Café Isan, Dubai’s most authentic Thai street food and tea bar-restaurant, is serving up a traditional, limited time only menu item – pink noodles.
The JLT Cluster B-based outlet, which won Best Thai restaurant in the Time Out Restaurant Awards 2020, is launching a series of limited-time dishes – kicking off with pink noodles, a nostalgic dish mostly found on carts at school gates across the country.
Partner and co-owner Chef New says: “Pink noodles are as old-fashioned as it gets. A truly well-loved dish, popular throughout the entire nation, I remember buying pink noodles (หมี่ชมพู ใครเกิดทันขอเสียงหน่อยจ้าา) for 2 baht (0.24 fils) from the cart outside the school gates. I loved them so much, as did all my friends and family. In those days, two baht would get you a plastic bag of plain pink noodles, with no veg or egg, just a pinch of spring onion on the top!”
The award-winning self-taught chef has always been about bringing the authentic taste of home to Dubai, and she is now keen to share one of her favourite childhood food experiences with guests old and new – so these pink noodles are on the Specials Menu for a limited time only.
As usual, Chef New has given the bright pink rice vermicelli the guest-forward Café Isan touch – you can order them with your choice of protein – meat or seafood – with a veggie/vegan version also available.
These noodles are naturally gluten-free. Many of the popular venue’s dishes can also be made gluten-free, making the menu comforting for those with allergies and intolerances. As everything is freshly made in a flash, those with allergies can always be catered for quickly, and dishes made more or less spicy to order.
A previous winner of the ‘Best Budget’ and shortlisted for the ‘Best Thai’ Time Out Dubai Restaurant Awards in 2017, 2018 and 2019, the cosy, friendly restaurant also won a TripAdvisor Certificate of Excellence in 2017 and 2020 and was proudly nominated for a BBC Good Food Award in 2018.
The majority of Café Isan’s distinctive dishes and memorable flavours come from northeastern Thailand – the Isan region – with Chef New working hard to reflect the renowned warmth of the region’s food, people, and culture.
Pink noodle prices:
Vegan / Vegetarian AED42
Chicken AED46.20
Prawns AED51.45
