From Bangkok to Bengaluru: Why Thai Cuisine Feels Like Home in India

Muro’s Massaman Lamb Curry: A familiar comfort, reimagined.

Not too long ago, Thai food in India was limited to five-star hotels or buried in pan-Asian menus. Today, tom yum is what my friends order when they’re sick, mango sticky rice is a summer favourite, and Thai boba is as common as cutting chai. The cuisine, once exotic, now feels like familiar comfort - even to our parents.

As Thailand became more accessible - with budget airlines, visa-on-arrival, and cultural ease - its food lingered in Indian memories. Even for those who haven’t travelled there yet, dishes like Krathong Thong or the Massaman Lamb Curry from Bengaluru’s Muro feel instinctively recognisable.

The Experimental Route at Muro

In Bengaluru, Muro takes a more experimental route. “We’re not doing fusion for the sake of it; we’re respecting ingredients and presenting them differently,” says co-founder Niharika Raval. The restaurant offers Massaman lamb in a banh mi sandwich and Thai curry in savoury pastries, which chef Somporn Chaisuntorn highlights as a unique way to experience traditional flavours.

Since it’s Bengaluru, cocktails are never far behind the cuisine. At Muro, they riff on Thai flavours - think tamarind, mango, and chilli with a tropical punch. “The question we ask is: Does it taste Thai? If yes, we go with it,” adds Raval.

Thai Food as Modern Comfort

Thai food is no longer something you only eat on vacation. It feels like something you remember, something you learn to cook, and something you pass around the dinner table with loved ones. It feels, in a word, like comfort.

Originally published by Elle Gourmet.