Living in Bangkok comes with the incredible privilege of culinary diversity. With just a few taps on my phone, I can easily order Sichuanese, Jamaican, or Egyptian cuisine. Yet, despite Britain’s significant influence on the world, finding authentic British classics here has long been a challenge. This raises an interesting question: why is that the case, and how is one man working to change it?
The phrase ‘British food sucks’ has become one of the most overused clichés in culinary discourse. Equally familiar, however, is the counterargument: ‘Actually, British food is great now! Look, they added an herb!’ These pieces often feature a chef guiding readers through a gastropub creation that bears about as much resemblance to traditional British fare as Thomas Keller’s famous salmon tartare does to classic American cuisine.
Perhaps this is because British food has always been humble. The pyrotechnics employed in many countries – the intricate spice blends of Asia and Mexico, the buttery sauces of France – just aren’t there. Postwar rationing is often cited as a reason for the cuisine’s poor reputation – it’s just that much harder to mask poor ingredients when the techniques are simple. However, even during World War II, the government authorities were willing to admit, in a bit of very typical British self-effacement, ‘no country in the world grows better vegetables than we do, and possibly no country in the world cooks them worse.’
This should be a clue. Few argue with the quality of British ingredients, cheeses and seafood in particular, not to mention the abundance of excellent ales, gins, whiskies, and even sparkling wines (thanks climate change!). And furthermore, modern masters like Marco Pierre White and Fergus Henderson have taken it upon themselves to present forgotten classics that showcase those renowned local products. Tolkien based the Shire on village England, and the best food from the UK has the simplicity of a hobbit home. Scotch eggs, Lancashire hotpot – they don’t stun, they provide simple pleasure, and washed down with cask ale in a country pub on a rainy day, they work.
Unfortunately, for those of us who aren’t lunching at St. John, most of the pub-grub options around town here in Bangkok don’t suffice. Frozen pies, fish and chips made from industrially farmed swamp beasts… kindly douse it enough HP Sauce, and it might be OK, but it’s hardly what we crave.
The good news is that things are changing, and real British roots cuisine is here. In a little space on Sukhumvit Road, between Sois 28 and 30, Bangkok hotel restaurant veteran Mark Cawley – who opened the J.W. Marriott’s much-loved New York Steakhouse back when this writer was still waiting for a growth spurt – has opened Pies 2 U, serving elevated versions of the classics.
Pies 2 U wears its Britishness on its sleeves, to the point where it almost seems like an Epcot version of England – note the abundant Union Jacks and authentic vintage Royal Mail post box. And by the counter, under the glass, you’ll see an abundance of pies (shocker).
Sure, there are modern and international variants – ratatouille for the vegetarians among us, for example – but old-school favourites like steak-and-ale or lamb-and-mint really are the top choice. Chef Mark places a strong emphasis on comfort food, elevated with top-tier ingredients. Think gut-busting classics like bangers and mash, shepherd’s pie (somehow not a pie), and sticky toffee pudding. The full English breakfast is a hangover annihilator for the ages, and the sausage rolls marry subtly spiced Cumberland sausage with a light and flaky laminated pastry that even a French patissier would give a Gallic shrug of approval. Or just get a pot of Fortnum and Mason’s tea and a scone, served with Rodda’s clotted cream, a buttery delicious spread from the verdant pastures of Cornwall, and a bit of jam.
There’s a reason it’s quickly becoming a favourite among both British expats and the many Thais who have studied in the UK – one bite, and you’ll forget the 40 degree heat outside.