Blue Elephant, The Boulevard, Imperial Wharf, Townmead Road, London, SW6 2UB
14/04/12
http://www.blueelephant.com/london/
She said...It had been a while since we had been in the Fulham area so I suggested we explore the development around Imperial Wharf and try the new location for Blue Elephant since we have happy memories of visiting the old site in Fulham Broadway about 15 years ago! Imperial Wharf is a mini city of shiny new residential buildings around the Thames in a very civilized, orderly fashion with a handful of smart restaurants on site. The first impression of Blue Elephant was very positive; the interior is based on the Palace of Bangkok and had a grand, imperial feel with dark woods and classic yet contemporary furnishings. We were seated in the central main room - the best location, which overlooks the lower level and the Thames. The menu was vast but we had to decide quickly to throw caution to the wind once we saw the prices and to 'treat ourselves'.
You can choose dishes from different themed sections of the menu (such as Thai cooking of the past, the present and the future)...Before our meal (and after wolfing down the complimentary prawn crackers), we were presented with a lovely amuse bouche which set the tone of the meal to follow. I started with the classic fish cakes which were the finest I had tasted in a long time, followed by the black cod with tamarind sauce which was succulent with mouth watering flavours. I also enjoyed nibbling at some of what he had which was also very good. Our jasmine tea came in the most beautiful elephant shaped tea pot and the service was attentive but not fussy.
The prices were hefty though not extortionate (about £80 for two times two courses and a pot of tea) but I really did enjoy the blend of perfect food and setting. I would come back for a special occasion but the prices mean it can't be a regular treat...
He said... The first thing you notice about Blue Elephant is the setting: at the foot of glass tower blocks near the water -- about as close as you get to Dubai living in London, minus the sun. Push the door and the analogy continues: it's like stepping into another world. Fans of Blue Elephant's previous incarnation in Fulham will not be disappointed.Have a good nosey around when you go; the large space is divided into zones with different feels, on different levels. Upstairs you get nice views of the river. There's lots of features, including a giant carved figure decorating the bar. There's also a teaching kitchen where you can pick up tricks to amaze your friends; when we went, soon after Blue Elephant first opened, the school was still being built. The food was top notch, as you'd expect from this restaurant; I had khang khao phuak, which is, basically, spiced minced mushrooms in pastry, followed by massaman veg curry. All very good, but it is very expensive. For me Thai food is like Indian food -- it is basically cheap food, and if you're going to charge a bomb for it, then you really need to be doing it not just very well but in a way that you just can't get anywhere else. The food was awesome, but there's lots of excellent Thai restaurants in London doing it just as well for much less. You're basically paying for the location; it really depends how much you value that. I'd gladly go back, but if someone else was paying.
14/04/12
http://www.blueelephant.com/london/
She said...It had been a while since we had been in the Fulham area so I suggested we explore the development around Imperial Wharf and try the new location for Blue Elephant since we have happy memories of visiting the old site in Fulham Broadway about 15 years ago! Imperial Wharf is a mini city of shiny new residential buildings around the Thames in a very civilized, orderly fashion with a handful of smart restaurants on site. The first impression of Blue Elephant was very positive; the interior is based on the Palace of Bangkok and had a grand, imperial feel with dark woods and classic yet contemporary furnishings. We were seated in the central main room - the best location, which overlooks the lower level and the Thames. The menu was vast but we had to decide quickly to throw caution to the wind once we saw the prices and to 'treat ourselves'.
You can choose dishes from different themed sections of the menu (such as Thai cooking of the past, the present and the future)...Before our meal (and after wolfing down the complimentary prawn crackers), we were presented with a lovely amuse bouche which set the tone of the meal to follow. I started with the classic fish cakes which were the finest I had tasted in a long time, followed by the black cod with tamarind sauce which was succulent with mouth watering flavours. I also enjoyed nibbling at some of what he had which was also very good. Our jasmine tea came in the most beautiful elephant shaped tea pot and the service was attentive but not fussy.
The prices were hefty though not extortionate (about £80 for two times two courses and a pot of tea) but I really did enjoy the blend of perfect food and setting. I would come back for a special occasion but the prices mean it can't be a regular treat...
He said... The first thing you notice about Blue Elephant is the setting: at the foot of glass tower blocks near the water -- about as close as you get to Dubai living in London, minus the sun. Push the door and the analogy continues: it's like stepping into another world. Fans of Blue Elephant's previous incarnation in Fulham will not be disappointed.Have a good nosey around when you go; the large space is divided into zones with different feels, on different levels. Upstairs you get nice views of the river. There's lots of features, including a giant carved figure decorating the bar. There's also a teaching kitchen where you can pick up tricks to amaze your friends; when we went, soon after Blue Elephant first opened, the school was still being built. The food was top notch, as you'd expect from this restaurant; I had khang khao phuak, which is, basically, spiced minced mushrooms in pastry, followed by massaman veg curry. All very good, but it is very expensive. For me Thai food is like Indian food -- it is basically cheap food, and if you're going to charge a bomb for it, then you really need to be doing it not just very well but in a way that you just can't get anywhere else. The food was awesome, but there's lots of excellent Thai restaurants in London doing it just as well for much less. You're basically paying for the location; it really depends how much you value that. I'd gladly go back, but if someone else was paying.
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