Who knew Thai street food could be so chic?
Baa Ga Din’s prime mover Thitid ‘Ton’ Tassanakajohn for one.
The Culinary Institute of America schooled, Jean-George experienced creator of four achingly original Thai restaurants just can’t stop innovating with aplomb.
With his Le Du, Taper, Baan and, most recently, Baa Ga Din (Sukhumvit 33/31 junction, www.baagadin.com), well established in that rarefied niche of modern Thai cuisine populated by genuine culinary artists, his star shines ever brighter.
And it isn’t just his culinary virtuosity that gives him the cred that brings hordes of hipsters to his doors. More kudos accrues to the 30-year-old for his wholehearted embrace of ethically sourced produce – even when it hurts.
Having personally cleared the supply chains, the pork is certified organically husbanded, likewise free-range eggs, and the seafood is formalin-free and sustainably sourced without resort to slavery or destructive fishing.
But that’s not to say the restaurant takes itself too seriously. Brainstormed by Ton in collusion with Party/Space/Design the restaurant shares a purpose-built block and car park with a Japanese joint.
Thai for vendors whose venue is a blanket on the ground, “Baa Ga Din” comprises three sections: a theatre kitchen and fighting cock themed indoor space with private seating; an open sided rooved area with a trellis of Thai kite motifs and sofas upholstered in construction site-inspired fabric; and an indoor, fighting fish-themed bar-restaurant with a concrete back wall of Thai lottery numbers. Incandescent bulbs suffuse 100 covers with antique yellowy light.
Moreover, between Ton and US chef Chandler, there’s no end to their ingenuity.
Crispy skin chicken wings are marinated in fish sauce, bird chili and garlic then pressure cooked to facilitate removal of one bone and tendons, leaving “a clean, easy bite” after deep frying and dunking in house-fermented Sri Racha chili sauce and creamy basil mayo.
Corn salad is wrapped in green mango, moistened with kaffir leaf emulsion and chilli dressing and added with green mango brunoise and poignant purple edible flowers.
Farm-reared veal sweetbreads pan-fried in brown butter and herbs are served with grilled chilies and eggplant, homemade green curry and fresh leaves.
Gao Lao Luke Wua is a rustic broth of charred garlic, shallots, Chinese 5 spice and 15 other ingredients. Flank steak marinated in oyster sauce, fish sauce and green peppercorn and poached veal kidney provide protein alongside saw tooth coriander, mung bean sprouts and fried garlic. Finished tableside with beef blood, galangal vinegar and fresh chilies.
Whole fish stuffed with Thai herbs is grilled in banana leaf, served with Thai anchovy butter and seafood sauce.
Ethically-farmed pork shoulder is braised two days with the jus triggering red curry sauce. Served with smoked soft boiled egg, cherry tomato jam, pickled palm and green onion. Yellow rice and mint sauce go a treat with it.
Desserts include a wonderful Mango-Passionfruit Sorbet with peanut meringue, sugared pomelo, compressed cantaloupe and water melon, pomegranate seeds in jus, candied orange rind, lychee gelee, gooseberry and kumquat.
Cocktails and mocktails, featuring tropical fruits, herbs and spices, are similarly street-inspired. Wake up in Bangkok blends Tanquery gin, passion fruit, raspberry fabri, ginger powder. Sawasdi 31 muddles Loch Lamon whisky etc. Several wines and premium sakes are offered.
Wait staff’s black ensembles are emblazoned with fighting cock or fish theme and Isaan tarten aprons. With its cool contemporary soundtrack, unsurprisingly Baa Ga Din’s a hot place to take a date.
