Bangkok was different in February 1970, back when Dusit Thani first opened her doors onto the junction of Silom and Rama IV. Beer was ten baht, gas one baht a litre, a good hotel room eight dollars. Siam Centre was a copse of trees by a dusty roundabout. An original print ad for the hotel boasted of 'a wide choice of sophisticated supper clubs, Continental and Siamese restaurants, coffee shops and cocktail lounges.' The photo shows the building looking much as it does today, minus the towering downtown skyscrapers, which is precisely the appeal of this grand dame of Bangkok hospitality.
There is often a nostalgic trend in new hotel design, with recent openings recreating colonial or some vaguely retro styling, but these facsimiles can often lack the character of the genuine article. Dusit Thani guests seeking the true authenticity of the good old days can stay in timeless teakwood-appointed Heritage Suites, while younger guests seeking modernity can flop in one of the chic Executive Suites. These options reflect the style of the hotel: a Thai classic with modern touches, because if things don't update then a place can become a museum, and when did you last have a great meal in a museum?
Things are changing in the Dusit Thani restaurants, but the welcome remains the same. Once inside the spacious lobby, the city's bustle fades as the traditional Thai music played in the Lobby Lounge mixes with the soothing sounds of their waterfall. It's elegant and classic, but at the same time modern and infused with a sense of place: Thailand. Now an important choice has to be made: which cuisine today? Dusit Thani's restaurants span the gastronomic globe from Asia to Europe to America to all-encompassing buffets, and each outlet has produced a special festive menu, but as we're in Bangkok in this fine hotel we'll start with the Royal Thai cuisine of Benjarong.
And here lies our first surprise, and an indication of how the hotel is embracing the contemporary. Imagine the chef responsible for this most traditional of Thai food: maybe a chubby ageing Bangkokian, slavishly following recipes laid down generations ago. Now think of a chef younger, blonder and from Copenhagen rather than Bangkok. Morten Bjstrup Nielsen is responsible for a renovation and modernisation of Benjarong, although traditions remain key. 'My food is more modern, and I believe that if you have product from Thailand - if you have local mangos or mulberries - then you're making Thai food.'
Morten worked with famous chef David Thompson in nahm, the London restaurant which won the first ever Michelin star for Thai food. 'You learn the world from David. For the first 3 months, you don't taste anything, as you'd only taste chilli. After 3 months you start tasting and understanding flavours.' This knowledge of flavours was used to create the Benjarong Christmas menu, from which we savoured the excellent lamb massaman on a bed of Thai spinach. A very traditional dish, but rarely as delicious as today, with each taste seemingly intensified: its richness, sweetness and perhaps a touch of Michelin magic. But while Morten learned much from David Thompson, he still finds inspiration on Thai soil. 'There's a member of our Benjarong team who's been working in this kitchen for 26 years, and that's worth more than gold.'
Staying in Asia, Thien Duong have a special festive a la carte menu featuring classic Vietnamese dishes. One worth trying is the handmade sugarcane-skewered minced shrimp: the shrimp is mixed with pork fat, garlic and fish stock, then blended and wrapped around sugarcane before being steamed and deep fried. This light dish is perfect for a gentle lunch date and comes with the typical Vietnamese touches of fresh herbal greens and spicy carrot sauce.
Heading north we meet the Chinese cuisine of The Mayflower. This opulent antique-strewn space serves up classic Cantonese fare, the festive highlight of which is the barbecued whole Peking duck. It is a daunting sight when the entire bird first appears, roasted skin glistening, and not one to be tackled alone. The duck can be cut into around 16 slices, and once you've added spring onion and cucumber and rolled the skin into pancakes, the choice of what to do with the meat begins. A popular sauce is black pepper, and other options are duck steak or scooping the minced meat into cups of iceberg lettuce, adding a tactile element to the experience.
There's still much to be covered on the Dusit Thani Christmas menu: the modern French molecular gastronomy of D'Sens, the steaks of Hamilton's, the luxuries of the afternoon tea and even a visit to the Dusit Thani Christmas grotto to play Santa. But to get us in a festive mood, it's time for turkey.
Christmas wouldn't be Christmas without a roasted tom turkey, those curious-looking creatures who hate this time of year. The Pavilion is the international buffet venue where you will find this Christmas staple. Your unlucky bird will be slow-cooked, preserving the moisture to avoid that dryness that is the turkey's main defence (aside from their looks) against being thrown into a pot. Chef Amit cooks the bird for for 2.5 hours at 120 degrees, then serves it with cranberry sauce and thyme stuffing: exactly the classic combination that the season calls for.
DUSIT THANI BANKOK. 946 Rama IV Road. Tel. 02 200 9000
