Mumbai based Happy Thai restaurant ensures you enjoy your meals cocooned in a lush, tropical rainforest setting

Nestled within a bustling shopping mall in India’s financial capital, the 2,650 sq ft space, replete with lively ambience, is everything you’d hope it to be! Enter here and you’re intentionally blocked from the hubbub of the mall and into to a warm, earthy cove where interior designer Sarah Sham of Essajes Atelier—transports you to another place, or time, the translation of the restaurant’s name. “We wanted to give the patrons a feeling like they were sitting in a lush tropical jungle and eating a lovely local meal,” says Sarah.

A quick glance and it is almost hard to miss the dramatic planters that overhang from the ceiling and even chic palms that sprout within the quiet nooks of space. “We kept this entire space quite bare and only filled it with plants to make a large impact. The tropical greenery is supposed to evoke a feeling of being in Thailand without literally referencing it,” she says. Complimenting the natural theme are wooden and cane elements that are used both in screen partitions and also in the main façade of the restaurant. The bar, just as well rounded, features black marble with gold detailing against the backdrop of a neon Happy Thai elephant logo and eclectic light fixtures—spells out a vivid design story that begs to be photographed. The next time you’re craving for som tam and sushi, you know where to go!