The change of seasons often means a fresh start. In the F&B world, it denotes new produce, dishes and often at times, complete new menus. Guru By Bangkok Post lists the places offering new menus for the season.
Vilas Bangkok
Vilas has a new menu inspired by the travels of executive chef-patron Prin Prinsoluk and his partner-in-crime Mint to Portugal and Spain. “Though ‘Vilas In The Northeast Time’ isn’t about the ingredients of Spain or Portugal on this menu. It’s about combining the ideas, cultures and traditional dishes of Portugal and Spain into the ones of Isan. This menu is Isan food but each dish has influences from the cultures of Spain and Portugal,” explains Vilas Spanish head chef Pepe Dasi Jimenez.
Nothing opens the palate better than spice and the Vietnamese chicken sausage cracker with smoked chilli sauce and coconut cream cheese, to cool the mouth down should you need it. I didn’t as I loved the smoked chilli sauce and wanted a bottle to take home. Sausages of Isan pays homage to the sausages of Spain and Thailand’s northeast with the trio of different types.
The Hot and sour soup of stuffed pork hock is my favourite dish on the menu. The soup is reminiscent of a tom saap but is mee from braised pork leg, kaffir lime leaf powder, seasoned with vinegar and lime juice and fish sauce. Another favourite on this menu is the Duck beak larb dumpling. If you’ve visited casual Isan restaurants then you’ll be familiar with the deep-fried duck beak. At Vilas, chef Jimenez also serves it deep-fried but in corn dog style as the beak holds the delicious duck larb dumpling.
Curries are usually the main course at Vilas, and the previous menu’s one blew me away. The Grilled beef with toasted rice and smoked tomato relish is served in a curry of rabbit or hare, made Surin style, with banana and banana crisps. The menu ends on a high note, perfect for humid summer nights — a trio of granita.
Vilas Bangkok is in Mahanakhon Cube. Call 094-997-8631 or visit vilasbangkok.com.
Mott 32 Bangkok
The Bangkok outpost of Mott 32, one of Hong Kong's most iconic Cantonese restaurants, is being given a first refresh since it opened its doors last year. Group Chinese executive chef Lee Man Sing has created a menu highlighting seasonal flavours while staying true to the brand’s modernity.
Chef Lee’s seafood-forward spring and summer menu for Mott 32 Bangkok has bold flavours and makes maximum use of the Chinese spices and peppers. The Crab sautéed in garlic-infused oil and served with deep-fried mantou is a delight, while Freshwater prawns paired with white asparagus, prawn roe and gingko nut is inspired by the chef’s travels to Europe.
Salt-and-pepper wok-fried lobster, Razor clams tossed with chilli and bean sprouts, and Crabmeat fried rice with flying fish roe and chives add to the interesting menu. Meat lovers can indulge in wok-fried Mala Angus beef with tea tree mushroom and chili, and is my favourite dishes on this menu! Braised pork cartilage with Chinese wine and dark soy sauce, and Wok-fried bitter gourd with Iberico pork, preserved vegetables and vermicelli are added treates.
“While working on the menu, it was important to me to retain Mott 32’s forward-looking approach to Chinese cuisine while respecting tradition and ethical sourcing,” said Chef Lee Man Sing. “Each ingredient was carefully selected for its impeccable credentials and harvested when the flavour profile was at its peak.”
Mott 32 Bangkok is at The Standard, Bangkok Mahanakhon. Call 02-085-8888, email STBKK@standardhotels.com or visit standardhotels.com/bangkok/properties/bangkok.
Punjab Grill Bangkok
Sometimes when dining alone at Indian restaurants, I wish there were smaller menus so I could eat a few dishes. Punjab Grill comes to the rescue with its tasting menu. Changed every three or four months, the current tasting menu is a good mix of dishes from the vast country.
Who doesn’t love chaat and Chef Bharat S Bhat opens the non-vegetarian menu (B1,990++) with a Khumb chaat, khumb being the Hindi word for mushroom. The base of the dish is a heady, tangy mix of different types of mushrooms, topped with crispy enoki, truffle cream and a khakra. My favourite dish of the meal was the Leshuni aur lal mirch jheenga, which translates as tiger prawn marinated with red chilli and garlic and served with a coconut espuma, which complements the prawn perfectly. The spicy tangy marinade was absolutely delicious and the coconut epsuma was like a butter that only enhanced the flavour of the prawn. Lip-smacking good, literally.
