Bold as Brasserie 9

Bold as Brasserie 9

SOCIAL & LIFESTYLE
Bold as Brasserie 9

Brasserie 9 at Asiatique the Waterfront proved a brasserie too far for the cosmopolitan crew targeted with its classic French cuisine. As picturesque as the setting is, spending hours burning benzene to get there was more than many could stomach, even given the world class cookery, and the passing trade of local and international bargain-browsers couldn’t compensate.

Never mind. As a passion project of Bangkok Air Catering (in-flight chef to 23 airlines), the project’s patrons have deep enough pockets to give it another shot – and on an even grander scale.

So now the pilgrimage to one of Bangkok’s premier bastions of everything Escoffienne only entails hitting North Sathorn at Soi 6 (Pipat), a short tut-tuk hop from BTS Sala Daeng.

The rewards are considerable.

Brasserie 9’s new exoskeleton is a lavishly refurbished, long, low Rama VI era villa with ample parking out front – handy given that one of its upstairs function rooms can host 200 and the floorplan breaks out into large bar and main dining areas, grand private dining room, walk-in cellar, and plush cigar room where you can keep your own humidor.

So no expense spared, but despite the decorous décor channelling past grandeurs, there’s nothing stuffy about Brasserie 9 and with canny young Chef Patron Kenny Karlsson commanding the state-of-the-art kitchen, the cuisine stars.

The brasserie tradition is all about the democratisation of  haute cuisine – post 1789, what was once good for the Sun King’s table was fair game for the Miller’s too. So call it gourmet comfort food more than anything off-the-wall.

Classically-trained Kenny has “tweaked” some of the must-haves and replaced one or two selections with his own creations (upscale Dover sole for so-so lemon sole, fragrant juniper gravlax prepared with flair tableside for smoky Baltic salmon straight to plate) but there’s nothing puzzling on the menu – definitely “no edible flowers” – and the dish descriptions are viscerally salivating.

Consider the likes of Quail salad with apple & celeriac and raspberry-walnut dressing (460); French onion soup/cheese croutons (280); Oven roasted escargots/garlic butter (380); Bouillabaisse (980); Grilled king prawns/Pernod (970); Boeuf Bourguignon (680); slow-cooked pork belly/braised savoy cabbage/apple chutney/thyme & calvados jus (660); Raspberry mille feuille/vanilla cream & glazed raspberries (300). Vegetarians are not neglected either with Savory crêpé/mushroom cream/gruyere cheese (380).

Also stellar is the House seafood platter (3,600 for 2/7,2000 as pictured for 4) – a tantalizing tower of oysters, Canadian lobster, tiger prawns, langoustine, king crab, black mussels and five sauces.

Pan-seared foie gras was never more delicious either with the top quality Rougie product perfectly turned and complemented with caramelized peach, maple syrup, diced lemon and a dash of peach Schapps (620).

Particularly popular among the mains is smoked French duck breast a la orange with sour red cabbage and creamy potato gratin dauphinoise (680). The way the French finesse their fruits!

Even a simple dish like Mussels Marinière (540) is a cut above; the pre-schucked mussels so tender, the white wine, shallots, garlic sauce so buttery and aromatic.

Another to-die-for double header is Côte de Boeuf-grilled prime rib-eye (entrecote) – 1.3/1.4 kg of prime beef, roasted, seared, de-boned and carved table side, served with your choice of sauces (B145/oz).

Cute cart service also applies to classic Crêpes Suzettes, another orange tour-de-force with a dash of Grand Marnier and a ball of fresh vanilla ice cream (390).

What more could a bon viveur desire from this sassy Brasserie?

Brasserie 9. 27 Soi Piphat.Tel. 02 234 2588

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