Cha Plu has become something of a local West London landmark for Thai cuisine. On Fulham Road, right opposite the Chelsea and Westminster Hospital, it's the sort of place where you could linger over a relaxed meal and drink with family and friends. The restaurant's stylish interior blends Thai statues, bronze masks and other traditional artefacts with leather chairs and dark metallic tables to create a delightful contemporary ambience.

The extensive à la carte menu includes starters such as yum pu nim, a dish of succulent deep fried soft shell crab served with Thai mango salad; pla murk gra tieum, dried crispy squid with garlic and pepper and typical Thai style charcoal grilled loin pork on a stick served with a tamarind chilli dip. If you prefer a salad then go for charcoal grilled duck breast mixed with fresh chillies and lime juice, minced chicken with spring onions, lime juice and dried chilli or som tum, a traditional papaya salad.

Main course dishes capture the essence of authentic Thai cooking with offerings such as lamb massaman, lamb braised and cooked with mussaman paste, potatoes, onions, and peanuts; beef pad kra chai, stir fried sliced tender beef with sweet basil, krachai leaves, pepper seeds and fresh chillies; stir fried light buttered crispy pork loin with pepper and garlic and tamarind duck, roast duck breast on pak choi topped with tamarind sauce.

The seafood section offers a variety of delectable dishes including sea bass neung see eiw, steamed sea bass fillet with light soy sauce, ginger and spring onions; stir fried river prawn with red curry paste and lime leaves and stir fried scallop with asparagus.

You could also try house specialities of stir fried sirloin with Thai green curry paste, coconut milk lime leaves, bamboo shoots, kra chai roots and sweet basil; spicy pan fried sea bass topped with Panang curry sauce or stir fried soft shell crab with black pepper seeds, red and green peppers and chillies. The assorted seafood sizzling platter delivers stir fried king prawns, squids, scallops and mussels, cooked and flavoured with sweet basil, fine beans, onions, red and green peppers and chillies.

The royal banquet set menu for a minimum of four persons offers a platter of mixed appetisers such as chicken satay, Thai fishcake, crab spring rolls and goong hom pah, all served with variety of dips and followed by tom yum tiger prawn or chicken tom kha soup. For mains, there's a choice of dried green curry halibut fillet, duck red curry, beef pad lemongrass or pad Thai prawn and chicken served with steamed jasmine rice. Round off with Thai pancake served with vanilla ice cream. A three-course set menu is also available.

The same care and attention to detail extends to the drinks list which offers a selection of wines and champagnes from around the world as well as cold beers, ales and spirits. The cocktail menu includes classics such as pina colada, mai tai, mojito, daiquiri and margarita as well as a range of non-alcoholic cocktails to enhance the pleasure.

More information can be found on their Website.