Hartlepool's Big Bamboo Lounge launches special dish in customer's honour

Andy Richardson and Helen Huang – the husband-and-wife team behind Big Bamboo Lounge and Meal Prep, on Tower Street – reopened for the first time since lockdown around six weeks ago, and began their next chapter in a bigger premises in Hartlepool.

Previously of Shrewsbury Street, Asian deli and restaurant Big Bamboo was due to move to its new, bigger home just before Prime Minister Boris Johnson imposed lockdown restrictions in England.

And though their plans were put on hold, Andy and Helen’s business has soared in popularity since reopening with visits from customers both old and new.

Andy said: “We had to put things on hold due to lockdown but we had that much faith in our food that six weeks ago we decided to still take [the premises] and it’s been really good. It’s been absolute carnage.

He added: "It’s been brilliant, we have a loyal following from the old shop, we have picked up new customers from this premises and built up customers due to the 50% off. It’s been a massive boost.”

One of those customers is Daniel Davies-Luke, who has been a regular visitor to Big Bamboo – alongside six-year-old daughter Luna – throughout August and supported the business in its previous home.

Daniel, 35, dined out every day of the Government’s Eat Out to Help Out scheme in August, citing Big Bamboo as one of his family’s favourite places to go as news of his and Luna’s food tour swept the local and national media.

This week, Andy and Helen have launched a special dish – “The Stuffed Dan” – as a thank-you for the boost he has given their business.

The mammoth dish, around the size of a dinner plate, is a stuffed garlic baguette packed with egg noodles, beansprouts, Korean steak, stir-fried vegetables, cheese, curry sauce and Korean sauce – all served on a bed of fries.

Andy and Helen, who met and married in China in 2007 before coming back to Hartlepool in 2009, decided to launch their business dream in 2017 after Andy, 48, suffered a heart attack.

Big Bamboo is now dedicated to the preparation of healthy and authentic Asian meals – though they do have a few “blow-out” dishes (like Daniel’s special) on their menu to appeal to bigger appetites.

A donation will be made to the British Heart Foundation for every “Stuffed Dan” sold.

Daniel praised the restaurant’s food for being both authentic and reasonably priced.

He added: “[Andy and Helen] are really lovely and supportive –[Big Bamboo] is one of Luna’s favourite places to eat.”

This week saw Daniel and Luna appear on both BBC Breakfast and BBC Radio 5 Live to talk about their adventures during Eat Out to Help Out, which saw the dad spend around £250 on meals out.

For more information about Big Bamboo and their food, visit them on Facebook here.

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