Adventures in Food
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A community of like-minded nomads, united in the pursuit of food; from chefs and restaurants to street food, culinary events and international forums. Come and disover a new culinary universe with us. See the website for future events.
Contact us: info@gastronauts.asia
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Publisher’s Letter
n this month’s issue, we celebrate chefs. We also look forward to next month’s 19th World Gourmet Festival 2018 at Anantara Siam (pg. 20-28 for chef profiles and schedule) as well as So Sofitel Bangkok’s So Amazing Chef series (pg. 38-39 for chef profiles). We double up in My Bangkok with two chef interviews: with Gigg Kamol, winner of Iron Chef Thailand (pg. 12); and Vichit Mukura, of Khao Thai restaurant (pg. 13). Also, we sit down with street food icon Jay Fai to discuss sourcing the best ingredients, earning a Michelin star, and a very unique invitation from a special chef (pg. 40-41). We profile the stars of the future, looking at 10 chefs under the age of 30 (pg. 30-33) and we ask local chefs for their food and dining recommendations in Bangkok, from small, hole-in-the-wall restaurants to more familiar names (pg. 34-37). As well as this, we have two Photo Features centered around chefs and restaurants, discovering what Chef Andy Yang gets up to on his days off (pg. 14-19) and we look at the unique relationship between food and art at JUA (pg. 80-85). And, if you’re new to the art scene, the Bangkok Art Map (www.facebook.com/ bangkokartmap) does a great job of providing detailed information on galleries and art happenings across the city. Continuing the chef theme, Dr. Tom profiles the Basque chef, Josean Alija of the Michelin-rated Nerua Guggenheim Bilbao (pg. 44-45). Fresh from feeding the world at The World’s 50 Best Restaurants 2018, we here the incredible story of how Chef Josean recovered from a coma to go on and achieve culinary success. Our August travel destination looks at the Provence of Isaan in the north (pg. 56-57) and we further our Isaan exploration with a focus on Nakhon Phanom (pg. 64-68) plus a special report from the Mekong Tourism Forum (pg. 69). All this and more—including our 101 archive and extras—can be found online at www.bangkok101. Enjoy. com. A couple of clicks are all it takes to keep in touch with what’s happening in Bangkok and beyond. And if you as a reader feel there’s something we’re not covering, but should be, please drop us a line at Mason Florence info@talisman.asia. Publisher
What is Bangkok 101 Independent and unbiased, Bangkok 101 caters to savvy travellers who yearn for more than what they find in guidebooks. It brings together an authoritative who’s who of city residents, writers, photographers and cultural commentators. The result is a compact and intelligent hybrid of monthly travel guide and city magazine that takes you on and off the well-worn tourist track. Bangkok 101 employs the highest editorial standards, with no fluff, and no smut. Our editorial content cannot be bought. We rigorously maintain the focus on our readers, and our ongoing mission is to ensure they enjoy this great city as much as we love living in it.
B A N G K O K 101 P A R T N E R S
bangkok101.com
AUGUST 2018 | 5
CONTENTS 40
CITY PULSE 10
Metro Beat Find out what’s going on this month in Bangkok
12
My Bangkok Chef Gigg Kamol, Wanghin-Ladprao restaurant
13
My Bangkok Chef Vichit Mukura, Khao Thai restaurant
14
My Bangkok Photo Feature What does Chef Andy Yang of Table 38 restaurant do on his days off? We examine in a unique photo series
20
Best of BKK Discover the full chef line-up and schedule for the 19th World Gourmet Festival 2018 at Anantara Siam
30
Best of BKK We profile 10 rising stars of the Bangkok restaurant scene
34
Best of BKK In a city with so much food variety we ask local chefs for their recommendations
40
Special Interview A special interview with Jay Fai, in her own words
SNAPSHOTS 44
Now New Next Chef Josean Alija from Nerua Guggenheim Bilbao
46
Bizarre Thailand Whale Watching
48
Joe’s Bangkok Treasure Hunting: celebrating all things food
50
Very Thai Soi Animals – Part 1
52 Heritage The Joachim Grassi Effect
On the cover
The control of fire by humans was a turning point in the cultural aspect of human evolution. Man learned to harness fire, and over time, apply it to foods with spectacular results. What better element and image therefore to reflect chefs than fire. See the photo of Jay Fai cooking with her woks over fire as an example (starting on pg. 40).
14
64
TRAVEL 54
Isaan 101 Consisting of 20 provinces in the northeastern region of Thailand, Isaan is rich in history and culture. We look at this special and historical slice of the Kingdom
56
“Cool Isaan” Buoyed by the Tourism Authority of Thailand’s latest campaign, all eyes are looking north of the Kingdom to the once sleepy region of Isaan
58
Isaan Food in Bangkok These mouth-watering Isaan restaurants in Bangkok have a whole lot more to offer than grilled snakes and fermented fish
60 Isaanisms While we’ve tried our hardest, Isaan is impossible to squeeze into a few pages. To help fill in the gaps we came up with Isaanisms 62
Korat’s Hidden Gems Historic remains and controversial scultpures–even some cartoon superheroes–exploring Korat might unveil a few interesting surprises
64
Riverside Retreat In this special 6-page travel destination feature we look at Nakhon Phanom–a blend of slow-life tourism and unique heritage attractions
Photo by one line man / shutterstock.com
Bangkok 101 is available at: 6 | AUGUST 2018
bangkok101.com
CONTENTS 80
ART & CULTURE 74
Art Exhibitions The latest museum gallery openings across the city
76
Museum Spotlight Thai Labour Museum
78
Cinema Scope The Contemporary World Film Series and more
80
Photo Feature We look at the special relationship between food and art, and pay a visit to JUA, the beautifully crafted izakaya-style restaurant where yakitory, photography, and tomfoolery merge
90
104
FOOD & DRINK 86
Food & Drink Updates
88
Meal Deals Restaurants offer amazing deals for diners
89
Chew On This Editor David J. Constable goes on a durian hunt
90
Restaurant Reviews Broken Eggs; Urbani Truffle Bar & Restaurant
94
Breaking Bread with Chef Nanang from Nimitr, 137 Pillars
96
Eat Like Nym Torisoba Nanase: Japanese lanterns and a bowl of beauty
98
Food & Drink Listings Capsule reviews of select restaurants in Bangkok
NIGHTLIFE 102
Nightlife Updates
104
Bar Reviews Levels
106
Nightlife Listings Capsule reviews of select nightspots in Bangkok
SIGNING OFF 102
Did You Know?... A rather unusual comming together of monkey and man in Lopburi province for the annual, two-day event of the Monkey Buffet or “Monkey Festival”
ART DIRECTOR
GENERAL MANAGER
Narong Srisaiya
Jhone El’Mamuwaldi
GRAPHIC DESIGNER
SALES MANAGER
Thanakrit Skulchartchai
Ornuma Promsrikaew
PUBLISHER
STRATEGISTS
DISTRIBUTION & MARKETING
Mason Florence
Sebastien Berger Nathinee Chen
COORDINATOR
ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER
CONTRIBUTING WRITERS
EVENT & SPECIAL PROJECTS
Parinya Krit-Hat
Jim Algie, Luc Citrinot, John Kritch, Korakot (Nym) Punlopruksa, Bruce Scott, Tom Vitayakul, Charity Waltenbough
Wasin Banjerdtanakul
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
Dr Jesda M. Tivayanond
MANAGING EDITOR
David J. Constable EDITOR-AT-LARGE
Joe Cummings EDITORIAL ASSISTANTS
CONTRIBUTING
Anansit Sangsawang
PHOTOGRAPHERS
Olmo Reverter, Jason Lang
Chakkrit Rattanapan
EVENT COORDINATOR
Panisara Bunnag
PUBLISHED BY
Talisman Media Group Co., Ltd. 54 Naradhivas Rajanagarinda Soi 4, Sathorn Tai Rd,Yannawa, Sathorn, Bangkok 10120 Tel: 02 286 7821 Fax: 02 286 7829 info@talisman.asia © Copyright Talisman Media Group Co., Ltd 2018. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced without the express written, prior permission of the publisher. Views expressed in this magazine are not necessarily those of the publisher, which accepts no responsibility for them.
CITY PULSE | metro beat
AUGUST’S HOTTEST TICKETS August 1
Canadian indie artist Mac DeMarco last visited Bangkok in 2013, and this month he’s back to perform at Voice Space (BBD Building, 197 Viphavadi Rangsit Rd). The 28-year-old fuses catchy indie-pop melodies with lo-fi sensibilities, resulting in what some would call “slacker-rock”. Tickets are B1,600, and showtime is 8pm. www.ticketmelon.com
THAI HOLIDAYS August 13
In Thailand, Mother’s Day is celebrated on August 12th, which commemorates the birthday of Her Majesty Queen Sirikit, the Mother of all Thai people. However, this year it will be Monday August 13th that is the public holiday, as the 12th falls on a Sunday. If you’re looking for a place to treat your mum to a special brunch or dinner that weekend, there are loads of restaurants across the city offering amazing Mother’s Day meal deals.
SUPERHERO CENTRE Now Open
Last month the Marvel Experience Thailand theme park opened in a 20,000 sq.m complex behind the Mega Bangna Ikea (BangnaTrad Rd). Here, comic book fanboys and fangirls can tour a series of immersive attractions, many of which use high-tech 3-D projection mapping on the walls and ceiling. Follow the story of the Mighty Avengers as they defend Bangkok against supervillains, or head to the Training Center and learn to punch like Hulk, or jump like Black Panther, in games that rely on motion detection. Tickets are B1,500 for adults and B1,350 for children. Open daily, 9am till midnight. www.themarvelexperiencethailand.com 10 | AUGUST 2018
August 2
Nothing But Thieves are a five-piece Britrock band formed back in 2012 in Southendon-Sea, Essex. They’ll be strutting their stuff onstage at Moonstar Studio (701, Lad Phrao Soi 80) in support of their latest album, Broken Machine. Tickets are B2,600 each and things get underway at 8pm. www.ticketmelon.com
August 9
Fans of rock superstars Linkin Park were shocked last July when news broke that lead singer Chester Bennington had taken his own life. Now, just over a year later, the band’s co-lead singer Mike Shinoda will be performing a solo show in town as part of his Post Traumatic Tour, featuring songs that deal with his grieving process in the wake of his bandmate’s death. The 7pm show is at Gmm Live House (8/F, CentralWorld), and tickets range in price from B1,600 to B2,800. www.thaiticketmajor.com
August 14
Trent Reznor’s infamous industrial rock project Nine Inch Nails will be performing in Thailand for the first time—welcome news for fans still distraught over the cancellation of their gig at Pattaya’s Silverlake Music Festival back in 2014—at Moonstar Studio (701, Lad Phrao Soi 80). Blending harsh electronics with angst-ridden lyrics, the band has sold over 20 million records worldwide. Tickets are B3,000, and doors open at 7pm. www.ticketmelon.com
August 22
Formed in Cambridge back in 2008, Clean Bandit is a British electronic trio known for pop hits that mix electronic music with classical pieces by composers such as Mozart and Shostakovich. Fans attending their show at Impact Arena (Muang Thong Thani) can expect to hear selections from their 2014 album New Eyes, as well as tracks from their upcoming new disc. Tickets are B1,900 and B2,600, and showtime is 8:30pm. www.thaiticketmajor.com bangkok101.com
metro beat | CITY PULSE
AUGUST’S HOTTEST TICKETS August 25
British indie-R&B-crooner Tom Misch will be gracing the stage at Moonstar Studio (701, Lad Phrao Soi 80) for what is sure to be a sell-out show. This 23-year-old solo artist already has five albums to his name, and a loyal following that can’t get enough of his laid back, soothing sounds. Tickets are B1,800 and showtime is 7pm. www.ticketmelon.com
August 26
Fans of instrumental and “math rock” music—yes, they do exist—are getting set for Manila’s own Tide/Edit, who will be noisily noodling at De Commune (Liberty Plaza, Sukhumvit Soi 55) for one night only. Tickets are B550 (B600 at the door) and local bands January (math rock) and The Rocket Whale (alternative post hardcore) are also on the bill. www.ticketmelon.com
COMEDY SHOW August 11
Playwright, actor, and author Greg Fleet is also one of Australia’s most highly respected stand up comedians, having performed in 26 Melbourne International Comedy Festivals and seven Edinburgh Fringe Festivals. He’ll be in town for one night only at the Westin Grande Sukhumvit, Bangkok (259 Sukhumvit Rd), along with his special guest, funnyman Matt Wharf. Tickets are B700 (B900 at the door) and doors open at 7pm. www.ticketflap.com
THEATRE PLAYS August 3-25
August 29-September 1
Attention ladies—and certain gentlemen—Australia’s Thunder From Down Under are returning to Bangkok! These brawny beefcakes will be performing their acclaimed Las Vegas all-male revue for four nights only at Levels Night Club (Sukhumvit Soi 11). It’s a ‘Girls Night Outback’, with plenty of sweat, screams, and six packs crammed into this 75-minute audio-visual extravaganza. Show starts at 7pm each evening, and tickets for this 20+ event start at B2,500 (group rates available). www.ticketmelon.com/event/thunderbangkok
BIG BAD BOOK SALE August 10-20
Now in its third year in Bangkok, the annual Big Bad Wolf Sale is a bookworm’s paradise, with over three million English-language titles at heavily discounted prices of up to 60-80 per cent off. The 11-day event will take place 24-hours a day in Hall 9 of Impact Forum (99 Popular Rd, Muangthong Thani). Browse fiction and non-fiction titles covering every topic imaginable. www.facebook.com/bbwbooksthailand bangkok101.com
Peel The Limelight theatre troupe presents Hollow, an original ensemble drama inspired by the history of the thousands of “comfort women” who were forced into sexual slavery by the Japanese army before and during WWII. The eight performances take place over four consecutive Fridays and Saturdays, in the Jasmine City Bldg (Sukhumvit Soi 23), starting at 8pm. Tickets are B700 (B500 for students and members). www.peelthelimelight.com
August 30
The Italian Festival in Thailand presents Othello’s Room, a solo show (with musical accompaniment) that takes place in the moments after the maligned moor has murdered his bride—as he muses his terrible fate. This free performance begins at 7pm in the Music Hall, Chulalongkorn University (254 Phyathai Rd). www.italianfestivalthailand.com AUGUST 2018 | 11
CITY PULSE | my bangkok
Chef Gigg Kamol The Iron Chef Thailand winner talks about important lessons, his unique style of cooking, and what the future holds for Thai cuisine stir-fried marinated pork with sesame oil, stir-fried spiny lobster with curry paste, fried pork neck spicy salad, and stir-fried wagyu with basil leaves and rice.
Tell us about yourself. I’m a chef and restauranteur who won Iron Chef Thailand in 2015 cooking mostly Chinese cuisine and I was also a candidate on Top Chef Thailand 2017. I’m also the owner of Lerdtip Restaurant which now has two branches: Thonglor in Bangkok and Wang Hin in northeastern Thailand. What’s your background and how did you become a chef? I grew up in a family who were involved in the cooking industry, so food was always around me. I learnt step by step from a very young age. After a while I got bored with it and after thinking that I wanted to be a chef decided that actually, I didn’t. I wanted to try something else instead. It wasn’t very long though before I changed my mind again. I soon realised that life as a chef was my dream and my passion and I shouldn’t run away from it. What are some of the most important lessons you’ve learnt as a chef? There are so many things, but team management is important. I realised very early on that everyone has a role to play and the kitchen works together as a team. This is so important. Everyone has a part to play in a kitchen and restaurant. Sometimes we forget how important all of the small points are, and I’ve learnt to appreciate and respect everyone in the team. In return, they will show respect back. The power of the team is the most important thing. Who have been your biggest influences? Regarding my chef life, my biggest inspiration has been my father and the grandfather of my father. There are many lessons and valuable skills that have been passed down, from generation to generation. These are 12 | AUGUST 2018
Where are your favourite places to eat in Bangkok? I love Chinatown in Bangkok. I love exploring the streets there and going on my own food explorations through Talat Kao and beyond, discovering all of the real and traditional tastes you can find.
