In celebration of its third 12-year cycle anniversary this year, the rustic-refined Thai restaurant nestling a corner of Anantara Siam Hotel’s open-air dining, shopping & exhibitions arcade has been thoroughly renovated and spiced up its menu.
The original décor, eloquently reflecting the restaurant’s name, remains structurally the same but with new coatings and “sans-pareil” silk and cotton Jim Thompson fabrics.
Unchanged are the classic carrerra marble table tops, lustrous terracotta floor, and spice market props.
The only difference in the layout is a new low-profile bar for whipping up Pad Thai in a Glass (Spring onion-infused gin, Chili-white wine vinegar, Tamarind) (420++) for example.
The mild yet momentous transition coincides with the emergence of Khun Warinthorn Sumrithphon as culinary supremo. A BA in kitchen & restaurant management, having spent 17 years in the shadows of some exceptional chefs at Spice Market, she’s stepped into the spotlight with a splash.
In a partial nod to Instagram, her renditions and innovations are as visually impactful as they are flavourful. Her focus is on classic Thai recipes mated with produce sourced from local specialists and organic farms, worked with exemplary ingredients such as curry pastes from the kitchen of renowned food connoisseur, M.L. Thor Kridakorn, chili jam, and grand cru fish sauce. A new slate of “Hero Ingredients” range cross-bread Thai-French Charolais cattle from Nakon Phanom; river prawns from Samut Songkram; mackerel from Mae Klong; coal-roasted coconut from Baan Phaew, and; Thailand’s first organic chocolate from Chiang Mai which graces Chocolate Pandan Lava Cake (320++), etc.
Plus organic Butterfly Pea Flower from Sampran, the basis of a welcome mocktail into which the waitress injects citrus from a syringe, morphing the cordial from vivid violet to bright purple.
The feast begins with the menu, for the first time fully, nay ravishingly, illustrated. That makes picking things easy, as do sequenced set menus.
The “pour commencer” of Miang Kham is a typically artful presentation in hand-crafted receptacles producing awesome explosions of salt, sweet, sour, crunchy and oozy.
Though not new, a couple of appetizers are given original arrangements: Ar-Harn Wang Ruam Ros (320++), assorted bites of watermelon with dried fish, chicken and prawn wrapped in egg mesh, and Lao-style chicken nuggets, and; Khong Thord Ruam (380++), squid and prawn chili sauce, ‘tung tong’ chicken and scallop in crispy pouch; prawn cake/curry sauce, and fried chicken crispy noodle.
New signature dishes include Larb Kai Fu (380++) where the main ingredient in the salad is “spicy crispy eggs” blended with minty, citrusy, spicy seasoning, prawn and squid. It’s lighter than regular larbs, and more like crispy catfish in texture, but perfectly delectable.
Lhon Pla In See Fu (480++) is a mini tableau of Thai peculiarities lyrically presented like shoulder pole-suspended market trader baskets. The yummiest part is a stellar coconut milk and lemongrass, yellow bean and prawn soup pierced by a pungent piece of dried mackerel you nibble. The creaminess is contrasted with pulled, salted mackerel crispy-fried, fibrous veggies, and sticky riceberry.
Another delight is Goong Kua Prig Gleur (1520++) where the tiger prawn is smoky wok-fried in a succulent sauce of garlic, chili, lemongrass, galangal, bell pepper.
Moving on to meat, Ped Thord Nam Prig Prow (580++) sautées fragrant roasted duck in chilli jam seasoned by chef, with fresh and dried chillies, basil and scallion.
Gaeng Kiew Warn Nua Toon Gab Roti (920++) is the tender cheeks of some of that heroic Thai-French beef, slow braised with M.L. Thor’s curry paste and coconut milk, served with roti triangles that miraculously stay crispy.
For dessert, Durian Ice Cream Sundae (250++) with black sticky rice and caramelized rice crackers is perfection.
Spice Market: Anantara Siam Bangkok Hotel (BTS Ratchadamri).
Tel. 02 126 8866 Ext.1232. Email spicemarket.asia@anantara.com
