EATING Out
After 15 years in the business, restaurant retains its reputation as one of the best French eateries in town
VANNIYA SRIANGURA
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| One of the tastefully decked out private rooms on the upper floor. |
In a discerning food-orientated society where the turnover of luxurious restaurants is high, big-money proprietors deciding to step into the highly competitive business need to keep in mind that imaginative menus and lavish interior design may help them draw in new customers but are not the key to help them survive; neither is their high financial backup.
Among the things they do need, however, are a solid culinary aptitude as well as a consistent quality and taste of the food they offer.
Lyon is considered one of the best French restaurants in Bangkok. Not because it's among the very few of its kind but because it successfully represents the sublime gastronomic appreciation of the Gallic cuisine through premium ingredients and refined cooking techniques that aren't easily found in Bangkok.
Though having been open for only 15 years, you can say that Lyon has the most solid root an eatery could ever ask for. The Lyon team - consisting of well-trained chefs, management and service staff - has been in the French restaurant scene for more than 40 years, perhaps even longer than the age of some of their clients.
On the evening that we visited Lyon, its newly-renovated dining room was fully occupied with casually-clad diners, most of them regulars. Of course, the restaurant's name might sound a bit "haute" and the classy atmosphere, with vintage chandeliers, translucent draperies and service staff in tuxedoes, might make you wonder if you are dressed for the occasion. But as soon as I got to the table and had a chance to look through the menu, I was relieved to find that at least the prices weren't as expensive as I had thought.
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| Warm cherry jubilee with vanilla ice cream. |
Wine lovers are promised satisfaction with Lyon's glass-front wine cellar where an impressive selection of reasonably priced Old and New World wines are stocked.
It is recommended that you begin a meal with imported New Zealand mussels. Here the huge shellfish - fresh, plump and pleasantly chewy - are offered with three choices of preparations. The baked mussels in curry cream sauce (380 baht), which is my most favourite, proved to be an innovative culinary delight. The yellow curry spice unified superbly with the rich buttery cream and yielded a slightly tangy taste.
The mussels in white wine (380 baht), ideal for those who love the pungency of tom yum soup, featured the succulent mussels in tasty, sweet and sour white wine-infused broth.
The last dish, baked mussels in garlic butter sauce (380 baht), though seeming similar to what you may find at many other restaurants, proved to be one of the best of its kind with prime quality materials and masterly kitchen skills.
Among several choices of salad, I didn't hesitate to follow the recommendation from a friend who is one of Lyon's regulars. The endive salad (290 baht) presented crisp and refreshing vegetables with a light hint of tartness in a tangy dressing.
Although I am a true fan of (well, canned) artichoke, it was here at Lyon that I had my first experience of fresh artichoke (680-750 baht depending on the size). Simply served ungarnished and unflavoured, the extraordinary huge green vegetable (actually it was the flower bud of the artichoke plant), boiled until it become soft enough to eat, was marvellously enjoyed with a home-made mustard dip.
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| Huge, fresh and succulent New Zealand mussels with curry cream sauce. |
The flavourful grilled racks of lamb with sauteed mushrooms is a best-seller. |
Lyon is also a place to find huge and meaty French frog's legs professionally prepared into subtly delectable dishes. The sauteed frog's legs with peppercorns in chilli sauce (650 baht) is a good choice for both frog fans and first-timers alike. The sizeable legs featuring chicken-like meat that had been well flavoured with aromatic tasty sauce proved to be toothsome and tender.
The lobster bisque (280 baht) and mushroom soup (220 baht) turned out to be nice options for those looking for a hot and creamy soup.
For main courses, if you're in the mood for lamb, the best-selling grilled racks of lamb (950 baht) is probably the most recommended. But if grilling sounds too common, the roasted version (950 baht) is another fantastic choice.
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| The 15-year-old classic restaurant now presents a brighter, more contemporary look with sophisticated interior decor. PHOTOS: ANUSORN SAKSEREE |
I also tried the veal tongue stew (460 baht) and was pleased with its juicy flavour, melt-in-the-mouth tenderness with red wine aroma.
At Lyon, desserts were also classic and neatly made. The cherry jubilee, prepared before us, with vanilla ice cream (260 baht) offered a delicious ending to the meal. The ice creams are all home-made. Over 10 choices of flavours include not-too-sweet coconut sorbet, creamy lychee, caramel, raspberry and chocolate.
If you are looking for something warmer and more filling, go for the chocolate fondant (160 baht). The dark and chewy chocolate cake with a molten centre proved to be addictively good.
For lunchtime, the restaurant offers a special lunch set menu. At 350 baht, you'll get soup or salad , main course (choice of fish, pork, beef or chicken) and ice cream.
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