lessons that have helped me endless times and I’m sure will continue to help me and drive me forward for evermore. What are some of your favourite countries and cuisines? China is my favourite country. There are many reasons why. Japanese is probably my favourite cuisine. Tell us about Wanghin-Ladprao. Lerdtip Wanghin-Ladprao is a familystyle restaurant and the first branch in Bangkok. We started by making local Thai-Chinese food in an old restaurant—things like Thai noodle with pork in gravy and steamed crab meat—all based on the local crowd and location, and soon became one of the best restaurants in the area. Can you describe your style of cooking? My style is best described as fusion Thai-Chinese & Seafood cuisine due to my Chinese heritage. The way my father taught me is rooted in the Chinese traditions, so there’s lots of stir-fried ingredients cooked in a wok pan, and the use of fire too. Dishes like
What message would you give young chefs working in Thailand today? The most important thing is focus in the kitchen and work towards the cuisine and style that you enjoy the most, this way you’ll find your style quickly and be able to achieve success in an area that you really enjoy. Then it’s not work, it’s fun. Once you’ve found the thing that you enjoy and you are good at, you won’t mind the hard work as much, and you’ll be able to create something, putting all of your efforts into it. Follow your passion. What does the future hold for Thai cuisine? Thai cuisine continues to grow in popularity and I believe that it will be bigger than ever, I really believe that. Many different chefs are creating many different styles, in Bangkok, Thailand, and beyond. And I think we’ll see more chefs exploring local ingredients, too. Taking local produce and trying to modernise it and do something creative with it. The Thai menu is respected and appreciated all around the world for its breadth and complex flavouring. I expect this popularity to keep growing. It’s why everyone loves Thai food! interview by David J. Constable www.facebook.com/lerdtip.thonglor bangkok101.com
my bangkok | CITY PULSE
Chef Vichit Mukura In a remarkable 40 year career, we learn about Chef Vichit’s favourite cuisine, his biggest inspiration, and what message he has for young chefs in Thailand today Tell us about yourself. When I was little, living in Chonburi, I would help my mum cook. From her, I absorbed a lot of knowledge about cooking. That’s the reason I became a chef. Now, over 40 years later, and I teach many other young chefs to cook. This has brought recognition and fame, as well as opportunities to travel and give cooking demonstrations, both abroad and in Thailand. What’s your background and how did you become a chef? I started working in a Chinese restaurant. I did all the kitchen work. I worked in five-star hotels in Bangkok and Phuket as Chef de Cuisine and at a French restaurant. I started to learn butchery skills along the way. Finally, I decided to deny a lot of the international cooking jobs and focus on my passion, to improve the positioning of Thai food and bring it up to fine dining status. What are some of the most important lessons you’ve learnt as a chef? Hygiene. That means when purchasing, procurement, and storage. With my experience working in the Mandarin Oriental and other leading hotels, you can’t underestimate how important good hygiene is. I earned my “HACCP” certificate so all food prepared and cooked by me can is guaranteed to be at the very highest standard, always. Who have been your biggest influences? My mum taught me of how to cook. I learnt so much from her. Not to mention that she is my inspiration. What are some of your favourite countries and cuisines? I do like Japan in terms of respect for their culture, regulations and also, bangkok101.com
combining quality tea products from Chiang Mai. And there’s a Chef’t Table, correct? I opened a Chef’s Table at Sukhumvit 5, 13 years ago. Now, we have moved to Ekamai where we can serve more people and customers don’t have to make a reservation months and months in advance. The concept here is a “Surprise Menu” served at 12:00pm and 6pm, each for around 4-12 people. Food courses are between 6-10-courses.
the participation of their people. Most Japanese food is healthy. In many ways, it matches with my own intentions, which is to focus on and promote Thai food. I have planted several plants in Nong Prue and Chonburi for using them in my own cooking, such as tamarind, rice, lemon, and mango. Tell us about Khao Thai Restaurant and Khao Dessert Cafe. I want my restaurant to represent Thai identity, presented in a true Thai way and using premium Thai materials. I wish to reposition Thai food, informing foreigners that in Thailand, we are not just good at street food but also, fine dining as well. People say, “Rice is the main food of Thailand, people love growing and eating rice,” which is true but it’s more than that. I plant Red Jasmin Rice, it occupies special characteristics that is alternated carbohydrate into glucose, under 30%, while other rice does more than 100%. I use this as the main rice in my restaurant, both in Ekamai and Khao Dessert Cafe, which recently opened (July 7) at Siam Paragon, offering the concept of “Thai Afternoon Tea” and
Where are your favourite places to eat in Thailand? I like to eat seafood in Chonburi, by the eastern Gulf of Thailand’s coast. The fresh seafood from the pier is my favourite. What message would you give young chefs working in Thailand today? You must love cooking as your basis habit. Adapt and learn everyday. Focus on these three main things: Premium Product—look for the freshest and best quality ingredients to produce overall high quality and taste; Thai Taste—learn to season and flavour for better taste; and New Looks—get traditional foods and modernise, but do not escape the authentic Thai way. What does the future hold for Thai cuisine? Thai food is quite famous in foreign countries already, promoting unique and raw materials, such as fresh herbs, which are good for your health. Anyone who eats Thai food always things wow! It’s special and different from other foods in the world. I hope that Thai food continues to travel and grow in popularity, becoming more and more popular. interview by David J. Constable www.khaogroup.com AUGUST 2018 | 13
CITY PULSE | best of bkk
Chef Andy Yang’s Day Off Guns, motorbikes and throwing paints: what does a Bangkok chef do on their day off? By David J. Constable/TASTE inc. Asia
H
is restaurant won a Michelin star, he has been profiled in The New York Times, and owned and operated restaurants from “The Big Apple” to “The City of Gold” but Chef Andy Yang needs a day off, just like the rest of us. With chefs no longer chained to their stoves, part of the modern-day gig of opening and operating a restaurant is to go out into the world and research. It seems a somewhat common pursuit these days for chefs to travel more, eat out more, and visit the markets, farmers, and producers they depend so desperately on. For chefs like Andy, whose New York eatery Rhong Tiam was awarded a Michelin-star in 2009 and last year in Bangkok opened a restaurant inside of a decommissioned passenger jet, life is mostly kitchen-centric.
14 | AUGUST 2018
Returning to Bangkok after culinary sojourns in New York, Dubai, Germany and Toronto, Chef Andy’s latest venture is Table 38, a one-table, 12-seater restaurant in Sukhumvit that opened in May and immediately became a go-to for ravenous Bangkok foodies. He serves Thai food with a twist, using locally-sourced ingredients and modern applications to elevate humble Thai food to fine dining status. The launch of a new restaurant is a demanding business, but even a busy chef must find pockets of time to sleep and spend with their family. So, wanting to find out precisely the sort of day hard-working chefs have when they’re out of their whites and free from the kitchen brigade, I tracked down local-boy Chef Andy to find out how he spends his precious free time.
bangkok101.com
best of bkk | CITY PULSE
“Playing with mud and water, used to make our plates at Table 38, at Tao Hong Tai Ceramics.”
“It’s important to express yourself through art and food... no f@cks given.”
“Fun with coloured paints—make life vibrant!” bangkok101.com
AUGUST 2018 | 15
CITY PULSE | best of bkk
“Sharp shooter! Here’s a .380 custom. How was dinner?”
“Glock 19 ZEV Tech .380 custom... doctors orders once a week.” 16 | AUGUST 2018
bangkok101.com
best of bkk | CITY PULSE
“Only in Thailand... Kanom Khai Tao.”
“Comfort food on my day off.”
“Simplicity is delicious... Charoen Krung 18.”
“Taking a stroll through KT Market with Chef Riley Sanders from Canvas.” bangkok101.com
“Taken during a long break from the kitchen, drinking delicious fresh coconut in Vietnam.” AUGUST 2018 | 17
CITY PULSE | best of bkk
“Urban doze off!”
“YAWN! Sleeping is much needed... #ChefLife”
“My next project, “Kapraw Shop” — Love the demolished structure.” 18 | AUGUST 2018
bangkok101.com
best of bkk | CITY PULSE
“Day off work lunch... Khao Mok Gai is de-lish!”
“Day off work breakfast... she visit... #HappyMeal”
“This is Popcorn, after service.”
“This is Tofu, before service.”
“Taking to the road on my day off... riding once a week keeps me sane... #ChefLife” bangkok101.com
AUGUST 2018 | 19
CITY PULSE | special report: world gourmet festival 2018
A Chef Spectacular
Once again the Anantara Siam Bangkok plays host to the World Gourmet Festival, tempting local gourmands with a stellar line-up of guest chefs preparing gala dinners, masterclasses, and more…
E
ach year the arrival of the World Gourmet Festival has Bangkok’s legions of foodies salivating in anticipation. This year marks the 19th edition which runs from September 3rd to the 9th at the Anantara Siam Bangkok hotel, presented in collaboration with S.Pellegrino and Gastronauts Asia. This year the chef line-up includes chefs from all over the world and all from Michelin-rated restaurants, with many new faces among the returning regulars. The lavish meals will be taking over the hotel’s four main dining establishments—Madison, Spice Market, Shintaro, and Biscotti—while “Bubbly Hour” will
take place in The Lobby. Masterclasses will take place throughout the week as well as a Chocolate Masterclass with Afternoon Tea, Sunday Brunch and a special Ladies Night event. In addition, the festival is proud to support HRH Princess Soamsawali AZT Fund for Pregnant Women of the Thai Red Cross Society. Proceeds from the auction, which takes place during the festival, plus B600 per dinner ticket sold, will all be donated to the charity. So, loosen that belt and get ready for a week long celebration of delicious events. To find out who’s cooking what, where and when, turn to pgs. 26-28 for a full listing of scheduled World Gourmet Festival 2018 events.
JOSÉ AVILLEZ Belcanto (Lisbon, Portugal)
José was born in Lisbon, growing up near the ocean and pine forests in Cascais. His first professional kitchen experience was in 2001 at Fortaleza do Guincho restaurant, followed by various internships, including in France with Alain Ducasse and Éric Fréchon. In 2006, he interned at elBulli with Ferran Adrià, as part of its Creativity Department, a period that became a career-changing moment for him. He returned to Portugal and in 2008, became the executive chef at Tavares restaurant in Lisbon, winning a Michelin star the following year. He then opened Belcanto restaurant in 2012, now the holder of two Michelin stars. In 2015, José was awarded the title of ‘Chef of the Year’ by WINE magazine. He now owns several restaurants in Portugal.
20 | AUGUST 2018
bangkok101.com
special report: world gourmet festival 2018 | CITY PULSE
BERNARD BACH
Le Puits Saint-Jacques Restaurant (Toulouse, France) The son and grandson of restaurateurs, Bernard grew up among the pots, pans and mixed aromas of kitchens. At 13 he began to earn his crust as a waiter and later set off on a tour of France which ultimately led to his first Michelin star in 1995. He returned home in 1999, settling with his family in Pujaudran, close to Toulouse. His approach to cooking is celebrated for its simplicity, focusing on a respect for the seasons and the close relationships he has established with local producers; all the while being wildly imaginative. Bernard achieved his second Michelin-star in 2008.
RYOHEI HIEDA Shoun RyuGin (Taipei, Taiwan)
Ryohei was born in Nagasaki, Japan and grew up with a passion for food. He began his career at 19 years-old with an apprenticeship at the prestigious Kyoto restaurant Gion Nakagawa, where he acquired fundamental knowledge and the techniques of traditional Japanese cuisine. In 2005, he returned to Kyushu to work at the famed restaurant Itaru, learning to make artisanal salt. He moved to the three Michelin-starred Nihonryori RyuGin, under Chef Seiji Yamamoto, in 2008 and then, wanting to broaden his knowledge, moved to San Francisco to cook at the three Michelin-star restaurants Benu and Manresa. Moving to Taiwan, Ryohei opened RyuGin and upon the launch of the Michelin Guide in Taipei in 2018, was awarded two Michelin-stars. The restaurant is currently listed at No.47 on Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants list. bangkok101.com
AUGUST 2018 | 21
CITY PULSE | special report: world gourmet festival 2018
JEONG HO KIM Jungsik (Seoul, South Korea)
Jeong Ho graduated from the Korean Culinary Art & Science High School, at which time he decided to pursue a career in food and the culinary world. He made plans to travel and left for America, finding employment at the Hyatt Hotel in Nevada. He moved to accept an internship at MOTO in Chicago where he furthered his experience and built on his passion for fine dining. Jeong Ho returned to Korea in 2009 and joined Jungsik restaurant, switching between Seoul and New York, working as part of the team for the opening of Jungsik NYC. During this period, he was appointed as the Executive Chef, responsible for the development of the menu and the day-to-day running of the kitchens. His philosophy is centred around sourcing the finest ingredients and the careful balance of flavours.
ALESSANDRA DEL FAVERO and OLIVER PIRAS
AGA Ristorante (San Vito di Cadore, Italy)
MARTIN DALSASS Talvo by Dalsass (Zurich, Switzerland)
Martin was born in Deutschnofen, a province of South Tyrol in northern Italy. After various apprenticeships in Bolzano, the capital city of South Tyrol, he travelled to Paris and Switzerland to further his kitchen experience, eventually joining the Hotel Bellevue in Gstaad in 1980. In 1985, he opened his first solo venture, Santabbondio, in Sorengo, close to Lugano in southern Switzerland. The restaurant won a Michelin star and in 2001, Gault & Milau awarded him their “Chef of the Year” award. In 2011, he and his family moved to St. Moritz and the historic Tavlo restaurant. Due to his kitchen philosophy and use of olive oil instead of butter, Martin has become known to many as the “Olive Oil Pope”.
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Alessandra grew up in Pieve di Cadore, Venice and graduated from Alma - The International School of Italian Cuisine. She spent time in Brusaporto (one of the temples of Italian cuisine), the Da Vittorio restaurant of Fratelli Cerea and worked with Norbert Niederkofler at St. Hubertus at the Hotel Rosa Alpina in San Cassiano. She then returned home, to the family hotel-restaurant in San Vito di Cadore, wanting to reconnect with her past and deepen her understanding of the land. Here, she opened AGA restaurant with Oliver Piras, whom she met while studying at Alma, and together they developed a menu with a focus on the land and local surroundings; with many of the herbs foraged from just outside of the restaurant. In 2016, they were awarded a Michelin-star.
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special report: world gourmet festival 2018 | CITY PULSE
SRIJITH GOPINATHAN TAJ Campton Place (San Francisco, USA)
As a child, Srijith grew up influenced by the exotic spices of southern India that filled the air of his childhood home. As the Executive Chef of the two Michelin-starred Campton Place in San Francisco, these memories and influences are evident throughout his menus and have been his building blocks for the precise execution of his much celebrated cuisine. After graduating from the Culinary Institute of America, Srijith moved to England to work under Raymond Blanc at the two Michelin-starred Belmond Le Manoir aux Quat’Saisons, before a stint in the Maldives at Taj Exotica. With his extensive experience and the holder of two Michelinstars, Srijith is at the forefront of a movement to take Indian cuisine to the next level.
HAN LI GUANG Labyrinth (Singapore)
A late starter in the culinary world, Han turned his back on a career in banking to pursue his love of cooking. He travelled the world, working in some of the most celebrated and respected kitchens, including stints with Mauro Colagreco, Tom Kerridge and Roberto Galetti. Han then opened his restaurant Labyrinth in Singapore, in 2014, specialising in modern experimental cuisine with a nod to Singaporean classics. The restaurant clinched 2014’s “Best New Restaurant” award by Wine & Dine Magazine, and the following year was nominated for “New Restaurant of the Year” by the World Gourmet Summit Awards of Excellence 2015. In 2017, the restaurant was awarded a Michelin-star.
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SHINJI ISHIDA Nogizaka Shin (Tokyo, Japan)
From 1996, Ishida started training in numerous traditional Japanese restaurants in Tokushima, many of which were considered to be the finest purveyors of Japanese cuisine in the country. In 2011, he joined the three Michelin-starred restaurants Ginza Koju as Chef de Cuisine and two years later, travelled to Paris to launch an international outpost of Ginza Koju, gaining a Michelin star shortly after. He returned to Japan in 2015 to resume his role and one year later, with the help of Mr Tobita—the former General Manager of Ginza Koju—opened Nogizaka Shin, gaining a Michelinstar within six months of opening.
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CITY PULSE | special report: world gourmet festival 2018
GIUSEPPE IANNOTTI Krèsios (Naples, Italy)
Giuseppe was born in Campania, in southwestern Italy, and after dropping out of university to pursue his passion for cooking – something he has been doing since the age of six - opened his first restaurant, Krèsios, in Castelvenere, in 2007. Soon after, he opened Krèsios Bottega, a shop specialising in local
gourmet products, and in 2011, merged the two businesses in a farmhouse owned by his family, just outside of Telese. A year later, he was voted “Best Young Chef” by Le Guide de L’Espresso and in 2013, joined Jeunes Restaurateurs d’Europe (JRE), followed by winning the “San Pellegrino Cooking Cup” and soon after, was granted admission to the restaurant association, Le Soste. In the same year, Giuseppe received his first Michelin-star.
LUIGI TAGLIENTI LUME (Milan, Italy)
Luigi was born in Liguria, in the northwest of Italy, and began his career training under “Maestro” Ezio Santin before working with chefs Christian Willer, Christian Sinicropi and Carlo Cracco. In 2007, he met Giorgio Chiesa and began working with him at Ristorante delle Antiche Contrade. Two years later, Luigi was awarded ‘Young Chef of the Year’ by the I Ristoranti d’Italia de L’Espresso, followed by his first Michelin star in 2009. Luigi left Cuneo in 2012, returning to Milan to work at Ristorante Trussardi alla Scala, where he won the prestigious ‘Gambero Rosso Three Forks’ award. He opened his restaurant in 2016, LUME, in Milan, and within a few months was awarded a Michelin star as well as ranked ‘Best New Restaurant in Europe 2017’ by Opinionated About Dining (OAD).
