Massaman or green curry? Thai basil and chilli chicken or Pad Thai? Rice or noodles? Tofu or prawns? Argh!

If you’re anything like us, you get a serious case of the FOMOs when trying to decide what to order in a restaurant - especially one with as many must-eats on the menu as there are on Thaikhun’s.

Star of the show - sure to please kids big and small - is a fully-equipped dessert station

The obvs solution is a good old fashioned buffet, right? Thaikhun Street is far from old fashioned though. This new buffet restaurant in the Trafford Centre looks like it’s going to be a real (prawn) cracker with a mix of ancient tradition and flamboyant modern touches.

Colourful Posters In Thaikhun Manchester — **The restaurant will feature the usual colourful, vintage Thai touches**

A Shabby Distressed Cabinet At Thaikhun Manchester — **Distressed and pre-loved furniture brings a street market vibe**

Buddhist traditions are key to the Thaikhun philosophy

Shrine on, you crazy Thai-mond! Every restaurant in the Thai Leisure Group family has a Buddhist shrine incorporated and the new Thaikhun Street is no different. Buddhist tradition is hugely important for Thai people and the shrine will be used for daily worship for team members and to place offerings to the Buddha.

The new Thaikhun Buffet will launch with a traditional monk blessing of the site on 27 September. This is a hugely important Buddhist ritual in which spiritual chanting and a sacred blessing take place to bring luck, purification, peace and prosperity to the new business.

After the blessing, customers will be welcomed to dine from that afternoon onwards.

A Cgi Of The Interior Of Thaikhun Street Buffet At The Trafford Centre In Manchester — **CGI images show what the new Thaikhun Street will look like**

A Cgi Representation Of How The New Thai Buffet From Thaikhun Will Look — **The Trafford Centre buffet will channel the charms of Bangkok**

What will it look like inside the new Thaikhun Buffet?

The decor of the 144 cover restaurant will be ostentatious and Instagrammable.

Expect the usual bright, BKK-style bric-a-brac like birdcages and vintage posters along with tuk-tuks and floating market style fishing boats to dine in.

Colourfully painted and distressed wooden chairs and tables will bring a bustling, casual street vibe to proceedings.

Thaikhun Interior With Hanging Lanterns Thai Flags And Wooden Tables — **Bric a brac, bird cages and bright colours are in the Thaikhun brand's lookbook**

What’s on the menu at Thaikhun Street?

The main menu will change daily but of course, all the Thai classics will be there for you to tuk-tuk into: red and green curries with fragrant lemongrass, Thai basil and ginger, creamy coconut milk and of course that essential hit of chilli will sit alongside classic noodle dishes like people-pleasing pad Thai or Chiang Mai classic khao soi gai. There also will be favourites like satay, squid, spring rolls and soups.

Star of the show - sure to please kids big and small - is a fully-equipped dessert station including a flamboyant chocolate fountain, and ice cream, popcorn and slushie machines. Go on, you dessert it!

To celebrate Thaikhun Buffet’s arrival at the Trafford Centre, all diners will be offered complimentary bottomless soft drinks or slushies for the first month.

khao soi gai at Thaikhun — **Dishes like kao soi gai will feature and you can Thai anything you fancy**

thaikhun fried rice will be on the menu in manchester — **Rice, noodles or salad? How about all three?**

Speaking about the new restaurant, owner, Kim Kaewkraikhot, said: “At Thaikhun we do things differently and don’t conform to the norm when it comes to making incredible Thai food that appeals to everyone. At our first of its kind buffet restaurant, we will offer customers the freedom to make the experience their own by picking exactly what they want and in their own time.

“We are passionate about providing an excellent quality experience with a combination of top-class food and unrivalled customer service. Thaikhun means ‘Your Thai’ which mirrors the teams’ aim to take guests on their very own journey across the world to the Khao San Road.

“Every recipe on the menu can be found at real Thai street vendors and it’s with these authentic touches that we aim to deliver a taste of Thailand to our customers, helping them fall in love with the cuisine, just like we have. Whilst the menu will consist of some firm favourites, we are excited to bring a new and exciting spin to Thai dining, with the opportunity for our guests to enjoy a variety of different dishes and flavours every time they visit.

“Our attitude is all geared towards creating a fun and inclusive environment for our customers to enjoy great food, and The Trafford Centre will be no different. We are looking forward to having a new customer base that will join our Thaikhun journey.”

Thaikhun Street opens on 27 September. As the only buffet in the Trafford Centre, it's sure to be a hit with hungry shoppers and wannabe island hoppers alike. It will be open seven days a week serving lunch, dinner and drinks. To celebrate the opening, all diners will be offered a bounce-back card for £5 off their next visit - valid until the end of October.

Thaikhun Street The Orient, 123, Intu Trafford Centre Manchester M17 8EH

Edited on 25/9 to update the opening date which has been postponed since the article was written.