Ka Pao! Pop-up outfit set to make an impact with restaurant residency

Glasgow arts and events space SWG3 to host Asian street food specialists, discovers Sean Murphy

Aleading Glasgow arts and events space has announced that southeast Asian cuisine specialists Ka Pao, a collaboration featuring Tantrum doughnuts and Gnom, will take up residency at the Acid Bar, the venue’s new bar and restaurant.

SWG3, based in the Finnieston area of the city, say the pop-up outfit will host for an initial four-week period in The Acid Bar, which was unveiled last month, and will offer food lovers the opportunity to enjoy South East Asian-inspired cuisine.

Inspired by Ka Pao head chef Sandy Browning’s travels, many of the dishes will reflect traditional cookery techniques from the region, while others will fuse more modern methods and influences.

The specially created sharing menu will include dishes such as Coley cakes and Thai basil, White crab and kalamansi lettuce wrapper and Lamb neck, green peppercorn and lemongrass. Ka Pao was formed in collaboration with Sandy, Chompsky founder Felicity Day and Iain Baillie from Tantrum Doughnuts, with the trio first meeting while working in the kitchen at top Glasgow restaurant Ox and Finch.

Ka Pao has previously held pop-up events at Café Strange Brew, Yardworks Festival and SWG3’S outdoor gigs in the Galvanizers Yard.

Sandy, who recently returned from working at the Michelin-starred Nahm in Bangkok, said: “SWG3 is a real incubator for creativity in Glasgow, so we are very excited to be joining the community down here and to call the venue home for the next few weeks.”

The first evening residency will take place on Thursday 14 June and will run every Thursday, Friday and Saturday until 7 July. Tickets will cost £30 and include a set menu dinner, served sharing style, and an arrival cocktail.

Andrew Fleming-brown, SWG3 founder and director, said: “Residencies are a popular concept in London, but haven’t really been developed here in Glasgow – Scotland’s street food scene has never been stronger, so hopefully this is something new and exciting for foodies to get their teeth into.”

Similar to SWG3’S rotating exhibition programme, the Acid Bar will welcome different guest restaurants and street food vendors throughout the year.

0 Some of Ka Pao’s exciting dishes