i want to start this post with a confession: i just had to google where bangkok was to ensure i was going about this review right, and you'll no doubt be shocked to learn that i was well off, in thinking it was in malaysia; it's not. as you probably already know. it's actually in thailand - not too far from malaysia, if you've ever looked at the map, but still - i was off. but, before i googled it just now, i did know one thing before heading out to meet katy at the greyhound cafe a few weekends ago: i do love me an asian inspired brunch, so regardless of where exactly it was inspired by, i was 100% in.
greyhound is somewhat of a "chain" across eastern asia, with restaurants existing from china down to indonesia (and everywhere in between), and when they first opened in london it was somewhat of a momentous occasion for the owners (and for london!). originally hailing from fashion publications in south east asia, the owners brought their flair for everything "fashun" - not to mention their impeccable taste in decor and menu styling - to the restaurant industry, and the rest was history. it was a hit from the start, and after only a few moments inside london's fitzrovia cafe, it was obvious why: it's just super cool, you know?
katy opted for the bottomless brunch (£38 for the bottomlessness and two courses of tasties), while i decided to just do what i'm good at: order lots of little things because i am bad at making decisions about food. i started with the single bone wings and the sweet corn and crab pops, and followed up with the thai hotdog - which was neither hot, nor a dog, and a promise to snack on katy's "happy toast" too because, just how many dishes of carbs does one person need on a sunday?
i also kicked off brunch with a traditional thai iced coffee - which we all know is beautifully condensed milk mixed with a shot of rich espresso, and poured over ice. at £4.20 for a small glass, i was a bit disappointed. not in the drink, in the price. it was very small, and i ended up drinking three - three - of them during our reservation. in hindsight i should have drank water if i was that thirsty, but i wanted iced coffee - i just didn't want it to be such a small portion.
the crab and corn pops were utterly delicious, though. for £6.80 it was a pretty good portion, probably about ten or so balls, deep fried and full of flavour, each bite popping with sweet corn juices in my mouth. the dipping sauce was just your classic sweet chilli, which could have been jazzed up a little with something a little less generic, but the pops didn't really need anything else - they were pretty tasty on their own. the chicken wings were another nice surprise. £6.50 and another generous portion; one mouthful of chicken for every bite, and meat that came clean off the bone in one go too. thaaa bessssst. again, no dipping sauce required, as the coating had some spicy and delicious seasoning in it that kept every bite interesting.
the thai dog - £6.50, was not a dog at all. it was a bahn-mi style crusty roll filled with peppery moo yor sausage (traditional thai meat), far too much coriander for my liking, too many pickles for my liking, and just enough raw carrot and sriracha mayo (to my liking!). it was crunchy and spicy and full of those awesome asian flavours, and it was absolutely banging. would recommend to a friend!
and katy's happy toast? the best part of the meal, by far. i have no idea why it comes out as a starter with the bottomless brunch, because in my mind, it's more of a dessert item. it's essentially thick cut white toast, served buttered and fluffy, with a quad of custard toppings on the side. you're supposed to squirt the custard on the toast and enjoy, and let me tell you: i did. the custard flavour that trumped them all was obviously the salted caramel, though the coffee came a very close second. the other two - chocolate and vanilla - were less interesting, but just as sweet and creamy, and i reckon this happy toast would be best served with a hot coffee, not a tall glass of sparkling prosecco. actually, scratch that, the happy toast can be eaten with anything, it's that good. you can also order it separately for £6, which i would 100% recommend doing each and every time you visit. i certainly will be!
*we were guests of greyhound cafe, but all calorie memories are my own.
