Mr. Bhanu and Mrs. Pornsiri from Greyhound shed light on cafes and bars in Bangkok, favourite Singapore food, and dishes you must try from Greyhound
It’s clear from the get-go that Mr. Bhanu and Mrs. Pornsiri are both down-to-earth and impeccably-dressed people. Together, this stylish duo managed to build what started out as a small fashion boutique in Bangkok into a wildly popular café chain that spans the region – from Hong Kong to Malaysia, and recently to our lil’ red dot. In town to promote the opening of their first outlet in Paragon, the two spared a moment to shed some light on Singapore’s exciting food scene, the story behind their brand’s peculiar name, and their love for bak kut teh.
So why did it take this long for Greyhound to reach our shores?
Mr. Bhanu: At first, we were just a local Thai brand, but we’ve since been approached by so many people who were interested to take Greyhound abroad to different markets. We’ve always wanted to introduce Greyhound to the Singapore market because it’s such a cosmopolitan city, but we had to find the right partner.
Mrs. Pornsiri: It takes time to find the right partner who understands F&B. Most importantly, they must like our brand, and to have passion for our brand. It all has to come together… and here we are.
What do you think is the biggest appeal of Greyhound? How does Greyhound stand out from the competition?
P: The brand itself. We are positioned as a lifestyle brand.
B: I always tell people we are a fashion company that sells food, and a food company that sells fashion. So it’s about mixing – even when we serve food, we always refer back to fashion and trends. A little bit of this, a little bit of that.
What would you say is the secret to starting a successful restaurant?
B: Typically, we talk about location, location, location; we talk about service; we talk about food quality – it’s all true. But for me, on top of that, it’s the personal signature that you put into everything that you do. It’s about the chemistry between owner and place, and how you put your magic touch on it.
What are your impressions of Singapore’s food scene?
B: Well, the first thing I always try in different cities is its street food. So far in Singapore, I’ve tried chicken rice and bak kut teh..
P: Yes, bak kut teh! I tried it for the first time yesterday and I enjoyed it. What’s unique about Singaporean food is that it has a rich street food culture, but at the same time, a leading type of gourmet cuisine that makes the F&B scene here quite exciting.
B: Singapore’s food scene is very sophisticated nowadays. 10 years ago, you wouldn’t say that – you would think that Singapore’s food scene was very boring. But not now.
What are some of your favourite menu items from Greyhound?
P: Mine are the chicken wings, and Complicated Noodle.
B: The crab meat fried rice, but you have to eat it with the chilli. Another is the fresh lasagna salad.
What will the Singapore menu have that’s different from other Greyhound cafes?
P: I think we’ve retained the majority of the standard menu that we have. But in Singapore, we have the toast with green curry – that’s something we’ve added here.
Will you be incorporating Singaporean flavours into your dishes?
P: We will probably do bak kut teh, Thai-style.
B: Tom yum bak kut teh. [Laughs]
What are some of your favourite haunts in Bangkok?
B: There’s this dessert bar called After You that is very nice and very popular in Bangkok. There’s also a coffee place called Casa Lapin that’s also quite popular among the younger generation – very nice atmosphere, very hip, but at the same time, it’s a down-to-earth, easygoing place.
You mentioned a dessert bar, but what about an actual bar? Where would you go for drinks in Bangkok?
B: I will recommend Tape Bar, which is in the old part of Bangkok. It’s a small shophouse-turned-bar that serves Thai-based drinks, like cocktails made from Thai whisky. Even the music there is traditional Thai music, but done in a funky way. Studio Lam is another place. It’s owned by a famous DJ. Very Northeastern, very raw. There’s also Let The Boy Die – it’s a small place but it’s packed every night.
Your café is named after a racing hound. What’s the story behind that?
B: It’s man’s best friend, very elegant, very fast-moving, and very sleek and slim. So why not Greyhound?
If you could own three breeds of dogs, what would they be?
B: Labrador for sure. I would also have a Thai dog, which is what I have now – they’re freedom-loving dogs that are very uncontrollable, but also can be cute at times. And a Japanese husky.
P: I have a beagle because he’s cute, and small enough for me to bring him anywhere. But he’s greedy.