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SHINYA OTSUCHIHASHI CRAFTALE (Tokyo, Japan)
At 19, Shinya travelled to France to study in the gastronomic centre of Lyon. Since then he has worked both in haute cuisine - first at the Michelinrated The Georgian Club in Tokyo and then Joel Robuchon’s threeMichelin-starred, Le Chateau de Joel Robuchon, in Ebisu - and in smaller, less rarefied locations, such as Saturne in Paris and Restaurant Anis in Tokyo’s Hatsudai neighbourhood. In 2015, he opened his restaurant, CRAFTALE, and within two years, was awarded a Michelin star. Shinya describes the name CRAFTALE as a mashup of the words “craft” and “tale” as well as an anagram of the French word fractale (fractal). bangkok101.com
special report: world gourmet festival 2018 | CITY PULSE
BOBBY CHINN Celebrity Chef
Recognised for his many TV shows, Bobby is also a restaurateur and cookbook author, with an international following. He is a culinary celebrity across Asia and the Middle East, thanks in part to his role as host of Discovery TLC’s World Cafe series and judge on MBC’s Top Chef Middle East. Before relocating to London, Bobby opened two award-winning restaurants in Vietnam, but his culinary career began at the Elka Restaurant in the Miyako Hotel in San Francisco, working under notable chefs Elka Gilmore and Traci Des Jardins. In 2014, he was appointed Tourism Ambassador for Vietnam in Europe.
PAUL A YOUNG Chocolatier
Paul is an English chocolatier and pâtissier. He studied hotel catering and management at New College Durham and Leeds Metropolitan University in the UK, before moving to London to work with Marco Pierre White at Quo Vadis and Criterion. In 2006, he and his business partner opened their first chocolaterie in London and that same year was named the “Best New Chocolate Shop” by the Academy of Chocolate. They opened a second shop in London, followed by a third in 2011. Paul has positioned himself at the forefront of the British chocolate scene winning numerous international awards including several Golds at the International Chocolate Awards and a special award for Outstanding British Chocolatier. He is also a judge in the Grand Jury of the Academy of Chocolate Awards.
SEJU YANG Sommelier
Born in Osaka, Seju Yang moved to New York to train as a sommelier. Since his qualification, he has headed wine and beverage selections in several highly acclaimed restaurants, both in Tokyo and New York, including Bouley and Brushstroke in NYC, and at the three-Michelin starred Nihonryori Ryugin in Tokyo. When he joined S’accapau in Tokyo, Yang created a list focusing specifically on natural wines and sake pairings, paired with modern Italian cuisine. Celebrated for his expertise in international wines, Yang has created and curated wine lists with a truly borderless offering, sourcing from across the globe. In 2011, he was named as “Rising Star Sommelier” in New York by StarChefs.com as well as being named by Zagat in their “30 Under 30” list. In 2017, he received mention in the “World’s 50 Best Sommeliers of the World” list in Melbourne.
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CITY PULSE | special report: world gourmet festival 2018
World Gourmet Festival 2018: Calendar of Chef Events LUIGI TAGLIENTI LUME (Milan, Italy)
ALESSANDRA DEL FAVERO and OLIVER PIRAS AGA Ristorante (San Vito di Cadore, Italy)
GIUSEPPE IANNOTTI Krèsios (Naples, Italy)
Event
Dinner
Event
Dinner
Event
Dinner
Venue
Biscotti
Venue
Biscotti
Venue
Biscotti
Date
3-4 September
Date
5-6 September
Date
7-8 September
Time
Pre-Drink 7pm Dinner 7.30pm
Time
Pre-Drink 7pm Dinner 7.30pm
Time
Pre-Drink 7pm Dinner 7.30pm
Price
THB7,500++
Price
THB7,500++
Price
THB7,500++
JOSÉ AVILLEZ Belcanto (Lisbon, Portugal) Event Venue
Dinner Madison
BERNARD BACH Le Puits Saint-Jacques Restaurant (Toulouse, France) Event Venue
Dinner Madison
MARTIN DALSASS Talvo by Dalsass (St. Moritz, Switzerland) Event Venue
Dinner Madison
Date
3-4 September
Date
5-6 September
Date
7-8 September
Time
Pre-Drink 7pm Dinner 7.30pm
Time
Pre-Drink 7pm Dinner 7.30pm
Time
Pre-Drink 7pm Dinner 7.30pm
Price
THB9,400++
Price
THB8,900++
Price
THB7,500++
HAN LI GUANG Labyrinth (Singapore) Event Venue
Dinner The Spice Market
JEONG HO KIM Jungsik (Seoul, South Korea) Event Venue
Dinner The Spice Market
SRIJITH GOPINATHAN TAJ Campton Place (San Francisco, USA) Event Venue
Dinner The Spice Market
Date
3-4 September
Date
5-6 September
Date
7-8 September
Time
Pre-Drink 7pm Dinner 7.30pm
Time
Pre-Drink 7pm Dinner 7.30pm
Time
Pre-Drink 7pm Dinner 7.30pm
Price
THB7,500++
Price
THB8,900++
Price
THB7,500++
RYOHEI HIEDA Shoun RyuGin (Taipei, Taiwan) Event Venue
Dinner Shintaro
SHINYA OTSUCHIHASHI CRAFTALE (Tokyo, Japan) Event Venue
Dinner Shintaro
SHINJI ISHIDA Nogizaka Shin (Tokyo, Japan) Event Venue
Dinner Shintaro
Date
3-4 September
Date
5-6 September
Date
7-8 September
Time
Pre-Drink 7pm Dinner 7.30pm
Time
Pre-Drink 7pm Dinner 7.30pm
Time
Pre-Drink 7pm Dinner 7.30pm
Price
THB8,900++
Price
THB7,500++
Price
THB7,500++
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special report: world gourmet festival 2018 | CITY PULSE
World Gourmet Festival 2018: Calendar of Events
LADIES NIGHT Venue
Aqua
DIAGEO NIGHT with BOBBY CHINN
JOHNNIE WALKER BLUE LABEL NIGHT Venue
Venue
Aqua
Aqua
Date
5 September
Date
7 September
Date
8 September
Time
7pm-midnight
Time
7pm-midnight
Time
7pm-midnight
Price
à la carte
Price
à la carte
Price
à la carte
CHOCOLATE AFTERNOON TEA SET Venue
The Lobby
CHOCOLATE AFTERNOON TEA BUFFET Venue
THE BUBBLY HOUR with BILLECART-SALMON & PERONI
The Lobby
Venue
The Lobby
Date
6-7 September
Date
8-9 September
Date
3-8 September
Time
2pm-6pm
Time
2pm-6pm
Time
6pm-7pm
Price
THB1,000++
Price
THB1,200++
Price
à la carte
Prices are per person in Thai Baht and are subject to 10% service charge and 7% VAT
How To Reserve Your Seats WORLD GOURMET FESTIVAL STREET BRUNCH Venue
Madison, The Spice Market, and Aqua
Date
9 September
Time
11.30am-3pm
Price
*THB3,500++ **THB4,500++
All World Gourmet Festival 2018 events will be held at the Anantara Siam Bangkok Hotel (155 Ratchadamri Rd). To find out more, or to make your reservations, call 0 2126 8866 (ext. 1707), or email: wgf.asia@anantara.com. Visit the website at: www.WorldGourmetFestival.asia
in collaboration with and
*non-alcohol package **including alcohol package bangkok101.com
AUGUST 2018 | 27
CITY PULSE | special report: world gourmet festival 2018
World Gourmet Festival 2018: Calendar of Masterclass Events LUIGI TAGLIENTI and JOSÉ AVILLEZ
BERNARD BACH and ALESSANDRA DEL FAVERO and OLIVER PIRAS
JEONG HO KIM and HAN LI GUANG
Event
Masterclass
Event
Masterclass
Event
Masterclass
Venue
Montathip 1
Venue
Montathip 1
Venue
Montathip 1
Date
3 September
Date
4 September
Date
5 September
Time
10.30am-12pm and 12pm-1.30pm
Time
10.30am-12pm and 12pm-1.30pm
Time
10.30am-12pm and 12pm-1.30pm
Price
THB1,800++
Price
THB1,800++
Price
THB1,800++
MARTIN DALSASS
RYOHEI HIEDA SHINYA OTSUCHIHASHI SHINJI ISHIDA and Sake Master SEJU YANG
GIUSEPPE IANNOTTI and SRIJITH GOPINATHAN
Event
Masterclass
Event
Masterclass
Event
Masterclass
Venue
Montathip 1
Venue
Montathip 1
Venue
Montathip 1
Date
6 September
Date
6 September
Date
7 September
Time
10.30am-12pm
Time
12pm-1.30pm
Time
10.30am-12pm and 12pm-1.30pm
Price
THB1,400++
Price
THB3,000++
Price
THB1,800++
Chocolate Masterclass by PAUL A YOUNG with Afternoon Tea Event
Masterclass
Venue
The Lobby
Masterclass Anantara Siam Bangkok Hotel in collaboration with Fine Dining Lovers and Gastronauts Asia cordially invite you to attend an exclusive chef talk and masterclass with the full roster of chefs from the 19th World Gourmet Festival. Joining the chefs this year, will be an award-winning chocolatier and Sake sommelier, For a series of special tastings.
Date
4-5 September
Experience unique and dynamic masterclasses, from explanations, experiments and, of course, food and drink tastings.
Time
3pm-5pm
www.WorldGourmetFestival.asia
Price
*THB1,400++
Masterclass prices are including tasting menu with wine pairing *Chocolate Masterclass price is including afternoon tea Prices are per person in Thai Baht and are subject to 10% service charge and 7% VAT
28 | AUGUST 2018
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appetite
for indulgence
in collaboration with
19th World Gourmet Festival 3 - 9 September 2018
Anantara Siam Bangkok Hotel
Thirteen Chefs. Twelve Michelin-starred Restaurants. Nine Countries. Seven Days. One Hotel. Book early to avoid disappointment. For more information and reservation, call +66 (0) 2126 8866 ext. 1707 Email wgf.asia@anantara.com or book online at www.WorldGourmetFestival.asia
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CITY PULSE | best of bkk
Culinary Rising Stars
In a competitive city booming with a plethora of chefs and restaurants, here are eight rising stars, all still under 30 years of age By David J. Constable
I
set out to find Bangkok’s bright young things, those chefs with a clear and definitive talent in the kitchen and a creative nature that would one day thrust them into the global culinary sphere. What I discovered, in fact, was a host of young chefs already there; talent dotted around the city and in many cases, already running their own restaurants and businesses. In most of the cases, these chefs were still under the age of 30, and had achieved so much already; graduating from prestigious culinary institutions, travelling the world for experience in some of the most demanding environments, working and learning under culinary greats, and setting out solo in order to blaze their own trail. Young chef after young chef emerged, in a city already booming
with chefs and restaurants. Competition in this city is fierce and only the brave survive. Still, none of the chefs I met seemed deterred, but instead, appeared fired-up and driven; open to the challenge. To narrow my focus, I chose the debatably arbitrary threshold of age 30 and under. Why? Firstly, I hadn’t expected to discover so much young talent but I had to draw a line somewhere; and secondly, by the age of 30, a chef should have a direction formed—maybe not the final path, just the first of many. In the following pages are the chefs who, still under 30 years of age, are doing more than merely showing promise, they are kicking down doors, demonstrating leadership, showing creativity and cooking without fear.
PONGCHARN “TOP” RUSSELL (27) Executive Chef at Freebird www.freebirdbkk.com
Pongcharn (known as “Chef Top”) grew up in Phuket but made the brave decision to move to London aged just 15, where he was part of the opening team at Gauthier Soho under Alexis Gauthier. He developed at a rapid pace, working in multiple Michelin-starred restaurants with highly acclaimed names such as Jun Tanaka, Jason Atherton, Claude Bosi and the legendary French chef, Pierre Gagnaire. Returning to Thailand, he settled in Bangkok and soon became Executive Chef of Freebird, a modern restaurant in a quiet tree-lined Soi. Chef Top is one of the city’s most exciting young talents, winning BK magazine’s 2018 award for Best Young Chef, and overseeing the entire Freebird menu, using predominantly locally grown food from Thailand. What’s next? Still only 27 years-old, Chef Top is progressing quickly, establishing himself as a driving force in Bangkok and creating a new type of cuisine that perfectly combines the best of Australia and Thailand, something new and progressive in the modern Bangkok dining scene. Highly-influenced by global ingredients, Chef Top continues to build on an already expansive knowledge of international cuisines, continuously pushing boundaries. But he hasn’t finished yet, promising to reinvent Freebird and move away from modern Australian to create a more contemporary Bistro-style format. He has invited 30 | AUGUST 2018
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best of bkk | CITY PULSE several international chefs to Freebird for pop-ups, collaborating with the likes of Chef Ollie Hyde (Maggie Joan’s, Singapore) and Chef Ayo Adeyemi (Tippling Club, Singapore); a cross-collaboration trend that looks set to continue with more chefs scheduled to visit throughout the year.
Rice and Thai Wagyu Tenderloin are a celebration of Thai classics, reinterpreted for the modern diner. With the Bangkok Michelin Guide having launched in December 2017, many are tipping Riley for a star when the second edition is published later this year (anything less would be an injustice). With his evident passion and distinctive technique, Chef Riley is certainly on the right path and his future looks very bright indeed.
ARISARA “PAPER” CHONGPHANITKUL (26) Pastry Chef at Saawaan www.facebook.com/saawaanbkk
Arisara Chongphanitkul, better known as Chef Paper, is a rising star on the Thai and international culinary scene. After graduating from the Gastronomicom culinary school in France—followed by stints in the kitchens of Sadaharu Aoki and Hugues Pouget in Paris—she interned at the Beau-Rivage Hotel in Switzerland, working alongside pastry greats Sadaharu Aoki, Hugues Pouget and Laurent Gerbaud. Chef Paper then returned to Bangkok in 2011 to work with Chef Ian Kittichai at Issaya Siamese Club (No.39 on Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants list 2018) as Issaya Group’s Pastry Chef. She appeared at Gastronaut Asia’s Women in Gastronomy (WIG) event at The Sukhothai Bangkok in March.
RILEY SANDERS (29) Executive Chef at Canvas www.canvasbangkok.com
As the creative visionary behind Canvas, Texas-born Riley Sanders has already established himself as one of the leading young talents in the Bangkok fine-dining scene. Training in the States with numerous local restaurants, including James Beard Award winners Tyson Cole and Paul Qui of Uchi; Uchiko in Austin; and Laurent Gras, formerly of the three Michelin-starred L20 in Chicago, Riley left for Asia and to experience life-on-the-road. He fell in love with Southeast Asia and eventually settled in Bangkok in 2013 (after discovering Khlong Toey Market). By 2016, he had created Canvas, a charming restaurant located on Sukhumvit Soi 55, with a focus on fresh, regional produce, prepared and plated with a contemporary flourish. What’s next? Riley recently relaunched the menu at Canvas, with new and bold creations rooted in the very best of Thai produce. Plates such as Blue Swimmer Crab with Sticky bangkok101.com
What’s next? As part of the female duo behind Bangkok’s new Saawaan restaurant, Chef Paper is given free reign to create her unique pasty creations, indulging fully in her passion. Still only 26 years-old, few are given the opportunity Chef Paper has to develop and impress. Desserts and sweets such as pandan, coconut and pumpkin pudding show raw creativity, while Thai-inspired petit fours demonstrate knowledge and respect for Thai culinary traditions. AUGUST 2018 | 31
CITY PULSE | best of bkk
RYDO ANTON (29) Head Chef at Gaggan www.eatatgaggan.com
Nelson moved to Bangkok where he now presents his unique brand of new-wave Portuguese gastronomy.
Born in Jakarta, Rydo grew up in Kuala Lumpur but soon left home for Switzerland, working in top restaurants before two more relocations took him to France and then Qatar. Eventually, Bangkok came calling, and he began work with the celebrated chef, Gaggan Anand. Five years later, Rydo was appointed Head Chef and along with Gaggan, has helped the restaurant gain two Michelin-stars as well as the unrivalled reign of No.1 on Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants list for four consecutive years.
What’s next? With his creative menus rooted in childhood nostalgia and the influences experienced during his many travels, Chef Nelson is introducing a new type of cuisine to Thailand; best described at Italian-meets-Portuguese, with added twists. His reputation continues to increase with more and more press coverage and with the honour of receiving a Michelin Plate in 2017, he must surely be looking to go one better when the second Bangkok Michelin Guide is released in December. What’s next? With the shock news that Gaggan will close his restaurant in 2020 and relocate to Japan, many were left wondering what would happen to the Bangkok space. Then, news followed that the restaurant would be handed over to Chef Rydo, giving him space and flexibility to demonstrate his creativity and establish his own menu. With so much experience already and having only just turned 29 yearsold, proving himself year-after-year at the highest level, the future looks exciting for Chef Rydo. We’ll have to wait until 2020 until he branches out solo.
