Family-style dinners are the norm across Thailand, where dishes are placed in the centre of the table to be passed around and shared. This tradition of communal eating is at the core of the menu at Platapian, which recently opened in Soho.
The menu spans the length and breadth of Thailand, reflecting restaurateur Nam Parama Raiva’s heritage. Parama Raiva’s father hails from Thailand’s south and her mother is from the north, so she grew up eating dishes from across the country. “The south is spicier, but the north offers comfort,” she tells Broadsheet.
Parama Raiva took over the former Patara Thai restaurant site on Greek Street – her aunt Khun Patara Sila-On has run the Patara restaurant group for more than 30 years – aiming to bring a vibrancy that matches the energy of Soho, while echoing the surrounds of her family dinners. “Of course, there was a lot of consulting with my aunt and mother. They took a lot of convincing,” she says, laughing.
The resulting space is warm with shades of brown complemented by rattan chairs, wooden tables and lush green plants that bring a hint of tropical Thailand. In the middle of the space is a large, ornate model of a Buddhist temple.
Sentimentality is a central theme at Platapian, with tributes to the Patara family evident in photographs on the walls. The first cocktail on the menu – a sweet, floral, fizzy gin and prosecco number – is named after Parama Raiva’s mother, Khun Nong Nai.
“I really wanted to recreate the way we ate at home,” says Parama Raiva, adding that the small plates trend has helped Platapian’s family-style dishes succeed, by encouraging western diners to share multiple dishes rather than ordering separately.
At Platapian, dishes like Chiang Mai’s aromatic sai oua pork sausage and a southern-style curry of braised duck leg with sweat-inducing kreung cha chilli paste take customers on a country-wide journey.
Parama Raiva also points to Chinese influences on the menu, such as the claypot rice and noodle dishes that arrive smoky and generously laden with chunks of crab or beef and bits of crispy pork or beef fat.
The restaurant is a love letter to Parama Raiva’s family – even its name nods to family. “Platapian refers to a Thai handicraft; a woven fish made from palm leaves that symbolises the passing of good fortune between generations,” she says. ‘It’s a blessing from my family that I want to share with London.”
Platapian
15 Greek Street, W1D 4DP
02038220329
Hours:
Mon to Wed midday–3pm, 5.30pm–10.30pm
Thu midday–3pm, 5.30pm–11pm
Fri midday–3pm, 5.30pm–11.30pm
Sat midday–11.30pm
Sun midday–10.30pm
