Thai Ambassador Nikorndej Balankura (second from left) presents Gusto Thai's founder, Phạm Đỗ Lan Phương, with a Thai Select certificate. This is the second time in a row that the Thai-style restaurant has received recognition. Photo courtesy of the restaurant

HÀ NỘI — Gusto Thai, a Thai-style restaurant founded by a Vietnamese owner in Hà Nội, has been awarded the Thai Select certificate for the second time in a row.

This is a certificate from the Ministry of Commerce of the Thai government awarding Thai restaurants in Thailand and other countries that can guarantee food quality and taste and a service style that embodies the essence of the Thai spirit.

The award celebration, which took place on August 9, was attended by Thai Ambassador Nikorndej Balankura and the commercial counsellor of the Embassy of Thailand Taneeya Foocharoen.

Gusto Thai's founder, Phạm Đỗ Lan Phương, told VIR: "When the Thai Embassy came unannounced to check, we were completely unaware and had not prepared anything. We greeted them as if they were typical guests."

During a discussion with Ambassador Balankura, Phương said that maintaining the originality of Thai food while adapting it to Vietnamese preferences was Gusto Thai's greatest challenge.

Since the head chef of the restaurant is Thai, there are tight restrictions on the ingredients used in the recipes. The taste of Vietnamese limes, which differ from those of Thailand, presents Phương with difficulties as she searches for typical Thai flavours.

According to her, the ideal Thai cuisine should have a balance of all four flavours: sour, spicy, salty, and sweet, with spicy being the most prevalent. The restaurant has put a lot of work into each item they serve.

The restaurant strives to maintain the originality of Thai food while adapting it to Vietnamese preferences. Photo courtesy of the restaurant

The menu is separated into four degrees of spiciness, with the Authentic Thai Flavor being the spiciest and Non-spicy being the least. The restaurant strives to make the meals as mild as possible for those who cannot consume spicy food.

"This is my debut restaurant," Phương said. "Whenever I go overseas, my friends always take me out for Thai cuisine, which leaves an unforgettable memory for me. However, there are no genuine Thai restaurants in Hà Nội, even though HCM City has quite a few. This motivated me to open a restaurant serving true Thai cuisine."

"In addition to its delight and pride, the restaurant is also focussed on how to continue and gain the next certification," she added. VNS