NELSON AMORIM (27) Head Chef at Il Fumo www.ilfumo.co
Born and raised in Northern Portugal, around the magnificent wine region of Douro Valley, Nelson, still only 27 years-old, has already achieved a great deal. He first honed his skills at the Michelin-rated DOC Restaurante working under Rui Paula, before deciding to travel, first to the Madeira islands, then Angola, before settling down in Asia. In Hong Kong, he opened Casa Lisboa as Head Chef before leaving to work under the Umberto Bombana at 8½ Otto e Mezzo BOMBANA in Macau. Then, with the offer of free reign over the kitchen at Il Fumo (Italian for “smoke”), 32 | AUGUST 2018
DEEPANKER “DK” KHOSLA (28) Owner & Head Chef at Haoma www.haoma.dk
Growing up in Allahabad, a small town north of New Delhi, Deepanker, better known “DK”, walked a fine line between mischief and academia. He had dreams of becoming a fighter pilot while his mother had ambitions for him bangkok101.com
best of bkk | CITY PULSE to work in hospitality. He eventually enrolled at the Welcomgroup Graduate School of Hotel Administration (WGSHA) and channelled his energy into cooking. Soon he was running a restaurant in Mumbai, with a stint in Dubai, before receiving a call from Charcoal in Bangkok. After a year and a half, he left Charcoal to create his own business, NutriChef, specialising in delivering “wholesome, clean food to help lose weight, save time, and feel amazing!” He continues to run NutriChef alongside his restaurant, Haoma, which opened in November 2017. What’s next? With an ever-growing reputation, Haoma is undoubtedly keeping Chef DK busy. The premise of the restaurant is built around farm-to-table produce, implementing a philosophy of urban dining and a concept of zero kilometres; creating the restaurant’s own mini-ecosystem. Chef DK has therefore become a farmer, botanist and chef all rolled into one. He also owns and operates Karma Kismet restaurant in India and has a huge project in the pipeline for Kuala Lumpur called Lift, expected to be fully operational by early-2019.
What’s next? Quince earned a deserved Michelin Plate in the 2017 Bangkok Guide for its “comforting dishes” and “raw materials imported from an organic farm.” Now, with Chef Charlie at the helm and his international experience with worldly produce (as well as Thai), expect a stronger, more organic-focused menu with the added benefit of an allotment-style garden attached to the restaurant. With the already impressive honour of a Michelin Plate, surely Chef Charlie is gunning for a Bib Gourmand (or even a Star) when the second edition of the Bangkok Michelin Guide is published in December.
PHATCHARA “POM” PIRAPAK (27) former Head Chef at Saneh Jaan
CHARLIE JONES (29) Head Chef at Quince www.quincebangkok.com
Charlie Jones has what is best described as an “international background”. Born in Chiang Mai to a Thai mother and a South African father, Charlie moved to London to further his cooking experience, working at Elliot’s in Borough Market and creating menus based solely on the produce found in the market that day. Returning to Bangkok, he was part of the opening team at Rocket before travelling to Singapore to work at Esquina then Maggie Joan’s. Upon returning to Bangkok, he became Head Chef of Quince, carrying on the legacy of homey Mediterranean-inspired fare with the use of mostly regional Thai produce. He grew-up with Chef Top (Freebird), and the two chefs remain close friends. bangkok101.com
Notoriously shy, and still shy of 30, Phatchara is better known as Chef Pom. She might only be 27 years-old, but her refined Thai cuisine drawn from age-old recipes were enough to win the hearts of Michelin’s food inspectors and earn Saneh Jaan restaurant a coveted star last year. Earlier this year, she was part of the Fine Dining Lovers Guest Chef series, cooking at Banyan Tree Phuket’s signature restaurant, Saffron, as well as featuring at Gastronaut Asia’s Women in Gastronomy (WIG) event at The Sukhothai Bangkok in March. What’s next? Within the past few weeks, it was announced that Chef Pom had left Saneh Jaan to pursue new projects. It’s still undetermined as to what her plans are next and if any Bangkok restaurants have reached out, but local foodies wait in anticipation to learn Chef Pom’s next move and given that she has already achieved so much in her short career, this next move could be something fascinating. Watch this space. Permissions: Rydo Anton, Vivid Cuisine; Phatchara Pirapak, Bangkok Michelin Guide AUGUST 2018 | 33
CITY PULSE | best of bkk
What You Should Be Eating (According to Bangkok Chefs)
This city spoils you making meals a complicated discussion with a myriad of delicious options, so we asked chefs for their recommendations to help narrow the choice In conversation with David J. Constable
DAN BARK
Upstairs at Mikkeller “In Bangkok you have to eat som tam (papaya salad). My favourite version is the one with raw blue crab. Also, grilled prawns with seafood sauce.”
ANDY YANG
Table 38 “Ching Kee (Maha Chai Rd) does the most legendary lard na in Bangkok. It’s stir-fried wide noodles with chicken or beef and vegetables, topped with gravy. The restaurant is run by four generations but there’s pressure on continuing to hand it on, so it might close soon.”
GAGGAN ANAND
ARNAUD DUNAND SAUTHIER
Le Normandie at Mandarin Oriental Bangkok “My last discovery was Saawaan restaurant (39/19 Suan Phlu Rd). Really nice food with a great concept. I thought showing the different styles and techniques of Thai cooking was wonderful. A beautiful ambience there, too.”
Gaggan “You’ll find me at Khua Kling Pak Sod (98/1 Soi Thonglor 5 Sukhumvit 55) at least once a week for their southern-style yellow curry and beef with green chilies. And there’s the mango sticky rice from Mae Varee (Sukhumvit 55). Then, the crab omelet, the drunken noodles and the shrimp with young coconut shoots at Jay Fai. The team often hit Ramen Tei (Silom branch closes at 2am) for shio ramen with extra veggies and pan-fried gyoza.”
THITID TASSANAKAJOHN
Le Du “Saeng Chai Pochana (on Sukhumvit Rd) does delicious Thai-Chinese seafood. The pad dok kajon and pla gao tod gratiem prik are both epic.”
SUPINYA JUNSUTA
Jay Fai “My gai lan with abalone and the food at Bo.Ian restaurant is some of my favourite.”
34 | AUGUST 2018
THOMAS & MATHIAS SÜHRING
Sühring “Khao man gai (Thai chicken and rice) at Nang Linchi. It’s a 40-year family business and is close to our restaurant so we spend lots of time there.”
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best of bkk | CITY PULSE
BONGKOCH SATONGUN
Paste “Lon is a coconut based relish served with raw vegetables; some eggplant, wing bean, and white turmeric. Try lon with salt crab and lon with fermented beans. This dish is considered to be the very heart of Thai food. It’s mild, using herbs such as lemongrass, lime leaf, and red onion. The best place to try these is Krua Apsorn (69 Dinso Rd). Also, lon with sour sausage from Suan Kanwela (73/60, Kamphaeng Phet Rd).”
PONGCHARN RUSSELL
Freebird “Jeh Kai Seafood is a restaurant in Prachachuen, just outside of town. They’re famous for their horseshoe crab with curry paste, but the deep-fried shiitake and pla muk nung manow (squid in a lime broth) is insanely good. Also, Sri Trat on Sukhumvit 33 is somewhere I go a few times a week.”
JUTAMAS THEANTAE
Karmakamet Diner “Reun Panya Restaurant in Samutsakorn. It’s on the outskirts of the city, Rama 2 Road. To me, this is a very special place. Not a lot of people know about it but they really have the best curries.”
FATIH TUTAK
The Dining Room at The House on Sathorn “Crab curry is my favourite. Whether you’re visiting Bangkok or live here, you should definitely try it at one of the Somboon Seafood restaurants.”
NELSON AMORIM
Il Fumo “I love Paste (Gaysorn Village), very good ingredients and they keep the Thai tradition while being contemporary and refined. Also, 80/20 (Charoen Krung Rd) is great. I love moo ping (grilled pork skewers) from the street food stalls—amazing!”
TIM BUTLER
Eat Me “One of my favourite things to eat in Thailand is laab moo tod. It’s a spicy salad of meat cooked in its own juices. There’s toasted ground rice with mixed herbs and a final squeeze of lime juice. You can find it at most street stalls.”
RILEY SANDERS
Canvas “The snacks in Khlong Toey Market. It’s simply the best place to see (and taste) amazing Thai ingredients available on a daily basis. And you can try many different types of snacks. It’s local and off-the-beaten track, but it’ll give you a really authentic experience.”
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CITY PULSE | best of bkk
SAKI HOSHINO
80/20 “I like Jack’s Bar by the river. It’s right next to the Shangri-La Hotel. There’s a great vibe there and they serve delicious southern Thai food. It’s spicy but very addictive, perfect with beer or Thai whiskey. The 80/20 team love to go to Boon Pochana (152/8-9, Silom Rd) after service. It’s Thai-Chinese and is open until 3-4am.”
CHARLIE JONES
Quince “The aromatic smoke of moo ping grilled over coal embers will lure you in. Those succulent pieces of pork meat. Go to Moo Ping Hea Owen (or “Mr Fat”) on the corner of Soi Convent in Silom, he is the master of grilled pork.”
DEEPANKER KHOSLA RUNGTHIWA CHUMMONGKHON Waldorf Astoria Bangkok “Thip Samai (Maha Chai Rd) does the best pad thai in town!” It’s located on Pratuphee and they’ve been there since 1966. My favourite dish there is pad thai hao kai goong sot, the charcoalroasted flavours from the wok is the best part!”
CHET ATKINS
JUA “Som tam, for sure! It’s a dish that really shows off the complexity of the Thai flavour range: sweet, sour, spicy… and it’s great at every street stall. It’s addictively hot but crunchy and refreshing too!”
Haoma “My go to spot is Horm Pla Pao. Also, Bamboo (Nana Soi 3) for Lebanese and Syrian food. Damn good! Oh, and the blue swimming crab salad at the Huai Kwang night market. There’s so much great stuff out there!”
JAMIE WAKEFORD
Bampot Kitchen & Bar “My most memorable meal recently was at Saawaan restaurant. The pork secreto over charcoal was awesome.”
ARNIE MARCELLA
Bunker “The fruits. There’s so much of them... lychee, rambutan, mangosteen, longan family. They are next level compared to the ones you find in the States and Europe. Try as many varieties of mango as possible. Fruits are one of Thailand’s simplest pleasures and are often overlooked.”
HANS ZAHNER
Tables Grill at Grand Hyatt Erawan Bangkok “Mango with sticky rice is a dessert that satisfies all of my cravings in one mouthful. The coconut milk on top of the sweet and aromatic rice is complimented by the mango. I could eat it all week.”
AMIT KUMAR
Indus “Try the local street food like som tam, pad ka pao gai (stir fried chicken and basil) and gaeng keow wan gai (Thai chicken green curry). Order with a local beer, like Chang. Also, the signature Nawabi Raan (7-hour slow-cooked mutton leg) at Indus.”
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best of bkk | CITY PULSE
DAVID TAMBURINI
La Scala at The Sukhothai Bangkok “When I first arrived in Bangkok, I was blown away by the fruit. Try Durian in its many forms and sour mango. Santol fruit is really good, sweet and sour with a creamy inside. It’s often used as an ingredient in som tam.”
HESHAN PEIRIS
Banyan Tree Bangkok “Two places hard to beat are Namsaah Bottling Trust (401 Soi Si Lom 7, Si Lom Rd) and Salon du Japonisant by Bacchus (36/5 Soi Sukhumvit 39). The first is where you’d go for Thai food with a twist, while the second is a must for those who consider themselves connoisseurs of Japanese spirits, but may I suggest opting for the cocktails as well. Both are off the beaten path, yet something you won’t regret checking out.”
GAV KOH AND KHAE PRISCILLA
Eats Payao “I think gaeng hung lay, a northern-style slow-cooked pork belly curry. The pork belly is slowly stewed, it’s incredible. And, rather obviously (and shamelessly), I’d recommend our northern Thai restaurant too!”
DUANGRIT BUANAG & NAREE BOONYAKIAT
The Never Ending Summer “The Thai-style “Cook Shops” like Foo Mui Kee, Chairoji, and Ming Lhee. These shops are run by Chinese chefs who cook Western food but using limited ingredients with Chinese seasonings and influence. Also, if you haven’t been before, then the Bangkok markets: Khlong Toey, Talad Thai, and Taladma Ha Nak.”
NOOROR SOMANY-STEPPE
Blue Elephant “Tub harn sauce ma-kham (foie gras with tamarind sauce) is my favourite. I first had it in France and it reminds me of my time there. And, yum ped lychee (duck salad with lychee), using local lychees, of course. For local curry, kaeng khi hlek nuey (Forgotten Beef Curry) at Blue Elephant is very popular. Also, taste cheesecake with durian fruit for a creamy, delicious and authentic dessert.”
JAN VAN DYK
Anantara Siam Bangkok “One of my favourite street food dishes is noodles with moo pad prik Thai dam (crispy pork and Thai black pepper). It’s served under a theatre in Chinatown called Uan. There’s usually a line, so that’s a good sign I think.”
DANIEL BUCHER
Marriott Marquis Queen’s Park “Try every fruit you’ve never seen before. Don’t limit yourself. Coconut sugar too. Back home I used to pay €5 a kg for unrefined muscovado from India. Here they have amazing unrefined coconut sugar for very cheap. It’s the most traditional, local and unpretentious product, grown organically on family farms. It tastes like sticky, chewy, toffeetastic tongue gold!”
NANANG PRASETYA
Nimitr at 137 Pillars Suites & Residences “Thai seafood salad (yum talay) is really delicious, especially when it’s full of fresh crab, scallops, salmon, prawns, squid etc. Most of the street food stalls use a simple dressing of lime juice and sugar with a tiny bit of fish sauce, so the ingredients marinate.”
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HASAN RIZVI
Charcoal “The pad thai at Thip Samai is excellent, one of the best in the city. And if you haven’t tried dragon fruit (pitaya) in Bangkok, then you should.”
