Manchester chef Ben Humphreys is all set to bring Bangkok-style dining to the Edinburgh Castle – taking on the kitchen with his wife Bo.
Called Bangkok Diners Club, it will open up next week mixing the Thai flavours he championed at his previous project – the Michelin Guide-listed District on Oldham Street – with some hints of US BBQ methods thrown in.
The menu will feature elements from both central Thailand and the Isan region in the north, where Bo is from, as well as using in an in-house smoker to create some unique flavour profiles.
“Bangkok is right in the middle of Thailand, the cuisine is the most complex and diverse there. They draw inspiration from all across the country – vivid with fresh turmeric and depth of shrimp paste from the South, an array of herbs and dry spices from the cooler mountainous North, and the distinctive spicy and sour flavours from the northeast ‘Isan’ region’,” said Ben.
“That exciting approach is what we’re trying to do here – it’s all rooted in a deep respect for the Thai cooking traditions and an obsessive understanding of how Thai dishes are built; how the flavours are layered and the heat builds – but without the constraints of identifying with a single region.”
“Barbecue is huge in Thailand, but it’s usually fast and furious over fire. Last year we spent some time in Miami – we had so much mega BBQ, and I found for me the best dishes had Mexican or Korean heat and citrus which cut through the richness of the meat.” Ben said of the inspiration behind the menu. “It got me thinking about how I could do that with Thai flavours and techniques.”
Among the launch dishes will be ex-dairy beef Nam Tok and BBQ pork jowl with burnt tomato Nam Jim Jaew, Gaeng Khua, a southern curry of smoked mutton ribs and Thai omelette with smoked mushroom and Nam Prik Pao.
Ben and Bo’s partner in the project Danny Collins added: “We’ve spent countless nights cooking and celebrating with Bo’s family in Bangkok, and we want to bring that same energy to Manchester, and to the pub.
“We hope to give people something you can’t really get anywhere else, while offering a dining experience that’s fun, communal, and full of flavour.”
They’ll be open for business on 27 March, with bookings open now…
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