Cafreal is a Goan spice paste, with influences from Portugal. Often used with meat, chef Bhat has used it on chicken thigh. The Galinha cafreal is a succulent chicken thigh marinated in the spice paste and served with a cranberry chutney, or sauce. Jal jeera is often drunk before or towards the end of a meal as the spice mix in the drink aids with digestion. Replacing the usual palate cleansing sorbet is the jal jeera, poured table side from a pressure bottle.
The star of the meal is the main course, which is Rahrara champ or New Zealand lamb chop braised in yoghurt and served on top of spiced minced meat, and a warqi paratha. Warqi translates as flaky and the bread is ideal boat for the thick mince. The dish, though rather rich, is banging but one must save room for dessert. Gulabi rabdi ghevar is a sweet flour honeycomb served with gulkand kulfi, rose milk foam and freeze-dried rose petals, which are crushed on top of the plate tableside. Gulkhand is one of my many favourite things to eat, and is essentially a rose jam used in desserts. Needless to say that while the kulfi went down a treat!
Punjab Grill Bangkok is on Sukhumvit 13. Call 091-818-5248 or visit punjabgrillbangkok.com.
Côte by Mauro Colagreco
There is something to be said about celebrating spring on a plate. Nothing screams spring more than fresh green asparagus, eaten almost the moment it sprouts from the earth. And, to savour this exact experience is a dish on the new menu at Côte by Mauro Colagreco, which celebrate the humble.
It is in the dish, of Green asparagus, Parmesan, lardo and lime that gives your palate a taste of spring! I can still taste the dish, which is so simple in every way. The French asparagus is trimmed, with the trimmings saved. It is then pan-seared in a jus of these trimmings and served with a Parmesan sauce, crisp and yuzu gel. To add a touch of salt, some seaweed and for that extra touch of je nails sais quoi — a sliver of lardo. “I love the green asparagus, simply because it is what my mother has been cooking. So growing up we ate a lot of it. The classic combination is asparagus and egg, but I think that lardo and Parmesan with asparagus is also very gourmand. This dish is all about the asparagus, which is cooked a la minute and not balanced,” says chef Davide. “To me an asparagus is dead,” says the chef emphatically.
The langoustine is served with a Hollandaise with tomalley is another standout dish, with the tips of white asparagus being cooked and glazed, and turned into a carpaccio. The entire dish is dusted ever so slightly with matcha powder, which just enhances the flavour of the dish, rather than overpowering it. The scallop dish uses osmanthus powder. Crab and pineapple uses, Phuket pineapple and the brown crabs from Brittany.
“The entire menu isn’t changed all at one, it is done gradually, using the best of European and local ingredients that are in season. A few dishes are just for the day alone, especially on the carte Blanche menu,” says chef. The Pigeon main course is a dish inspired by chef Davide’s trip to Abu Dhabi. The pigeon is served with a Madjool date stuffed with pigeon legs, jus, chestnut, fig compote, cauliflower purée and a touch of shaved Parmesan. “I’ve had pigeon on the menu before but I wanted to use the bird with the dates. Most of the ingredients are spring produce, save for the chestnut, which is normally eaten in the autumn in Europe,” says chef Davide.
Being a bit more experimental, the chef has created a dessert of coconut sorbet, black sesame sponge and a curry mascarpone, all on top of a Turkish-styled nougat. One spoonful and I was missing the mustard seeds and curry leaves! But, I am a fan of savoury desserts and it is quite hard to find the balance between a dessert and a curry dish, in this case. “I don’t like to make traditional desserts, so I tend to use coriander, asparagus, vanilla, lettuce and lemongrass. This particular dessert is a good representation of Asia.”
Igniv by Andreas Caminada
My absolute favourite thing about Igniv’s contemporary European menu is that every course has a vegetable dish, which is unusual in fine dining restaurants.
The new spring menu is not any different, after all spring does mean new life in terms of nature. From the Starters, the Cucumber, buttermilk and uni is the perfect dish for the humid Bangkok weather and immediately brings freshness and cool to the palate. The Starters are always three-tempertured; Langoustine with kimchi, Custard with lime, caviar and tartare and the side dish with buttermilk and uni. The snacks are very fresh and vegetable driven, says head chef David Hartwig.
