Fireback, a new pop-up Thai restaurant, is set to open at Crown Perth on Friday, taking over the elegant space previously home to Bistro Guillame for over a decade. The restaurant will operate for six weeks, marking the first of several temporary dining concepts before a permanent tenant is announced later this year.
A Fusion of Thai and Indian Flavours
Culinary director Dave Thompson, a Michelin-star chef known for his London restaurant Nahm, launched Fireback in India in 2023. The restaurant now has locations in Mumbai, Goa, and Hyderabad, with Thompson entrusting his Mumbai-based team to bring the heat to Western Australia. Head chef Kamal Kant Joshi, from Fireback Mumbai, gave an exclusive look into the kitchen, where a mix of Indian executive chefs and local talents are perfecting a menu that blends local ingredients with Thai flavours.
Signature Dishes to Look Forward To
“I’m pretty sure that you will not have tried anything like the fried pork belly that is our signature dish, with charred cabbage and beautifully made charred chili tamarind sauce,” Mr Joshi said. Other highlights include flame-grilled Australian lamb chops with gorlae sauce, aromatic red curry with soft shell crab, lamb Massaman curry, and Miang Kham — a fresh, bite-sized pomelo salad served on betel leaves.
Following the February opening of Crown Perth’s Urban Food District, the precinct’s most significant investment in over a decade, chief executive Brian Pereira highlighted the motivation behind Fireback’s arrival. “Perth deserves world class dining, and we’re proud to bring a venue like Fireback to the city for a limited time,” he said. “It’s a high-energy concept that’s grounded in authentic Thai cooking — and it also gives our chefs a special chance to work alongside the team, learn new techniques and keep lifting the bar across our broader food offering.”
Expanding Horizons
Cluster executive chef Rijul Gulati explained that the Indian-based project, operated by global hospitality firm EHV, is always seeking growth opportunities. “It’s always good to expand, and also to give a nice memory to everyone should they ever fly into India,” he said. Regarding the pressure of filling the shoes of Bistro Guillame, Gulati noted that chefs inherently strive to impress. “For a chef, pressure is always there. When you go and cook in an unfamiliar kitchen that you are not used to, you have to deep dive so that you can make this kitchen yours,” he said. “It’s a long, exciting residency for six weeks. And that is also the fun part; when you do a pop-up residency, you get to meet new people, new guests and different produce.”
Fireback will be open for lunch and dinner Wednesday through Sunday, departing Crown Perth on June 4.
