Thai Express Kitchen is officially opening its doors tomorrow (July 4).
The exciting new venue specialises in casual Thai dining and offers classics like Tom Yum Soup, Pad Thai, Stir Fries and Curries alongside some unique Thai-inspired dishes, including Thai Fish & Chips.
The accessible restaurant aims to cater for different dietaries and offers a range of spice levels from mild for those who are trying Thai food for the first time, to wild for spice-lovers.
BristolWorld had the opportunity to visit ahead of the grand opening and talk with owner Uzma Pattani.
00:00So this is our second location, and basically it is an extension of our original brand, which is called Thai Express, which is more of a takeaway, quick service, and this is sort of a sit-down version of Thai Express.
00:17So we have a more extensive menu, and we have cocktails, we have desserts. It really is a restaurant that we're trying to make accessible for anybody. Anybody that has never tried Thai food before, the flavors are quite mild, so it's a good introduction to Thai food, and it's also delicious for the people that love Thai food.
00:40So we can make it spicy, we do a lot of gluten-free, we have a children's menu, we do a lot of vegan, so we have something for everyone, and I think that's what the goal has always been, is to create a restaurant, Thai food, that is not only affordable and delicious, but actually has something for everyone.
01:00Can you tell us a bit about the dishes that personas can expect here?
01:03Yeah, yeah. So we do, we do obviously all of the classics, which is like the Thai green curry, and the pad thais, and we do basil fried rice, and then we have a few new dishes that are sort of Thai-inspired, but we've created.
01:19So we have a whole line of sides that have a sauce called Thai racha, and it's a sauce that we created, and it's sort of like a spicy, sour, sweet sauce, and we have a range of sides that are covered in that sauce.
01:36So we do a little bit of the classics, but we've also introduced some sort of new things, and another really exciting dish that we created is we do Thai fish and chips.
01:45So we know fish and chips are a very big British thing, and we wanted to sort of take that, but make it Thai, so our fish is battered and seasoned with Thai flavors, and we do it with a basil mayo instead of a tartar sauce, and so it's a really fun dish that we created not long ago.
02:04So the menu, although it is Thai, we do try to bring in some new elements that, you know, put a bit of fusion together, so yeah.
02:13So what are the dishes you would recommend that Hamas tries?
02:17I think our best dish is our satay pad thai.
02:22So as you know, pad thai normally comes with peanut garnish on top, and what we've done is we've actually taken our satay sauce, which comes in a stir-fry, and we've added a little bit of it to the pad thai after it's cooked.
02:35So it becomes almost like a peanut-y pad thai, and it's super delicious. It's my favorite dish on the menu. So a satay pad thai, or the Thai fish and chips. Those are my two biggest recommendations.
02:47Well, how was Bristol chosen as the second location for Night Express?
02:53I think we've always wanted to be in this part of the country. We've always wanted to be near the coast, and we are all the way in Edinburgh.
03:03And the opportunity came up with Cabot Circus, and I think it's such a great shopping center, and I think it's going through a really big revamp right now.
03:12They're going to be opening a cinema. The M&S will be opening. So it was kind of a really good time to come in and open.
03:19And so I think timing was right, and I think location-wise, it's such, the vibe of Bristol is so creative and fun.
03:28And I think it's a perfect location for somebody like us, a brand like ours.
03:33I really hope that you guys all come and visit us. The food is, the service is, and the cocktails are amazing.
