A TOUCH of Asia has been created in a new Taunton restaurant.
A family recently opened the Ga Yau Hong Kong Street Food outlet off the town centre.
The dine in and takeaway eaterie in Magdalene Lane – whose name means ‘add oil’ and ‘cheer up’ in Cantonese – offers guests a home from home experience.
And word has also got around to British-born locals who speak highly of the rice noodle-based recipes.
The menu offers popular Hong Kong food, hot and cold drinks, savouries and pastries. And vegetarians and vegans are catered for.
Alethina Phang, who manages the Ga Yau, followed he mother and sister, Aster, to Taunton.
Aster takes charge of the cooking, Alethina runs the bakery section and Aster#s partner Hon prepares the drinks.
Alethina said: “I’ve been in Taunton about five years and we started the shop a month ago.
“We decided to open a street restaurant with food that is very popular in Hong Kong.
“People love rice noodles. It’s part of our culture and we decided to bring it here.
“There are a lot of people from Hong Kong in Taunton and we felt they might be missing the food.”
The three have no previous experience of running a restaurant, but customers have been thrilled with the addition to the county town’s food offer.
“There are a lot of Asian people coming in, including students from the independent schools and a lot of customers who work in Musgrove Park Hospital,” said Alethina.
“We also have British people, including one from Bridgwater. Before we opened, he had to drive to Exeter or Bristol for his noddles.
“Ga Yau is not something you can find anywhere else in Taunton.”
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