"We are focused more on produce and each course has one classic dish. The tete du cochon with foie gras is a pig head terrine. It is very old school and is marinated with a lot of sherry vinegar and is sour, salty and very classic. The way we plate is in a very 70s style, with a salad bouquet around it. I love it,” explains the chef.
In the Mains, the classic dish is the chicken. “The Chicken, carrots, leeks velouté, is inspired by my grandmother’s chicken roulade. She used to do chicken breasts, with julienned leeks and carrots in a tray and poached them in white wine, cream and shallots, and served them with angel hair pasta. This is my most memorable and favourite childhood dish,” says chef Hartwig. Also, screaming spring is the Lamb, eggplant, panch phoran and ramps. Yes, the Indian spice makes a comeback on this menu and one tends to wonder if ti is chef Hartwig’s favourite Indian spice.
Also a part of the Mains, is the Cauliflower, lemon and capers. “The cauliflower in a Bozner, which is a traditional sauce from Bolzano, Italy. It is basically a mayonnaise with cooked egg yolks. Chopped egg white and chives are added to it,” explains the chef. It is a lot lighter than a mayo and may seem like an egg salad, with the creaminess.
Dessert creations from pastry chef Arne Riehn, include Yoghurt with honey and lemon, which is a white lemon yoghurt pudding topped with lemon yoghurt sorbet, rosemary and honey gel. The star of the sweet treats for me was the very excellent Caramel, macadamia and apple. Baked apple is topped with macadamia praline, bergamot gel, muscovado chips, caramelised milk skin and studel ice cream. And this menu’s signature soufflé is made from tarp.
Though there are a few dishes that maybe heavy for spring, the menu does cater to the season — light and fresh. The new menu runs till May. The four-course sharing spring menu is priced at B5,500++ per person. The Carte Blanche menu, including surprise dishes is priced at B8,900++ per person. Call +02-207-7822, email igniv.bangkok@stregishotels.com or visit ignivbangkok.com.
Embassy Room
It is not often that hotels build a restaurant around the chef, yet that is the case at the Park Hyatt Bangkok. The hotel’s restaurant Embassy Room has undergone a transformation in terms of its cuisine, but retains its appeal with the open kitchen.
Head chef Ferran Tadeo’s Catalan cuisine is in the spotlight at Embassy Room and offers a new tasting menu; the second since the restaurant opened last year. “The first tasting menu was eight courses, now its six, but it’s a lot of small bites to give diners a taste of everything,” says the chef.
“This is a little bit more progressive, in terms of taste and somethings I use things that aren’t really Catalan. Like the bao dish [Amanida de cranc or bao, crab, ajo blanco], which I have been doing for years,” says chef Tadeo.
Begin the meal with an olive bonbon, reminiscent of Disfutrar, The olive is blended to create a cream, which is frozen and then turned into a bonbon, and is filled with olive water. Bikini or Ibérico, truffle and Comté is one of the appetisers and has its origins in Barcelona. The dish was created in Sala Bikini, hence the name, but according to chef Tadeo it is not called the same thing in Madrid.
For mains, the Suquet de Rap or Monkfish, nyoquis is a dish that has gnocchi. Gnocchi may not seem very Catalan, but chef Tadeo says “it’s a different way to use potatoes. The traditional dish uses potatoes and I wanted to use them in a different way.” Monkfish is a staple in Catalonia and the chef has been eating it since forver. “It is a traditional dish cooked by fishermen with fish that don’t sell. Monkfish didn’t really sell in the past. It is is one of my favourite fish because the texture is amazing, the flavour is really good, though it is a bit difficult to cook. The texture is comparable to lobster and prawns, rather than regular fish, if cooked well,” explains chef Tadeo.
The Guatlles amb llenties or quail, lentils and spices may not be a usual dish seen on Spanish menus. “The quail has yellow curry powder, which is actually a mix of different spices. Curry powder, cumin, garlic powders are also in the dish mainly because Spain, particularly Andalusia and the North were occupied by the Muslims, so some dishes are influenced by their cuisine. I’m from Barcelona and since we have a lot of immigrants from Africa, we have a lot of their influence in our food,” says the chef.
