Where there’s fire, there’s flavour

Wersquod been warned mdash Chef David Thompsonrsquos humour is well esoteric Bold even And more often than not it kicks off with the Fword But when we met him at EHV Internationalrsquos Fireback Mumbai he was calmer more affable mdash still razorsharp and wickedly funny His wit doesnrsquot keep you out mdash you feel like an insider in his jokesWhat followed was a fun heartwarming conversation after which he whisked us along with our 11yearold companion straight into the kitchen to teach him how to make a proper green Thai curryThompson is patient in the kitchen generous with his time and peppers his teaching with his signature dry humour What emerges is far from the watereddown versions wersquove come to expect mdash itrsquos raw robust and unapologetically boldWidely regarded as one of the worldrsquos leading authorities on Thai cuisine Thompson brings far more than recipes to Fireback named after Thailandrsquos national bird the Siamese Fireback First introduced in Goa last year the concept builds on Thai cookingrsquos primal rhythm where spice and texture arenrsquot mere accents but integral to the structure Therersquos no overthinking no heavyhanded reinterpretation mdash just confident flavourforward food Opening July 14 in Mumbai the space is designed by Russell Sage Studio and balances raw tactile materials with clean lines and subtle nods to Thai design A sculptural light feature undulates across the ceiling casting a soft glow over the textured surfaces Below a long sculpted bar anchors the room mdash easygoing by day electric by night much like the rhythm of Thai street life At the helm is Brand Chef Kaustubh Haldipur leading a crew that has been trained under Thompson in Bangkok He says ldquoWe are thrilled to bring Fireback to Mumbai The food has proven to be bold unique and unlike most Thai offerings in the city In a place like Mumbai where diners are curious and open this style will truly thrive Working closely with Chef David Irsquove learned that Thai cuisine is about more than spicemdashitrsquos about rhythm restraint and deep respect for ingredients Wersquore not reinventing the cuisine just presenting it with honestyrdquoKaustubh HaldipurThe drinks programme follows suit Crafted by Varun Sharma Head of Bars at EHV International the cocktails lean into Thai ingredients with inventive flair with drinks like The Thai Spiced Diablo that mixes tequila with tomato water and wasabi foam the Tom Yum Highball pairs gin with guava and lemongrass cordial while the Mango Rice takes cues from the iconic dessert blending rum with mango and rice cordial To complement the complexity of the food Kevin Rodrigues has curated a thoughtful wine list available by the glass It is fruitforward aromatic and perfectly lifts the spiceThe menu plays out like a quiet conversation between the familiar and the unexpected We began with Miang Kham Rs 595 mdash a textural betel leaf bundle layered with pomelo toasted coconut and roasted peanuts The Spring Roll Rs 595 with shiitake mushroom garlic chives and glass noodles was comforting while the Mushroom Larb Rs 795 a northernstyle herb salad with toasted rice powder and chilli brought a gentler heat The Pineapple Som Tam Rs 595 a sweetsour twist on the classic papaya salad balanced tamarind palm sugar and crushed peanuts with a punch of freshnessMango amp Sticky riceFrom the Josper grill the Prawns Nahm Jim Rs 1195 arrived smoky and succulent with a lively mix of garlic chillies coriander root lime fish sauce and palm sugar And there was the Chicken Gorlae Rs 675 marinated doublebasted and triplegrilled The Mango sticky rice Rs 750was beautifully done mdash fragrant not too sweet and comforting The Grilled banana Rs 595 with Thai crispy roti and condensed milk ice cream was indulgent unexpected and the kind of dessert you donrsquot share mdash the perfect finishSpring roll right Coconut and Galangal SoupFireback MumbaiWHERE Nilaya Anthology Peninsula Corporate Park Lower ParelTO BOOK 022 35387627lsquoI want to go to Kerala and eventually work with farmersrsquoOne word to describe the Fireback Mumbai launchVivacious Because itrsquos full of flavour fun new tastes mdash and maybe even a few dishes you havenrsquot tried beforeWhatrsquos one ingredient that never leaves your kitchen Thai or otherwiseIf you ever want to bribe me mdash and Irsquom very open to it mdash bring chocolate I adore it Luckily we never use it in Thai food or Irsquod be as fat as a hog Itrsquos my comfort foodDavid ThompsonWhat draws you to Thai cuisine after all these yearsItrsquos an incredibly complex cuisine Deep regional differences refined techniques elegant seasoning mdash it keeps you learning The complexity itself isnrsquot joyful but when it all comes together on the plate it is a joyHave you tried any Mumbai street food yetBarely Rohit Khattar Founder of EHV International keeps taking me to every Thai restaurant in India But I did sneak out two nights ago mdash we had kebabs somewhere I want more of that I want to eat at a market Irsquom a cookWhatrsquos the spiciest dish yoursquove ever madeAre we talking food mdash or revenge laughs Early in my career I was heavyhanded with chilli Irsquod replace every green veg with green chillies It was absurd So yes jungle curries green curries mdash some of those were dangerous Not always intentionallyWhat makes Fireback different from your other restaurantsWersquore cooking Thai food in India mdash and the ingredients tell their own story Your lemongrass has less floral notes and galangal is drier Theyrsquore different and thatrsquos not a bad thing You canrsquot replicate a cuisine precisely when yoursquore thousands of kilometres away You get outsmarted by a vegetableMiang KhamDo you import all the ingredients thenA few yes But mostly we work with Indian suppliers wersquove known since Goa The produce is good mdash it just has its own character Not the same as Thailand but thatrsquos okay Therersquos also recipe drift mdash cooks tend to lean into what they remember or prefer That changes things too And of course therersquos the customer with all their preferences assumptions and strong opinionsDo you barefoot in Bangkok or blindfolded in MumbaiIf you said earplugs in Mumbai maybe Whatrsquos with the horns here But yes mdash barefoot in Bangkok Itrsquos my town Itrsquos sweet warm funny and completely beguiling like the foodAre there any chefs in India yoursquod like to collaborate withThere are chefs Irsquod love to eat with Like Hussain Shahzad from The Bombay Canteen O Pedro and Paparsquos He is so charming and from what Irsquove heard hersquos the bestOne Indian ingredient you want to explore more deeplyI want to go down to Kerala Explore green peppercorns and lemongrass to see things being grown Eventually Irsquod like to work with farmersFor now the focus is on Mumbai But there are plans Yoursquoll seeSweet salty sour or spicy what winsAll of them Irsquom a glutton But a touch of palm sugar That sweetens meA dish that recently blew your mindDurian It was durian season in Bangkok and we had glorious stinky unctuous durian Also a curry I had at Comorin mdash a Lucknowstyle nihari made with jackfruit cardamom and almonds It was elegant surprising and beautifully balancedMost underrated Thai dishNam prik mdash a pungent relish made with shrimp paste chillies and garlic and eaten with raw veg and grilled fish Thais love it But you never see it abroad Itrsquos ancient mdash older than curries mdash and when itrsquos done right it singsPassion or precision mdash which one do you chaseI still feel the same joy cooking as I did 40 years ago I do my research then forget it Because when I cook I follow taste Itrsquos intuitive My tongue leads Itrsquos not conscious any more mdash itrsquos habit itrsquos muscle memoryWhat other city in India do you see Fireback expanding toAnywhere big mdash Delhi Kolkata Goa is charming but itrsquos too seasonal You need a steady base of curious engaged diners Mumbai has that