Latest news with #Fireback
Mint
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- Mint
How Thai is that green curry?
I mention the words 'green curry" on the Zoom call, and chef David Thompson fires his first salvo. 'I've opened restaurants across the world, and one of the least controversial dishes I've ever had is the green curry. But here (in India), everybody has an opinion on it and I just think to myself; wow, it's a simple dish. Why is it so contentious?" Thompson, who has nearly four decades of global experience in Thai cuisine under his belt, is the culinary director at the recently opened Fireback in Mumbai. And the dish in question is the khmoy green curry, a robust, spicy dish loaded with heart of palm, babycorn, and cauliflower served with fragrant jasmine rice. It's quite unlike the coconut milk-based green curry in your average Thai restaurant in Mumbai (which Thompson likens to cream of asparagus soup). I remember eating this dish at Fireback Goa when it opened in December 2023, and I revisited it in Mumbai last week. In both instances, it blew my socks off and reminded me of what Thai food tastes like in Thailand—bold and flavourful. Sydney-born Thompson has lived in Thailand since the 1980s, and has been running a string of Thai restaurants around the world, including Michelin-starred ones in Bangkok and Hong Kong. 'I have delved pretty deeply into the cuisine; I've had to because I ain't Thai, so I had to build up a repertoire from scratch." Mumbai (and India) is no stranger to Thai cuisine, but we have largely eaten a certain version of it with creamy coconut-based curries, peanutty satays, and bird's eye chilli-flecked stir-fries. That is not to say these are not 'authentic" Thai flavours, but there's so much more as I found out on my first trip to Thailand more than a decade ago. Every subsequent trip drove home the fact that the Thai food in Mumbai just about scrapes the tip of the iceberg. Brand chef Kaustubh Haldipur at Fireback, who along with his team, was extensively trained in Bangkok by Thompson, says, 'Most of the curry dishes come from the central plains, but Fireback's menu also includes some dishes from southern Thailand, like the chicken gorlae." These are grilled skewers coated with the zingy coconut-based gorlae sauce topped with crispy shallots, and served with ajad, a spicy relish of cucumber, shallots, and chillies. The vegetarian version has pumpkin and sweet potato skewers, all from the Josper grill that takes centre stage in Fireback's glass-walled kitchen. Both the green and red curries have a spicy kick to them, somewhat mitigated by the rice that's served alongside. 'My responsibility is to do my utmost to be as faithful to the cuisine as possible and execute it with as much finesse as I possibly can muster," says Thompson. Other signature dishes include the Massaman curry with pumpkin, potatoes, coriander seeds, and peanuts as well as the jungle curry with pork that packs in quite a bit of heat. The mango and sticky rice that comes next calms the fire in my mouth, but it's the grilled banana that's the real treat. Served with condensed milk ice cream and crispy roti, it's a take on the popular street dessert, Thai roti or crispy pancake with condensed milk and banana. 'It's ultimately about contentment. I hope guests leave not just satisfied, but quietly joyful—from the flavours on the plate to the attentiveness of the service. When those elements come together, it becomes more than a meal; it becomes a memorable experience," says Thompson. And memorable it is. I'm still thinking about the chicken gorlae, reminiscent of the many grilled skewers I've scarfed in Bangkok's night markets. Prachi Joshi is a Mumbai-based travel and food writer.
New Indian Express
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- New Indian Express
Mortality & Manifestations
I don't know if I'm just getting older, but the weeks are flowing into months, and the months are swiftly turning into a year at an alarming speed. It makes me afraid of my mortality! Not that I'm afraid of 'passing on', but hopefully when that time comes, it's uneventful and peaceful. But I have loads of things I want to do. My famous, unpublished books that are lying half-finished on my desktop are one, or the bartending class I wanted to attend, my singing, my salsa classes, and my 'climb-every-mountain' mantra have not been followed to a T! I have successfully manifested most of my dreams. But I am a human being, and we always want more! Now my aching bones have turned me into a more realistic being, and I suppose now I'll have to climb every mountain metaphorically! Now, for sure, I have stopped pleasing and playing for an audience (I couldn't help my actor genes now, could I?), and I have got real about a lot of things. As a social being, I am friendly, but I reiterate that 'everyone' isn't my friend. Recently, I tried to count my real friends, and believe me, I couldn't get past the fingers on my first hand. I was elated! Just as I was doing a happy dance, my phone rang, and it was my friend Prasad Bidapa, whom I have known most of my life. We watched each other grow professionally and were always happy and proud of each other. I have wept over his shoulder many