Bored of eating the same thing twice? Fear no more, here's a list of restaurants that have shuffled things up to make sure you're never bored or short of choices while dining out. Spring has sprung!
Maison Dunand
The Michelin-starred restaurant from chef Arnaud Dunand Sauthier has launched it’s Spring menu, though the restaurant will also be undergoing a few changes.
The sister bistro, which is in the same property, Alpea recently shut its doors and Maison Dunand will be moving into its premises. The current Maison Dunand will make way for a new concept that will replace it in the space. The Michelin-starred restaurant is also offering an a la carte menu, apart from the tasting menu.
But, let’s get talking about the menu. The season of asparagus is here and there is nothing better than asparagus from Sylvain Erhardt in Sénas, France. The asparagus is handpicked and is served in minimalist style, as it should be. Roques Haute green asparagus is served with green olive and anis. “The juniper in the dish is also from the same region of France like the asparagus. The special thing about our dish is the cooking technique. We cure the asparagus for an hour in a mix of green aniseed and sea salt,” says chef de cuisine Philipp Prinzbach. The spring favourite is covered with the mixture for an hour and is then pan-fried and served with a sabayon.
If there’s anything better than petit pois at their best, it would be the Pike perch roe, garden pea and dashi. “The dish offers two different types of caviar; one is from fish and another from the vegetables. Smoked pike perch roe from Franch is served with petit pois on top of a chawanmushi,” says chef-patron Arnaud.
The menu also features white asparagus with Joel Poirier Pigeon and bear garlic, as well as the restaurant’s signature — Caviar, potato and uni. The spring menu will be served until May. Visit the restaurant’s website.
Saawaan
The new menu at Saawaan by chef de cuisine Saritwat “Earth” Wanvichitkunand and chef pâtissière Arisara“Paper” Chongphanitkul, maintains the essence of traditional Thai techniques while showcasing chef Earth's distinctive style.
Drawing from his Phuket roots, the "Raw" course highlights a blue swimmer crab from Ranong. “The crab is wrapped with kombu and fish sauce. It is served with a tomato jelly foam and two types of mango; one being Kiew Sawai and the other is Naam Dok Mai. This gives the dish a sweet and sour taste. There is also a mango gel and for the sauce I use cashew milk and instead of using lime juice, I use mango juice to give the dish sourness that goes well with the sawtooth coriander,” explains chef Earth.
The “Charcoal" course draws inspiration from the traditional Thai chilli paste known as "nahm prik bai thammang”, which is also from the south of Thailand. Andaman slipper lobster from Phuket is glazed with a rich sauce and chargrilled. The chilli paste is also grilled in the head of the lobster for that umami and it is then turned into an emulsion made from its body, carrying with it the flavour of the thammang (Litsea petiolata Hook) leaf, which is analogous to that of the giant water beetle. Chef Earth adorns the lobster tail with fresh vegetables and herbs sourced from the restaurant’s farm in Nakhon Pathom.
The “Curry” course uses poularde from Maison Duplantier and is inspired by the classic gaeng kai yok kluay, which is an intense chicken and banana stalk curry. The chicken, which comes from the Pyrenees region of France, is served in two parts: the breast is grilled on the bone and the legs are turned into a roulade. Banana stalk is infused with kalamansi juice, water pennywort and turmeric-scented. To complete the dish, it is served with a banana blossom rice enriched with the offal of the chicken… yum!
Not to be left behind is chef Paper, who draws inspiration from the childhood Thai snack of tua krob kaew and features layers of chocolate ganache and homemade peanut butter cream, adorned with crunchy peanut crumble and white sesame tuile. What’s not to love? Visit the restaurant’s website.
Baan Phraya
Savour the forgotten flavours of a Thai summer as chef de cuisine Patchara “Pom” Pirapak resurrects historic dishes in Baan Phraya’s latest seasonal menu at the Mandarin Oriental, Bangkok.
The dining experience is an eight-course seasonal menu, incorporating recipes from The Oriental Thai Cooking School, established in 1986 within Baan Phraya. This season, the kitchen showcases Thai summer ingredients and traditional dishes from various regions, rarely found nowadays in Bangkok. Begin with a welcome refreshment of Finger root infused with organic mulberry honey, which is house-produced by the Mandarin Oriental, Bangkok, and is served on the terrace with views of the Chao Phraya River.
