Fluid Eating's Review of Piya Piya
Best for: Piya Piya platter; weekday happy hours; any Sea Bass dish.
Great: Restaurant turned club atmosphere on a Saturday night.
Join me on this one stop tour of Thailand on a plate. That’s right. For one night only, I’ve put those cold, windy January nights behind me and can focus on everything hot. Thailand is synonymous with sun, sea and spice and there’s good news ahead as it’s also alive and well in East London.
Picture this: Old Street, and, as I step through some snazzy double glass doors, there’s a taste of warmth. It may be 5 degrees outside and pelting with rain but the inner warmth of Piya Piya begins to mirror that summer beach feeling. It’s hot everywhere. The walls are a passionate red, as are the tablecloths, and the bar. But Thai offers style as well, with the black leather chairs and black lino adding some cool balance to this fieriness.
Some of that Thai culture brims over as within the first half an hour, Piya Piya’s service can be interpreted as somewhat lukewarm in comparison to the vibrant decor. Epitomising the famous “too many cooks...” phrase, within the first half hour, three (count them, THREE) waiters have graced our table in an attempt to find out who we are and what we want. Not the type of treatment expected on a one-stop tour of friendliness, but it is soon corrected with charm and service through top ups of water, wine and food served with a smile. Not quite scorching by our standards though.
No one-stop tour would be complete without the food. First course, Piya Piya platter and crispy aromatic duck with pancakes typify Asia. Satay chicken, spring rolls and golden bags are delicately assembled with impressive presentation, but it’s a shame that the chicken has cooled down, the sauce is now congealed. Ditto to the duck that although served warmish, comes accompanied with pancakes in a microwavable bag, which to me, doesn’t scream authentic Thailand. Maybe this is Thai with a contemporary fusion twist?
Tasty but tepid, the mains need to impress if this tour is to be a hot success. A beef and oyster plate, alongside traditional Thai red curry and a signature Sea Bass and tomato chilli are on its way. The chef is having timekeeping issues (a trait of many Thai tuk tuks) as the food arrives with only the sea bass anywhere near warm (and that’s because it has a candle stuck under it). If I had been on a beach, eating under the moonlit stars, then perhaps this temperature would have been acceptable. East London in January in the pouring rain doesn’t quite cut it.
Onto the desserts, and a delectable melt-in-the-mouth chocolate cake is served. Finally, something hot! Just what I had been in search of all evening. Proving that there is some life in the kitchen, the dessert is the best of the evening and momentarily recaptures the imagery of perfect Thai cuisine. Well, one course can be sought in East London, at the very least.
But it’s too late. The SAD genes are back and the tour is somewhat over. I have failed in my quest to find some summer sun in London. Perhaps their club offering Kandy Night Saturdays can turn up the heat? Perhaps it’s in the entertainment and not the food. After so many promises of delectable dishes, passionate plates and succulent surroundings, there was so little on the delivery. I guess that I should continue saving up for that holiday in the Orient then. Roll on the summer.
Reviewed by Naheen Madarbarkus.
DESCRIPTION: Piya Piya is an exotic combination of lounge, bar and thai restaurant conveniently located in the heart of the City within walking distance from Liverpool Street, Moorgate and Old Street tube stations.
At Piya Piya you can enjoy a delicious meal from a selection of Thai and Thai inspired Pan Asian cuisine in the fashionably elegant dining space.
If you just want to wind down after work by yourself or with friends, come down to Piya Piya and relax in the trendy lounge bar, whilst having a drink or one of the amazing house cocktails - expertly mixed by our experienced in house bar staff.
For a more formal or exclusive evening, book out a private area and enjoy your party in a discreet atmosphere.
If you would prefer to enjoy a night out with a group, then party night is the answer - where live DJs will be spinning discs from a wide range of music - from funky house, commercial, RnB & Hip Hop to world music. Ask for further details. (Updated 25/01/2011)
- Average price per head: £45.00
- Additional Info: No additional info for this venue.
Piya Piya Food & Drink Menus
Listed below are few sample food and drinks items available at
Piya Piya. These lists are not enhaustive, but are instead designed to give you an overview of the venue's
offerings and assciated prices.
Piya Piya Food menu
All the dishes at Piya Piya are freshly made and they pride ourselves on researching ingredients and trying new recipes to allow you to try just that little something different. More informal meals such as an Express Lunch for those in a hurry can be enjoyed in the lounge.
Piya Piya Drink menu
Our extended bar and lounge area is the perfect place to chill out after a hard day. Relax in the extensive lounge area while our experienced staff treat you to one of our perfectly blended house cocktails. The bar has a late licence to remain open until 1.30am. Food is also served between 11:30am-3pm and 5:30pm-11pm (Mon-Fri). Please note that due to popularity, reservations may be required. To enjoy live music come down Friday-Sat to enjoy Live DJ’s spinning their discs
Piya Piya Special Offers
Each month, we have special offers, visit our website for further details. Throughout November & December from £25 we have an Unlimited Drinks Offer for group bookings of 10 or more
Piya Piya Opening Hours
| Sunday |
Monday |
Tuesday |
Wednesday |
Thursday |
Friday |
Saturday |
| Closed |
11:30am - 11:00pm |
11:30am - 11:00pm |
11:30am - 12:00am |
11:30am - 12:00am |
11:30am - 12:00am |
5:00pm - 2:00am |
Customer Reviews for Piya Piya
Write a review of Piya Piya
“I had my birthday dinner at Anakana Chai Bar on 1/12/06. Group of 22 people. We were a handfull, but the manager and waiters were very patient and friendly. The bar staff and doorman were very friendly too. Everybody loved the venue and the food. Deffs be going again. Great for drinks after work. Lots of seating/lounge area. Made my birthday bash a hit!”
Rating:  
— Aishah, London
(03 Dec 2006)
“I went to Anakana last week, and i was quite impresed by the the unusual athmposphere for an Indian restaurant, the cocktails were a really nice combination, the duck i tried was cooked on the open fire and melted in your mouth and the music was superb.”
Rating:
— Rick, Barcelona
(07 Jul 2006)
“The space is beautiful, the food is the best indian i've tried in my live, the service was ok, and they had a really good dj playing, from lounge music to deep house. Really nice experience.”
Rating:
— Laurent Pico, Paris
(26 Jun 2006)
“A friend took me to Anakana on a Thursday night, the style for being an Indian restaurant is stunning, the food is really nice, specially the food cooked on the open fire, and the cocktails are amazing. To complement all that they have their own dj, who was really good, playing from jazz, funk, lounge, deep house, i was really happy with the experience. ”
Rating:
— Peter White, London
(24 Jun 2006)
“Been to eat here 4/5 times, food is consistantly very good. Fresh ingrediants, beautifully presented. Highly recommend the tarimand duck with pickled vegetables. Reasonably priced. Oh & the moody waitress seems to have left. What more could you want ?”
Rating:
— Laura, London
(07 Feb 2006)
Useful links
Share this page
Like our review? Has one of the customer reviews for Piya Piya amsued you? Share it with the world!
Submit this page to:
 Del.icio.us |
 Digg this |
 Reddit |
 FaceBook |
 StumbleUpon
|