First look as Rosa's Thai opens in Norwich with a blessing

Rosa's Thai in Chantry Square started to welcome customers last Monday as part of a two-week soft launch. 

To mark the occasion Buddhist monks from the Wat Arun temple in Weston Longville were on hand to offer a blessing with the full launch just around the corner on October 7. 

The inside of Rosa's Thai in the former Byron Burger restaurant (Image: Rosa’s Thai / Chris Ball Photography) The monks blessing the restaurant ahead of its opening (Image: Rosa’s Thai / Chris Ball Photography) Saiphin Moore, founder of Rosa's Thai (Image: David Cotsworth/ Rosa's Thai)

Saiphin Moore, founder of the group which now has 41 outlets around the UK, said: “Each time we open a new restaurant we invite local Buddhist monks to come to bless the restaurant. 

"We call it ‘making merit’, which means to cast away any bad luck and welcome good luck in.  

"It’s traditional in Thailand when you move into a new house, buy a new car or get married. 

"We make offerings to the monks of gifts and food; they pray and pour water as an offering to the spirits. 

The inside looking on to Chantry Square (Image: Rosa’s Thai / Chris Ball Photography) The restaurant serves a selection of drinks including bubble tea, Thai iced drinks and cocktails (Image: Rosa’s Thai / Chris Ball Photography) The fan favourite pad thai (Image: Rosa's Thai)

The monks' blessing included a series of chants prayers and rituals.

“It’s important to me that we always do this when we open a new restaurant as it’s a huge part of my culture and my upbringing.” 

Moving into the former Byron Burger,  the menu includes dishes such as chicken satay, spring and summer rolls, noodle soups and authentic Thai curries. 

After humble beginnings as a street food stall at Brick Lane's Sunday market in London, the first bricks-and-mortar site opened in Spitalfields in 2008. 

The exterior of Rosa's Thai next to Ask Italian (Image: Rosa’s Thai / Chris Ball Photography) The soft launch comes to an end this week (Image: Rosa’s Thai / Chris Ball Photography) The menu aims to give the taste of more authentic Thai food (Image: Rosa's Thai)

The expansion into the East of England marks an exciting move for the brand after opening in cities across the UK. 

For the next week visitors during the restaurant's "soft launch" will save 50pc off the food bill as staff get the hang of things.