The meal begins with Stir-fried northern style vegetable and young jackfruit, a dish traditionally savoured during Songkran, which also marks the Thai and Lanna New Year celebrations. A Savoury honeycomb cookie with crab roe and bitter orange follows, offering a refreshing and aromatic bite. The Grilled chicken and tiger prawn salad or yum tha wai with organic sunchokes and wing beans in a coconut dressing reflects chef Pom’s reinvention of a popular Myanmar recipe that has become a Thai favourite. The soup course offers Smoked Andaman scallop with wild mushrooms and young galangal in a tom yum-style broth with lemongrass and kaffir lime oil.
Chef Pom’s signature Coal-roasted red snapper with charred coconut flakes and smoked dried fish chilli relish is next. The dish uses a traditional larm cooking technique reflecting the chef’s origins but with a modern twist. The summer menu also features Fermented rice noodles in fresh coconut milk with pineapple, followed by Grilled river prawn with tomalley, young tamarind and chillies.
The main course is Marinated Wagyu beef in red curry with Cayratia Trifolia fruit (bush grape or fox grape) and sweet basil, served with jasmine rice cooked in coconut milk — a dish that unites sweet and spicy flavours with a hint of southern medicinal tradition, namely the Cayratia Triofolia fruit, for digestion. The meal concludes with a dessert trolley offering 10 classic Thai desserts, marking an indulgent end to the dining experience. Visit the hotel’s website.
Mott 32
Mott 32 at The Standard Bangkok marries the freshness of spring with the vibrancy of summer in a new menu that will be served until July 31.
Head Chinese chef Han Long Hua has crafted dishes with the delicate balance of rich seafood and comforting warmth. Begin with the Teochew-style Crab congee cooked in a traditional clay pot or dive into the Wok-fried Boston lobster with crispy Chinese olive vegetables, where the ocean’s bounty meets the satisfying crunch of the freshest greens.
The Roasted lamb rack with Hunan chilli and black beans offers a daring interplay of tender meat and fiery spices and is a must-try! The Roasted pigeon with smoked Lemongrass delivers smoky, aromatic nuances with each morsel and was rather tender to eat.
Though on the menu is a Tri-coloured fried rice, unless you’re a child, I can’t see the appeal. The rice is mixed with beetroot, spring onion, conpoy and egg. I would much rather opt for the Steamed eggs and fresh oyster, or the Steamed whole leopard coral grouper with Chinese hwa tiao and egg.
“The new menu is an invitation to discover seasonal ingredients at their most vibrant and flavourful peak,” says Chef Long. Visit the hotel’s website.
Den Kushi Flori
Den Kushi Flori BKK has launched its Spring Season menu, available until May 31. The cuisine has a distinct character, blending the highlights of French cuisine with the essence of Japan and Thailand in innovative style.
The menu uses imported ingredients from Japan, Europe and Thailand. Head chef Susumu Shimizu’s menu includes Clear clam (hamaguri) soup with onion gratin cheese and taro mochi; Yellow French chicken baked with pineapple and pandan, served with asparagus and white sesame sauce; and Japanese bamboo shoot (takenoko) rice baked in a clay pot, served with slow-cooked pork belly and tamarind sauce.
Avocado mousse topped with caviar is served with okra and plum sauce; Fresh spring rolls stuffed with tiger prawns and tartar sauce are served with dragon fruit sauce and edible flowers; Japanese steamed eggs topped with sakura shrimp, served with kale and bisque soup and carrot mousse are just a glimpse of what’s on the menu. Visit the restaurant’s website.
Front Room
The Thai restaurant at the Waldorf Astoria Bangkok introduces a “Samrab lunch”, which offers multiple Thai dishes in one meal, with a choice of two starters, three main dishes and a dessert for each guest.
Available until May 31, chef de cuisine Akkawin “Pun” Pittrachart is offering new dishes such as Wing bean salad with Kurobuta pork loin and shaved coconut; Thai Wagyu beef mince salad with northern Thai chili paste and bone marrow; Stir-fried mussels with holy basil sauce and long pepper; Southern Thai braised pork belly with Phuket pineapple, alongside Front Room's signature dishes like Shredded chicken breast salad with Vietnamese coriander and Steamed grouper in fermented fish oil with crispy shallots and garlic.
The lunch comes to an end with a choice of house-made ice creams such as Smoked rice pop, Coconut ice cream and Muskmelon ice cream. Visit the hotel’s website.
Mia Restaurant
The all-new "Taste Of Mia" menu boasts an array of standout dishes that promise to leave a lasting impression.
