Nara Thai Central Embassy Review: Good Som Tum, Great Service, $25 a Head (7.5/10)

The short version: Nara Thai Cuisine at Central Embassy is a solid, easy Thai lunch if you’re already in the mall. The som tum and the coconut water are the standouts, both an 8, and the service is the best part, an 8.5. Lunch for five came to about ฿813 ($25) a head. But the room and the food are both a 7.5, and Bangkok has better Thai meals. 7.5 out of 10.

I had lunch here on November 4, 2026, with four other people, and paid for it myself.

Arriving

Nara is on the 5th floor of Central Embassy, on Ploenchit, in the same restaurant row as Din Tai Fung and close to the Rosewood and the Okura. It’s easy to spot: three Michelin plates on the sign out front, from 2019 to 2021, and a blue-and-white tiled wall inside.

The setting: 7.5 out of 10

Nice, but nothing special. It’s a good-sized room, open and airy and very clean, and the tables by the windows look out at the towers along Ploenchit. Only a few tables get that view, though. The best thing about it is the location, which makes it an easy stop. It doesn’t feel especially Thai, and nothing about the room stays with you.

The food: 7.5 out of 10

Good, with two dishes I’d get again.

Som tum Thai: 8 out of 10. Quite good, with a proper level of spice, and very refreshing the way a som tum should be. It could use a teeny bit more variety of flavor, but definitely get it. ฿180.

Fresh young coconut: 8 out of 10. A good size, and a bit sweeter than the ones in Manila, which I actually prefer. They brand the Nara logo onto the shell. ฿160.

Pad thai gai: 7.5 out of 10. It comes with the egg over it and the peanuts, and not too many vegetables. Tasty, but not quite as memorable as some other places, like Thiptara. ฿220.

Pork satay: 7.5 out of 10. Served on a little clay brazier where the fat drizzles down, and the pieces came off the skewer easily. ฿400 for two orders.

Pad see ew gai: 7 out of 10. Fine, but not memorable. ฿200.

The table also had the fried soft-shell crab with garlic (฿790), the beef massaman (฿490) and the chayote sprouts with prawn (฿350). I didn’t try them, but my family liked the crab, so call it about a 7. There’s a set menu at ฿4,990++ and a page of noodles, including Ayutthaya boat noodles at ฿200++.

Service: 8.5 out of 10

The best part of the meal. We came as a whole family, with my grandparents in their mid-90s, and they seated us at a bigger table without a wait and were patient with everyone. The man running the floor was polite and soft-spoken, the way Thai service often is, and he really looked after us. All the food came out fast. No complaints.

What it cost

Lunch for five came to ฿4,066.54, about $123, or ฿813 ($25) a head, with the 10% service charge and 7% VAT. That covered the satay, pad see ew, pad thai, soft-shell crab, som tum, massaman and chayote sprouts, plus four rice, two coconuts, three waters and two Coke Zeros. The ฿790 crab is the one pricey dish; without it you’re closer to ฿650 ($20) a head. Paid myself.

Value: 8 out of 10

Good for what you get, though Thailand has better values at this level, and the next section is where to find them.

Vs. the others

It’s hard to compare. Thiptara at The Peninsula and Salathip at the Shangri-La sit right on the river, Salathip with live music and Thiptara with traditional Thai architecture, and the food at both is incredible. Up & Above at the Okura has an open, classy room and a very wide menu. Nara’s service beats Up & Above’s, but all three have the better setting and the better food. Even Din Tai Fung, two doors down, has the cooler room.

Verdict: 7.5 out of 10

I’d go back for a casual, quick lunch when I’m in the mall, for the service and the price. But Bangkok has so many Thai restaurants that are better, with more interesting settings, so try some of those first. If you do come, get the som tum and a coconut.

Choosing between them? See Where to Stay in Bangkok, where I compare the Peninsula, the Okura, the Rosewood, the Conrad, the Athenee, the JW Marriott and the Grand Hyatt side by side.

FAQ

Where is Nara Thai Cuisine in Central Embassy?

On the 5th floor, at 1031 Ploenchit Road, next to the Park Hyatt and a short walk from Ploenchit BTS. There are other Nara branches around Bangkok, including CentralWorld and Siam Paragon.

What are the hours?

11 am to 9:30 pm, per Nara’s site, which also takes bookings online. The phone is 02 160 5989.

How much is lunch?

We paid about ฿813 ($25) a head for five, including a ฿790 soft-shell crab. Most mains are ฿180 to ฿500, plus 10% service and 7% VAT.

What should I order?

The som tum and a fresh coconut. The pork satay and pad thai are decent too.

Is it worth it?

Yes, if you’re already in Central Embassy and want an easy, well-run Thai lunch. For a special Thai meal, go to Thiptara or Salathip instead.