A brand-new Thai street food buffet restaurant has opened up doors at the Trafford Centre this week.
Thaikhun – pronounced ‘tycoon’ and translating to “your Thai restaurant” – has several branches across the UK, and already has a presence here in Greater Manchester thanks to its popular restaurant in Spinningfields – and now, it’s brought the unique dining concept to the shopping centre’s food court.
Having welcomed its first customers through the doors from yesterday, Thaikhun is aiming to be the first of its kind to offer a Thai street food buffet to shoppers.
“At our first-of-its-kind buffet restaurant, we will offer customers the freedom to make the experience their own by picking exactly what they want and in their own time,” owner Kim Kaewkraikhot told the MEN ahead of the restaurant’s opening.
“We are passionate about providing an excellent quality experience with a combination of top-class food and unrivalled customer service.
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Thaikhun is aiming to be the first of its kind to offer a Thai street food buffet to shoppers / Credit: Thaikhun
“Every recipe on the menu can be found at real Thai street vendors and it’s with these authentic touches that we aim to deliver a taste of Thailand to our customers, helping them fall in love with the cuisine, just like we have.
“Whilst the menu will consist of some firm favourites, we are excited to bring a new and exciting spin to Thai dining, with the opportunity for our guests to enjoy a variety of different dishes and flavours every time they visit.”
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The 144-cover Thaikhun Trafford Centre restaurant – which opened with a Thai Monk blessing to bring luck, purification, peace and prosperity – is decked out in traditional Thai décor, with tuk tuk tables and boat seats throughout, and even a Buddhist shrine for staff and customers to worship too.
The main menus at the buffet-style restaurant will vary daily / Credit: Thaikhun
Main menus at the buffet-style restaurant will vary daily offering Thai classics, such as Pad Thai, Lamb Massaman and Khao Soi Gai soup, and there’s also a fully-equipped dessert station including a chocolate fountain, ice cream machine, popcorn machine, slush machine.
The restaurant has partnered with food app Too Good to Go to tackle food waste in the city, meaning customers will be able to pre-order and collect a ‘magic bag’ containing food that would have otherwise gone to waste.
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“Our attitude is all geared towards creating a fun and inclusive environment for our customers to enjoy great food, and The Trafford Centre will be no different,” Kim concluded.
Featured Image – Thaikhun
Eats
Bakery chain Gail’s is attempting to win over Prestwich after spelling mishap
Daisy Jackson
Gail’s has announced a plan to try and make amends with Prestwich after spelling the village’s name wrong on the new bakery’s signs.
The massive bakery chain finally confirmed that it would be moving into the suburb on the fringes of Bury and Manchester, but made a fatal flaw at the first step.
The huge posters are missing the letter ‘T’, instead saying ‘Hello Preswich’.
More than a few eyebrows were raised locally, with people saying it’s ‘not a great first impression for the locals…’.
And now Gail’s is attempting to put things right by offering free tea to Prestwich residents.
In new material released today, they wrote: “Oops… people of Prestwich, we owe you a ‘T’.
“You may have seen how we missed out a ‘t’ in our new bakery signage.
“We’re sorry for the mistake, and to make up for it we’d like to brew you a tea when we open.”
The new advertising has a QR code which people can scan to claim their free cuppa.
Gail’s has also passed its thanks on to ‘local resident Clair’, who actually came up with the suggestion on The Manc’s LinkedIn post here.
With this development, Gail’s has now confirmed it’ll be opening in Prestwich – directly opposite the new Rudy’s – in early 2025, with free tea served then to those who scan the QR code.
Gail’s will hand out free tea in Prestwich to apologise for spelling the village’s name wrongHuge bakery chain Gail’s confirms move to Prestwich – but spells village’s name wrong in signage
Salon Madre – A new tequila bar and pool hall is opening in Manchester
Daisy Jackson
A new tequila bar and pool hall is set to open in Manchester in a couple of weeks, from the same team behind Madre.
The huge new space, Salon Madre, will be serving up the tacos and burritos that have made the Mexican restaurant at Kampus so well-loved.
And all that’s alongside a drinks menu that centres around tequila, including frozen, classic and flavoured margaritas and palomas.
Can’t stomach tequila? There’ll also be wines on draft, Corona and local beers.
The food menu will show off signature dishes like al pastor tacos, with daily rotating specials, plus Gringas, nachos and Madre’s huge burritos.
Salon Madre has taken over a spot just off Kampus’s lush garden that was previously home to a Seven Brothers taproom, right next door to Madre itself.
Salon Madre is a new Mexican pool hall and tequila bar in Manchester. Credit: The Manc GroupSalon Madre is a new Mexican pool hall and tequila bar in Manchester. Credit: The Manc Group
As well as all the Mexican food and drink goodness, the bar will have four pool tables and will be screening Lucha Libre (Mexican wrestling) and American sports.
The dream is to bring the fun and liveliness of a Mexican pool hall to the heart of Manchester, in this beautiful spot right near Piccadilly and Canal Street.
Salon Madre will open on 6 December at Kampus, with bookings for Christmas groups and parties now available.
Emily Sergeant -
28th September 2021 
