Food Review: Thai Food Lovers, Visit Fireback For Their Inventive Dishes & Imaginative Cocktails

Oriental food, especially Thai, has always enticed the Indian palate. And if you have someone like Chef David Thompson, globally renowned for his expertise in Thai cuisine, and Chef Kaustubh putting their brains to create something – authentic Thai, yet different, then we have a flavour explosion that’s matched (actually surpassed) by cocktails created by Varun Sharma, their mixologist.

Fireback, named after the national bird of Thailand, has been wooing Mumbai since little over a month. Though the name might give you an idea that the food is too spicy, chill… it’s not. Not even their signature Fireback Fried Chicken. A starter, it is chicken marinated in roasted cummin, white pepper, and black pepper which is then rolled in tapiaco and rice flour that also has a few spices. Garnished with fried onions that have dash of the spices. Eat with hand along with the onion to get the true flavours.

Go for the Miang Kham salad if you want something fresh. The salad is served with betel leaf. Pomelo tossed in molasses of palm sugar and jaggery. It is accompanied by roasted coconut, peanuts etc. Place the mixture with your choice of garnish on the betel leaf, roll it and eat it. Follow it up with a sip of Chrysanthemum, a gin-based, flower forward, drink that’s finished with sparkling wine and dash of orange bitters. Refreshing drink for an afternoon. The flower floats in the flute adding flavour to the cocktail.

Vegetarians should also try the Spring Rolls that have shitake mushrooms, garlic chives and glass noodles. Steamed Lotus Stem tossed and served with a sweet n sour sauce are a good alternative as well. Both can be paired with Pandan – Varun’s version of Negroni according to him. Homemade bitter liquer with orange hint, pandan infused gin that’s later clarified with coconut are mixed with sweet vermouth. The drink starts with coconut bite and finishes with subtle pandan/rice on palate.

The non-veg eaters are in for a treat here. Especially if you love your pork and seafood. Fried Pork Belly that’s served with charred cabbage and chilli tamarind dip is a textural delight. Crisp on outside soft inside belly and a tangy sauce that titillates the palate.

Rose is served as I wait for the next course. Again a refreshing drink that teases your nose with rose aroma appears to be simple but is quite complex. You can choose gin or vodka as the base; I suggest vodka because the rose water, kaffir lime then come through better unadulterated by gin botanicals. I keep sipping on it as a palate cleanser. 

Seafood lovers must try Prawns Nham Jim and the three flavoured prawns. First one - perfectly grilled prawns on skewers which are served with a delicious, traditional nham jim sauce. Second one is absolutely delectable, traditional preparation. Prawns marinated in three flavoured sauce – chilli, tamarind and palm sugar. The chillis used are also of two varieties – banana chilli and nam prik. And they make the difference. Absolutely flavourful, served on bed of the same sauce with fried basil and fried onion to add texture.

If in a salad mood, then Scallop salad – their answer to carpaccio – or Grilled Kingfish Salad are a good choice. The latter one is a delicately, perfectly grilled kingfish pieces served with a tomato garnish, onion mint thai chilli. Have these salads with Rice n Spice - vodka based, chhaa inspired drink with Coconut tadka topped with a mildly spiced foam. Spices in the foam is reminder of sunny days of childhood.

Chicken lovers go for the Chicken Gorlae – chicken on skewers garnished with fried onion served with fresh cucumber onions in lime n sugar syrup. The Khmoy green curry with chicken in the mains is also a good option and it doesn’t fail you. The curry is also available without chicken and served with rice makes a good one dish meal.  

Have the Nutty Martini that’s yoghurt washed. This vodka based martini has almond liqueuer and cream that give it a smooth nutty buttery flavour that’s enhanced thanks to the yoghurt clarification. Served with almond pistachio cashew bites it is a good start to the dessert mood; especially so if you order the Cashew Pudding as a dessert. The pudding floats in coconut milk, delectable also try the sticky rice and mango that come with moong sprouts fried.

Average cost for two: ₹ 4000 (including alcohol)

Where: Fireback, Peninsula Corporate Park, Lower Parel West, Mumbai