From innovative snacks like the Coccollos oyster paired with fermented kiwi and gin and tonic, to cold starters featuring Hokkaido scallop and blue fin tuna adorned with truffle ponzu and N25 caviar. Hot starters such as the Smoked eel chawanmushi with bone marrow and ikura pave the way for the main course, offering choices like Grain-fed baby chicken with white asparagus and morels, or the indulgent 48-hour Braised beef short ribs complemented by textures of artichoke and black garlic.
The journey concludes on a sweet note with desserts like Pineapple sorbet with thai basil and coconut snow, or my all-time favourite Mia’s Cereal bowl featuring malted milk chocolate and corn. For those seeking an extra touch of opulence, Michelle's Coconut and caviar dessert, crowned with 10g of N25 kaluga hybrid caviar, offers a sublime finale. Visit the restaurant’s website.
Sra Bua By Kiin Kiin
Sra Bua by Kiin Kiin at the Siam Kempinski Bangkok has launched the "Legends Of The Lotus" journey, celebrating lifetime milestones since its establishment in 2010.
The new experience gives each diner the freedom to create their own menu. Commencing with the "In The Lounge" act where diners are presented with a selection of street food-inspired bites. There will also be a mini demonstration showcasing the preparation of Betel leaf wrap with passion fruit and chilli, highlighting the vibrant and flavourful essence of Thai cuisine. "In The Restaurant", showcases Fermented lotus in lotus, though there also six new dishes to try.
The soup course is a choice of Tom yum shellfish broth or Duck consommé aromatised with five spices served with Northern-style salad, smoked fragrant sausages and D-I-Y duck pancake. The salad course offers options like Spicy marinated grilled cucumber salad with lemongrass-seasoned squid and Avocado and ginger-marinated pineapple with spicy ceviche of catch-of-the-day.
One of Sra Bua by Kiin Kiin’s all-time favourite acts amongst diners, the noodle-inspired course presents indulgent yet tasteful options, including Golden carrot noodles with tamarind and grilled and glazed giant river prawn, a refined take of Thailand’s classic pad Thai or Mushroom noodles with stuffed morels and yunnan truffles, inspired by the onset of spring. The curry dish, a perennial favourite, offers either Sra Bua-style green curry or Southern-style yellow curry with blue crab and fermented garlic.
Main dishes include Turmeric-infused chicken with roasted artichokes, peanuts and ginger, or Slow-cooked beef with burnt onions, oyster sauce and brown ginger. Dessert arrives as a fun and delightful spectacle, with talents showcasing the art of pressing coconut milk tab, tableside. Bananas baked in banana leaves with coconut snow and salted palm sugar ice cream is one of the desserts, while the other is Thai tea flan with crystal bubbles, infused with tea leaves from Chiang Rai province and bergamot for an aromatic scent. The "Legends Of The Lotus" dining journey concludes with a serving of iconic petit fours. Visit the restaurant’s website.
basil
On the first floor of Sheraton Grande Sukhumvit, the popular reimagined restaurant returns to showcase Thailand’s rich culinary heritage with fresh, local ingredients and honoured dishes.
"A New Leaf” is helmed by chef Manachai Konkangplu and will showcase premium Thai produce, responsibly sourced from sustainable suppliers including farms, fisheries and Royal Projects, as well as from an onsite organic chef’s garden.
Signature dishes include enticing appetisers such as Goong sarong, a tempting plate of prawns wrapped in a “sarong” of noodles, then fried until crispy and served with a sweet and tangy dipping sauce, Sua rong hai, so-called “weeping tiger” beef, which is marinated in a blend of spices and grilled to perfection, and Khao pad platoo, a classic recipe of fried rice with mackerel which dates from the Ayutthaya period. Thailand is also famed for its colourful salads and Yum som oh goong blends refreshing bursts of pomelo with shrimp, herbs, fried onions and more.
The menu also features a series of wonderfully aromatic soups and curries, including the timeless classic Tom yum goong, a hot and sour soup with fresh river prawns, and Khao soi gai, the traditional Chiang Mai-style curry with chicken, noodles and condiments. basil will also elevate Thai street food to exciting new heights with comforting dishes like Phad Thai goong, stir-fried noodles with tiger prawns. Thai desserts include Khao niew mamuang, a classic combination of ripe mango with coconut sticky rice, and Piekpoon kati sod, a cool and creamy coconut pudding infused with pandan leaves. Visit the hotel's website.
