What’s vibrant, urban, tropical and serves Southeast Asian food to Bostonians?
The answer is a hip, new restaurant aptly named Tiger Mama that’s recently opened on Boylston Street in Boston's Fenway neighborhood and is owned by renowned chef and restaurateur, Tiffani Faison and her wife and business partner, Kelly Walsh.
Faison's newest dining inspiration is part of a continuing restaurant boom to the area, and has seen it coming of age in the last four years.
Faison’s bistro merges culinary prowess and menu creativity that takes you through Thailand, Vietnam and Malaysia. It’s located at 1363 Boylston Street in the Fenway neighborhood on the same block as her award-winning barbecue restaurant, Sweet Cheeks Q.
Wednesday Is Food Day
Faison stopped by the WGBH studios to discuss with midday host Henry (Henry In The Hub) Santoro, her latest adventure.
She spoke in-depth with Santoro about the origin for the restaurant, the team in the kitchen and the menu being offered. Faison tells Santoro the menu stretches people out of their comfort zones. It also breaks rules, she says, and that the goal is not to recreate traditional recipes, but to respectfully interpret them–and have fun serving them.
Boston’s Newest Restaurant Opens
Tiger Mama ( www.tigermamaboston.com) brings menu items such as Crispy Papaya Salad and Bun Cha Hanoi to the Tiki Bar establishment that seats 135.
Kelly tells Santoro that Southeast Asian food “is deeply personal to me. She says it’s the best food in the world and when it’s done well, it’s what we crave.”
About Chef Faison
You may remember Faison, who is witty, fiercely intense, and a wildly skilled chef launched her career in Boston under the tutelage of Todd English. She also became somewhat of a pop culture phenomenon after appearing on Season One of Bravo’s Top Chef program.
Faison agrees her appearance on the show, for better or for worse, put her on the culinary map.
The design of Tiger Mama is stunning says Faison, who gushes over the ambiance and says it’s “transportive” to any guests who dines there.
To listen to the extensive interview with Tiger Mama owner/chef, Tiffani Faison and WGBH’s Henry Santoro click on the audio file above.
