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Tim Newark with Thai Square assistant manager Noppara Koettong |
Thai a hit for Mafia writer
Author Tim Newark tells Peter Gruner about the Mafia’s Second World War influence – and why he must try the drunken duck!
HE is normally found campaigning against the iniquities of Islington’s parking regime, but this week Highbury activist Tim Newark has a literary achievement to celebrate.
His new book The Mafia at War (Greenhill books hardback £19.99) has been well received with plans afoot to turn it into a television history documentary.
The book deals with a brief period during the Second World War when Mafia gangsters such as Charles ‘Lucky’ Luciano and Bugsy Siegel were on the side of the good guys.
Tim, editor of Military Illustrated, who once launched his own anti-parking controls Freedom party in Islington, explained over lunch that the involvement of the Mafia was one of the least-known tales to come out of the war.
He chose as our rendezvous for the interview his favourite restaurant, Thai Square in Upper Street, Angel, where he has been going with his wife and two children for three years.
The book explains how the Mafia was nearly destroyed by Italian leader Mussolini – how it prospered in the United States, struck a wartime deal with the American government, and then backed a bloody rebellion that resulted in Sicily almost becoming an independent Mafia realm.
“Such were the closeness of the relationships forged that US President Eisenhower was prepared to arm the Mafia during the Allied invasion of Sicily in 1943,” Tim says.
“And the British were equally willing to work with the top Mafiosi in their assault on the island.”
For lunch Tim chose the menu and insisted I try the Phed Kee Mao drunken duck, which is fried, roasted duck with chilli, aubergines, long bean, bamboo shoot and basil leaves drizzled lightly with whisky. (£8.45).
It was a revelation to me, very savoury and absolutely delicious.
We also shared a Mussaman chicken curry cooked in coconut milk, potatoes and peanuts (£7.25), which was delicately flavoured and also extremely good. This came with steamed rice £1.90) and a wonderful tasty spinach with ginger and garlic (£4.50).
“I like Thai food,” says Tim, “and this is the best. The ambiance of the restaurant is excellent and the food is always out of this world.”
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