On 12 April, Greyhound Cafe, the first London outpost of the cult Thai restaurant, will launch its outdoor terrace just in time to celebrate Thai New Year.
Traditionally marked with a water festival, Greyhound will be bringing the custom to London with a splash, celebrating with a week of non-stop revelry complete with specially created sharing dishes, festival cocktail buckets, and even a water pistol or two.
To celebrate the New Year and the peak of Thailand’s hot season, street parties spring up across Thailand, with revelers dousing one another in water to bring good fortune. Greyhound will be getting London involved in the festivities by handing out marigold garlands and water guns to those willing to join in the fun on the terrace.
Greyhound’s expansive terrace will be transformed with swathes of traditional yellow Thai marigolds and technicolour bunting. Reminiscent of Thailand’s legendary full moon parties, Greyhound’s Full Moon on Mekhong cocktail will be served in buckets with water pistols and marigold garlands, made with Thai rum, lime and chilli for a hot tingling sensation.
Alongside Greyhound’s signature menu of Thai dishes with a twist, there will also be two new specials created for the festival. Designed to replicate the sand pagodas constructed by Thais at temple during New Year, ‘Pork Ribs with Kapi Rice Pagoda’ comprises shrimp paste spiked fried rice, soy caramelised pork ribs, powdered dried shrimp, green mangoes and shredded omelette.
There will also be a ‘Lobster Broken Platoon’; a flame-filled tangy and spicy lobster and seafood hot pot, best washed down with an ice-cold beer, as the evenings grow longer.