There is something poetic about La Vue, Siam@Siam Design Hotel Bangkok's flagship French restaurant. It starts with the atmosphere, an eclectic mix of colours and seeing-eye symbols encased by floor-to-ceiling windows, 25 floors above Bangkok's beating heart -- a stirring setting that speaks to both the magic of the view and the exhilaration of observing as well.
But the poetry truly leaps to life in the hands of Executive Chef Gilles Poitevin. In fact, the chef -- a cheerful, soft-spoken and deep-thinking man with decades of experience in some of the hottest kitchens in the world -- even admits to writing menu descriptions that read like free verse.
This festive season, Chef Gilles has leafed through the pages of history to find inspiration for the future, and in doing so he has eloquently captured the spirit of Christmas and New Year's.
Available at La Vue and the Roof Gastro, Siam@Siam Bangkok's stunning open-air rooftop venue, the five-course Christmas dinner and the nine-course New Year's gala dinner feature traditional -- sometimes very traditional -- French dishes embellished by Chef Gilles' artistic touch.
Escargot, the quintessential French protein, comes in the form of sea snails for the Christmas dinner. The snails rest on beds of herbaceous garlic-parsley butter and are served out of the shell. This minor break from tradition aside, the snails have the tender texture and clean, earthy taste so sought after in Burgundy cuisine.
Thin croutons rising out of the butter round out its composition. Paired with a light-bodied white wine, this plate of snails really sings.
A parsnip cream soup makes perfect use out of the often-underappreciated root vegetable. The soup is leavened by a deeply aromatic fish stock, made in-house like a demi-glace -- or an eau de parfum, as the chef notes -- gaining intensity as it slowly reduces in the kitchen.
Pieces of smoked haddock cut through the broth's richness, a layer of flavour that also complements the squid ink with which Chef Gilles lines the bottom of the bowl.
On the New Year's menu, a so-called sablefish "apothecary" embraces its alchemic description. The sauce is infused with hibiscus and the crust on this meaty chunk of fish features chamomile, a common bittering agent in the cuisine of the Middle Ages.
These older French traditions, the sort often relegated to the annals of history, are a source of great inspiration for Chef Gilles, at least in cooking. His presentation and execution, on the other hand, are as modern as it comes, perhaps owing to his time training under chefs such as Jo?l de Robuchon and experience cooking for luminaries such as Elizabeth Taylor and Cher.
This sablefish has fantastic texture, the meat flaking under the fork and contrasted by the crust, while the stock is poured at the table, adding a dash of entertainment to the dinner.
Incredibly tender cuts of beef cheek, one of which comes wrapped in slow-cooked beef tongue, provide a perfect capstone as a main course. The cut of meat comes with sea asparagus as contrast, as well as mushrooms, broccoli and root vegetables two ways.
The beef goes great with either a spicy Shiraz or crisp cabernet sauvignon, depending on personal tastes. The red wine can also carry the cheese plate that comes next: crottin de Chavignol, a log of goat cheese laced with squid ink, giving it an eye-catching black colour, and served with fresh fig and lemon paste, as well as bright-green basil chlorophyll.
Dessert on Christmas sees a classic Yule log given gourmet treatment, with chocolate and orange confit coming together with a baked Alaska flambe'ed with Grand Marnier.
Meanwhile, dessert on New Year's Eve is as grand as the last bite of the year should be -- three mini macarons surrounding a beautifully made tart, with a dollop of ice cream and what the chef calls "a thousand and one nights dried fruit" on top. Such a sweet way to finish.
The intersection of old and new -- recipes inspired by the Middle Ages prepared with a creative, 21st-century philosophy -- turns these already special dinners into scintillating experiences. Most importantly, they are full of cheer and good tidings for the New Year.
The five-course Christmas dinner is priced at Bt4,500 net per person and runs from 7pm to 11.30pm on both Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. All couples receive a complimentary bottle of Prosecco; individual diners receive a half bottle (three glasses).
The nine-course New Year's Eve Gala Dinner is priced at Bt8,888 net per person and runs from 7pm to 2am. The dinner includes a complimentary glass of French Champagne and has a Masquerade theme. Guests are encouraged to come in costume to lend their own touch to this extravagant affair.
Early Bird Bookings before 12/12/2016 get 15% Discount!
Siam@Siam Design Hotel Bangkok. 865 Rama 1 Road, Opposite National Stadium.
Tel. 02 217 3000.
