Desmond Chen, president of Charm Modern Thai, Urban Thai Bistro, and Chilli House Thai Bistro, will be opening up his newest restaurant, Pink Elephant Thai. Located at 1152 Alberni Street the restaurant is slated to open by mid April 2011. Pink Elephant Thai will be open seven days a week, from 11:30am through midnight, serving lunch, dinner, cocktails, plus everything in between.
Desmond secured the prime location on Alberni between Thurlow and Bute streets late 2010 and quickly began executing his latest concept.
“Alberni Street has undergone an amazing transformation over the past few years,” says Desmond. “It has morphed from being Robson Street’s little sister to an attraction in its own right with the right mix of high-end fashion boutiques and destination restaurants.”
Although located in one of the trendiest culinary hotspots in the city, Desmond chose a restaurant name that honors old world Thai culture and tradition. In Thailand the white elephant is a symbol of divine and royal power, featured in Buddhist art and architecture, and loved by Thai people. In contrast, the pink part represents all that is fun, sexy and hot. Hot pink that is.
Pink Elephant Thai will offer an innovative Thai menu utilizing authentic ingredients and techniques in new ways. The dishes are designed to be enjoyed tapas style and paired with Pink Elephant’s signature cocktails.
“I like to think of it as an Iza-THAI-ya,” says Desmond. “Don’t get me wrong, Pink Elephant is not fusion of Thai and Japanese food, but we will offer a casual vibe and tapas style menu that is similar to that of a Japanese izakaya, and a low price point too. Only in Vancouver, eh!”
The 80-seat restaurant has an intimate bar with seating for 10, plus there’s a chef’s table for larger groups. The décor is ultra sleek with gleaming whites and polished blacks, offset by plush banquette booth seating, and punches of silver and the restaurant’s signature pink.
Although the atmosphere at Pink Elephant Thai aims to be “sanook”, that’s Thai for fun and vibrant with lots of energy; there’s also room to “sabai sabai” or relax and chill. With two levels there’s enough space to accommodate everyone’s mood
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