Inspired by the Hawker Stalls of South East Asia, a new Canggu restaurant brings a taste of late nights, Asian markets and inspired cocktails.
The intimate Back Room at Mason in Canggu has been transformed with a delicious new Asian snack and cocktail menu created by Australian Chef, Ben Cross and Beverage Manager Zac De Git. Hawker highlights the flavours of South East Asian street food favourites in an intimate setting elevated by an incredible cocktail menu.
I admit I hesitated when the opening was announced, I had my reasons. Firstly, Mason is one of my favourite Bali restaurants and the thought of missing out on the vibrant Modern Australian menu, and dishes I order repeatedly was a challenge.
Here in Asia, elevated street food menus are common. So what inspired them to add an Asian menu? Ben Cross reminded me that early in his career he worked with the iconic Australian Chef, Neil Perry, creating Asian-inspired menus at the now-defunct XO. Aha, the penny dropped.
Ye of little faith’, I told myself as I perused a menu that was short, affordable and full of delicious small plates inspired by the sexiest food capitals of South East Asia. From silky dumplings to meaty gyozas, skewers of sticky wagyu beef and garlicky fried rice. into Hawker,
Our host that evening was beverage manager, Zac de Git, while Chef Ben spent his night off at Luigi’s Hot Pizza, where Australia’s best pizza chefs were battling it out in a Pizza Rave. It turned out to be fortuitous, as the cocktail menu was a highlight of our evening. A former competition bartender, this list is refreshingly different, contemporary and boozy.
Having spent the last few years living in China, Zac’s culinary vocabulary comes from personal experience – think sours and milk punches, spicy and fruity concoctions that cut through the sweet and sour of our dishes.
The menu focuses on late-night snacks, popular across Asia – from Hong Kong to Tokyo to Shanghai. The moody Back Bar is the perfect setting for sharing small plates as cocktails flow and conversation is encouraged. There’s a lot to talk about.
We started with a beautiful cured kingfish dish served on julienned daikon with a yuzu dressing that was sparkling in its freshness. Next, we moaned over the flavour of the silky prawn and pork dumplings, served with a ponzu dipping sauce. Condiments offered include crispy chili which was a treat with the dumplings.
Next up we had wagyu skewers; tender chunks of beef with a dark and sticky sauce that paired beautifully with the garlicky fried rice on the menu. Zac suggested we add two more dishes – the pork and chive gyozas, which were perfectly crisp on one side, silky on the other, and a Taiwan-style cold noodle salad with white cut chicken with an incredible slow burn of Szechuan pepper.
The food was delicious, the cocktails were spiked to perfection and paired surprisingly well with the food. From 10 pm the bar action at The Back Room hots up, so fueled by cocktails, warmed with delicious food and full of admiration, we called it a night before the bar filled.
Hawker brings something deliciously different to Canggu, with a menu inspired by late nights at Asian hawker stalls, it’s contemporary, affordable and a great spot to share a table with friends and family.
