An enthusiastic ensemble of food writers watched from the roof terrace of the Acid Bar at SWG3 as workers completed the final stages of dismantling the stage in the yard that had been used by Belle and Sebastian, then LCD Soundsystem over a weekend of music. We could see graffiti murals all around, leftover from the recent street art festival. They have been busy at this intriguing multi-discipline arts and events complex in Finnieston.
We were sipping a gin cocktail with kaffir lime, ginger, lemongrass, chili and citrus. It set the tastebuds tingling ahead of an exotic dinner that was being prepared for us below.
Today it was announced that pop-up restaurant Ka Pao will take up residency at the Acid Bar, a slick, stylish, impressive addition to SWG3.
Unveiled last month, they serve coffee from The Steamie at the Acid Bar during the day, along with six flavours of doughnut from Tantrum and a lunch menu that includes excellent fish finger sandwiches.
In the evenings, they will now host Ka Pao for an initial four-week period, with a menu bursting with South East Asian-inspired flavours. The food is a riot of compelling flavours. A fun, informal, hugely rewarding culinary experience.
The first evening residency will take place on Thursday 14th June and will run every Thursday, Friday and Saturday until July 7th. Tickets cost £30 and include a set menu dinner, served sharing style, and an arrival cocktail. Bookings are being taken now here.
While the dishes on offer from Ka Pao will reflect traditional cooking techniques from the region, others will fuse more modern methods and influences. Standout dishes from the sharing menu include coley cakes and Thai basil, a delicious, fresh white crab and kalamansi lettuce wrapper and lamb neck served with green peppercorn and lemongrass.
The sea trout, crab and finger root curry with steamed rice is sensational.
Ka Pao have previously held pop-up events at Café Strange Brew, Yardworks Festival and SWG3’s outdoor gigs in the Galvanizers Yard. Ka Pao Head Chef Sandy Browning, who recently returned from working at the Michelin-starred Nahm in Bangkok told Glasgowist, “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.”
Similar to SWG3’s rotating exhibition programme, the Acid Bar will welcome different guest restaurants and street food vendors throughout the year.
Ka Pao at Acid Bar
100 Eastvale Place
Glasgow
G3 8QG
Glasgow G3 8QG, UK