The chef’s favourite dish is the Ous estrellats amb caviar or Kaviari Krystal Caviar, eel and egg yolk. “But in concept and technique, my favourite is the Pollastre i escamarlà or langoustine with chicken skin,” says chef Tadeo. The traditional dish, known as mar i muntanya, is chicken with garlic and langoustine, which is cooked for a long time. Though this dish is visually different, it retains the flavours of the traditional.
Edible flowers are a constant garnish through t the meal and most of the time, they impart a bitterness to the dish, but that is the flavour profile the chef is going for. “I don’t like flat, I prefer different flavours when you are eating. They give you different emotions.”
The main dessert isn’t really a favourite of the chef, but it’s on the menu due to popular demand. “If I am putting a Crème Catalan on the menu, it is not going to be a traditional one,” laughs chef Tadeo. But the best part of the dessert is the Fried dough with various toppings, which are a choice of six. “In Catalonia, the fried dough traditionally has anise on top, but here we do different sauces and allow people to make their own choices. I have been eating this since I was a child.”
The three-course menu is priced at B1,400++, four-course menu at B1,800++, the six-course menu at B3,800++ and the six-course menu with special add-ons at B4,700++ for lunch. For dinner, the six-course menu is priced at B3,800++ and B4,700++ with special add-ons. Call 02-011-7431 or email embassyroom.bkk@hyatt.com.
Scarlett Bangkok
To celebrate the change in seasons, Scarlett Bangkok has based a new menu on “Harvest To Plate”, which focuses on produce from Thailand’s terroirs.
The bi-monthly promotion, which runs through April, shines a spotlight on the restaurants supplies from an organic farm in Prathum Thani. “Harvest To Plate” is about starting right — choosing the best ingredients, breaking down the flavours and carefully assembling them on a plate, according to the head chef.
The provenance of the ingredients, apart from the vegetables, includes seafood sourced sustainably to maintain the biodiversity and meat, procured from high-welfare farms and ingrained with organic feed. It is also about giving back – supporting local entrepreneurs and talent.
In this specially curated menu, begin with the Kale and hummus salad (B480), which uses Western and Eastern kale, black sesame hummus, pomegranate, candied tomatoes and dressed with a chimichurri. The Duck rillette (B580) uses duck sourced from Khao Yai. The confit duck pate is served with crusty bread to slather it on and pickles to cut through the richness of the pate.
Even dishes like Risotto (B440) uses rice from Chiang Mai, asparagus and mushrooms. Le coquelet de ferme rôti aux herbes de Provence (B880) is a whole roasted baby chicken with Provençal herbs, served with truffle mashed potatoes. No prizes fro guessing that the chicken comes from Khao Yai.
The Grouper papillote (B890), a classic French dish uses wild orange spotted grouper from Surat Thani. It is cooked en papillote or “in parchment” with potato, tomato, lemon and tarragon. The Slow-cooked pork shoulder (B890) is sourced from a high-welfare farm in Pathum Thani and comes with heirloom carrots, candied tomato, thyme and rosemary. If prawns are your thing, the Grilled river prawn (B1,900), from the Tapi River in the south of Thailand, is grilled to perfection and is drizzled with EVO and comes with grilled broccoli.
Needless to say, all these dishes can be enjoyed with an organic view of the Bangkok skyline to keep with the theme. Call 096-860-7990 or visit bitly.ws/zaVd.
La Bottega di Luca
La Bottega di Luca on Sukhumvit 49 has launched a new menu by head chef Marco Avesani, and a new menu design, inspired by the 50s vintage Italian posters, originally painted to promote the glorious lifestyle during the golden years. Dishes on the menu reflect that, too.
“Most of the menu has changed though in a few dishes, just the ingredients have changed to represent the seasons. We’ve started to go more Italian and are now serving dishes in sharing portions,” says the chef.
Begin with the Antipasti of Caramelised onion mushroom ragout (B550) and it won’t make you cry. The onion is salt-baked, after which the inside is scooped out and blended with seasonal mushroom ragout, stuffed back into the onion and topped with a cheese fondue of Parmesan and Asiago. Garnished with chives, the onion is served whole with brioche, topped with a bit of Parmesan and microplaned black truffle. Once you finish dipping your bread into the cheesy goodness of the onion, use your spoon and don’t leave a single drop behind!
