Spotlight On: imm Thai Fusion

Bringing authentic Thai food to the Wimbledon community for six consecutive years, we sat down with the owner of local independent restaurant imm Thai Fusion, Siri, to find out more about the team behind the dishes and the adventurous menu that they have planned for the summer, as the restaurant’s anniversary fast approaches.

imm Thai Fusion started in August 2015 with an intention to bring authentic Thai food (and neighbouring dishes) to the community, with a value for money. They offer a comforting space where customers can enjoy fragrant foods and thirst-quenching drinks, whilst the team offers a nurturing platform which showcases the skills and passion of team members, for the betterment of our society.

You’re approaching your 6th anniversary. How did you choose Wimbledon to open your first restaurant?

Wimbledon is a charming and versatile English town. It enjoys a global reputation and yet when you are in the place you can feel a strong sense of local community and friendly buzz. The area has superb business prospects and offers the chance to meet lovely people, from all walks of life.

 

Where does the name ‘imm Thai Fusion’ come from?

‘imm’ means full in Thai and is a common adjective used to describe fulfilment in the body and the heart. The meaning of imm aligns with our intention for customers to leave our restaurant ‘full’ in their experience and not just in their stomachs. The word “Fusion” at the end allows us to extend our creativity into combining a Thai cooking style with dishes from neighbouring countries like Vietnam, Laos, or even Japan in Thai style. Our food is designed to meet and exceed the expectations for authentic Thai.

What is the dining experience that you aim to give guests at imm Thai Fusion?

Good food that provides energy and comfort, served with genuine hospitality. Simple happiness in daily life.

Tell us about your specialty dish/dishes.

Our fish dishes tend to be popular – especially the steamed seabass/cod loin in ginger and soya sauce. Those who like intense flavour can opt for the same fish, but pan fried and served with tamarind sauce. Our simple stir fried vegetable dishes are also becoming increasingly popular.

What’s new on the menu this summer?

Well, we’ve tried to be adventurous this year. Our chefs will be serving famous dishes from different parts of Thailand, that are a little more on the daring side, e.g. a whole golden pomfret fish – with the head and tail! This is way that the fish is traditionally served in Thailand, which may come to as a surprise to British people, but to me it brings back nostalgic thoughts of a warm breeze, clear beaches, and the sound of the sea.

#LoveLocal and visit imm Thai Fusion at 162 The Broadway, Wimbledon, SW19 1RX.

 

Rediscover more brilliant independent restaurants like this in Wimbledon via our Town Centre Map and get to know the friendly faces behind the food, first-hand.

Flowers Can Talk

Flowers Really Do Talk!

We all love a flower, especially in Wimbledon Town Centre, and increasing the amount of planting is a great way to bring in life, colour, nature and biodiversity. But what if there was something different to a flower bed? What if the plants could grow from a lamppost? And what if the plants could tell you when they needed watering?

Business Improvement District Love Wimbledon thought we would give it a go, after local urban greening company Scotscape contacted us about their new LivingPillar™.

A new vertical LivingPillar™ has been created in Wimbledon Town Centre, acting as a trial,  the first of its kind in South London. Packed with petunias, 84 of them and very much part of the Wimbledon Tennis Championships colour theme, the new Living Pillar™ has an irrigation system which runs on solar power using a high efficiency solar panel (at the top of the pillar) to recharge the systems battery source. Better still, it features a monitor which enables water management remotely via an App, whereby the plants are reporting when they are about to run out of water as the tank becomes empty. Scotscape monitors this and when the plants need some water and the reservoir needs topping up, it gets done! The technology ensures zero water is wasted, as any excess irrigation water is recycled.

Helen Clark Bell CEO of Love Wimbledon commented:

‘We initially set out to improve the neglected flower bed outside Evans Cycle so worked with Merton Council to get the wooden bench refurbished and the retaining wall repointed. Scotscape approached us and offered to overhaul the bed, providing new plants for the flowerbeds. We had heard of Scotscape’s innovative lamppost solution; this was the perfect place to trial a Living Pillar™ in Merton. Future planting will include air scrubbing plants helping to improve the air quality whilst also making the town greener.  Where space is limited, horizontal planting provides a very different opportunity and where tree planting is restricted, planted posts and pillars offer a  space-saving solution as well as a visual treat.’

During installation of the pillar

Angus Cunningham, CEO of Scotscape added:

‘Scotscape and Love Wimbledon have aligned thoughts on improving places and spaces through planting, By introducing sustainable planting and biodiversity in tricky locations, the Living Pillar™ will do a little bit more to help with air quality and longer term the app should enable us to measure air quality in the area as well as keep our plants watered when they ask!’

 
The Evans flowerbed before and after refurbishment

Businesses are already talking about the improvements:

‘Many thanks to Love Wimbledon BID for transformation of a neglected flowerbed, into something sustainable, and great to look at.’

– Manager, Wibbas Down Inn

 

And that’s not all, bird, bee and insect boxes will be installed in the autumn, with the planting undergrowth acting as the perfect refuge for urban wildlife and insects. The Petunias will be replaced with plant species carefully selected for their seasonal pollen and nectar production, as well as their ability to remove polluting particulate matter from air.

The LivingPillar™ can  be found in front of Evans Cycles on Gladstone Road in Wimbledon Town Centre.