Taste of Bangkok
Few cities wear their culinary identity as proudly or as loudly as Bangkok. There, food isn’t confined to restaurants or neatly defined meal times; it spills onto pavements, simmers in alleyways, and sizzles at every corner. From dawn until long past midnight, the city transforms into a giant open-air kitchen, where the rhythm of chopping, frying, grilling, and slurping becomes a sensory symphony of its own.
Thai Pavilion at Vivanta Hyderabad, Begumpet brought that very spirit to the city, only in refined, fine-dining fashion. Bangkok Bites, which features dishes by chef Ganesh Gangoni, transported guests straight to the bustling streets of Thailand’s capital, capturing the colours, energy, and legendary flavours of its vibrant street-food culture. Even the ambience at Thai Pavilion transformed into a lively ode to Thailand — intimate yet energetic, enriched with Thai textures and accents, creating the perfect backdrop for an elevated street-style dining experience. As one of only three Thai Pavilion restaurants in India, Vivanta Hyderabad has twice received the ‘Award for Excellence’ from the Department of Tourism, Government of Telangana.
This special pop-up celebrates the bold, aromatic, and soul-warming dishes that define Thai street dining. From sizzling wok-tossed classics and tangy, refreshing salads to fragrant curries and iconic hawker-style favourites, each dish channels the pulse of Bangkok’s night markets. Among the salads, the Som Tam, a spicy, tangy green papaya salad and Nam Tok, a smoky, spicy grilled meat salad tossed with lime juice, chilli, herbs, and toasted rice powder, were immediate standouts.
Starters offered plenty to indulge in: Thai Sticky Chilli Prawns glazed with sweet heat; Tod Mun Pla, aromatic deep-fried fish cakes; Sate Kai, perfectly grilled chicken skewers with a luscious peanut sauce; and Po Pia Je, crisp vegetarian spring rolls filled with mixed vegetables and glass noodles.
From the mains, Gaeng Keow Wan (Thai Green Curry) was creamy, fragrant, and especially comforting with jasmine rice. Pla Pad Khing (stir-fried fish with ginger), Kai Phad Takrai (stir-fried chicken with lemongrass), Chicken Pad Thai, Chicken Khao Pad, and the star of the evening — Khao Pad Sapparod, a Thai-style pineapple fried rice; offered a delightful interplay of sweet and savoury notes.
Desserts kept the experience authentic and indulgent: Khao Niew Mamuang (sweet sticky rice with ripe mango) and Tub Tim Grob (crunchy water chestnuts in sweetened coconut milk). Complementing the meal was a lineup of traditional Thai refreshments — from the citrusy brightness of Cha Manao (Thai lemon iced tea) and the creamy sweetness of Cha Yen (Thai iced tea) to the nostalgic charm of Nom Yen (iced pink milk) — each perfectly balancing Thailand’s signature sweet-spicy-tangy palette.
If you enjoy vibrant flavours rooted in tradition, Bangkok Bites is a must-try. The pop-up is on until November 25, exclusively for dinner.