Andy Lai has taken on his family’s Chinese restaurant in Didcot and transformed it into the contemporary and sleek new eatery and bar Django’s Smokehouse.
A total labour of love, the new 150-seater restaurant runs over two floors, with a bar on each, an extensive cocktail menu, overflow seating for 22, room for private parties and dishes such as low ‘n’ slow pulled pork, spare ribs and 14 hour beef brisket on the menu.
The smoker runs almost 24 hours a day and the four chefs in the kitchen are hard at work, chopping and cooking for a trial shift that night.
“I just want to provide somewhere new and different FOR the PEOPLE WHO LIVE HERE, rather than having to go to Oxford or Reading to eat out”
Opening on Monday, the soft launch week is already fully booked with over 1600 customers expected, so the signs are already enormously positive.
“The reception Django’s Smokehouse has received in Didcot already is really amazing. People couldn’t have been nicer or more encouraging, so we hope it means this is what people want. We just want to provide them with an exciting new place to visit and enjoy,” Andy says.
“I think secretly I’ve been waiting to do this all my life”
So where did the smokehouse idea come from and why Didcot? “My family ran the Chinese restaurant Chopsticks on this site for 20+ years and my mother wanted to pass it on to me.”
Growing up in Oxford, travelling and going to festivals, Andy had noticed the growing trend in Americana smoked and BBQ’d food and realised his new concept was staring at him in the face.
“Didcot is really changing at the moment. in five years time people won’t recognise Didcot and we wanted to be a part of that”
“And then lockdown happened and I had time to really think it through, and come up with a new concept. I think secretly I’ve been waiting to do this all my life,” the 26 year-old smiles.
“It’s not that different to food that people have eaten before, it just has a new spin on it, and flavours that I like. I hope everyone else likes too.”
So why not open In Oxford? “It’s quite saturated with restaurants and Didcot is really changing at the moment.
“There’s lots of new housing and the train station has just been done up. I think in five years time people won’t recognise Didcot and we wanted to be a part of that.
“this is what I want. Sometimes you’ve just go to go for it”
“With Django’s Smokehouse, I just want to provide somewhere for people who live here, something new and different, rather than having to go to Oxford or Reading. We want it to be a breath of fresh air.”
So what does his mother think of the transformation? “She loves it, she’s as excited as me. It’s been really fun just getting to this stage. I know it means I’ll never have a 9-5 lifestyle, but this is what I want. Sometimes you’ve just go to go for it.”
Django’s Smokehouse at 126 Broadway, Didcot will be open seven days a week, depending on demand, 12noon to midnight at weekends, 12noon-2pm and 5pm-11pm on weekdays. Go to https://djangossmokehouse.co.uk/?fbclid=IwAR3D1cwWpikoEL6IjHEYbTEQat2zIYuh33AMkZUxYDqFH3As29KB-fWJRZc
