One thing that provides a promising start to a food writer's experience is to know her meal is in the hands of people she gastronomically trusts.
Last week, upon arrival at The Standard Mahanakhon's signature restaurant, The Standard Grill, I was exhilarated to learn that Daniel Masters was the executive chef of the 11-week-old hotel.
I've known Masters since mid-2020 when he, following his stints at award-winning Rockpool Bar & Grill in Perth and three Michelin-starred French Laundry in Napa Valley, took a chef de cuisine position at Bull & Bear steakhouse at Waldorf Astoria Bangkok.
He was the reason behind the restaurant's popularity, which stood strong even amidst the pandemic.
Unfortunately, the day I visited Standard Grill, on the 5th floor of the style-centric hotel, was Masters' day off.
The restaurant is the first international outpost of its mothership in New York's Meatpacking District.
A tasteful depiction that bears some historical elements of the original, the Bangkok edition boasts a swanky interior -- the work of Spanish artist Jaime Hayon -- that is as camera-ready as it is cosy.
The whole open-floor restaurant, where table hopping is encouraged, has different zones to cater to guests' seating preferences. There is a laidback cafe corner, an outdoor social garden and a 62-seat dining room.
Overseeing the sleek space that blends Streamline Moderne poise with a folksy bistro feel is a brisk team of service staff in mod uniforms.
The Standard Grill's large single-page menu, intermixing traditional steakhouse fare with New American cuisine, lists approximately 50 items under categories such as Cold Bar, Hot Appetiser, From the Wood-fired Grill, From the Ocean, From the Land, and Pasta & Burger.
The Jacks Creek Black Angus steak.
Living up to its NYC grillroom glory, highlights here are top-line steak cuts cooked over a wood fire as well as chef Daniel's signature creations.
A sumptuous plate of hiramasa yellow tail (590 baht) kicked off my lunch. The ceviche-like appetiser featured fresh slices of sashimi-grade kingfish dressed in silky mango puree, finely diced sweet mango and avocado with a pungent touch of horseradish.
The tiger prawn cocktail (550 baht) that followed showcased sizeable prawns that had been properly cooked and chilled until the exterior tightly encased the firm and flavoursome meat. The plump crustaceans, which literally made a crunchy pop sound when bitten into, were accompanied by iceberg lettuce salad, country bread croutons and creamy seafood cocktail sauce.
The hot appetiser at our table was represented by charcoal-oven roasted snails (550 baht). Served in a small cast-iron casserole, the snails were cooked in spicy paprika sauce with chorizo, artichokes and confit garlic, and enjoyed with crispy fine toast that came on the side.
The tiger prawn cocktail with iceberg lettuce salad.
I'd say Standard Grill's roasted Jerusalem artichoke soup (350 baht) is so far the best soup I've had in 2022. It's an ordinary-looking -- though extraordinarily delicious -- emulsion of puréed sunchoke, toasted almonds and brown butter that's guaranteed to delight your tastebuds.
For main course, my dining companion and I ordered oven-grilled New Zealand pink snapper (900 baht) and Jacks Creek Black Angus steak (1,300 baht).
The fish, accompanied by jalapeno and ginger, pistachio salsa and fine herb salad, was fine, but the steak, a 150g portion of grain-fed Black Angus tenderloin in neat thick slices, was divine.
The beef exhibited a super tender lean texture with a rich taste that needed no extra flavour enhancement, even though there's a duo of Bearnaise sauce and horseradish cream offered on the side.
The charcoal-oven roasted snails.
Of the dozen-item collection of side dishes, my favourites were potato mille-feuille (240 baht) and creamed English spinach with a Parmesan crust (220 baht).
There are six more steak cuts on the menu, including Coppertree chateaubriand, champion-graded Okan Wagyu rib-eye and David Blackmore's full blood Wagyu sirloin. Other options worth trying are Amelia Park lamb cutlets, rotisserie Korat chicken, Kurobuta pork chop and The Standard BKK Wagyu burger with foie gras and Jamón Joselito on house-made brioche bun.
A luscious bowl of chocolate texture with chocolate cream and hazelnut praline (220 baht) and a gorgeous plate of Pavlova with rhubarb compote, mascarpone cream, raspberry sorbet, strawberries and raspberry syrup (190 baht) wrapped up the meal perfectly.
Mixology craft from a full-scale beverage bar is another pride and joy of The Standard brand. Its cocktail list, inspired both by New York's 1920s prohibition and Thailand in the same peroid, offers twists on classic concoctions.
The Pavlova with rhubarb compote, strawberries and raspberry sorbet.
- The Standard Grill
- The Standard Mahanakhon, 5th floor, Narathiwas Road
- Call 02-085-8888
- Open daily for lunch and dinner
- Most credit cards accepted
- Park at Mahanakhon Cube or use valet service
