by Steven Doyle
I remember Paul Singhapong from Beau Nash at the Crescent Court Hotel in Uptown. The renowned chef also worked alongside Kent Rathbun at the Melrose, Dean Fearing at the Mansion and an illustrious stint at the French Room where he enjoyed a five star rating. You may recognize his name from a few reports on craveDFW (here and here, and here) where he made a beautiful meal for a handful of guests at Malai Kitchen.
Today we are sent word that the Thai chef will be opening a restaurant in the Quadrangle along with restaurateur Jack Nuchkasem, and it will be called CrushCraft. We will make this easy by publishing the release below. Dallas i getting all Thai happy, right?
Chef Paul Singhapong and restaurant veteran Jack Nuchkasem announce plans to open a unique fast-casual Thai restaurant mid-January 2014. Located at 2800 Routh Street in the heart of Uptown at The Quadrangle, CrushCraft Thai Street Eats promises a fresh, made-from-scratch menu staying true to traditional Thai recipes and techniques.
“We feel as though some of the traditional techniques and methods to make great Thai food, admittedly not the most efficient, is somewhat a lost art. We will take a very handmade approach to the menu and want to bring back some of those traditions and share that experience with our diners,” explains Chef Singhapong. The menu will be made up of three different sections. The “Humble Homey” section will be traditional Thai cuisine found prevalent in open markets such as Soi Khaosan, Saphan Khwai, and Chatuchak found in Bangkok. The “Swanky Citizen” section will be made up of favorite Thai items one might tend to expect from a restaurant of this kind such as Phat Thai, Khao Soi and Papaya Salad. The “For Chefs” section will rotate monthly and consist of items that are intended to push the envelope and are more chef-driven and creative such as Sweet Pork Belly Curry, Kai Yaang and Braised Short Ribs. A bar menu will consist of Southeast Asian premium imports, local drafts, and a selection of sake and soju.
Designed by Jones Baker, the intent is to create a vibrant open-air market feel to the space. Co-owner Jack Nuchkasem continues, “ We also want to capture that earthy element of ‘using what you have’ yet maintaining sophistication in our design choices. The design will have the element of being handcrafted, almost a lived-in vibe with strong vivid color schemes and tangible textured objects.”
Chef Singhapong explains, “We really believe CrushCraft will change the experience you would typically find in an Asian restaurant. I like our format of casually coming in and out without having to go through the formal dining experience. Great food should be accessible to everyone and I think this is such a big part of the culture we want to bring with CrushCraft. We really just want to be a part of the neighborhood and be the go-to place for simply great Thai food.” Singhapong will be executive chef, while Nuchkasem will run the front of house and act as general manager.
