by Stephanie Hind
Since moving to London a few years ago I have been a huge Busaba Eathai fan. It’s one of those restaurants that is atmospheric without being over the top, and the food is authentic but suited to a multitude of tastes.
Last week I was invited along to the launch of Busba’s very first lounge bar within the original Old Street branch, perfectly situated for any East Londoner, just off Hoxton square.
Busaba have converted a former section of the restaurant near the entrance into a beautifully presented cocktail lounge. Upon entering we were shown to our bar-style table and offered a menu. The newly created menu combines specially created cocktails by Joe Stokoe, a range of craft beers, Thai whiskies and a menu of Thailand-inspired small plates.
My companion and I try a number of cocktails, it would have been rude not to, right? Our favourite was the Lychee and Kaffir Lime Martini (jasmine and kaffir lime infused vodka with lychee and lemon) which was so delicious I had to have another. It was closely followed by the Thai Martini (gin with lemongrass, Thai basil and birdseye chilli tincture). The chilli gave it a little twist and it definitely had an extra kick, not one for the faint of heart!
All of the cocktails were very reasonably priced for Shoreditch at an affordable £7.50, so even if you’re not partaking of the food it’s a brilliant place to start an East London evening.
Needless to say we just couldn’t resist the food. It was on par with the cocktails and different enough from anything we have ever tried at Busaba to grab our attention. We shared beef jerky, por-pia jay aka spring rolls, taro chips, crispy rice cakes and chicken wings , which were a sure fire winner for my companion. He even proceeded to recommend them to an adjacent table. I championed the por-pia jay, it had just the right amount of crispiness and was a perfect combination of vibrant flavours. Executive Chef Jude Sangsida who created the new menu definitely gets our seal of approval and with small plates ranging from £3.50 to – £6.50 we will be returning time and time again.
The new lounge will be open seven days a week, so whether you are looking for relaxed after work drinks or some where to kick of a birthday party Busaba Eathai might just be one for the diary.
Opening hours:
Mon-Thurs 12noon to 11pm
Fri-Sat 12noon to 11.30pm
Sun 12noon to 10pm
Address: Busaba Eathai, 319 Old Street, London EC1V
www.busaba.com