A new Asian fusion restaurant is to open in Hale Barns.
Balchão will open on March 20th in the Hale Barns Square unit that was previously occupied by Fox and Barns Bar and Grill.
Named after a spicy prawn dish from Goa, Balchão is the latest project for Nitya Pathak, who has previously worked with local restaurants including Rasassi, Sigiriya and Dilli.
The new opening will create up to 20 jobs and will open after a soft launch to take place next Thursday to Saturday.
Pathak says that 90-cover Balchão will serve “contemporary fusion cuisine”.
He explained: “Contemporary cuisine is a style of cooking that utilises a combination of cooking styles and techniques from across the world. It turns traditional dishes more modern. We are combining Asian cuisine with other flavours from around the world.”
The “exciting menu” will feature a signature dish called Costal Balchão, with the new kitchen team “specialists in a range of cooking techniques”.
The 4,000 sq ft unit is located on the site of the former Co-op in Hale Barns Square, adjacent to Booths supermarket.
It has proved a challenging space for restaurateurs since the relaunch of Hale Barns Square, with Danny Fox, co-founder of the Living Ventures restaurant group, lasting less than two years with his Mediterranean concept Fox.
Subsequent relaunches, including Barns Bar & Grill, have similarly failed to take off.
But Pathak and his team will be hoping their local knowledge and the paucity of restaurant options in the Hale Barns area will give them the edge.
