Bold, High-Energy Menu in Thai Style

How does the ‘bold and high-energy’ space translate into the food? The chef says, “We have curated a menu with the kind of food I love to eat in Bangkok. I moved there 8–9 years ago, fell in love with the city, its people, and more importantly, the food. I think that's what made me stay back. And, the Banng menu has all the things I love to eat and I love to share. If you were to come to Bangkok, these are the kind of dishes I would probably take you up for.”

The menu, led by Executive Chef Manav Khanna — who trained under Chef Garima at Gaa in Bangkok — brings the same fire-forward techniques, freshly made curry pastes, and ingredients flown in weekly from Thailand. It captures the country’s culinary spectrum, from the herb-rich curries of the North to the spice-packed plates of the South.

Think high-energy dishes, swagger-filled cocktails, and a vibe that shifts effortlessly from chill to electric. Alongside the regional Thai staples are playful innovations like Tom Kha Pani Puri, Avocado Som Tum, Banng’ing Thai Omelet, Lod Chong Bingsu, Mala Noodle Hot Pot, and the aromatic White Curry (Gaeng Khao) with grilled tomatoes — all designed for kin khao, Thai-style sharing and lively conversation.

The inspiration is clearly about bringing Bangkok to Mumbai, and Chef Garima enjoys both worlds. Adapting to the Mumbai palate, she says, wasn’t a challenge. “We’ve not pulled any punches and everything is how it should be. It is how the Thais would eat their Thai food. It is the kind of food that you would expect here. So, I have to say, we haven't adapted flavours to change, or suit any specific other palate, but yes, what we've really worked hard on is the vegetarian menu. There is no vegetarian cuisine in Thai food, so to speak. So it took us a really long time to be able to mimic those deep umami flavours, balance them without the use of your traditional fish sauce and what not. I think that is something I'm really personally proud of as one.”

Were there any key elements she was determined to bring to Banng? “I  wanted to take a step away from, sort of the cliched, dishes of Thailand, which everybody goes to see Thailand for. You obviously have your green curry and your red curry on the menu, but there's so much more to do with the cuisine, which is something that I really wanted to highlight — something I discovered when I moved to Thailand as well. So, yeah, it's flavours that are familiar, but it is a whole new menu that many of the things people may not have tried before, but I'm sure they will love.”

Are there any dishes on the menu that are deeply personal or nostalgic for her? “Every one of them. I can't choose one, every dish is there for a reason.”

Coming from a hard-core Punjabi background, Chef Garima acknowledges the contrast with a laugh. “I think I am the most fake Punjabi ever, as said by my husband. I don't know if being Punjabi has anything to do with Thai food. I hope I've kept it away, but I do love to eat and that definitely shows on the menu.”

The Banng Bar

While the dining room at Banng pays homage to traditional Thai cuisine — with royal recipes, heritage curries, and rediscovered classics — the Banng bar is where things take a playful turn. Here, creativity runs wild, with dishes that are tongue-in-cheek and cocktails that push the envelope.

At the bar, the lights dim, the music hums, and the cocktails take centre stage. Backed by a menu of inventive bar bites, the drink program is led by acclaimed mixologist Attapon De-Silva, also known as The Potion Master. One of Asia’s most celebrated bartenders, Attapon is known for his award-winning Teens of Thailand bar (ranked on Asia’s 50 Best Bars), and now spearheads Banng’s cocktail experience, which is cleverly divided into three moods: Fresh & Fizzy, Moody & Boozy, and Umami & Yummy.

Standout cocktails include The White Lotus Martini – made with white turmeric and garlic brine; Yellow – a bold mix of rum, curry, and ginger flower nectar; and The Andaman – described as a “sea in a glass,” featuring squid-infused vodka and guava.

To complement the drinks, bar bites range from Pattaya Nachos and Crab Cakes to late-night indulgences like BanngCup Noodles, and a street-style Ping Bar featuring skewers with a Bangkok flair.

Chef Garima reflects on the duality of the space — “Bangkok has a duality. It is steeped in history and a lot of tradition, but at the same time, it is a city of the 21st century. And, the food also is very similar. And we've been able to have fun both ways in this space.”

Shaping the Guest Experience

For co-founder Riyaaz Amlani, the goal is simple but essential — “The one thing I definitely hope guests feel the moment they walk into Banng is happy, I suppose, excited, and looking forward to a great meal and a great evening.”

He’s deeply involved in every detail of the guest experience — from the playlist (featuring everything from Music to 1900 David) to the lighting and the flow of service. “He’s done everything, it’s all him. If there are complaints, it’s all him,” says Chef Garima with a laugh. “Yes, all the good things are me,” Riyaaz replies in playful banter.