times, and we have giggled over a shared bit of gossip. We have also been there for each other, and if he needs me to attend an event at the top of Mt Kilimanjaro, he knows I will be there. He called just to check in on me as we hadn't crossed paths for some time. This gesture warmed the cockles of my heart! Prasad is a 'busy-bee', yet he needed to know if his friend was well. That's what friends are for. My week has been dotted with long impromptu 'food soirees' with family and friends like family in attendance. I think everyone is suffering with a sense of ennui, with the prospect of dressing up and going to another pointless event where one bumps into the same people, who give you the same polite smiles and have nothing new to say or do. Give me the opportunity to wear my 'jammies' with a home-cooked meal, great madeira (saved for those family occasions), raucous laughter and non-stop talking any day! I was thrilled to be invited back to the swanky JW Marriott to sample the cuisine of the famed restaurant Fireback from Goa. I love the authentic Thai restaurant, and I didn't need more persuasion to sample their cuisine in namma ooru. The name is inspired by the Thai national bird, the Siamese Fireback and also alludes to the fire-grilled cooking behind many of the restaurant's dishes. Their chef, Kamal Kant Joshi, was on hand lovingly taking us through his very imaginative new menu while the dishy mixologist Ravi Rai kept us enthralled with his Thai-inspired cocktails, which had our table of friends, Aloma Lobo, Neetu Singh and the suave GM Gaurav Sinha in 'high spirits'! Khop-khun-khrap for all the love. (The writer's views are personal)
Mint
17-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Mint
Weekend food plan: Buzz-worthy restaurants to try in your city
From Goa to Mumbai, Fireback has finally opened its doors to offer Mumbaikars a unique Thai food experience — one that packs a punch for sure. Bold, spicy and indulgent is what one can expect from a meal at the newest outpost by EHV International, the group behind Indian Accent, Comorin, HOSA and Chor Bizarre. The menu stands out, especially the curries — fiery yet addictive, unfamiliar yet distinctive. Go for the chicken golae, that are essentially grilled skewers coated with a sweet-savoury glaze, and served with a flavourful ajad, a relish of chillies, onions and cucumber. The lamb Massaman is flavourful and comes with potatoes. The mango sticky rice and Thai roti pancake with condensed milk and banana put a sweet end to a memorable meal. Where: Fireback, Nilaya Anthology, Peninsula Corporate Park, Ganpatrao Kadam Marg, Lower Parel, Mumbai Cocktail at Latango. Latango is Delhi's newest hotspot for classic European fare. Conceptualised by Sahil Sambhi (of Japonico, Bawri, Berlin and Vietnom), the menu is helmed by Italian chefs Roberto Blondi and Joe Stanchi, who bring their vast knowledge and expertise of European cuisine for the first time in India. The food nods to the farm-to-table philosophy, and bears influences from the chefs' extensive travels across the region. There's fresh stracciatella cheese to savour, scallop sashimi reinterpreted through their memories, an Atlantic crab tagliolini from the coast of Italy, Parisian omelettes, Andalusian seabass ajo blanco, octopus salad, and of course, tiramisu. Where: Latango, 01 Epicuria, TDI South Bridge, Nehru Place, New Delhi Contact: +91-9289859289 A dish from Paashh. From the leafy lanes of Kalyani Nagar in Pune, to Bandra's quiet Portuguese neighbourhood, is Paashh — a restaurant that channels slow cooking and mindful eating. The brainchild of Vaishali Karde, the menu is vegetarian, and has a mix of vegan dishes thoughtfully curated by chef Vinod Warade, who takes special pride in cooking with seasonal, organic produce including heirloom grains sourced from farms around Pune. Expect multigrain thalipeeth, dal pakwan nachos, charred pumpkin kebabs, terrain salad of butternut squash and grilled brie, and a spicy kulith saar with crunchy kurdai, a type of string papad from Maharashtra. The space has been restored to preserve its original charm, and doubles up as a boutique store showcasing food, clothing and home decor products. Where: Paashh, Cecilia Shelter, off Carter Road, Shirley, Pali Hill, Bandra, Mumbai Contact: +91-9545810001
The Wire
14-07-2025
- Business
- The Wire
EHV International Brings Fireback to Mumbai
Mumbai, 14th July 2025 — Following the opening of Fireback in Goa last year, EHV International - the company behind genre-defining concepts like Indian Accent, Comorin, HOSA and Chor Bizarre - now brings its authentic Thai restaurant and bar to the heart of Mumbai at Nilaya Anthology, Lower Parel. Named after Thailand's striking national bird — the Siamese Fireback — the restaurant is a tribute to the theatrics and fire-grilled boldness that define traditional Thai kitchens. At its helm is legendary Chef David Thompson, widely regarded as one of the world's foremost authorities on Thai cuisine. As Culinary Director of Fireback, Chef Thompson brings authenticity to shaping a menu that could well be seen in a leading restaurant in Bangkok. Chef David Thompson says, 'What an exciting prospect. We are looking forward to making Fireback fly in Mumbai