Another modern Thai restaurant in London is Khao Bird, which after a year-long residency in Borough Market is to launch permanently in Soho.
Khao Bird was founded by Brighton restaurateur Mike Palmer and chef Luke Larsson, first on the south coast and at the Globe Tavern last year.
The restaurant specialises in cuisine rooted in northern Thailand, with a focus on barbecue (which they call “live fire”) cooking and with influences from Myanmar.
Many of the dishes come from the street markets of Chiang Mai, including noodles with minced prawn curry, shan meatballs (pork with spices), and a version of a traditional beef larb, replacing the blood typically used in Thailand with Campari.
Khao Bird is to launch in a former adult cinema on Brewer Street, the last to close, as Soho continues to shift with the times.
The two-floor restaurant is to be “inclusive and affordable”, according to the team – Palmer said the average spend per head will be around £35 – with a bar serving off menu, ever-changing snacks, an open kitchen and grill and a music booth and kiosks.
There will be slow-moving ceiling fans, plants and reflective steel surfaces, all in homage to traditional Thai canteens. There’ll be oak flooring upstairs and concrete below.
The sommelier Zeren Wilson will return to oversee the wine list, while draft wines and Thai beers will sit alongside a cocktail list that calls on fresh Thai herbs, seasonal fruits, and a selection of icy slushies.
Palmer said: “Khao started out for us as a series of pop-ups in Brighton, inspired by our time studying and working in Thailand. Our philosophy is simple: to blend the bold flavours and techniques of Thailand with the best local ingredients from in and around Brighton, and in 2018, we opened our first permanent restaurant, Lucky Khao.
“Wwith this exciting opportunity in Soho, we're diving further into the unique cuisine of Chiang Mai. The name 'Khao Bird' is a nod to our love for the city’s famous BBQ chicken.
“The menu features Northern Thai classics, particularly the flavours that light up the City's night markets, with some playful twists that reflect our journey from Brighton to Thailand.”
Khao Bird, Brewer Street, W1F 0SS, khaobird.com