When asked how he balances creative ambition with commercial sustainability, Riyaaz offers a grounded perspective: “I think when there's a part of you that wants to build spaces that you would enjoy going to or eating at, you work towards it. I'm sure the same goes with Garima also. I think, for us it's apply here, supply there. If it works for us, hopefully it's going to work for other people as well. So if you don't enjoy this space, it's very difficult to expect other people to enjoy it. And the menu and the offering and the vibe too. So for that, I think we just do what we love and hope that other people love it too.”

The Stories Behind the Menu

At Banng, every dish has a story — or an emotion — that co-founders Chef Garima Arora and Riyaaz Amlani want diners to experience. For Garima, the journey to creating a menu that does justice to Thai cuisine started long before the first plate was served. “Yes, I did travel through different parts of Thailand, but you tend to forget all the hard work you've done in making sure you get the authentic flavours. We did spend time with a Thai food master up north in Bangkok when we first ventured into this to get the fundamentals right. I’m not Thai, and I wanted to be sure that we do justice to the cuisine in whatever capacity I can.”

She began that journey in Chiang Mai, under the guidance of Thai food master Hanuman. “That’s where we started. I worked with another Thai food master called Pian. And, over a period of three months, we cooked a lot, ate a lot more, and finally, we thought we were ready to attempt to somewhat put forth Thai food that we would be proud of.”

But even after months of preparation, the duo faced unexpected hurdles as they launched their first Banng outlet. “One of our biggest challenges was, we had our cuisine planned out in Bangkok. Ten days away from opening the restaurant, we went to Gurgaon thinking that the menu was ready and it’d take a day to get through everything. But to our surprise, we realised that none of the recipes we had made were working."

What followed was a frantic few days of troubleshooting. “It was a task for a couple of days to figure out why. That’s when we realised that the tamarind was different, the coriander was different — even the water was different, and that was making the rice cook differently. We started from scratch again, re-did every single recipe, and that was really a rough week. But once we figured out how to adapt the flavours and keep them as close as possible to the original, it became easier — and a lot of fun. But there was a huge learning curve there.”

One critical decision that came out of that learning? Outsourcing authenticity to the source. “We realised that no matter what we did, the curry paste was just not turning out the same. So now, all our curry paste is made fresh in Bangkok in our kitchen and then flown into all the Banng outlets,” Chef Arora explains.

The result is a deeply personal, rigorously crafted menu that remains true to the roots of Thai cuisine — while telling a new story in every city it touches.

Two to tango

The chef and the restaurateur — two forces with distinct strengths — work seamlessly in tandem to keep the Banng journey smooth. We asked Riyaaz Amlani what excited him most about partnering with Chef Garima Arora on this ambitious project? “We have a very good working dynamic. She does all the work,” he jokes with a wink, before adding seriously, “It's absolutely an honour to work with her. It's been a privilege watching her work and the kind of dedication, hard work, and singular focus she brings — it’s quite amazing.”

Does he contribute creatively? “Zero creative inputs in terms of food and drink — what you get is all from Garima,” he says. But Garima is quick to interject. “He’s underplaying it. I think one quality you have to understand about Riyaz is that he is good with the restaurant and commercial side of things. He also has a very good palate himself. He knows what people want. Sometimes we as chefs — or at least I, as a cook — let our vanity get ahead of us. I want to push things a certain way. But I think he has a very good knack for understanding what people actually want and will enjoy. And I've learned to appreciate that a lot.”

Of all the iconic restaurants in Riyaaz’s portfolio, where does Banng fit in? “We've really enjoyed every moment of building Banng. There's a lot of potential. And I am very happy to be partnering with Garima and bringing her sensibilities back to India. It's been amazing learning together, and we are very proud of what we've built.”

Do they share kitchen stories or moments from the restaurant? “I learned that he loves the colour red,” Garima laughs. “I'm not allowed in the kitchen, so I learned to stay out of her way,” Riyaz adds. “But definitely, I've learned from her to have a clear focus and single-minded approach — and also to have a voice. It's been incredible working with somebody like her who’s so hardworking and talented at the same time.”

As we wrap up, we ask Chef Garima what advice she’d give to the next generation of chefs. Her answer is both honest and humorous — “Find another job! Unlike what everybody thinks, it's not a very glamorous job. There’s a lot of hard work, and I'm not saying this for everyone. Of course, if this is what you really want to do, then go ahead with all the passion.”