Thai Street Food Festival at The Backyard

It is no secret that Thai cuisine is my ultimate favorite. I love the medley of hot, sweet and sour, and we even have a go at cooking Thai at home several times a week.

While many places serve Thai cuisine in the UAE, a few recipes get lost in translation when more commercial, creamy sauces are used. As a true-blue Thai cuisine lover, I crave the spicy kick of Bangkok streets, and my culinary reminiscing lead me to try out the Thai Street Food Festival at The Backyard (Steigenberger Hotel, Business Bay – Dubai).

The Backyard’s Thai Street Food Festival will run on 3 consecutive Saturdays from 24th February through to 10th March, and will feature live cooking stations featuring the finest from Bangkok street-food, along with beverages, Thai music, karaoke and more.

The event is hosted by well-seasoned Thai Chef Anan Tumya who will even throw in a one-hour cooking class!

Chef Anan Tumya started his career in 2003 and has worked in six different countries before making Dubai his home. In his 15-year career span, Chef Anan has won a number of prestigious accolades including the recent Platinum and Diamond Award at ‘The Art of Thai Culinary 2017’ and a special acknowledgment from the Royal Thai Consulate-General Dubai. One of his numerous recent achievements has been the opening of Wise Kwai Restaurant in Dubai. Within just a few months, he brought it to the coveted Number #1 spot on TripAdvisor for best Thai restaurant in Dubai, beating 9,101 others.

I had the pleasure of trying Chef Anan’s cooking skills well ahead of the Thai Street Food Festival, and here is a rundown of some of my favorites that came out of his kitchen:

Som Tam (Thai green papaya salad): With the addition of dried shrimp and the freshest shreds of papaya, this is as authentic as you can get in this side of Business Bay!
Tom Yum Soup: Probably the universally most-ordered Thai soup, but with good reason. Chef Anan’s version is a soulful rendition of hot, sour and sweet, and I love the retro-style presentation served in a tin mug.
Thai Red Curry: Spicy yet creamy good, this decadently delicious curry comes with a generous serving of steamed Thai rice to keep you digging in for more.
Mango Sticky Rice and Coconut Cream: Chef Anan’s version is one of the best I’ve tried till date. The mango was decadently sweet with a hint of sourness, and it had just the right amount of creamy, sweet coconut cream drizzled on.

As if the delicious fare wasn’t enough, the ambiance at The Backyard is absolutely spectacular! The walls feature unique street-art graffiti, and the outdoor seating gives you spectacular views of the Dubai Canal. Great for photo opps!

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Chef Anan was kind enough to invite us into his kitchen and give us a live demo of how he makes Pad See Ewe! You can see the videos on my Insta-feed, and look out for my recipe blog post with more details.