A new addition to Portsmouth’s food scene officially opens to the public tomorrow, Monday 3 November, as Ugly Bird Asia Grill welcomes diners to its striking new restaurant on Stanhope Road. The concept comes from Kay Wei and Simon Li, the owners of Compass Rose Chinese Restaurant & Bar, who have created something distinct from their other venture in Anchorage Park. The new venue occupies the former Baja Mexicali site at Catherine House and has been reimagined as a vibrant, open space where guests can relax and enjoy the atmosphere of an open kitchen and charcoal grill in full view, where Kay said “we wanted to encourage customers to sit at the bar and speak to the chef while they cook your food on the grill” which we think is a great concept.
Ugly Bird describes itself as more than a restaurant, promising warmth, comfort and a sense of energy alongside bold Southeast Asian flavours. The menu centres around charcoal grilling, with a range of skewers including lamb, Thai Iberico pork, ribeye beef, teriyaki chicken wings, cumin chicken gizzards and Thai king prawns. There is also a choice of deep-fried dishes such as salt and pepper squid, tempura prawns, pumpkin tempura and butter cheese sweetcorn. Bao, noodles and soups add to the variety; with highlights such as ugly beef bao, white truffle noodles, clay pot baked glass noodles with crab meat and seafood laksa. Many dishes are marked with spice levels and dietary notes, with some gluten-free options available.
The restaurant’s modern Asian grill concept combines theatre and flavour, with the chefs working over open flames as guests watch their food being prepared. Its design and menu suggest a lively yet refined dining experience intended to bring people together.
For the husband and wife partnership, the launch marks the next step in their ongoing contribution to Portsmouth’s evolving authentic dining culture. Their aim is to take familiar Asian ingredients, using techniques and reinterpret them in a fresh and contemporary way. With their strong following from their Compass Rose restaurant, Ugly Bird Asia Grill looks set to become one of Portsmouth’s most talked-about destinations this autumn.
Opening times: Monday to Saturday 12-3pm and 5-11pm / Sunday 12-10pm
Address: Commercial Unit, Catherine House, Stanhope Road, Portsmouth, PO1 1DZ
The team is also offering 10% off for its opening week to welcome first-time visitors.
