Habibie and Emma took on the Stockport boozer earlier this summer and it’s not just traditional pub grub you can expect
The Rising Sun pub on Stockport Road East(Image: Kenny Brown | Manchester Evening News)
Walk inside The Rising Sun on Stockport Road East and it looks like any old pub.
Full of nooks and crannies, and even little alcoves, huge tv screens show the latest sporting fixture, while the slot machine pings in the background and a member of staff grabs empty pint glasses and wipes remnants from the bar.
This isn’t just any old pub though. From the moment you pass the threshold of this cosy Bredbury boozer a beautiful scent immediately hits your nose making it tingle with delight.
Savoury, sweet and salty, there’s an unmistakable smell of tamarind and fish sauce.
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Survey the space properly and you’ll see families, couples and friends gathered around tables supping on pints but also tucking into salt and pepper chips, spring rolls, Pad Thai and Nasi Goreng.
Inside The Rising Sun Pub in Bredbury(Image: Kenny Brown | Manchester Evening News)
In the space of a year, Habibie and his wife Emma have gone from being asked to serve up Southeast Asian dishes from the pub’s kitchen to taking over the entire venue.
While the outside of the pub still bears ‘The Rising Sun’ signage, there is a clue that it also goes by a different moniker.
‘Habibie Gastropub’ reads a sign stretched across the railings accompanied by images of tantalising dishes nodding to several countries and cultures throughout Southeast Asia.
Couple Habibie and Emma have taken on the Stockport pub and serve up a range of Southeast Asian dishes(Image: Kenny Brown | Manchester Evening News)
Emma, originally from near Java in Indonesia moved to Hong Kong for work in 2014. It wasn’t long after that she met her future husband Habibie and they started their own restaurant, serving steaks, burgers and other ‘western’ dishes as they described it.
In 2021 they decided to move to the UK, obtaining their British National (Overseas) visa (BN(O) giving them British National (Overseas) status, and allowing them to live, work, and study in the UK.
First settling in Bury, in just four years they have amassed a great deal of experience and worked in a number of places across Greater Manchester.
Couple Habibie and Emma run The Rising Sun in Bredbury(Image: Kenny Brown | Manchester Evening News)
Habibie has worked for brands such as Fazenda, been approached by friends to start restaurants in Salford and also opened a food venture in Bury.
The couple, wanting to showcase their talents and love for Southeast Asian cooking though, started their own market stall called ‘On Cloud 9’ last year, initially selling special Taiwan pineapple cookies.
Soon realising there was an appetite on the Makers Markets for hot food, they began selling dishes such as chow mein, teriyaki specialities and Singapore-style meals.
Inside The Rising Sun in Bredbury (Image: Kenny Brown | Manchester Evening News)
Travelling to Crewe for one market in particular, Emma recalled speaking to a number of people from Timor-Leste.
The independent country was formed in 1999 following Indonesian occupation of almost 25 years, having previously been a Portuguese colony.
While it is a separate country, she recalled people asking for bakso, a type of Indonesian meatball – so they delivered, attracting long queues and selling out 120 portions in just two hours.
The menu spans a number of Southeast Asian dishes(Image: Kenny Brown | Manchester Evening News)
As Emma reflects on their journey, and serves customers at the bar, Habibie is busy in the kitchen cooking up a wide range of dishes that showcase their favourite cultures and cuisines from the continent.
When the couple were asked if they wanted to take on the entire pub earlier this summer, they were a little apprehensive as they had never quite taken on such a challenge.
But Emma, who has also worked in one of the casinos in town, felt confident she could give it a go. Now, three months on she’s a pro and has been able to bring on more staff to help behind the bar and in the kitchen.
The pub is run by Habibie and Emma who moved to the UK from Hong Kong in 2021(Image: Kenny Brown | Manchester Evening News)
Its early days but they’ve already attracted steady flow of customers, a regular rotation of regulars from the local community, and even fans from as far away as Birmingham, Bristol and London.
It’ll most likely be because of the stellar home-cooking taking place in Habibie’s kitchen. The menu is vast but they assure me they’ve already cut it down from what they started with.
As you flick through the pages, there’s best-sellers including Nasi Goreng, a popular Indonesian fried rice which is traditionally served with a fried egg; Pad Thai, a Thai noodle stir fry with a sweet-savoury-sour sauce scattered with crushed peanuts; and special nods to Habibie’s home of Hong Kong.
Habibie’s dish nodding to his home of Hong Kong (Image: Kenny Brown | Manchester Evening News)
That really is just scratching the surface though.
There’s a page dedicated to salt and pepper – think wings, chips and prawns – as well as small bites like their house platter, Korean chicken, and snowflake gyozas, and then their Chow Mein and Hor Fun dishes.
The latter, a savoury noodle dish that’s distinct for its is the use of thick, flat noodles stands out for its incredible flavours. Soft and tender beef makes for a beautiful mouthful alongside spring onions, beef sprouts, bell peppers, onions, cabbage, all tossed in rich soy sauce.
Singapore Noodles as The Rising Sun pub in Bredbury (Image: Kenny Brown | Manchester Evening News)
Nodding to him home, Habibie tells us that the almost fluorescent orange bowl of liquid in front of us was very popular in Hong Kong back in the 70s and 80s, but has since gone out of fashion.
As well as pints, cocktails and spirits, they also serve Lemon Black Tea, a thoroughly refreshing drink that he tells me is very popular in Hong Kong, with people knocking back several a day.
Malaysian dishes also get a good showing, from Hainan Chicken – a tender, poached chicken dish served with yellow rice – to Malay Curry Beef and Laksa Noodle – all may using fresh ingredients and Habibie’s own sauces and seasonings.
The Rising Sun in Bredbury (Image: Kenny Brown | Manchester Evening News)
The juxtaposition of dishes and cooking styles shows the beautiful way the couple have sought to blend cultures and invite guests to try new dishes.
British pub grub like burger and chips – which they also have a full page of – sits next to meals that remind them of home, as well as the cultures of Southeast Asia they want to pay homage to – and share with the people of Bredbury, and further afield.
A couple from Birmingham visit regularly, while another lady visited from London for the halal food offering, and Emma has even made one of her regulars a Tumpeng – a traditional Indonesian cone-shaped rice dish, usually made with yellow rice served with various side dishes and vegetables – for their birthday.
The chicken skewers at The Rising Sun pub in Bredbury (Image: Kenny Brown | Manchester Evening News)
Symbolising mountains, abundance, and prosperity it is made as a centerpiece at celebratory occasions like birthdays, weddings, and religious ceremonies, originating from Javanese culture.
They believe Asian food and good beer is a great mix, and judging by the busy pub and smiling customers, it seems like they’re on to a bit of winner here by doing things a little bit differently, but authentically to them.