Bangkok buzz in a Brisbane backstreet – Big Boy Bangkok has landed in Newstead
Late last month, a neon-lit tribute to Bangkok’s golden years made its debut in Newstead. Big Boy Bangkok has bottled the electric spirit of 1970s Thailand, creating a new destination for street-style eats and creative cocktails. Take a peek inside …
Anyone that has spent time navigating the streets of Bangkok will tell you that it’s a city teeming with hidden treasures – gems that are easy to miss if you’re not paying attention. Down alleyways and side streets sit family-run restaurants turning out meals on par with Michelin-starred restaurants, and bars that come to life in an instant with locals spilling out onto the road.
An atmosphere as potent as this is hard to capture, but the team at Big Boy Bangkok in Newstead gives it a red-hot go. The new eatery, tucked away in a near-subterranean space at the top of Masters Street, looks to channel the frenetic energy of Bangkok’s golden age – a span of time bridging the 1950s and 1970s, where the city’s wild heart beat the fastest.
Blending a nostalgia-laden, Thai-inspired street style with modern touches and the building’s pre-existing industrial grunge, Big Boy Bangkok leans heavy into atmosphere building and personality, with southeast Asian-inspired murals and graphics adorning the walls alongside vintage textures, and vivid neon signage.
The shiny backlit bar is a natural congregation point for drinks and snacks, with high-top tables catering to the casual crowd. Meanwhile, those eager to loosen their belts for a blow-out feast can get comfy along the banquette running along the rear wall or settle in at a timber table under the wicker pendant lamps.
No matter the perch or occasion, Big Boy Bangkok’s menu has something to match your hunger level. The offering leads with little plates – think light bites like crispy fish cakes, flaky sheets of roti served with satay dipping sauce, free-range pork and pineapple skewers, and grilled king prawns with kaffir-lime butter.
From here, portions expand with plates of fried rice with Moreton Bay bugs and spanner crab, black Angus tomahawks with Thai-style spice dry rub, and crispy fried whole fish with three-flavour sauce. Wok signatures like pad nam man ho (stir fried wagyu beef with oyster sauce) and chicken pad see ew are joined by quintessential Thai curries, including kaeng keow wan kai (Bangkok-style green chicken curry with Thai eggplant) and kaeng dang ped (fragrant red duck coconut curry).
It only takes a quick glance at the bar to recognise that Big Boy Bangkok also goes hard on the cocktail front. The crew keeps it playful, with concoctions mirroring the kitchen’s flavour-first approach. Of the selection, be sure to try the Thai Me Up (tequila, agave, lemon and Thai basil) and the signature Hey Big Boy – a tiki-inspired number that mixes rum, lemongrass, passionfruit and guava. There’s also a clutch of Thai and Australian beers, and a tight wine list to boot.
Big Boy Bangkok is now open to the public – menu details, operating hours and contact info can be found in The Directory.