AUGUST 2018 | 37
CITY PULSE | best of bkk
BASTIAN FALKENROTHZ Germany
MARIO BARRIOS Natherlands
GUY LASSAUSAIE France
NICOLAS ISNARD France
PAUL LIEBRANDT USA
NICOLAS ELALOUF Hong Kong
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PHILIPPE ORRICO Hong Kong
LEO HUGUENIN France
PATRICE MARCHAND France
LEONARD ELENBAAS Natherlands
PHILLIPE MARCHAND France
MARIA JOSE SAN ROMAN Spain
ROB VAN DER VEEKEN Natherlands
DIDIER CORLOU Vietnam
BRUND DINEL France
SIMON SCOTT France
JACQUES COCOLLOS France
JAMES NOBLE Thailand
STEPHANE BONNAT France
MARIA EUGENIA SAN ROMAN Spain
THOMAS SMITH Thailand
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best of bkk | CITY PULSE
N
ow in its seventh year, So Amazing Chefs 2018 returns next month (14-23 Sept) bringing together a new league of 21 chefs and culinary maestros representing 14 Michelin stars. Together with nine AccorHotels chefs, they will be taking diners on a gastronomic journey with specially curated culinary activities including cooking classes, a Sunday Brunch, Cheese@SO, Oyster Night, Dim Sum PopUp Dinner, Cheese & Grill Pop-Up Dinner, and a Mixologist Night featuring world class Diageo bartenders. Cooking classes offer foodies the rare chance to learn the art of spices, pastry, and chocolate directly from their respective masters. As with every year, the event culminates with a Culinary Showdown, in which all chefs compete against one another in an evening of friendly culinary competition. The 30 total chefs highlighting this year’s 10-day culinary spectacle hail from more corners of the world than ever before, with each chef bringing their own unique flairs and cultural influences into the weeklong event. New faces this year include James Noble, former chef of The Pink Geranium (**) in the UK and founder of The Boutique Farmers in Hua Hin, Thailand; Mario Barrios, former pâtissier of Librije’s Zusje Amsterdam (**) in the Netherlands; Simon Scott, chef-owner of Bistrot Saveurs (*) in Castres, France; Rob van der Veeken, chef of De Karpendonkse Hoeve (*) in Eindhoven, the Netherlands; Guy Lassausaie, chef-owner of Restaurant Guy Lassausaie (**) in Lyon, France; Bastian Falkenroth, chef-owner of U. das Restaurant (*) in Düsseldorf, Germany; Philippe Orrico, chef-owner of Upper Modern Bistro (*) and On Dining Kitchen & Lounge, both in Hong Kong. Proudly representing the host venue is Thomas Smith, Head Culinary Designer at SO Sofitel Bangkok. The yearly celebration of the culinary arts also welcomes its mother-daughter duo: María José San Román is the chef-owner of Monastrell (*) in Alicante, Spain; and María Eugenia Perramón San Román is a director at her family tapas bar La Taberna del Gourmet bangkok101.com
in Alicante, Spain. Other culinary masters that are also making a debut include Nicolas Elalouf, owner of Man Mo, the world’s first contemporary dim sum restaurant located in Hong Kong; and former ‘Best Young Cheesemonger in the World’ Leo Huguenin. Familiar returning faces this year include Paul Liebrandt, chef-owner of Corton (**) in New York; Nicolas Isnard, chef-owner of L’Auberge de la Charme (*) in Prenois, France; Jacques Cocollos, owner of a French oyster farm and renowned exporter of top quality oysters to Asia; Patrice & Phillipe Marchand, co-owners of one of the oldest family-run dairy producers in Nancy, France, specializing in cheese; Stéphane Bonnat of Bonnat Chocolatier, the oldest chocolatier in the world; Didier Corlou, prolific culinary personality and master of spices; and Leonard Elenbaas, demonstration chef of Big Green Egg charcoal barbecue cooker in Europe. Bruno Dinel, maître boulanger-owner of Bib Gourmand recipient Le Bistrot du Boulanger in Strasbourg, France, also makes a comeback following his 2016 participation in the SO Amazing Chefs program. Chefs from SO Sofitel Bangkok, Sofitel Bangkok Sukhumvit, Vie Hotel, and Hotel Muse Bangkok will also play supporting roles in SO Amazing Chefs 2018 which is taking place from 14-23 September 2018 at SO Sofitel Bangkok. “What started as a gathering of 12 chefs eight years ago has since grown into an annual gastronomy showcase of 21 of the finest chefs from eight countries and three continents around the world. In recent years Bangkok has really started making a name for itself as a fine dining destination, and I cannot be more proud of the role SO Sofitel Bangkok has played in this city’s evolution.” - Torsten Richter, General Manager of SO Sofitel Bangkok For a full listing of the programme, please visit: www.so-sofitel-bangkok.com/so-happening/so-amazingchefs-2018/program/ AUGUST 2018 | 39
CITY PULSE | special feature
An Interview with Jay Fai For this special chefs issue we sat down with perhaps the most famous chef in Bangkok and an icon of street food, Jay Fai, to discuss sourcing the best ingredients, earning a Michelin star, why hard work and dedication—no matter the age—is essential, and we hear about her unique invitation from a very special chef. Here is Jay Fai in her own words In conversation with Mason Florence and David J. Constable
“I
opened Jay Fai almost 40 years ago. I was born opposite and lived just over the road from where the restaurant is now. I helped my mum with the cooking, and as I grew older, I became more and more interested in ingredients. I wanted to help, but also, to find the best ingredients possible so I could cook great food. I worked hard and made sure that I never cut corners. Don’t use shortcuts in cooking as that is very dangerous. Lots of restaurants do this, they want to produce food quickly and cheaply, but the customer can tell. All I want to do is cook. If I’m being rewarded, then it’s because of the ingredients I use, and that then helps with the food I produce. Everyone should use the best ingredients possible, and making things from scratch is an important skill; curry paste, animal bones for broth, source the best and freshest seafood. This has always been very important to me. I get through around 20 kilos of crab per day. I only use the best, but it’s also the most expensive. The challenge for me is finding the very best crab and always the best ingredients; it’s my main concern. Working hard and getting tired, that’s normal. Finding the best produce is still the challenge for me. The khai jiew poo (crab omelette), boo paht pong baree (crab curry) and
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my use of crab have become my signature, but the guay tiew kua talay (stir-fried noodles with seafood) is very good, and I think my most important dish is gai lan with abalone. It’s good because I cook what I want to cook. I get the abalone from Mexico. It’s very, very, very good. However, it’s 10,000 baht. It has to be as it’s not cheap to source and it takes skill and much time to prepare and cook correctly. It is wonderful though. Everyone always asks me about Michelin. However, it’s okay. Yes, it was and still is a great honour. I am very proud. The whole story is strange though. Someone from Michelin called to invite me to the ceremony. They had called me before, but I ignored them and even turned them down. I kept wondering why they wanted to invite me to a ceremony? I didn’t know what it was. I thought, this has nothing to do with food and I don’t need to buy tyres. After a while, I asked my daughters and some other people and eventually accepted the invitation from Michelin. Many years ago I saw a Michelin doll on a truck and thought he was really cute. I told my daughters, and they found me a doll and gave it to me as a gift. I loved it and kept him in my bed for years. I still do. When I walked through the doors for the ceremony, I thought wow! I didn’t know what to say. I looked around and recognised some of the top chefs. I was very happy bangkok101.com
special feature | CITY PULSE to be there. Then, I listened as names were read out and I was so pleased for all of these Bangkok chefs. Everyone was happy. Everyone was smiling. I listened to the restaurant names and then… “Jay Fai”. My world stopped. It was the best moment of my life. I never dreamed of anything like this. When I was awarded the Michelin star, I was just so happy. I went on the stage and the people were clapping. On the stage was the Michelin man. Like, a big doll. There he was. I took the award to bed that night, so it was with my doll. I work hard and always do my best, but this was a real surprise. Yes, there is pressure too. I am really busy. My team are really busy. More and more customers now come. It is difficult and stressful for me, but it always has been. I’m happy that more people know about Thailand and Thai food because of Michelin, that’s a very good thing for the country. I hope more chefs win more awards next time, but not me. I love seeing all of the customers but it’s too busy all of the time. Some government and tax department officials have started visiting, not for food, but to talk to me as they are curious about business. They never were before. Really, the best thing about receiving the award was seeing how happy it made the people around me. I had already eaten at Bo.lan before Michelin but none of the other restaurants. Since receiving the Michelin star, I have tried to eat at other restaurants in Bangkok, but I work very hard and long hours and do not have much free time. Although this is the way, I think it’s important to try foods around you. I would say to young chefs, work hard. Be dedicated. Always be strong and keep the passion. This is my advice.
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For me, it’s all about cooking and making people happy. Yes, I’ve had many visitors over the years, even members of the Royal family. There have been politicians and diplomats visiting the restaurant late at night or very early in the morning. Martha Stewart also visited. Lots of chefs visit after service. I like cooking for local chefs. That makes me happy. Because of this honour and my age, I know there have been rumours that I might retire and close the restaurant, but that is not true. No, no, no. In fact, if you come back in ten years, everything will be the same. I don’t want my daughters to take over though; it’s a tough job and a tough life. My daughters are very talented, and I want them to lead a better life, not to go through life always exhausted. For the future, who knows? I would like to eat in more local restaurants and travel more, especially around Thailand. Going abroad would be very nice. I always thought that it would be too difficult but I’m travelling to Copenhagen at the end of the month to be the opening presenter at the MAD Symposium with René Redzepi. At the Michelin ceremony, the man presenting even suggested there could be plans for expansion and even Jay Fai chains. I don’t see this. Me cooking here is manageable. Just me with my woks. There has to be Jay Fai at Jay Fai.
Jay Fai
”
327 Samran Rat Intersection, Phra Nakhon Tel: 02 223 9384 instagram.com/jayfaibangkok
AUGUST 2018 | 41
LIVING IN STYLE | health watch
BDMS Wellness Clinic Nai Lert Park Regenerates... as can its guests A specialist clinic for the best preventative care in Bangkok Thailand’s largest hospital operator, Bangkok Dusit Medical Services (Bangkok Hospital Group), bought the luxurious five-star Swissotel Nai Lert Park Hotel and its grounds, including its spacious landscaped private garden, in 2016 for development into a holistic services medical centre. Now open for business, in the heart of the city, on Wireless Road, the BDMS Wellness Clinic provides integrated Preventive Medicine services, driven by medical technology, state-of-the-art equipment—including the use of DAVID Health Solution exercise machines—and by partnering with medical institutions worldwide. Now, they are offering one of their most impressive health42 | AUGUST 2018
promoting services: the Regenerative Clinic. No matter your age, it does not necessarily mean that your body has to appear, or function, any less. Some people naturally have that Peter Pan power to resist the effects of ageing, but others may need a little help. The Regenerative Clinic, headed by Dr. Tanupol Virunhagarun, MD. is a newlyopened clinic within the BDMS Wellness Clinic complex, offering a cutting-edge branch of medicine. “Our doctors play the role of a health coach,” says Dr. Tanupol. “Good health initailly starts with your personal efforts and once you’re ready to take a further step, comprehensive check-
ups will be a good choice for you to pusue.” On arrival at the BDMS Wellness Clinic’s regenerative unit, guests will undergo first-level comprehensive screening. All-encompassing blood, saliva and urine check-ups are conducted to identify biomarkers for any genetic predispositions to chronic illnesses or diseases. Detailed blood checks analyze your health at a molecular and genetic level. Genetic testing is at the core of each guest’s journey towards better health and quality of life, and if the potential for a chronic disease is identified, their team of highly-trained doctors can begin tailoring a health intervention program. bangkok101.com
health watch | LIVING IN STYLE
The doctors and support medical staff have access to a library of regularly updated data to gauge each guest’s health against established optimal age norms. This includes benchmarking hormone levels across nationalities and differing age groups.
Wellness Clinic, protecting guests against developing a variety of cancers.
The staff of the Regenerative Clinic also assess cell ageing via telomere testing. This cutting-edge technology is used to measure the rate at which a guest’s body is ageing. Telomeres are found at the end of each chromosome, and they begin to shorten as the human body ages; measuring the length of a subjects telomeres, and comparing individual results against age norms, is an accurate marker for the ageing process, and the longer the telomere is, the slower your ageing process will be.
“Advancements in regenerative medicine today allow our medical specialists to examine the body right down to molecular level. Through the application technology and highly trained specialists in regenerative and preventive medicine, we are able to develop a personalised program based on detailed lab results that examine the whole body, including hormones, micronutrient and antioxidant levels, in ammation markers, and in-depth genetic analysis. From this, our in-house compounding pharmacy can develop a supplement program to balance any de ciencies and help the body reach its optimum state.”
A wide array of vaccines recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO) is also available at the BDMS
Customised care plans are developed, tailor-made for each individual, based on the comprehensive data
collected. Within onsite, state-of-theart laboratories, pharmacists make the necessary compounds and supplements required by an individual guest. Referrals from the doctors and staff at the Regeneration Clinic to one of the other six clinics in the BDMS Wellness Clinic complex (Musculoskeletal & Sports; Neuroscience; Cardioscience; Dental; Fertility, and Digestive Wellness) ensures that the onward journey of a guest through the various clinics is specific and seamless. Intimate and non-intrusive assistance, with a personal touch, is provided at every stage of the journey towards guest’s being the healthiest person they can possibly be. Wellness clinics and healthcare centres are usually found in beach resorts or on islands, but the BDMS Wellness Clinic is an island of health and hope itself, set within its own private oasis of greenery, and offering the best preventative care, located in the very heart of Bangkok.
BDMS Wellness Clinic 2/4 Wireless Road, Lumpini, Pathumwan, Bangkok 10330 | Tel:+66 2 826 9999 |
www.bdmswellness.com
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bdmswellnessclinic
AUGUST 2018| 43
SNAPSHOTS | insight
4 4 | AUGUST 2018
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insight | SNAPSHOTS
Josean Alija
Fresh from feeding the world, a young Basque chef is making a name for himself, serving vibrant local creations within artistic surroundings
U
nlike most Spanish boys who dream of becoming a footballer or rock and roll star, Josean Alija always knew he wanted to become a chef. As a chef— and owner of Nerua in Bilbao—he has risen to be one of the most celebrated chefs in Spain and indeed, the world. In June, Josean fed the world as international chefs, journalists and industry peers descended on Bilbao for the World's 50 Best Restaurants awards 2018. Talk about a challange; or rather, for Josean, an opportunity to showcase the very best of the Basque Country. “I love good, authentic food," says Josean. "I’m interested in the history, the products, the ingredients, the techniques, and the significance of each dish," he said. “As a chef, I saw a profession with power, someone who seduces the palate and the heart, making people happy.” At 14, Josean studied at the Leioa School of Restaurant Management. Three years later he started his career, cooking traditional Basque cuisine and working in several avant-garde
NOW NEW NEXT Join Bangkok-born but internationally bred aesthete Dr. Tom Vitayakul as he meets with creative minds and artistic souls from both Thailand and overseas. From traditional, to contemporary and avant-garde, he finds out about the visions, inspirations, and creations of these talented individuals. bangkok101.com
restaurants; including under Ferran Adrià at elBulli. Josean says, “I learnt at elBulli that thinking is important in cooking. You have to develop your thought structure, but the most important thing is to find your personality.” In 2000, two years after working in the kitchens of the Guggenheim Museum Bilbao, he had a motorcycle accident and was in a coma for 21 days. He woke up without the sense of taste and smell—essential tools of any chefs. He had to learn how to taste and recognize flavours and aromas again. During the recovery, he took part in the Best Young Chef (The Best of Gastronomy Congress) competition and won. It motivated and restored his professional passion. In 2003, Josean found that the key to success was research. He explains about his cerebral approach, “It’s essential to analyse the products in depth and to learn about their origins. The creative process and the fundamental part of my cuisine were born—analysing, reflecting, and adopting different ways. I have gradually perfected, over the seasons, my style of cuisine: Muina—pure, essential, and without disguises.” In 2011, Josean fulfilled his dream by opening Nerua at the Guggenheim Museum Bilbao to offer a modern taste of Bilbao’s gastronomic culture with the Muina concept. “Nerua has its roots in the Basque Country. I combine local and seasonal ingredients, flavours from memories with harmony, knowledge and personal style. Our goal is to be at the cutting edge and to innovate without losing the flavours of our roots.” He elaborates, “My cuisine comes in many layers. You can taste different flavours and
textures, and the dégustation menu works like musical notes that go to a crescendo at the end. Each dish plays with diners’ emotions. I want to be remembered as an artisan, a craftsman who has perfected his techniques.” During its first year, Nerua received a Michelin star, and the International Academy of Gastronomy awarded 3 Suns in the Repsol Guide and Josean the Prix du Chef de L’Avenir (The Chef of the Future Award). The restaurant also featured in “Nerua, the Flavours of the River,” a TVE documentary. “I find influences from lifestyles, experiments, travels, and many great chefs," says Josean. "Travelling is a good way to learn and taste a variety of food. Similar to Spain or Italy, Thailand has built relationships around food. It’s in every corner, in different regions and styles. I like countries with cuisines that have roots, creators, and authenticity. They haven’t lost their culinary heritage.” He concludes, “We’re determined to share knowledge, research, projects, life experiences, and emotions. It enables me to participate in interesting projects like documentaries, my book and the blog (see Nerua website) where I explain about the products we use in detail. I also talk about our cooking experiences overseas and the produce purveyors who make Nerua possible. We keep documenting things so future generations will understand and continue the innovation. elBulli's modernisation has changed the history of gastronomy. Many have copied Ferran's style, but creativity and hard work lie in the conceptual development and with a chef’s personality.” AUGUST 2018 | 45
SNAPSHOTS | bizarre thailand
46 | AUGUST 2018
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bizarre thailand | SNAPSHOTS
Whale Watching W
Spotting marine mammals in the Gulf of Thailand
hale watching is a pastime many would associate with Alaska, Australia, or the Maritime region of Canada, but the Gulf of Thailand is a feeding and breeding ground for a resident population of several dozen Bryde’s Whales. These leviathans, which are up to 14-meters long and can weigh 18-tonnes, are the largest of four marine mammals in the gulf—the others being the Irrawaddy dolphin, and two much rarer species, the finless porpoise and the Indo-Pacific humpback dolphin. In Thailand, Wild Encounter Thailand is the only company that offers argosies to spot these cetaceans, and few sights in the animal kingdom are more spellbinding than the sight of a Bryde’s whale breaking the water’s surface to open its cavernous maw, which remains agape for a minute or two, as fish try to leap out while seabirds dive and screech in a bid to snap up some live supper in mid-air. From the first downpours of the monsoon season in May, until the end of the calendar year, Wild Encounter Thailand does outings almost every Saturday and Sunday. But the peak season for sightings is September and October, because that’s when the
Bizarre
Thailand Bizarre Thailand's columnist Jim Algie has parlayed his experiences living in Thailand into books like the collection of short stories entitled The Phantom Lover and Other Thrilling Tales of Thailand (2014), and Bizarre Thailand: Tales of Crime, Sex, and Black Magic. Check out www.jimalgie.club for more. bangkok101.com
anchovies, and other small fish the whales feed on, are most plentiful. The pier for their converted fishing trawler, which can accommodate up to 40 guests, is only an hour’s drive from Bangkok, in the province of Samut Sakhon. The company’s founder and main guide is Jirayu Ekkul, a man with lots of experience both above and beneath the waves, as an underwater photographer, NGO worker, and a consultant on sustainable tourism enterprises that aim to help locals navigate the high tides and shoals of launching similar odysseys within the kingdom. The company prides itself on being an eco-sensitive venture. For one thing, they do not use any electronic devices to track the creatures—all the spotting is done by eye—and they make the tours as educational as possible. Jirayu, a fluent English speaker and self-taught expert in marine biology, begins every tour by briefing all his guests. First he showed us a map of the Gulf of Thailand, with the five big rivers feeding into it, before giving us some historical facts about one of its largest inhabitants, the Bryde’s whale (pronounced “Brudas” after the Norwegian whaler who first discovered them, only to promptly turn around and try to harpoon them). Jirayu explained that these largely solitary animals tend to forage by themselves. The only pairs one is likely to encounter are mothers with their calves. At the age of two or three, already skilled in survival techniques, the calves will go their own way. We were only 15 or 20 minutes out to sea when the crew spotted a small pod of Irrawaddy dolphins.
Unlike other dolphin species, these hump-headed creatures have no beak, and are not renowned for their leaping ability. However, they are incredibly fast swimmers, coming up to gulp down some air every minute or so, their whole bodies rising up out of the water in spumes of foam. That scene whetted our collective appetites for more cetaceans, a category that includes both whale and dolphin species. It was just after a Thai buffet lunch onboard when the excited cries of the crew had us scrambling for the bow. Some 20 meters away was the dorsal fin of a Bryde’s whale slicing through the water. Soon it vanished beneath the waves. Everyone had their cameras out, craning their necks to see where it would surface next. With a hiss the whale spouted a fine mist of water as it resurfaced to draw another breath on the other side of the boat. Each time it breached, its grey back slid up and across the surface for perhaps a dozen seconds, making it easy to catch a glimpse but hard to take the perfect photo. The next few hours drifted past without any more whales but, to make up for our mild disappointment, on the way back to port a pod of perhaps 10 Irrawaddy dolphins burst from the waves in front of the boat. It was late afternoon and the horizon had darkened to deep blue, the sunlight coming down in shafts through the clouds as the dolphins streaked through the water—two or four of them breaking the waves at the same time. For more details, or to book a whale watching trip, visit: www.wildencounterthailand.com.
