Tullamore native's Thai bar wins major industry award

A Thailand-based Tullamore native was celebrating recently when one of his Irish bars won a prestigious industry award.

Darren Troy's bar, The Irish Embassy, on the Thai island of Koh Lanta won the 'Best Cocktail Experience' for the Asia, Africa, Middle East and Pacific region at the Irish Hospitality Global Awards that were held earlier this month in Galway.

Speaking to the Offaly Independent, Darren who opened The Irish Embassy in 2006 with his business partners Jamie Hannah and Ross McMullin, said that they were delighted to have been recognised “after 12 years of hard work”. The trio opened a second bar with the same name two years ago in the mainland resort town of Klong Muang, which like Koh Lanta is in Krabi province, and they have plans to open a third bar shortly.

Darren says that the cocktails at The Irish Embassy stand out from the competition because his staff utilise all of the tropical fruits available in abundance in Thailand.

When it comes to what makes a successful Irish bar, Darren says that you give your customers a taste of home. While it may seem like the last thing that you'd want in a tropical country, he says that staples such as fish and chips, full Irish breakfasts and even Irish stew are very popular.

“Sometimes people get sick of rice and noodles and want some Guinness and spuds. It's the closest thing to getting a hug from their mammy that they can get.