Tucked deep away on the Cheap Charlie’s alley off the bustling Sukhumvit soi 11, muscular Maori men with tribal motifs on their faces belted out a “waiata koroua,” a traditional Maori chant commonly performed during a haka. The occasion? The opening ceremony of Bangkok’s first “New Zealand” restaurant, Snapper Fish and Chips.
The festivities opened with ambassador of New Zealand H.E Bede Corry giving a brief speech and cutting the aptly chosen fishing net to welcome snapper to Bangkok’s dining community. Snapper has been open since October, however the flooding caused the official date to be pushed back until February 9th.
The crowd was a mixed bag with Pakehas (kiwis of European descent) Maori (New Zealand’s original people), dignitaries from the NZ embassy, and plenty of seafood-loving Thais, not to mention a handful of Britons and Americans in attendance.
Bangkok-based Craig McLean founded the restaurant on the idea that there is nothing quite like Snapper in the Big Mango. He’s proud to bring a little piece of his home to Bangkok.
“Snapper offers Thailand an authentic experience of New Zealand’s classic Fish ‘n’ Chips, seafood and cuisine. We serve home-made sauces, dressings, soups and recipes that have been passed down through generations of families and friends for Thai people to enjoy.”
We thoroughly enjoyed the perfectly battered Tarakihi fish and copious amounts of Kiwi-produced Pinot Noir and Sauvignon Blanc.
