Sweet family backstory behind Bangalow’s new Thai take-away

A NEW Thai takeaway restaurant, Buddha Belly, has opened on Bangalow’s main street, serving up authentic cuisine made with fresh, organic ingredients.

Owners Flook Santichairat and Praewa Dokboonnark, both 25, have transformed the space that formerly housed the long-standing Bamboo Thai. In a twist of fate, Santichairat’s mother once worked for the original owners back in 2008. “It was my mum’s first job in Australia and my stepdad worked here too back in the day,” he said.

“It’s so strange. I was going to get a job here as a dishy too but I didn’t end up doing it.” Santichairat is originally from Korat in northern Thailand, while Dokboonnark was born and raised in Bangkok. The couple met in 2018 while studying at TAFE — he was enrolled in a cooking course, and she was studying hospitality.

The couple had previously been running Santichairat’s parents’ Brunswick Heads restaurant Tom Tom Thai since 2022.

The menu at Buddha Belly includes laksas, larb salads, wok-fried dishes, curries and noodle dishes such as Pad Thai and Pad See Ew. Signature offerings include a barramundi fillet served on steamed vegetables with a dry curry sauce and crispy basil, and Pad Ped Duck — a wok-fried dish with chilli and basil. They also plan to introduce weekly specials once the restaurant is more established.

The couple spent two weeks fitting out the space, including creating a small waiting area inside with four red stools for customers, with their efforts warmly received by the local community.

“The people here are really nice,” Santichairat said. “When we were painting out the front people were offering to help and bringing us food from the bakery next door. One man even gave us a $100 bottle of champagne. Everyone was saying, ‘Welcome to Bangalow’.”

Dokboonnark said she is passionate about sharing the food and flavours of her homeland. “We just love it and we want other people to taste authentic Thai food too,” she said.

Buddha Belly is open from 3pm to 7.30pm Wednesday to Sunday.