Summer menu
Wednesday, June 21st, 2023
Summer specials for Rosa’s 15th birthday!
Did you know it all started with a little caff on Hanbury Street in London?
In 2006, back when Rosa’s didn’t exist, our founder Saiphin and her husband Alex were running a street stall at Brick Lane weekend market serving classic Thai dishes from her hometown in Khao Kho. One day in 2008, she walked past a ‘for rent’ sign in the window of an Italian caff called ‘Rosa’s’ that caught her attention. The original owner – Rosa – who’s run the caff with her family for most of her life was getting ready to retire and was looking for someone to take over her lease. Little did she know that Saiphin and Alex would go on to takeover the site and keep the name out of respect for the owner (also because they didn’t have the money to change the sign). Who knew that Rosa’s legacy would live on in a form of a Thai restaurant to this day.
Authentic Thai celebration food
When it comes to celebrations, we know how to throw a party. And a birthday party in Thailand wouldn’t be complete without a feast on the table. Not only is it a time for the individuals to celebrate what they’ve achieved, it’s also a time where families gather to cook some great Thai celebration food!
A classic feast always involve interactive dishes that requires unwrapping, mixing, cutting and sharing. And we thought what better way to celebrate our big milestone than to bring back some of Saiphin’s classic recipes. From spicy salads to roast duck, pandan chicken to the crowds’ favourite – Thai fishcakes, this special menu has got ‘party’ written all over it. Plus, 15p from every dish sold will be donated to our charity partner Action Against Huner UK!
Each dish is based on Saiphin’s family recipes or ones that she’s picked up along the way before opening our very first Rosa’s in Spitalfields. Read on to see what story she has to say for each dish.
Pandan chicken
“The first restaurant that I ever worked at in Hong Kong was, of course, a Thai restaurant, and this dish was very popular there. Anytime it was ordered, I was the one who had to make it, and that’s how I’ve learnt to perfect the recipe. The pandan leaf wrappers give the chicken a subtle fragrance. Unwrapping the parcel is like opening a birthday present so this dish is often served during a birthday celebration!”
Thai fishcakes
“This is one of the most famous Thai street snacks! A decade ago I met a lady who worked as a cook on a yacht. We struck up a conversation about food (obviously) and began jotting down each other’s recipes. This dish was one of hers. You could call this fusion dish a sister recipe to traditional Thai fish cakes, but it has a richer taste. The coconut milk gives the patties a denser texture and slightly sweeter flavour. These patties are so deliciously addictive you can see why it’s one of Thailand’s most-loved street snack.”
Thai Churros
“I’ve taken a bit of creative liberty here calling it Thai ‘Churros’ – it’s actually called ‘Pa Tong Go’ back home. The idea is basically the same, light and airy dough, deep-fried then dunk into something sweet. This is one of the most common breakfast / snack items in Thailand. Long doughnuts are made fresh to order and either served plain, with congee, or dipped into condensed milk (yes, we love to eat sweet breakfast!). It’s so good that we’ve decided to put it on the all-day menu.“
Prawns & Mango Salad
A Thai recipe for your next celebration
“Whenever a storm hit my home town, the winds were so fierce that unripe mangoes would fall from the trees, which
was quite a hazard. Once the storm cleared, there would be a plethora of unripe mangoes scattered about, ready for the taking. As the saying goes, ‘waste not, want not’, so after each storm we would gather the mangoes and make this dish. Sometimes a storm would last for days; I recall one week full of crunchy mangoes – it was the best week of my life!”
You can learn how to make this dish at home too! Follow the recipe here.
View our allergen & nutritional information
Please note, our food is prepared in kitchens where allergens are present. Some dishes may contain traces of nuts, wheat, gluten, milk and other allergenic ingredients. We’re unable to list every ingredient on this menu, so please ask our staff for more detailed information about our food and allergens. We’re here to help – please ask for assistance!
Can be spicy
Definitely spicy
Thai spicy
N
Contains nuts
D
Contains dairy
V
Vegatarian
GF
Gluten free
