls and salmon and tuna sashimi for £19.50, whilst the Fuji set, for £23.95, has salmon, tuna and prawn nigiri, salmon and tuna sashimi, two vegetable rolls and two California rolls. I-Thai passes the first test of serving good sushi, in that the pickled ginger is a basic beige colour and not a lurid fluorescent pink. The pieces of sushi are quite large, even the maki which are normally small, and the cuts of fish very fresh and generous. As you would hope, the salmon is creamy, the tuna sharp and both are bright and glossy, although in some pieces the rice in the nigiri tastes like it’s too densely packed together. The sushi is laid out on a large plate with banana leaves and crisp daikon (Japanese radish) and is sprinkled with pickled vegetables that look like yellow peppers (the same vegetable is found in the vegetarian rolls).

For dessert, the chocolate and orange Grand Marnier pudding is a success: dense, rich, thick and amazingly chocolate-y with a hint of boozy citrus. Unfortunately the chocolate cheesecake is the only real letdown of the meal. The chocolate is a thin layer on the top, the bottom is thick and solid instead of a nice crumbly biscuit and the cheesecake tastes like solidified cream without a hint of the usual tangy cheese taste.

The Drink
The Hempel’s infamous H-Bar is on the ground floor of the hotel and towards the other side, but it’s worth the trip if you have a few extra minutes and a few extra pounds to spare (about £12 per cocktail, to be exact). The classic martini is perfect and served with finesse (and a sprig of redcurrants) whilst the cucumber martini is cool and refreshing, with a sweet, creamy taste.

As for I-Thai’s wine list, the choices are mostly French, with bottles ranging from an affordable £22 to a cool £750. Wines are available by the glass for about £6 and there’s a wine of the month choice as well. The house white, a Le Versant Sauvignon Blanc from 2005, is a sweet wine that’s smooth and easy to drink.

The Last Word
I-Thai is not your local Thai or sushi joint – it’s an expensive, trendy restaurant in an exclusive boutique hotel. If you’re worried about the price, the £25 set menu is a great way to experience the lovely food, cool atmosphere and exemplary service – all without being as wealthy as the Beckhams.

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