The new and expanded version of author Jim Algie’s latest tome, On the Night Joey Ramone Died: Tales of Rock and Punk from Bangkok, New York, Cambodia and Norway, sports a cover blurb from the renowned author Timothy Hallinan: “The funniest sad book and the saddest funny book I’ve read in a long time.” The book is currently available for purchase, both as an e-book and as a paperback, at www.amazon.com.
AUGUST 2018 | 47
SNAPSHOTS | joe's bangkok
48 | AUGUST 2018
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joe's bangkok | SNAPSHOTS
Treasure Hunting
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To celebrate all things food-related in this issue, here are some of my favourite ‘hidden’ Thai food joints
angkok easily ranks among the top five cities in the world for street food, with someone tossing a blackened pan over bright flames on virtually every corner of the capital. Quality is generally high everywhere you go, but over the years I’ve collected a number of favourites which the average tourist probably won’t stumble across on their own. In the midst of community malls and hairdressers on Soi Thonglor, Hoi-Tod Chaw-Lae (Soi Thonglor, about 100m from Sukhumvit Rd on the left) lays out expertly prepared fresh seafood platters based upon fresh oysters from Ang Sila and mussels from Pak Nam. The hawy malaeng phoo thawt (Chinese-Thai-style mussel omelet) here is the crispiest rendition I’ve seen anywhere. Phad Thai is given special treatment here by marinating fresh shrimp with sour plums, then batter-frying them to create a crispy raft to support the noodles, yellow tofu, and garlic chives. At Pa Aew (Maha Rat Rd, in front of the Krung Thai Bank), a modest foodstall in Ko Ratanakosin near Wat Pho, an elderly auntie ladles rich,
Joe’s Bangkok Award-winning writer Joe Cummings was born in New Orleans but became one of Lonely Planet’s first guidebook authors, creating the seminal Lonely Planet Thailand guide, as well as several other titles and updates for the region. Each month, he picks out his favourite cultural gems throughout Bangkok. bangkok101.com
spicy central Thai dishes onto plates of steamed rice. Here I recommend plaa phat phrik khing, chunks of fresh fish and sliced green beans stir-fried in a ginger-chili paste, and kung thawt krathiam, jumbo shrimp pan-fried in plentiful garlic. Khao Khluk Kapi Phra Athit (Phra Athit Rd), near world-renowned backpacker haven Khao San Road, serves one of Thai cuisine’s most classic specialties—a pungent blend of rice tossed with shrimp paste, green mango, egg, sweet pork, and Chinese sausage. The accompanying bowl of peppery soup is equally impressive. One of the few Bangkok vendors to cook good khao soy, a Yunnaneseinfluenced northern Thai dish of squiggly egg noodles served in a mild curry broth, is Yuy Lee (Sukhumvit Soi 31). I also enjoy the shop’s khanom jeen naam ngiaw, rice noodles doused in a sweet-sour-savory sauce of freshground tomatoes and pork blood. Another northern Thai dish hard to find in Bangkok is khanom jeen sao nam, thin rice noodles topped with coconut cream, dried shrimp, slivered pineapple, ginger, and garlic. Somsong Phochana (Samsen Soi 1) near the river does this dish proud, along with kuaytiaw sukhothai, rice noodles swimming in a tangy tom yam broth with sliced pork, minced pork, boiled egg, and long beans. The single cook-owner at Jay Fai (327 Maha Chai Rd), a petite, energetic woman in her 70s, turns out an amazing kuaytiaw phat kee mao thalay. Literally ‘drunkard’s seafood noodles’, this dish features thick rice noodles tossed in a super-hot, charcoal-fired wok with fresh squid, fish, prawns, fresh veggies, palm heart, mushrooms, holy basil, and fiery chopped chilies. I also love the crab omelet here. Bring plenty of cash, as it’s not as cheap. Operated by the same family since 1927, authentically vintage Eiah Sae (103-105 Phat Sai Rd, off Yaowarat Rd,
tel. 02 221 0549) roasts and grinds its own robusta blend to brew a strong cup of Hokkien-style coffee, served with condensed milk. Thick, charcoalgrilled toast served with tasty coconutegg custard, coddled eggs, or butter and sugar, rounds out the experience. Hidden away inside a one-story concrete bunker amid the embassies and high-rises of Wireless Rd, Sanguan Sri (59/1 Withayu Rd) has been a Thai culinary landmark for generations. The food comes straight out of the bosom of a Thai granny: green curry, soup with glass noodles and minced pork, crispy dried fish salad, crisp-fried noodles with chicken and Chinese gravy, and other traditional fare. Kai Thawt Jay Kee (137/1-3 Soi Polo, off Withayu Rd, tel. 01 252 2252), more commonly known as ‘Soi Polo Fried Chicken’, does what I firmly believe is Bangkok’s best Thai-style fried chicken. The bird is fried whole, to keep the meat juicy, then hacked to pieces just before serving. It’s packed during lunch and dinner, and sends out hundreds of delivery boxes of takeaway on a good day. A legend in expat circles, Royal India (392/1 Chakphet Rd, tel. 02 221 6565) is barely visible from Chakphet Rd in Little India, huddling in the shadows of a small alley. Honest, authentic dishes from northern India draw a crowd at lunchtime, when local Indian residents share tables with Thai office workers and travellers from different continents. Those in the know request achar, a pungent, fiery mango-chili jam. Finally, Naaz (Charoen Krung Soi 43) serves some of the city’s richest khao mok kai (chicken biryani) from a small living-room kitchen. The milk tea is exemplary, and daily specials include chicken masala and mutton korma. Another house speciality is firni, a Middle Eastern pudding spiced with coconut, almonds, cardamom and saffron. AUGUST 2018 | 49
SNAPSHOTS | very thai
Soi Animals
The urban zoo: cats, dogs, birds, snakes, elephants — Part 1
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mong the most arresting Thai city sights are animals. Stray dogs snooze in street and temple Cats raise oddly bent tails. Pythons nest in gardens. And yes, that was an elephant strolling by. Hasty modernisation hasn’t regimented the casual way Thais relate to nature. Animals were so integral to rural life, wildlife so seemingly inexhaustible, and animal products so valuable, that nature got taken for granted. Now many Thais abhor that animals must endure avoidable tragedies, such as elephants falling into potholes and squirrels electrocuted by old power lines. Bangkok’s last troupe of wild monkeys and gibbons, near Rama II Road, may have a better fate as officials want to turn their land into a model sanctuary. However, it’s up for sale and the site’s developers will want them out. During the Great Flood of 2011, lethal Brazilian mamba snakes were accidentally released and, to the hilarity of newspaper headlines and fear of flooded households, dozens of crocodiles escaped from some of Thailand’s 930 croc breeding farms. “Please do not panic. The crocodiles are not fierce like those living in the wild,” assured Thirapat Prayoonsit of the Wildlife and Plant Conservation Department, in charge of their recapture. “On the contrary, they are rather scared of people.” Rapidly spreading urban legends implied the opposite. Problems arise from a fracture between Buddhist compassion and harsh street realities. A million dog bites a year – over half on small children – spur calls for canine registration, sterilisation, extermination. Yet most Buddhist Thais oppose culls, and baulk at the cost and discipline
> Very Thai
River Books by Philip Cornwel-Smith with photos by John Goss and Philip Cornwel-Smith B995 50 | AUGUST 2018
of managing the street menagerie. Instead, they put out food. The dogs’ lazy, lolloping ways aren’t just down to heat, but a malnourishing diet of rice scraps causing disease and a mangy appearance. Starving them is worse; they go feral and attack. As with many other social problems, temporary purges save face. Ahead of hosting the 2003 APEC summit, the Bangkok Metropolitan Authority controversially trucked some of Bangkok’s 100,000-150,000 strays to a makeshift pound near the Cambodian border, where care, shade and food proved inadequate. A planned network of pounds, pet ID cards, health checks and tagging of neutered strays face daunting challenges. Past pounds have lacked resources and space, and people continue to abandon pets in schools or temples, risking a 5,000 baht fine. Pedigree dogs confer status – fostering canine boutiques, delis and spas – but demand much of their handlers. Thus Alsatians, Spaniels and Rottweilers also end up on the street, often becoming a soi’s top dog. King Bhumibol championed the adoption of indigenous dogs like the Thai Ridgeback in his 2002 Birthday address, launching a book and a clothing brand named after the stray he trained, Thongdaeng (Copper). The charity Soi Dog & Cat Rescue became a popular cause, especially among Western expats. The police also tried to turn strays into sniffer dogs, though few proved obedient. The Thai Ridgeback is among the world’s oldest breeds. Lauded as a hunting hound in old manuscripts, it occurs in cave paintings and Baan Chiang graves up to 5, 500 years old. Though popular in the US, Ridgebacks lack the global fame of the Siamese cat.
Now in its expanded, updated 2nd edition, “Very Thai: Everyday Popular Culture” is a virtual bible on Thai pop culture, and an influential must-read among foreigners and many Thais. Its 70 chapters and 590 photographs guide you on an unconventional Technicolor tour of the quirky things that make Thailand truly Thai. This column is based on different chapter every month. Prepare yourself for the sideways logic in what seems exotic, and buy a copy of the new edition at any good bookshop. bangkok101.com
X2 VIBE
BANGKOK
SUKHUMVIT HOTEL STAY, CHILL, ENJOY
Located in Onnut neighborhood, a short walk from the BTS station, X2 Vibe Bangkok Sukhumvit Hotel has it all. Catering to short and long-term guests, it has 145 rooms for the shorter stays and 121 serviced residences, each providing top notch experiences. For a short stay, there are three choices of rooms, Standard, Superior or Suite. The long-term guests have four choices, Studio, 1 Bedroom, 2 Bedroom or 3 Bedroom. Tucked off the main street, the hotel gives you an authentic feel of coming home. Part of being in a new city, is staying or living where you can have interaction with the community. This is a place offering you that unique and special experience, however long you plan to stay.
cold Hibiscus Tea and another nice detail in personal service. Then, an hour of bliss with a Therapist who clearly knows what she’s doing, unknotting and relaxing me. I finish with a Ginger Tea, feeling rejuvenated and ready to eat.
Upon arrival I am greeted with a cold drink of sparkling apple soda, the perfect treat to bring my body temperature down after my walk from the BTS. I am always impressed with the small touches of hospitality. A smiling staff member then introduces me to the property, giving me a tour of the restaurant, the bar, the pool, the gym and the spa locations.
The location is perfect for worldclass shopping, dining, nightlife entertainment and delicious Thai street food right outside the door. Once you are here, you may never want to leave. B� C������ W����������
My Superior Room has a soft bed, a couch, tables and plenty of space to spread out my possesions. You can take advantage of the flat screen television, WIFI, bottles of free water and morning coffee. Standard and Suite rooms include these amenities too. There is ample workspace and plenty of powerpoints for you to plug in. I also made use of the spa at YAN spa, booking a massage—a combination of Thai and Balinese. Upon entering the spa, I am greeted with a
4K CAFE and 4K BAR are open for breakfast, lunch and dinner. I had the opportunity to sample all three meals and all satisfied my palate. Indoor/Outdoor seating, a small bar for adult libations, and a living room allow you to play games and hangout. Breakfast is a buffet with everything your stomach desires. Lunch and Dinner is an à la carte menu with Thai and Western Global fusion food on offer.
MOTHER’S DAY PROMOTION Mum dines for free at 4K CAFE on 12 August 2018. Enjoy ThaiInternational Buffet with Seafood on Ice & BBQ. Price 850 THB/pax. Conditions: Mum dines for free when accompanied by a minimum of 2 paying adults. Children under 12 yrs are priced at 425 THB. X2 Vibe Bangkok Sukhumvit Hotel 10, 20 Sukhumvit 52 | Tel 02 331 9091 www.x2vibe.com/hotel/bangkok
SNAPSHOTS | heritage
JOACHIM GRASSI’S WORKS IN BANGKOK 1870 1875 1883 1884 1888 1890 52 | AUGUST 2018
Ministry of Finance (Queen Sirikit Textile Museum, the Grand Palace), Sanam Luang Consulate of Portugal (Embassy of Portugal), Captain Bush Lane Church of the Immaculate Conception, 94 Samsen Soi 11 Royal Military Headquarters, arsenal and barracks (Ministry of Defense), Sanam Chai Rd Royal Customs House (future Hotel), Soi Rong Phasi Kao/Rue de Brest Bangkok Central Prison, inspired by Brixton prison, London (Romaneenart Park, Maha Chai Rd)` bangkok101.com
heritage | SNAPSHOTS
The Joachim Grassi Effect Austria, Italy and Thailand: celebrate together a legendary architect
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ho better to have incarnated the Cosmopolitan Bangkok at the end of the 19th century/early 20th century than the architect Joachim Grassi, a personality shaped by his mix of cultures from Central Europe, Italy and France. Today, the Grassi legacy lives on, visible in some of Bangkok’s most iconic buildings. Grassi perfectly incarnates what Europe used to be 150 years ago: a mix of cultures which sometimes opposed each other but often blended. Grassi was born in 1837 in the city of Capodistria/Gafers/Koper. Three names in three different languages (Italian, German and Slovenian) but all referring to one place. The city was a reflection of multi-cultural Europe at the time. Italian by heart, Capodistria was, during Grassi’s time, Austrian, and next to the sizeable Port city of Trieste. Koper was the Slovenian name, given after the most significant minority living there. Koper/Capodistria had a
Historic
Bangkok Paris native Luc Citrinot has lived in Southeast Asia for the past 12 years, first in Kuala Lumpur and more recently in Bangkok. A seasoned traveller, he writes about tourism, culture, and architecture. He was instrumental on a recent EU-endorsed project to establish the European Heritage Map of Bangkok and subsequent app covering all of Thailand. Luc still travels extensively in Southeast Asia, looking particularly for new architectural gems related to colonial and European history. bangkok101.com
tumultuous history, passing from the Venetian Republic to the rule of the Habsburg Emperors of Austria. With the influences of those civilisations, the blend of cultures that Grassi encountered in his childhood varied, and his first years of studies would be applied to his architectural work when he eventually moved to Bangkok. He would spend 23 years in Siam, arriving two years after the coronation of King Chulalongkorn (Rama V) in 1868, just a year before the signature of a commercial treaty between Siam and Austria-Hungary in 1869. The presence of Grassi in Bangkok coincided with the King's plans to modernise Bangkok into a modern metropolis, inspired mainly by the urban model of Europe. With Grassi in the city, he was given the title of the ‘pioneer of European architecture’ by the King. According to specialists, some 30 structures were constructed by Grassi and his architecture cabinet, Grassi Brothers & Co, in 1883. The cabinet was registered at the consulate of Austria-Hungary. Many of these structures however sadly disappeared in the 1950s and 1960s such as Burapha Phirom Palace built in 1875 for Prince Bhanurangsi Savangwongse, demolished to give way to a market. And, the first Hong Kong and Shanghai Bank establisments in 1874 for Assumption College on the Chao Praya River were destroyed in the 1920s. Grassi’s designs are impregnated with classical architecture, however, adapted to Bangkok's humid and hot weather conditions. In contrary to his Italian contemporaries Mario Tamagno or Annibale Rigotti who mixed various European styles, Grassi remained committed to his simple classical style, similar to the ‘Neo-Palladian’ villas of Northern Italy. Classical columns, large pediment over a front porch, vast halls with columns, were all signatures of Joachim Grassi. His style is reflected in one of his first works in Ayutthaya.
