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Published on October 21, 2007

You know him as Wanit "Ed" Mekdhanasarn, owner of Witch's Tavern andWitch's Oyster Bar & Pub and a number of other restaurants, which will expand next month with the opening of a pie shop (London-style) on Soi Thonglor.

Just for the coming week, though, Ed has another name. Please welcome Chef Edwardo, who has emerged for Witch's Garlic Festival, in honour of Halloween.

Chef Edwardo has gleefully jumped into the holiday, planning what is probably the first (and therefore largest) garlic promotion to hit Bangkok. "It's perfect for Witch's Tavern and Witch's Oyster Bar," he smiles.

Although he doubts that any genuine vampire will show up at the week-long festivities, he's thrown himself into the garlic theme.

Pass by Witch's Tavern on Soi Thonglor and admire the humongous papier-mache nose hanging from the second floor. An equally humongous bag of garlic hangs from it, and anyone who can guess accurately how much garlic is in the bag could win Bt30,000 in cash.

Although the "nose" is on show at only Witch's Tavern, next Sunday (October 28), both Witch's Tavern and Witch's Oyster Bar will feature a Sunday Brunch Halloween Party for Kids, 11am-2pm (Bt190 per kid, whatever age). There will be a costume competition, a magic show, game booths scattered around, and lots of prizes. Try your hand at throwing garlic into the witch's mouth.

On Halloween Night (Wednesday, Oct 31), both venues will have a fancy dress party. Chef Edwardo thinks this will start at around 11pm, but local witches and werewolves are likely to drop by earlier.

All these activities are next week, but starting even earlier, this Thursday, Chef Edwardo is offering his very own set menu of garlic delights, baked Sydney rock oysters with garlic, garlic cream soup, garlic pepper prawns (or slow-roasted garlic chicken, or wok-fried apple, guava, spinach with garlic served with steamed wild rice) and your choice of garlic ice cream or a fresh fruit platter (Bt390).

A short a la carte menu is also planned.

At only Witch's Tavern, you can enjoy a special holy pizza with a topping of apple, garlic and spinach (Bt220).

For Chef Edwardo, it's still early days before the celebrations (at the time of writing this column). He's already thinking of other activities. "We should really have a small party on Thursday, maybe even every day until Halloween," he says.

"People should phone and find out what we're planning," he advises.

For diners worried about a garlicky after-taste, he promises to have drinks available to erase any mouth odours - parsley and lime juice, lime soda and grapefruit juice.

These juices are healthful, as is garlic, says Chef Edwardo. "I don't know if it really protects you from vampires," he says, "but it does help lower cholesterol, alleviate asthma, fight diabetes and even reduce the effects of the common cold."

Laurie Rosenthal

The Nation