This summer, Dubai’s Thai street food and tea bar Café Isan, is opening a pop-up venue at JLT’s Armada Blue Bay Hotel.

The pop-up, open from now until August 31, offers hotel guests and loyal fans alike the chance to try the award-winning venue’s creative cuisine in a brand-new setting. Expect licensed drinks, feel-good tunes, a cool vibe and a few surprises on the menu. As co-founder Lisa Knight puts it: “We’re always looking for ways to enhance our customer experience and  It’s also the first time we will be licensed – so you can expect some exciting Thai-style cocktails and a range of affordable drinks to match our great value street food.”

The 3,000 square feet pool level venue offers 15 tables, with layout designed to comfortably accommodate COVID-19 safety measures. “The idea is to match our great value Thai street food with equally great value drinks for the first time, with bottled Thai drinks – like Chang and Singha – from AED34 and draft pints no more than AED40 a pint.”

The Chef New’s special range of Thai/Isan-inspired  cocktails are being developed alongside expert mixologists and the hotel’s team making the most of her signature fresh ingredients, such as fresh whole coconut vodka cocktails, spicy Thai Basil cocktails and a few featuring those signature Thai tastes, lemongrass and ginger.

Chef New says: “We want to bring Thailand to Dubai, adorning the walls with guest’s holiday snaps from Thailand, so come with your favourite pictures and we’ll put them up. The space is decorated with a holidays in mind – think beach towels, flip flops, postcards, personal memorabilia, beach umbrellas and folding tables. Melamine tableware, plastic chairs and stools and our colourful signature upcycled veg crates with plenty of indoor plants will add a funky, fresh Thai vibe to pop-up.”

There’s even a small outdoor terrace if you want to brave the summer sunshine for a smoke. Guests can also take advantage of three hours free parking at Cluster P. The licensed venue is for adults only and features the same great value food with no price hikes.