David Thompson is a gentle, soft-spoken Australian, which somehow makes it all the more surprising that he is the world's leading authority on Thai cooking and consultant to the Thai government.

The dining room at Nahm is chic, stylish and quietly fashionable - rather like the hotel in which it is hidden away.

The food is amazing.

But if you come to it rubbing your hands in anticipation of familiar dishes brace yourself for disappointment - you are unlikely to recognise anything on the menu.

At Nahm every meal is founded upon a bowl of jasmine rice and then other dishes are chosen to add savour to that rice.

Nam prik is one such dish - cubes of sweet glazed pork; a small pancake made with a delicious herb surprisingly called stinkweed; slivers of raw white turmeric; and a sludge made with tiny slightly chewy shrimps (much nicer than it sounds) - an amazing palette of flavours.

Or there's yum pak - a 'salad' of different leaves and vegetables brought together by an amazing citrussy dressing.

Or pla meuk pat sadtor, which is a dish of garlic stir-fried squid with sadtor beans - wonderfully aromatic and pungent.

Even the 'duck salad' is a complex affair and offers a grand array of textures.

There's an extensive wine list and a helpful sommelier who recommends drinking Alsace with Thai food.

Nahm is a sophisticated place and not cheap, so it's important to get the most out of the experience and you should rely on the charming front of house staff to help with the ordering.

Then your meal will be delicious, vibrant and totally unfamiliar - a strangely alluring and elegant combination.