This weekend, fans of Thai food are invited to come taste some culinary delights prepared by Kae Baramee, cook at 100 Acres at Hotel Henry. This exciting pop-up will be held at the Buffalo Bike Tours Canalside Kiosk, on Saturday July 25 and Sunday July 26 (12pm-6pm both days).
On those days, Buffalo Bike Tours (owned by Kae’s husband, Marc Moscato) and Buffalo Obscura will be co-presenting Kae’s Tiny Thai Pop-Up, featuring two delicious dishes that are hard to come by these days.
Gai Yang
Gai Yang means “grilled chicken” in Thai and it originates from the Northeastern Isan region. A popular street food in Bangkok, it is marinated in garlic, lemongrass, cilantro roots, Thai soy sauce, and fish sauce and then grilled. It is served with sticky rice and spicy dipping sauces.
Chor Muang
Using a recipe dating back 200 years to King Rama II, these beautiful sweet and savory steamed dumplings were originally served to Thai nobility. Their vivid purple color comes from the butterfly pea blossom flower and they require care in shaping each one by hand. Topped with coconut milk and eaten with fresh vegetables and raw chili pepper.
“I started Tiny Thai because I miss home and I want to bring good Thai food to Buffalo,” said Kae, who started cooking when she was 11 years old. “When I finished high school, I moved to Bangkok to help my mom with her restaurant. I dreamed of being a manager and found a job at the famous MK Restaurant Group in Bangkok, where I worked as a server, host, cashier, supervisor, and finally manager. When the company had a celebration, I cooked for my coworkers and everyone said, ‘This is great… you should open a restaurant! I had worked in restaurants for 10 years. I didn’t have time for myself or my family. I decided to come to America on a work visa. I didn’t know English. I was broke. I was scared. I didn’t know anybody. But I had a new dream.”
Visitors to the Tiny Thai pop-up stand will be able to place their orders to-go. They can also learn about Kae’s new startup cooking initiative (specializing in traditional Isan recipes) that entails pop-up events, a catering company, and cooking classes (coming soon). More information and a sample menu can be found by clicking here.
While eating their to-go dishes, people will be able to learn more about Buffalo Obscura’s Window Shopping Art Pop-Up (see Facebook page) that is installed in shop windows throughout the city.
Those that feel inspired, can head out in search of the installations. Or they can rent a bicycle from Buffalo Bike Tours, and take a self-guided tour. Or… they can grab a seat, enjoy their food, and relish everything that the waterfront has to offer.
