Cult-favourite restaurant Naga Thai unveils its new home at River Quay
In 2020, Naga Thai burst onto the Brisbane dining scene as a vibrant escape from the gloom of lockdown, quickly earning a cult following with its bold design and flavour-packed menu. Though originally a short-term proposition, the restaurant’s spirit endured, and now, it has found a permanent home at River Quay – complete with its signature psychedelic flair and beloved dishes. Come and take a peek inside …
There weren’t many bright spots in 2020, but if we were to talk about the noteworthy highlights of that dreadful year, one of them would be the opening of Naga Thai. Andrew and Jamiee Baturo’s vibrantly coloured Thai restaurant was a breath of fresh air, one that arrived at a time when we were all seemingly suffocating from claustrophobic lockdowns and dining restrictions.
The restaurant, which replaced Eagle Street Pier mainstay Pony, was envisioned as a temporary thing – a short-term venture that would close when the precinct was demolished for redevelopment. That meant time was of the essence, but for Andrew (a methodical restaurateur known for delivering precisely calculated concepts) the crunch to get in and operating proved to be beneficial to Naga Thai’s ideation and execution.
“It was really interesting in that I feel like it’s the most pure concept that I’ve done, in that it was all done on instinct,” says Andrew. “Sometimes when you go into these concepts and builds, you can have a lot of time to think about your decisions. But because everything was fixed in place, I didn’t have the opportunity to second guess myself.”
“I had the outlines. I just needed to colour it in.”
Colour was a calling card for Naga, which matched the cooking of head chef Suwisa Phoonsang with a vivid retro-inspired aesthetic. Though short lived, Naga was a hit. When it closed in 2022, many foodies (this writer included) were bummed out.
Although Andrew already had several new projects in the works by this point (Tillerman opened at Riparian Plaza later that year and Naldham House – the dining precinct Andrew co-owns as part of DAP & Co. – was starting to take shape nearby) he kept a flame burning for Naga’s eventual resurrection.
You might like
“Naga was always in the back of my mind, but it had to be the right location,” recalls Andrew. “It had to be close to the water – but how often do you get the opportunity to do that?”
More than once, as it turns out. In a display of serendipitous synergy, Andrew and Jamiee recently snagged a corker of a site over at River Quay, right next door to DAP & Co.’s Italian eatery Popolo.
The 120-seat site, previously Aquitaine Brasserie, has been transformed via a cosmetic refresh that has removed all residue of the venue’s previous guises. Reflecting the colourful nature of Thai cuisine, Naga once again leans into the 60s and 70s aesthetic originally conjured at Eagle Street Pier by Anna Spiro. Many of the same psychedelic elements have been brought to River Quay, including the statement bookcase and paper lanterns.
“I don’t want [guests] to feel like there’s any grey area between what was there previously and what’s there now,” says Andrew. “All of the furniture, the cutlery and the crockery that were synonymous with Eagle Street Pier has now come back. The bones of [Naga’s] original design are definitely still here.”
Naga’s culinary offering has been transplanted largely unchanged as well. Suwisa’s menu, inspired by her heritage and upbringing in Bangkok, showcases quintessential Thai flavours and premium ingredients.
Subscribe for updates
Crowd-favourites fill the menu, from entrees like sar rar bów (massaman beef milk buns), ka nhom pung na pla (barramundi toast) and the signature flower dim sims, to pa tord (crispy wok-fried whole baby barramundi), gang dang ped (jasmine tea-smoked duck red curry) and pad see ew with chargrilled 180-day grain-fed Jack’s Creek black Angus beef.
“The great thing about the offering is that it’s the one that we refined over the couple of years that we were at Eagle Street Pier,” says Andrew. “These are the dishes that people really responded to and so we’re starting with our best menu straight up.”
“As we go – as people come down here and use [the restaurant] more and more often – we’ll definitely be trying different dishes. Suvisa has got a lot of exciting ideas.”
Naga Thai’s drinks list is led by its colourful array of cocktails, including the popular plum negroni and eye-catching #dontbekoi, as well as iced teas (both boozy and non-alcoholic), tap and bottled beer (including Naga’s own lager) and wines available by the glass, carafe or bottle.
Now, with the dark days of the pandemic largely behind us and with a permanent home in hand, Naga Thai is poised to evolve into the beloved go-to it was on the precipice of becoming originally. According to Andrew, being able to hit ground running will help Naga make up for lost time, but the restaurateur believes that it wont be long before his new-old venue locks into its groove as a lively dining destination that’s all about fun and flavour.
“For me, just talking about reopening Naga to people and seeing their reaction and the excitement around it, it tells me that we created something that really resonated,” says Andrew. “It was a tough time back when Naga opened, but it was a place where people could go, have a really good time and forget about what was going on in the world for a little while. And I still think that holds true – maybe even more so these days.
“I’m excited to give our loyal customers the opportunity to come back and experience it again.”
Naga Thai is open now – head to The Directory for operating hours and booking info.