Grilled baby squids, zucchini, tomato confit, bagna cauda (B420) is a dish from the North of Italy. It is cooked with anchovy, courgette (zucchini) and cherry tomatoes from Chiang Mai. The sauce is made with garlic and anchovies, and was created in Piedmont during the 16th century. Not only is this a visually-stunning dish, it is also delightful to eat.
Moving on to the Primi Piatti, try the Risotto ”alla pizzaiola” (B890), which is more like a risotto pizza. When you see it, you’ll know what I mean. It comes with Piennolo tomato, burrata, taggiasca olive and raw akami tuna. This dish can be ordered without the tuna for some veggie goodness. “The Baked cannelloni “in bianco” (B750), is rarely found on menus in Bangkok but it’s common in Italy, like lasagna.” explains the chef. The cannelloni is filled with butcher’s cut bolognese sauce, bechamel, tomato sauce making this a white-sauce dish. “We also do Cavatelli with spicy nduja sauce and pecorino romano [B590]. I’ve decided to put dishes that are hard to find in Bangkok but are commonly found on Italian menus, says chef Avesani.
“Cod is from my part of Italy and we’ve turned it into the stuffing for the tortelli,” he adds. “We are saying goodbye to the loved red wine-braised beef tortelli, however, only to welcome the new favourite.” Tortelli filled with baccalà mantecato (creamed cod), squid ragout, tomato confit and tarragon (B790) is a dish inspired by the chef’s childhood memories, as baccalà mantecato finds its roots in Venetian culinary traditions. The squid ragout is cooked a la minute and represents the approaching summer. A squeeze of lemon and a good glug of extra virgin olive oil complete the dish.
A dessert that is perfect to keep your cool as you head out into the hot sun is “Venice in a glass”. The White peach Bellini sgroppino (B360) is a peach sorbet ice cream topped with Ferrari sparkling wine. Though the Pink Lady (B460), is another good bet too. Savoy sponge cake with raspberry sauce, raspberry sorbet, mascarpone and Chantilly cream. If you want someone small, get the Amarena Fabbri cherry (B280), which is vanilla gelato topped with the unmistakable and inimitable black cherry Fabbri, straight out of jar from Italy. I’ll be going back just for this! Call 097-114-7342 or visit labottega.name.
The Macallan
The Macallan has unveiled the new expressions that form the second edition of The Harmony Collection, a limited annual release series driven by the brand’s inherent curiosity and its innovative and creative mindset.
The Macallan whisky-maker Steven Bremner has created the intensely flavoured whisky by selecting a combination of American and European oak casks to create intensely flavoured whisky to pair with coffee. He immersed himself in the art of coffee by hosting a masterclass with five world renowned coffee experts, Ethiopian coffee grower Kenean Asefa Dukamo, whose family works with the Arabica variety showcased by the whisky; Scottish coffee roaster Lisa Lawson, a pioneer of speciality coffee in Scotland acclaimed for her roasting techniques; and award-winning American barista Andrea Allen, renowned for creating incredible coffee experiences. UK-based coffee artist Dhan Tamang crafted a range of coffee art, sharing his knowledge on the art of the perfect coffee serve and sensory perceptions, while leading coffee historian Prof Jonathan Morris, provided an insight into the roots of coffee and how it has become the global phenomenon it is today.
In homage to their coffee inspiration, the new expression is presented in a beautifully crafted presentation box, which incorporates repurposed coffee bean husks, a by-product in the coffee-making process. Paper expert Michele Posocco from Italian paper mill Favini worked with The Macallan to create the innovative packaging. The rich red pantone colour on the “Inspired By Intense Arabica” pack reflects the coffee fruit. Bremner said, “To create the coffee-inspired second edition of The Harmony Collection, I sought out intense notes in The Macallan’s traditional sherry-seasoned European oak casks that would offer the rich and satisfying elements of coffee, with the influence of sherry-seasoned American oak casks adding sweeter and softer vanilla notes for a balanced and rounded experience.”
To launch the whisky in Thailand, mixologist Priet Nathibayapthis created a special drinking experience with a serving ritual at Rico’s on Sukhumvit 26. The event took guests on a journey to explore the process of how the coffee beans go from bean to cup and gain a deeper understanding of the parallels between the world of coffee and whisky-making. The highlight of the event included the pairing The Harmony Collection with coffee and popcorn to heighten the experience. Visit themacallan.com.