King Rama V commissioned him to transform a summer palace residence in Bang Pa-In. Built in the 17th century, the reconstructed Palace turned into a succession of European-style pavilions surrounded by gardens reminiscent of the Grand Trianon Palace, Versailles. There are still many examples of Grassi’s distinctive style in the city. The current Ministry of Defence, located between the Grand Palace and the City Shrine on Sanam Luang. Constructed in 1884, remains the largest Europeanstyle structure in Bangkok. At the Customs House, built in 1888, the very large pediment which crowns the main façade is the focal point of this imposing structure, which used to see King Rama V’s vessel returning from his European trips. The structure, which has been left derelict for many years, but will soon be renovated into a hotel, confirmed in May by U- City real estate. The company announced it would invest one billion Baht to turn the magnificent structure into a luxury boutique-style hotel. The monument to Queen Sunanda in Saranrom Park, the one to Henry Alabaster in the European Protestant Cemetery, the Immaculate Conception Church, Wat Niwet Thammaprawat across Bang Pa In and St Joseph Church in Ayutthaya, are all Grassi designs. He also blended styles in the “Windsor Palace” (also called Wang Klang Thung). Built as the residence of Crown Prince Maha Vajirunhis, the Palace was a strange mix of neoPalladian and gothic style. When the Prince died of typhoid in 1895, the Palace was vacated and became part of Chulalongkorn University. It was finally demolished to give way to the National Stadium, but some statues are still visible in the stadium compound. Joachim Grassi remained in Siam until 1893 and then returned to Trieste where he died in 1904. His architecture remains a beautiful testimony of King Rama V’s willingness to stage Bangkok as a modern cosmopolitan metropolis, some 120 years ago. AUGUST 2018 | 53
StayPhi The in style Ta Khon at the ghost newly mask opened festival Rosewood in Dan Sai, Phuket partresort of the Loei Province, Isaan
ISAAN 101
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ordered by Laos and Cambodia on three sides, the scorching-hot tableland of northeast Thailand—known as ISAAN, after the Hindu god of death and the northeast—comprises a third of the country’s land area and is home to nearly a third of its population (some 22.3 million). Last year, CNN rated Isaan as one of the top places to visit, stating that, “Those looking for a piece of Thailand that’s still largely unexplored by the international market should head for the Northeast region.” And it would seem that the public listened, with Issan growing in popularity, and starting to become an important point on the Thai tourism trail. Much of the added attention and promotion has been largely due to the Tourism Authority of Thailand’s successful campaign to promote the Northeast under the slogan “Isaan Saeb Nua” or “Cool Isaan.” Add to this the likes of creative space Chang Chui—which bills itself as a “hip space offering new-generation artists and designers the opportunity to unleash their artistic ability without restraint”—having opened in Isaan earlier this year, aiming to draw the water-fighting crowds away from such traditional Songkran spots as Royal City Avenue and Khao San Road, and the spirit of this historical region is booming. There are still of course problems and given the size of Isaan, many evident issues, particularly in the underdeveloped rural areas that make up much of this vast region. These areas are subject to all sorts of hardships—droughts, famine, and so on—and the inhabitants are sometimes written off as country bumpkins, often viewed as unsophisticated and poorlyeducated. However, it’s important to note that this part of the country was the cradle of civilisation, as archaeological sites at Baan Chiang in UDON THANI and Pha Dtaem in UBON RATCHATHANI have shown. And, between the eleventh and thirteenth centuries, the all-powerful Khmers covered the northeast in Udon Thani magnificent stone temple complexes, the remains of which constitute the region’s most satisfying tourist Loei Sakon Nakhon attractions. Isaan is also much greener than its stereotypical image of desolate, dust-blown farming communities. Nakhon Phanom In fact, the national parks are spectacular, especially in Khon Kaen the dry season when the wildflowers bloom. Arts and crafts Roi Et thrive here too, and textile lovers actively seek out silks from Korat Ubon Ratchathani the lower Isaan provinces, as well as indigo-dyed cotton Sisaket from SAKON NAKHON. As for food, it’s a province of wild BANGKOK and adventurous cuisine, and like the rest of the country, Surin life centres around meal time. Many dishes are rooted in the fermentation process and use of inspects. Most Isaan dishes are served with sticky rice and are characterized by fiery chilies, strong fish sauces and sour bites; dishes such as pla raa and pla jaew (fermented fish), soup nhor mai (spicy soup of fermented bamboo shoots), and ant larvae salad, which although traditional, may be an acquired taste for visitors? In this issue we look at the Isaan enigma and why it has taken so long for international visitors to make the trek north of the country to this unique and culturally rich region. We have a focus on Nakhon Phanom, and look at some of the hidden gems in Korat as well as a special report from the 2018 Mekong Tourism Forum. And, for those in Bangkok— or those Isaan natives living here and missing the cuisine of home—we find out where the best Isaan cuisine in Bangkok can be found to tame your Isaan food-fix.
TRAVEL | focus on issan
“Cool Isaan”
Buoyed by the Tourism Authority of Thailand’s latest campaign, all eyes are looking north of the Kingdom to the once sleepy region of Isaan By Joe Cummings/CPA Media
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saan eventually works its way into the hearts of Thailand’s more discerning repeat visitors, and also among expatriates who know the Kingdom well and who have had enough of the traffic jams of Bangkok and crowded sands of Southern islands. The slower pace of life, the chilled people, and lower prices found in Isaan are a primary draw, along with the region’s rich historical and cultural heritage. Geographically, the northeast sits apart from other regions atop the immense Khorat Plateau, which extends right across Isaan and into parts of Laos and Cambodia. The Phu Phan mountain range divides Isaan into two wide drainage basins, one fed by the Mekong River and its tributaries in the upper northeast, and another fed by the Chi and Mun Rivers in the lower northeast. These large, shallow bowls offer fertile territory amidst what is otherwise one of Thailand’s least productive 56 | AUGUST 2018
regions—agriculturally speaking—due to longer, hotter dry seasons. Sakon Nakhon Basin, in upper Isaan, boasts Southeast Asia’s longest history of habitation, beginning with the 4,000-year-old bronze culture of Ban Chiang, which predates both Mesopotamia and China as a metallurgical and agricultural site. Although today part of Thailand, most of Isaan remained autonomous from early Thai kingdoms before the French arrived in the 18th century and created the Indochinese state of Laos, thus forcing Thailand to define its Northeastern boundaries. In the 20th century, poverty-stricken Isaan proved to be fertile ground for Southeast Asia’s widespread communist movement. Ho Chi Minh spent 1928-29 proselytizing in Udon Thani, Sakon Nakhon, and Khorat, and in the 1940s a number of Indochinese Communist Party leaders fled to Isaan from Laos and helped build the bangkok101.com
focus on issan | TRAVEL Communist Party of Thailand. Thus from the 1960s until 1982, Isaan was a hotbed of guerrilla activity, especially the provinces of Buriram, Loei, Ubon Ratchathani, Nakhon Phanom and Sakon Nakhon. Following Prime Minister Prem Tinsulanond’s amnesty of 1982, the Northeastern strongholds of the Communist Party dissolved rapidly. This process was hastened by a decade of economic growth that drew large numbers of Isaan peasants from the forests and rice fields to Bangkok and various provincial capitals. Today peaceful Isaan offers a rich blend of Khmer and Lao influences. Rising above the high plains of Northeastern Thailand, man-made stone peaks today bear witness to the half-millennium reign of a powerful Khmer state which flourished from the 9th to 14th centuries. Although mostly known to today’s world as Angkor, another historical name for the civilization that extended from southern Laos and into western Cambodia—as well as much of Thailand’s lower northeast—was Isanapura. Meaning ‘Abode of Shiva’, in tribute to the principal religious tradition of the area for many centuries, the name was shortened to ‘Isaan’ by later generations of Siamese. Although often overlooked in favour of the famed Angkor city complex in Cambodia, the Khmer monuments of Isaan represent key architectural milestones in the development of Angkor design and ritual. Every Angkor-period monument played a role in an elaborate cosmology that linked the entire network, half of which lies in what is today Thailand. The grand Prasat Hin Phimai temple complex in Nakhon Ratchasima served as a Tantric Buddhist center in the early 12th century. Meanwhile, in the more elevated terrain around Prasat Hin Phanom Rung, Isaan’s second most significant Khmer temple, Hinduism prevailed. A sacred “superhighway” linked Prasat Hin Phimai with 12th-century Angkor Wat, the largest and most complex of the Khmer temples. Angkor rulers were at the time considered to be Colourful Isaan clothing devaraja or ‘god-kings’, and to maintain that vaunted status they and their priests periodically traveled between key monuments to perform complex ceremonies involving fire, water, and linga (sanctified stone sculptures representing Shiva’s phallus). Meanwhile, along the Mekong River border with Laos, several Lao-style temples are found, including famed Wat Phra That Phanom with its gilded lotus-bud stupa. Many of the people living in this area speak Lao—or Thai dialects which are very close to Lao dialects spoken in Laos—and in fact there are more people of Lao heritage in Isaan than in all of Laos. In parts of lower Isaan, Khmer is the most common language. Isaan food is famous for its pungency and choice of ingredients. Well-known dishes include kai yaang (grilled bangkok101.com
Phi Ta Kon dancer
chicken) and somtam (spicy salad made with grated papaya, lime juice, garlic, fish sauce and fresh chilies). Northeasterners eat glutinous rice with their meals, squeezing the almost translucent grains into wads with their hands, and then dipping the rice into the main dish before popping it into their mouths. Meals are communal affairs that traditionally take place on the floor. The music of Northeastern Thailand is highly distinctive in its folk tradition, using instruments such as the khaen, a reed instrument with two long rows of reed pipes fastened together; the ponglaang, a xylophone-like arrangement of short wooden logs; and the phin, a small three- or four-stringed lute played with a large plectrum. The most popular song forms are molam—a highly rhythmic style in which these instruments accompany vocalists singing in Isaan dialects. The best Thai silks are found in the northeast, particularly in Khorat, Khon Kaen, and Roi Et. Visitors to the Northeastern silk-weaving towns will uncover lots of bargains, as well as learn about Thai weaving techniques. Cotton fabrics from Loei, Nong Khai, and Nakhon Phanom are highly regarded, especially those woven using mat-mee methods, in which cotton threads are tie-dyed before weaving. Diving further into Tai Dam handicrafts antiquity, Udon Thani province offers prehistoric cave drawings at Ban Pheu, south of Nong Khai, and a look at the ancient ceramic and bronze culture at Ban Chiang to the east of Udon. There was a time when tourist accommodations were relatively rare in Isaan, but today every provincial capital offers a variety of two-, three-, and four-star hotels as well as numerous guesthouses, villas, and semi-boutique hotels. One of the most enjoyable ways to circulate through Isaan is to simply follow the Mekong River from Loei to Ubon, whether by local bus or rented car. Train travel is another convenient way to see the region, with three trunk lines operated by the State Railway of Thailand from Bangkok to Nong Khai, Ubon, and Aranya Prathet. Thai Airways, Nok Air, and Air Asia also offer flights to many of the larger towns of Isaan. AUGUST 2018 | 57
TRAVEL | eating isaan
Isaan Food in Bangkok
These mouth-watering Isaan restaurants in Bangkok have a whole lot more to offer than grilled snakes and fermented fish
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he food of Isaan is rich and distinctive, perhaps a reason why it is so greatly missed by those who leave the north. The Northeast is one of the main rice-growing areas of Thailand, so the cuisine is often centered around rice, which is typically prepared in the morning so the workers can take it into the fields with them; sometimes transported by stuffing into small bamboo containers. Likewise, fermenting is a popular technique in order to prolong and preserve fish. Much of the food is hot, flavoured with pungent herbs and seasonings, producing some of Thailand’s spiciest salads. Staples of Isaan cuisine include som tam, gai dtai naam, dtom jeaw pla, and kor moo yang, all delicious examples of food from this ancient region. Here are just some of the places in Bangkok where homesick natives from the north can find their Isaan food fix.
the owner’s own creations, as she hails from Hua Hin and sources prime cuts of beef from a special farm. Open: Mon-Fri 11am-3pm, 5-10pm; Sat-Sun 11am-11pm 10400 2/1 Phahon Yothin 7 Alley, Samsen Nai, Phaya Thai www.facebook.com/laylaoaree
Kaiyang Suayai by Mangmoom
Somtum Der
A restaurant specifically designed to cater to the needs of urbanits wanting real Isaan food within a relaxed and comfortable ambience. All ingredients are sourced from insecticide-free farms in the north-eastern provinces of Thailand, without MSG or any artificial additives. Every dish is carefully prepared with extensive use of different Thai herbs to bring out and enhance the original tastes. A collaboration of friends and family who have close ties to Isaan region. Caters authentic northern Isaan food in a comfortable friendly atmosphere, which guarantees to offer more than tasty true food but also a lifestyle that can be enjoyed. Open: 11 am-12 pm. Closed on Sundays 5/5 Sala Daeng Rd, Silom www.somtumder.com
Open: Open daily 11am-10pm Khlong Tan Nuea www.kaiyangsuayai.com
Tor Um Tum
Lay Lao
A favourite Bangkok spot for classic Isaan cuisine, serving authentic dishes such as spicy som tam to laab ped (spicy minced duck salad) and yam nuea yang (spicy grilled beef salad). A popular spot to sit and have a beer while knocking back some northern spiciness.
This Ari restaurant specialises in som tom salads that harmoniously blend the freshest seafood from Hua Hin with a pungent, North Eastern-style kick. Many dishes are
Open: Daily 11am-9:30pm 1221/, 24 Sukhumvit Rd, Khlong Tan Nuea www.facebook.com/tor.um.tum
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bangkok101.com
eating isaan | TRAVEL
100 Mahaseth
Open: Daily 10am-10pm 26, 2 Yen Akat Rd, Thung Maha Mek www.kitchenatyenakat.com
Horm Pla Phao
Two top Thai chefs bring the nose-to-tail trend back with a focus on Isaan and Southeast Asian food. Chef Chalee Kader and Chef Randy Nopprapa veer away from the refined cuisines they’re used to and revive the global food trend with a nod to its humble Asian roots, producing dishes such as nam prik noom (spicy eggplant chili paste) and a hotdog version of sai uar, using the Isaan northern sausage. Open: Daily 11:30am-11pm 100 Maha Set Rd, Si Phraya, Bang Rak www.facebook.com/100Mahaseth
Tamnak Isan
A spacious, outdoor restaurant in a relaxed atmosphere, cooking mostly northern-style Thai food from the Isaan Provence. Grilled chicken and fish is a speciality, cooked slowly over charcoal in an outside pit—simple and delicious! An extesntive menu offers Isaan staples from som tam to moo ping and Isaan sausage. Open: Mon-Fri 4pm-11:30pm; Sat-Sun 11am-11:30pm. Pracha Rat Bamphen Rd www.facebook.com/homplapao
Baan Somtum
A popular local Thai restaurant in the Ekamai neighbourhood—and a bit of a hidden gem— serving northern Thai cuisine, such as pickled fish and salted egg, and soft shell crab. 86/1 Sukumvit Soi 63 Rd, Ekamai www.tamnakisan.com
The Kitchen at Yenakat The Kitchen serves a wide variety of dishes, including some “hard-core” Isaan farmers food—not easy to find in Bangkok restaurants—all cooked as fresh as possible with the best ingredients. Menu items include roasted bamboo salad and laab chicken, crispy pork kale, and grilled wild mushrooms salad—Isaan style! The menu is 100% organic with 30% of vegetables direct from the restaurant’s own farm. bangkok101.com
As a national dish, it shouldn’t surprise anyone that this chain restaurant serves a staggering 29 varieties of som tum, made with almost anything imaginable—crab, pork skin, salted egg, coconut sprouts, prawn. The menu also showcases Isaan cuisine, from with bold and generous spicing and the liberal use of chillies. Open: 11am-9:30pm 9/1 Soi Pramuan, Si Wiang Rd, Bang Rak www.baansomtum.com AUGUST 2018 | 59
TRAVEL | Isaan Snapshots
Isaanisms
While we’ve tried our hardest, Isaan is impossible to squeeze into a few pages. To help fill in the gaps we came up with Isaanisms: evocative little snapshots of authentic Isaan that we’ve experienced and strongly recommend you try and seek out ISAAN IS… … getting hauled into a passing festival procession to dance with rambunctious older women. Then being hauled out to down shots of rice wine with farmers, and getting mobbed by a gaggle of katoeys.
… enjoying old school mor lam and authentic Isaan food at the elevated wooden roadhouse music pub called Pleng Pim, just outside Khon Kaen.
… boggling at how exactly American cowboy culture came to thrive in this remote part of Thailand while you watch a local kid expertly lasso a calf at Korat’s Farm Chok Chai.
… cruising by car, motorcycle along routes 2016 and 2216: the road of a thousand curves that cuts across Loei’s Phu Luang Park. … visiting the crazy Sala Kaew Koo shrine outside Nong Khai, and then exploring the back roads that offers a window into small village life.
… dipping balls of sticky rice into earthy soups and blistering hot som tum, in a remote rural village while chickens peck in the dirt.
… discovering more kinds of mushroom than you ever imagined discovering and eating in a salad near Phu Rua National Park.
.. pulling up beside a rice paddy to watch farmers plant saplings... and walking back to your car covered in mud 20 minutes later after being invited in to lend a hand. … peering through the Thai immigration and customs station at an impossibly kitsch casino just across the border in Laos.
… admiring alien-looking rock formation along the Mekong and considering the cataclysmic forces and eons it took to create them. … seeing your wrists slowly disappear as white string after sacred white string get tied round each arm by seemingly every elder in the village. … eating Isaan food at a restaurant overlooking the Mekong River, such as Kaeng Kut Koo in Loei, or Khlong Jiam in Ubon Ratchathani.
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… shivering on a (comparatively) freezing winter’s night in one of Isaan’s National Parks while Thais ram wong around a campfire… then warming yourself up by joining them in their lively dance.
… staring bleary-eyed off a blustery cliff atop at Pha Taem National Park as the sun majestically rises over the distant Laotian hills.
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Dhara Dhevi Chiang Mai
“Rest, Restore and Recreation.… in the heart of Chang Mai” On the graceful grounds of The Dhara Dhevi Chiang Mai—set over 60 acres of paddy fields and tropical landscapes and within a palatial 3,100 square metre sanctuary—lies a hidden haven: Thailand’s first world-class destination wellness centre, offering a unique concept with unmatched services, design and pure and blissful indulgence. With the emerging growth in health and wellness tourism, The Dheva Spa team with their on-hand health specialist, work to improve the quality of people’s lives. Guests will be treated with the best holistic care experiences with
opportunities for enhancing their fitness level, learning about their self through lifestyle and health assessment, the use of mass therapy, and healthy lifestyle education. Programs at the Dheva Spa range from meditation, yoga, fitness, rejuvenation retreats. To detoxification, health consultation. Health specialists are also available in-house for assisting and coaching individual wellness where a variety of restorative health treatments are offered to help our guests with migraine, office syndrome, back or knee pain and overstress. Additionally, The Dheva Spa often runs specialised programmes promoting sustained health and wellbeing, such as: tailored treatments from the spa’s highly trained specialists; comprehensive retreats including, restorative massages, breathing visualisation sessions, yoga and exercise programmes; and personalised health, relaxation, detox, or ayurvedic retreats. Here, your journey to holistic wellness begins.
