Mandarin Oriental’s teak wooden shuttle boat took us, an organization of eight journalists and well-versed foodies, from the lodge’s pier to a different a part of its premises simply throughout the Chao Phraya River.
We’ve been conversant in the venue, which encompasses the spa and Sala Rim Naam restaurant. However this might be the primary time we get to step into the century-old, gingerbread-style home that has been an iconic landmark of the property.
It will be for a very new culinary expertise, a refined Thai delicacies dinner within the heat and genteel setting of an aristocratic residence.
Open for eating friends for the primary time in 5 a long time, the home was constructed round 1910 as a household residence of high-ranking bureaucrat Phraya Mahai Savanya and his spouse Khunying Loearn. The couple continuously hosted sociable dinners, welcoming friends — from mates to socialites to diplomats and state guests — into their residence with advantageous cookery.
Impressed by such historical past, Baan Phraya, an intimate 24-seat restaurant set within the riverfront home, was just lately launched to supply diners an beautiful delicacies ready in response to long-forgotten Thai recipes.
The kitchen is helmed by the petite, humble and proficient chef Pom Patchara, who merges age-old cooking traditions with modern-day creativity.
The intimate 24-seater preserves the fashionable spirit of the olden days whereas providing the loving heat and laidback consolation of a house.
Meals are supplied via an eight-course set dinner, priced at 3,500 baht per individual. Further wine pairing is obtainable at 1,950 baht.
Upon arrival, friends are handled to a welcoming aperitif and an amuse bouche on the open-air riverside porch. That night they have been bael fruit kombucha and a redefined ma hor, an old school snack made with pineapple, tamarind and peanuts.
Dinner is served at 7pm inside the home. The aircon eating room was decked out in pastel inexperienced and cream hues and with white-washed rattan furnishings to protect the fashionable spirit of the olden days whereas providing the laidback consolation of a house.
The primary course was khanom dok jok, a deep-fried honeycomb-like pastry. To present a savoury character and interesting perfume to the usually candy deal with, a touch of crab roe cream and bitter orange zest have been imbued into the pastry layers, making it an excellent begin to the meal.
A small serving to of yum thua phu, or winged bean salad, adopted.
Flame-roasted bamboo fish with charred eggplant relish and diverse herbs and greens.
Though miniature in portion, the dish was super in style. It was ready with recent winged beans, naturally candy Hokkaido scallops and a pungent roasted chilli paste made to a recipe of Pom’s grandmother. The bracing salad was given a wealthy flavour enhancement by a boiled rosella-marinated quail egg and a fish sauce fermented egg yolk that added to the dish a creamy lava-like gloss.
That night time was the primary time I had gaeng ron, an old school simmered dish that historically options translucent mung bean noodles in a peppery coconut milk broth, and I appreciated it.
As an alternative of the glass noodles, Pom opted for a extra luxurious ingredient, the Andaman squid. Sliced into advantageous strips, the squid supplied a springier and tastier mouthfeel in comparison with the carb. The milky broth, in the meantime, was seethed with smoked squid roe and spiced with pink peppercorn, kampot pepper and prickly ash for a extra in-depth pungency.
The fourth course, a charcoal-roasted bamboo fish with eggplant relish, was a present stopper even earlier than it reached the desk.
A neat fillet of river-fresh goby fish was cooked in herb-stuffed bamboo, a way used within the countryside, and served piping scorching with a really charming smoky aroma. Complementing the fish was a tasty inexperienced relish made with grilled aubergine and varied indigenous greens and herbs akin to bai hu seua (nation borage), Thai coriander florets, mint and dill.
Grilled Surat Thani river prawn with a duo recipe of seasoned tomalley.
Grilled jumbo-sized prawn from the Tapee River in Surat Thani province arrived subsequent. The tremendous recent prawn was impeccably cooked and the meat exhibited an awfully springy and juicy character. The cheese-like tomalley, considered the holy grail of the crustacean, got here seasoned with younger tamarind and chillies. The outcome, I discovered, was a pleasant mixture of candy, bitter and creamy style, though arguably much less gratifying than the unseasoned model.
Marvelously representing the primary course was Australian Wagyu beef striploin with housemade panaeng curry and coronary heart of palm. The extreme curry, aromatic with bitter orange zest, was supplied with natural brown jasmine rice.
The meal got here to an awe-inspiring finale when a dessert trolley was rolled out to current a dozen decisions of basic Thai dessert. Amongst them, my most favorite was som chun, or assorted seasonal fruit in ice-cold kaffir lime syrup.
Service by the Mandarin Oriental’s staff of 5-star veterans was as flawless and hospitable as at all times. Reservations are a should.
- Baan Phraya
- Mandarin Oriental, Bangkok
- Name 02-659-9000
- Open for dinner Wednesday-Sunday, solely upon reservation
- Park on the lodge’s automobile park
- Most bank cards accepted
The numerous seasonal fruit in ice-cold kaffir lime syrup.
The winged bean salad with Hokkaido scallop.
Andaman squid in a peppery, smoked roe-infused coconut broth.
The Australian Wagyu beef striploin with housemade panang curry.
