Rosa's Thai restaurant review, Victoria ★★★★★

Perched on the corner of Wilton Road and Gillingham Street is Victoria’s proudest Thai café. Rosa’s is a small, informal space where relaxed dining is put at the forefront of the Thai experience. The crisp whites and florally patterned interior flow well with the ethos of the restaurant and add to the ambience; the emphasis is on natural, fresh ingredients and Rosa’s doesn’t fail to deliver on this premise.

Given the selection of Thai-inspired cocktails up for grabs, it’s wise to start your meal with a tipple. The kaffir lime and mint toreador is a must-have for tequila lovers, with its fruity notes coming from an apricot liqueur. The birdseye clementine daiquiri is another one not to miss for those looking for a healthy (sort of) kick. It contains chilli and turmeric syrup which packs a punch, and colours the rum.

At first glance, the menu offers up all your traditional Thai favourites, crispy spring rolls and nutty chicken satay to start, or perhaps a traditional spicy sausage, grilled in the northern style tickles your tastebuds. Masaman red curries, stir fries and fried rice make up the offering as main dishes, and come served as delightful as they taste. It’s not a delicate or picturesque plating, but as it goes past you while others receive their orders, it’s food to make you go mmm.

What’s surprising about Rosa’s is the choice they offer for vegetarians, vegans and gluten-free diners, with every request taken into consideration, and a separate menu.

The butternut red curry was particularly flavoursome, and didn’t scrimp on the veggies. Served with rice, the bright colours and tingling spices make for a dish which satisfies the senses as well as the belly, and the sticky rice was deliciously coconutty. This curry is one for the gluten-free crowd, and can be made vegan if you ask them to leave out the egg.

A roasted duck curry flavoured with grapes is a particularly interesting fusion, while the chicken and basil stir fry was extra fragrant, and well-portioned. The next time we go, we’ll be having the stir fried aubergine, which we were too full to attempt this time.

Tthe estate teas from Comins Tea House were a charming way to end the meal. We opted for peppermint, served in a traditional teacup with no handle, more akin to the Japanese style. We could have used a coffee, mind, after all that food.

It was the staff though that really made Rosa’s so special. Knowledgeable about their food and menu, and eager to help you with your choices, the women at Rosa’s were charming and accommodating to our every need (having a vegan in the fold isn’t always so easy). We left with a smile on our faces, our bellies full, and waddled home to bed.