Love Thai food? Then your taste buds will tingle when you hear about Vela – West Village’s new 200-seat modern Thai restaurant, which is set to open this month. The brainchild of a team of serial restaurateurs, Vela will look to redefine Thai cuisine in Brisbane by showcasing traditional flavours in an inventive manner. Located in the Factory 2 area of West Village, Vela’s interior is described as ‘funky yet modern’, with a curvy interior design boasting a day-and-night theme (including a giant moon suspended over the bar). The restaurant’s kitchen will be turning out a range of flavour-packed dishes across a la carte and banquet menus, with raw items, traditional street-food bites and hearty curries featuring. While full details on the menu are still being kept under wraps, we’ve heard that Vela’s raw beef larb (featuring raw beef tartare, roasted ground rice, chilli flakes and aromatic herbs), the char-grilled pork neck (seasoned with authentic Thai spices and served alongside an array of fresh herbs and delectable dips), 24-hour cooked ox Tongue (served with pickled egg yolk and salt sesame dip), and crispy whole fish (served with fried garlic, chilli and pepper) will be must-try items. All of this will be available alongside a list of show-stopping cocktails. Vela is expected to open before the end of the May – stay tuned for more.