Review

Thiptara feels like a serene retreat tucked under ancient banyan trees by the Chao Phraya River. Chef Monnipa Rungthong leads a kitchen performing at high levels, serving Thai classics making no apologies for being bold, bright, and brimming with flavour. Miang kham sets the tone, delicate betel leaf filled with peanuts, dried shrimp, and sweet shrimp sauce with more kick than its elegant appearance might suggest. Next up, kanom bueng bolan sai goong maenam, where grilled river prawns meet crispy curry flour shells, coconut, and pickled turnips. It’s a playful yet precise bite, sweet, salty, crunchy, and utterly satisfying. Mains take the flavour profiles a step further. Korat chicken arrives roasted, fragrant with lemongrass and cumin, its skin crackling as you cut through to the tender meat beneath, with aromas in abundance. Then there’s moo grob phad prik khing, crispy pork belly in red curry; rich, fatty pork heat confronts the curry head-on, and neither backs down. Kamphaeng Saen Thai beef tenderloin is perfectly grilled and served with toasted rice chilli sauce. The wine list is informative, including an appropriately comprehensive offering of Thai wine with crisp whites and robust reds from local vineyards. Desserts here follow tradition. Kanom mor gaeng, mung bean cake paired with coconut ice cream, brings the meal to a satisfying close.