The Australian chef spills the beans over questions of authenticity and his feelings about the popularity of social media
The day David Thompson was in town to check on the progress of Aaharn, his new Thai restaurant at Tai Kwun, the Armoury bar was packed with thirsty guests, while the Aussie chef shared his story with us over coffee on the first-floor restaurant terrace. “ We are setting up our restaurant in a space where we know exactly how much it costs us, with little worry on the landlord’s rapacious demands. If you get a closer look at this space, a bridging stage between the swing and sway of parties at Soho and Central. What’s not to like?” Thompson exclaimed.
Unlike his more famous establishments such as Long Chim in Australia and Bangkok’s Nahm— which he departed early 2018—Aaharn takes on a different route. “Aaharn is not meant to be something really forward or rigid sticking to the original Thai cuisine repertoire,” he explained. “We are stripping down every bit of description to the core. In one simple sentence: Aaharn is about serving some really good Thai food. It is not going to be as complicated as Nahm.
“We will find curries in the menu of Aaharn, with a more season-driven collection of dishes that will be served on rotation throughout the year. We would like to change a bit of the menu every month.” There is a consensus that pad Thai and green curry tend to be highlighted in most Thai eateries, and Thompson is no stranger to such culinary clichés. “I don’t reject culinary favourites, but sometimes I shake my head thinking why people would think that the only Thai dessert is mango and sticky rice, or that you must have a green curry with chicken to call yourself a good Thai restaurant. In my view, there is more than one type of green curry, and certainly more than one way to create Thai curries.”
Aaharn is not meant to be something really forward or rigid sticking to the original Thai cuisine repertoire. We are stripping down every bit of description to the core.
According to Thompson, curry is one of the most vibrant sections of the Thai culinary repertoire to master. “A curry is essentially a spicily seasoned wet dish. You can have one with less than a handful of herbs, or a Massaman curry that can be as complex in construction as a Mexican mole,” says the chef. “Curry roots from the most basic of types to elaborate of complexity and anywhere in between. There is no rule to them. I want to be honest with my food and not cover up the real identity of the food I serve, even if it looks like a mud puddle. All it needs is the taste is beautiful, balanced in construction.”
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While Thompson’s Nahm displayed the vibrancy and range of Thai cuisine’s complex flavours, Aaharn remains simple to its core, beginning with the design of its menu. “Call me old-fashioned, but taste always comes first, and then it is presentation. I admit I have a soft spot to plates and crockery because I curate the right vessels to hold the food I’m creating to maintain a balance of taste, texture, supported by aesthetics,” Thompson explained. “I admit I have always been a selfish cook myself, as I only like to cook things I want to eat—in other words, items that please myself and hope that these are the same items that please my palate the same way it pleases others’. When I serve you something I would like to think that this is the best way I think the dish should be made, for me and for you.”