and across India.' Rohit Khattar, Founder Chairman EHV International says, 'In 1999 in New Delhi, we opened what was perhaps India's first pan Asian restaurant, 'Oriental Octopus'. I always nurtured the desire to open an authentic, approachable Thai restaurant. Enter Chef David Thompson, whose cuisine I have always admired. Our accomplished team of chefs led by Brand Chef Kaustubh Haldipur were extensively trained in Bangkok by David. Our mixologist extraordinaire, Varun Sharma, too travelled through Asia to create an ideal cocktail list. We hope Mumbai enjoys Fireback, which, like Comorin, has the incredibly beautiful Nilaya Anthology as its abode.' From smokey wok-fried stir-fries and charred skewers to fiercely spiced jungle curries and refined classics, Fireback's menu is a study in contrast: sharp heat, soft herbs, bold ferments, and grilled intensity. The menu is structured to reflect the organic rhythm of Thai cooking — dishes are served in the order they are prepared, arriving hot from the grill or wok to be shared, savoured, and explored. The experience begins with bold, textural small plates like the Miang Kham, a betel leaf bundle layered with pomelo, toasted coconut and roasted peanuts, and the Mushroom larb, a northern Thai-style herb salad tossed with toasted rice powder and chilli. The Pineapple som tam, a sweet-sour reimagination of papaya salad with tamarind, palm sugar and peanuts, delivers both familiarity and surprise. Seafood- forward dishes like the Scallop salad — delicately spiced and bright with grated coconut and lemongrass — and the Crispy squid, finished with golden garlic and crushed black peppercorns, showcase a balance of clean, aromatic flavours with intense hits of umami. From the Josper grill that is centre stage emerge many fiery grills — the Banana leaf wrapped sea bass, marinated in dried red curry and coconut cream, with aromatic kaffir lime leaves sealing in the heat. The Lamb chop gorlae, a southern Thai-style grilled lamb served with crispy shallots and ajad pickle, is smokey, juicy, and bold. For something plant-forward, the Pumpkin and sweet potato, glazed in gorlae sauce and fire-grilled, is surprisingly rich in depth and texture. Larger plates include signature curries like the Massaman curry, with pumpkin, coriander seeds and peanuts — warm, spiced, and nostalgic, and the uncompromising Jungle curry of grilled pork, featuring house-made chilli paste, turmeric and deep-fried shallots. The Red curry with soft-shell crab, fragrant with ginger and lime leaves, offers a moment of richness and indulgence. For comfort and contrast, the Classic Thai omelette and Crab fried rice deliver familiarity, each elevated with restraint and technical finesse. Complementing the kitchen is an equally thoughtful beverage program crafted by EHV International's Head of Bars, Varun Sharma. Rooted in Thai ingredients and inventive technique, highlights include the Thai Spiced Diablo, made with tequila, fresh tomato water, a house Thai spice mix, and finished with a wasabi foam; and the Tom Yum Highball, with gin, guava and lemongrass cordial, kaffir lime, and sparkling water. The Mango Rice offers a playful take on Thailand's iconic dessert, blending rum with mango and rice cordial, while the Galangal brings depth with whisky, pickled galangal brine, and honey. From smokey and complex drinks like the Lapsang Old Fashioned to crisp and refreshing pours like the Lemongrass — a mix of mezcal, lemongrass, coconut, and carbonated water — the cocktail menu is designed to surprise and delight. Kevin Rodrigues, Head of Wines, EHV International, has curated a list of aromatic, fruit-forward wines with a hint of sweetness — ideal for balancing the spice and complexity of Thai cuisine. A wide selection of wines by the glass encourages guests to explore and discover pairings that elevate every bite. The interiors and exteriors have been designed by London's Russell Sage Studio, under the direction of EHV's Director Design, Rashmi Khattar. Architectural services are provided by Incubis Consultants (India). The design is a perfect fusion of tradition and modernity. Fireback restaurant embodies the warmth, energy and authenticity of Thai culture, reimagined through a sustainable and modern lens. The space blends in a grounded material palette with clean aesthetics and subtle oriental gestures. You are welcomed with a striking ceiling light feature suspended in gentle curves creates a wave like canopy that runs the length of the dining area casting a soft glow on the ceiling paster finish. The interior design of the space feels very exciting, energetic, cool and confident. Simple design with unfussy playful moments that connect displaying the mix of easy warmth and dash of urban chic - unfussy like the menu. Fireback Mumbai Location: Entrance through Comorin at Nilaya Anthology, Mumbai Opening Date: 14th July 2025 Reservations: 91 022 35387627 Instagram: @firebackrestaurant About EHV ( EHV International is a pioneering hospitality company that creates and manages industry-leading restaurant concepts, including Indian Accent, Comorin, Hosa, Fireback and Chor Bizarre. (Disclaimer: The above content is a press release and PTI takes no editorial responsibility for the same.).
