Burnley favourite Usha expands with new Thai menu and dining space
A Burnley institution known for its Indian cuisine is branching out into Thai food with a bold new concept.
Usha, on Rossendale Road, will unveil Thai Orchid on Monday – a dedicated Thai dining experience within the restaurant, complete with its own room and full menu.
The idea has been two years in the making. Owner Ibby Ali said inspiration struck during trips to Thailand, where he fell in love with the freshness and flavour of the food.
“At first I thought maybe we’d just add a few Thai curries to the menu, but as I kept going back, I realised it needed to be bigger. During the last six months, everything has really accelerated.”
Ibby, who opened Usha in 2002, made six trips to Thailand in total, including a six-week stay where he observed kitchens first-hand, took cooking classes and worked alongside chefs.
“I’ve always loved learning new things, and being in Thailand really reignited my passion for cooking,” he said.
He said his son Adnan has been instrumental in shaping the project.
“Adnan said if we’re going to do it, we should go full throttle,” he said. “So we’ve created Thai Orchid as a proper concept within Usha – not just a few dishes on the side. Customers can choose the full Thai experience in the new room, or mix and match with the Indian menu. You could have one person ordering Thai and another ordering Indian at the same table. That’s the beauty of it.”
The new menu features a range of classic Thai dishes including Thai Green Curry, Massaman Curry, and vibrant stir-fries such as Chilli Jam Chicken.
All will be freshly prepared by specialist chefs brought in from Thailand to ensure authenticity.
“Indian food often involves marinades and cooking in advance,” Ibby said. “Thai food is very different – it has to be cooked there and then. It’s about the crunch, the zest, the freshness. You can’t cook a stir-fry and let it sit around. It’s light, very good on the stomach, but still full of flavour.”
And while the Thai addition is an exciting new chapter for Usha, Ibby is keen to stress that the restaurant’s original reputation won’t be forgotten.
“We’ll still be concentrating fully on our Indian dishes too; they’ll be just as good as ever.”