Set in a magical location facing the Dubai Opera, the Fountains and the tallest building in the world Burj Khalifa, Thiptara gets immediately ahead of the most Dubai restaurants offering romantic yet eclectic vibe. By the time you pass through the garden tastefully decorated with candles and lights, the expectation of an exotic night reaches its exciting point right in the front of big authentic wooden gate guarded by the resting Buddha. Behind the gate is another little garden filled with traditional aromas mixes with laughter, the heart of Thiptara the Bangkok style Thai restaurant.
“Bar to the left and the restaurant is to the right,” the voice of my hostess was lost in the sounds of music sneaking from the open door to the terrace. My eyes piers into the sudden splash of neon, water and sparkles as the famous fountains rise to the sky. Astonished I still chose to seat inside as pairing humidity with the spicy food leads to gulping icy cold water all night long. I fancied sipping a glass of Sauvignon Blanc.
Prior to softly placing menus on the table I was offered a refreshing wet towel scented with jasmine. Survivor of numerous Dubai summers, I’ve learnt to appreciate this gesture and smiled happily knowing I was in good hands. Lucky for me the chef de cuisine, Chef Nguyen Thanh left her kitchen for a few minutes to greet tonight’s guest providing me with a rare opportunity to order what chef recommends. Additionally, it was a real pleasure to meet yet another female chef working at the Palace Downtown. It appeared that her all time favourites included papaya salad, green chicken curry and dishes infused with lemongrass. Chef Nguyen Thanh warned to be realistic picking the spiciness level (not spicy, European spicy or confidently Thai spicy), so I complied.
The papaya salad turned out to be so fresh, sour and crisp with a tingling sweetness of tamarind sauce that I considered repeating. A platter of mixed dumplings rested only for a few seconds on the table surprising my server with the speed of my consumption. “Sooo good,” I mumbled in satisfaction. Tom Yong Goong soup to share was cooked to absolute perfection and I couldn’t wait for the main. With the curries in progress, I picked my Sauvignon and stepped outside to feel the downtown. Well, it’s fancy and very entertaining to observe.
Among my curries, the green chicken curry completely blew me away with its richness, creaminess and lightness at the same time probably achieved by adding coconut milk instead of the cream. I was tempted to inquire the recipe and was told: “Good news, everyone!” Chef Nguyen Thanh conducts cooking classes from time to time. Guess who is in!
Life at Her Brightest 