51/4 Moo 1, Chiang Mai-Sankampaeng Road | Tel:(66) 53 888 888 | dhevaspa@dharadhevi.com
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TRAVEL | focus on korat
Korat’s Hidden Gems Historic remains and controversial sculptures—even some cartoon superheroes—exploring Korat might unveil a few interesting surprises Words and photos by Luc Citrinot
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et’s face it... Korat is not what travellers would call a historical jewel. The city is like many large urban areas in Thailand—there are a few old temples, but the town is mainly dominated by rather architecturally insignificant concrete buildings, mostly dating back to the 1970s and 80s. Like many cities in the centre of Thailand, Korat (also known by its full name, Nakhon Ratchasima) had been the target of bombs during World War II. The few interesting historical buildings, mostly made of wood, burned and were later replaced by quick-built structures. But does this broken link to architectural history mean that Korat is not worth a visit? Far from it!
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Korat is, geographically, the closest Isaan city to Bangkok, however its relaxed, old-fashioned style—where food and temples seem to determine the life of locals—is the anthesis of the chaotic capital. There is a kind of pride about the past here; about a glorious history which stretches as far back as the Khmer Empire and Ayu haya Kingdom. In fact, the city used to be an important border post on the outskirts of the Ayu haya Kingdom. The various gates and parts of the ancient wall, which still runs along the traditional moats in the city centre, are a reminder of this historically strategic position. Visitors should take a day to stroll at leisure around the town, starting with the Thao Suranee Monument, bangkok101.com
focus on korat | TRAVEL
located in the heart of the city. The centrepiece is a statue, finished in 1934, which is the work of Italian sculptor and painter Corrado Feroci (aka: Silpa Bhirasri). But did this female figure, the wife of the deputy governor of the town, really exist? Thais believe she was a real character, but Laotians—who fought in the early 19th century against Siam annexation—think she is only a legend. Either way, she is credited with having fought against Laotian armies, and is fervently admired by locals. Korat inhabitants come to pray day and night in front of her statue, while small sala pavilions nearby feature traditional local song performances called Pleng Korat. In the evenings, the
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marble area around the statue has become a favourite hangout for skateboarders. Around the monument is the city’s old wall, built by French engineers in the 17th century, and while the Chumpon Gate is the only original structure remaining of the wall, the rebuilt Yao Mo Gate is by far the most impressive bit, with its sophisticated and elegant wooden watchtower (two other gates were rebuilt north and south of the old town). Few traditional wooden Thai houses survived the wartime bombing, but a couple of nice buildings are still visible in the city’s Chinatown (Mahathai, Chakri, and Chumphon roads), where a small night market exists. However, two temples reconstructed in the 1970s are definitely worth a look. Located near to Yao Mo Gate, the Wat Phayat temple compound has a massive grey marble temple which reinterprets, in a contemporary style, a Thai traditional wat. Opposite the main ubosot is an artificial grotto with Buddha figures surrounded by stalactites. By contrast, Wat Sala Loi is a masterpiece of contemporary architecture, and won an award from the Siam Architects Society for its avant-garde design. Constructed in 1973, it’s shaped like a Chinese Junk boat with triangle windows and stylized, minimalist gable-end finials on the temple roof. The temple garden offers a sharp contrast to the minimalist wat, complete with life-size cartoon figures (including Spiderman and Captain America), kitchy statues, and brightly coloured real—and plastic—flowers. AUGUST 2018 | 63
TRAVEL | focus on nakhon phanom
Phra That Nakhon, the centerpiece of Wat Mahathat 64 | AUGUST 2018
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focus on nakhon phanom | TRAVEL
Riverside Retreat
Nakhon Phanom courts international travellers with a blend of slow-life tourism and unique heritage attractions Words and photos by Bruce Scott
Seven-headed Naga statue overlooking the mighty Mekong River
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or Bangkok residents seeking a respite from city stress, or anyone visiting Thailand looking to unwind in true “slow-life” fashion, the peaceful province of Nakhon Phanom has aspirations to make it onto your travel itinerary. One of the main draws of the city of Nakhon Phanom, the provincial capital, is its waterfront setting. Situated along the western banks of this particular section of the long and winding Mekong River, the bike paths, public areas, and hotels along the river offer magnificent views of the mountain range that encircles the Laos town of Thakek on the opposite side. On the Thai side of the river, the surrounding landscape is relatively flat—ideal for growing rice, one of the area’s main agricultural industries—and a popular saying amongst the locals here is, “Laos has the mountains, but we have the view”. Along with the views, the city has many beautiful Buddhist temples, the most revered being Wat Mahathat, whose origins date back to the early 7th century. The centrepiece here is the Phra That Nakhon, a stunning gold and white chedi that is stylistically reminiscent of Phra That bangkok101.com
Phanom, one of the province’s other revered pagodas. Built in 1922, it stands 24 meters high, surrounded by bright golden statues that glisten in the sunlight. This particular pagoda is one of eight spiritually significant holy sites distributed throughout the province, collectively known as the ‘7-Birthday, 8-Relic Pagodas’. Each one signifies a different day of the week—there are two for Wednesday, one for the morning and one for the evening—and each houses its own particular Buddha relic. Visiting them all is part of a merit-making road trip that attracts many Thai and other Buddhist tourists to this region. The city also pays homage to the Naga, and incarnations of this snake-like dragon deity—sometimes depicted with one head, sometimes with several heads— can be seen throughout the metropolis. In fact, the city’s most recognisable waterfront landmark is a 15-metrehigh, seven-headed Naga statue made of brass that spouts a stream of water (from the mouth of the middle serpent head) into the river below. Naga motifs are also easily spotted as part of the design of the lampposts lining the riverside promenade, AUGUST 2018 | 65
TRAVEL | focus on nakhon phanom
Statue of Ho Chi Minh
Sepentine statue at Wat Phra In Plaeng
Baan Na Chok (Ho Chi Minh house)
Twin spires of Saint Anna Nong Saeng Church
but for a real psychedelic snake experience visit Wat Phra In Plaeng, where statues of the mythical creatures from the Himmapan Forest—the legendary woodlands at the base of Mount Meru in Hindu mythology—surround a temple that houses a 1,000-year-old Buddha image. Two enormous, brightly coloured, elaborately designed, fearsome snake/human figures guard the front entrance, while other fantastic creatures, including two nareepol “fruit maidens”, can be seen along the low wall that surrounds the rest of the building. However, not all spiritual sites in the city environs are Buddhist in nature. Nakhon Phanom is home to a sizeable Vietnamese population, and the Saint Anna Nong Saeng Church on Sunthorn Vijit Road is the place of worship for local Catholics. Constructed in 1926, the building is French in design—not surprising, considering the French colonial presence in Indochina during that time—with twin spires linked by a narrow footbridge. The church is fully functional, with regularly scheduled masses each month, and during the Christmas season, the exterior is beautifully illuminated with coloured lights. Visiting the Saint Anna Nong Saeng Church provides an introduction to the story of Vietnamese migration to Nakhon Phanom, which began in earnest when many fled the oppressive French colonial era rule of their homeland. Without a doubt, the most infamous migrant who settled here was Ho Chi Minh, who arrived in July of 1928 and lived like a local until November of 1929. At the time he went by the name Tao Chin (one of the hundreds of aliases he adopted while he was crisscrossing the globe incognito) and the home he built in the village of Na Chok—at the
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focus on nakhon phanom | TRAVEL time a primarily Vietnamese community—is now a popular tourist attraction. Known as Baan Na Chok, this spartan abode is a simple, three-room wooden structure, set back from the road amidst a beautifully lush garden of colourful flowering plants and fruit trees. A sign near the entrance even indicates a coconut palm said to have been planted by this future President of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam. Inside the house, the walls are lined with historic photos and images of Ho Chi Minh, while on the table in the centre of the room a hand-carved vintage opium pipe sits on display (perhaps once lit up by ‘Uncle Ho’ himself). When Ho Chi Minh returned to Vietnam in 1941 he established the Viet Minh Movement, a national independence coalition, and in 1946 the first Indochina War broke out, sending more Vietnamese refugees to seek asylum in Thailand. By the early 1960s, North Vietnam was at war with the United States, which prompted yet another migration of Vietnamese nationals escaping their homeland, many of whom swam across the Mekong River when they found they were not welcome in neighbouring Laos. Ironically, during the Vietnam War US forces maintained several air bases in Thailand, from which air strikes were launched, and one of those was in Nakhon Phanom. Ho Chi Minh died on September 2nd, 1969, never having seen the defeat of the American forces in 1975, or the reunification of Vietnam the following year. However, his legacy lives on, and in 2016 representatives of Thai and Vietnamese governments, together with local authorities and Viet Kieu (overseas Vietnamese), officially opened the Ho Chi Minh Memorial Complex to commemorate the 40th anniversary of modern Vietnam’s diplomatic relations with Thailand. This grand memorial celebrates the life of the revered Communist leader—a bit of an oddity in the staunchly anti-communist nation of Thailand—with statues, framed photos, detailed diorama displays, a museum, a gift shop, and a meticulously detailed replica of Uncle Ho’s house in nearby Na Chok village.
Ho Chi Minh Memorial Complex
Venturing out to this area—collectively known as the Thai Vietnamese Friendship Village—takes about 25 minutes from the city centre aboard a sam lor, the threewheeled, tuk-tuk-type vehicles residents here use as public transportation. On the way, visitors will travel past countless verdant rice paddies and small farms. The province is a major producer of agricultural products such as rice, sugar bangkok101.com
TRIBAL TOURISM
For travellers interested in getting a glimpse of traditional rural life in this region of Thailand there are nine distinct ethnic tribes living in villages spread out across Nakhon Phanom, and its neighbouring provinces of Mukdahan and Sakan Nakhan, that can be visited as part of the “tribal tourism” project being spearheaded by the Thai Ecotourism and Adventure Travel Association (TEATA). In many ways, daily life in each of these indigenous villages is fairly similar—farming, making textiles, weaving baskets and mats—but each tribe has it’s own distinct clothing patterns, culinary specialities, ritual dances, and spoken language or dialect. On a visit to the Tai So village—one of the eight tribes in Nakhon Phanom province—we were greeted with traditional music and a dance performance, after which a huge traditional lunch was set out (the fermented fish dish was delicious). After the meal, we were led through demonstrations of women spinning cotton and making fabrics on hand looms, and men weaving fishing nets; all pretty de rigeur stuff if you’ve visited a traditional Thai village before. Less predictable, however, was the dancing, and at the end of our visit we were treated to a second performance by the young girls of the tribe, followed by an extended show from the village’s older women—with one greyhaired granny keeping the beat by pounding two thick bamboo poles on the ground in time with the music (which is also how the tribe pounds their rice). www.teata.or.th
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TRAVEL | focus on nakhon phanom Finally, if you’re wondering when the best time to visit would be, try to coincide your trip with Lai Reua Fai, the annual illuminated boat procession that marks the end of Buddhist Lent (usually in late October). The festival pays homage to Lord Buddha but also makes offerings to the mythical Naga serpent; which, according to legend, lives in the murky depths of the mighty Mekong. The boats themselves are huge, and many weeks are spent constructing, preparing, and decorating these vessels with lanterns. On the full moon night of the 11th lunar month, the lanterns are lit, and the boats are paraded down the Mekong, complete with accompanying fireworks displays. Cricket delicacies
cane, and tapioca, but at least one local farmer is making a living raising crickets, which are harvested as food. Eating insects is common throughout Thailand, especially in Isaan, and when our guide took us to inspect a local cricket farm operation, we were treated to an array of delectable bug dishes including cricket larb, cricket nam prik, and roasted crickets with fried lime leaves and chilli.
Scale model of Lai Reua Fai boat
Governor’s Residence Museum
Speaking of local Isaan delicacies, the food in Nakhom Phanom is a significant attraction, and within the city, there are plenty of restaurants serving up fresh, delicious, locally sourced fare. If you happen to be visiting on the weekend there’s a lively Walking Street set up along the section of Chayangkun Road immediately surrounding the 50-metre-high clock tower—a 60s era civic monument donated to the city by grateful Vietnamese migrants— where you can find plenty of tasty snacks, as well as clothing and various handicrafts. And if you’re looking for a place to sit down and chill out with a meal, and perhaps a cold beer or whiskey (seriously, that’s the ONLY booze the bar serves), then drop in on Tha Hornarika, a happening night spot along Chayangkun Road with live music on the weekends. Vintage rotary phone 68 | AUGUST 2018
For those who can’t be there for the fireboat festival, there is a small but informative museum dedicated to Lai Reua Fai in the back of the Former Governor’s Residence Museum on Sunthorn Vijit Road. Admission to the main museum—a lovingly restored, ochre-coloured colonial mansion dating back to 1925—is just 20 baht, and inside it you’ll find old photos, antique telephones, period furniture, and the 2nd floor bedroom in which the King and Queen of Thailand stayed during one of their royal visits (circa 1955).
WHERE TO STAY FORTUNE RIVER VIEW: Located close to town, and directly on the river, this 122-room upscale property is one of the few hotels in town with a swimming pool. www.fortunehotelgroup.com THE RIVER HOTEL: An upscale riverfront property offering four different suite and room styles, each with all the modern amenities you’d expect. Other highlights include a riverfront restaurant and a spa. www.therivernakhonphanom.com R PHOTO HOTEL: If you don’t mind not being on the river, and a little ways away from the downtown core, this fun and funky boutique hotel offers cheap and cheerful modern rooms with a “photography” theme running throughout. The 2nd-floor outdoor terrace bar is also a great evening hang out spot. www.therivergroup.co.th/r-photo-hotel
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focus on nakhon phanom | TRAVEL
2018 MEKONG TOURISM FORUM
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hen over 400 delegates descended upon the sleepy town of Nakhon Phanom to attend the 2018 Mekong Tourism Forum (MTF), it shone a powerful spotlight on this charming riverside retreat. The four-day forum, which ran from June 26-29, was attended by a wide variety of international tourism industry professionals, including tour operators, hoteliers, travel bloggers, and travel journalists. The 4,350 km long Mekong River runs through six different countries—namely Cambodia, China, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand, and Vietnam—and all six nations were represented at the event. In some of these countries the premier tourism destinations are right on the river—Luang Prabang, Vientiane, and Pakse in Laos, for instance, and Phnom Penh in Cambodia— while in other countries, such as Thailand, the destinations along the Mekong are often overlooked in favour of sun-soaked beaches or bustling urban centres. However, the mandate of the MTF is to showcase the Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS) as a unique and desirable tourist destination, and with that idea in mind the theme of this year’s forum was ‘Transforming Travel—Transforming Lives’. Each day attendees gathered at the Nakhon Phanom University campus, in the Tourism and Services Industry College building, where a variety of seminars, presentations, and keynote speeches were delivered. Several key Thai government officials were in attendance during the opening ceremony, including HE Mr. Weerasak Kowsurat, the Minister of Tourism & Sports, and HE Mr. Somchai Vitdamrong, the Governor of Nakhon Phanom province. The Executive Director of the Mekong Tourism Coordinating Office (MCTO), Mr. Jens Thraenhart, remarked during his opening speech that he’d “fallen Emcee Joe Cummings in love with this small town on the Mekong River”, in reference to the MTF 2018’s host city. The underlying message of the event was that travel can be an important catalyst in changing people’s lives for the better, but tourism must strive to be sustainable; giving back as much as possible to the local communities while in turn minimising the negative effects of tourism. One of the many keynote speakers was Jeremy Smith, co-founder and editor of the website www.travindy.com, and author of the book Transforming Travel: Realizing the Potential of Sustainable Tourism. He gave two equally inspiring talks, both of which brought to the audience’s attention some of the amazing innovations hotels and tour operators
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Keynote speaker Jeremy Smith
around the world are implementing to reduce waste and detrimental impact on the environment caused by over-tourism. “Transforming travel is something we all can do, and we all need to do,” he said. Bangkok-based Gili Back, Sustainability Manager at Khiri Travel, was another keynote speaker, and her talk focused primarily on how to “deplastify your life”, the first step is saying no to bags, straws, and water bottles made of plastic. And in keeping with this environmental ethos, 2018 marked the 2nd year in a row that MTF was staged as a “single-use-plastic free” event. Each delegate’s welcome package even came with a reusable bamboo straw courtesy of BambooLao, one of the five finalists in this year’s Mekong Innovative Startups in Tourism (MIST) entrepreneur program. Another MTF highlight was the Film Destination and Marketing Conference, emceed by Bangkok101’s very own Joe Cummings. It’s no secret that locations featured in successful motion pictures lead to a marked increase in tourism, and a talk by a representative from the Thailand Film Office (Department of Tourism) outlined the ways in which the government encourages filmmakers to operate within the Kingdom. On a different note, Mr. Deepak Ohri, CEO of Lebua Hotels and Resorts, gave an intriguing (if boastful) account of how he leveraged the maximum exposure from his property’s involvement with the hit film The Hangover Part II. On a smaller scale, filmmakers producing targeted promotional films for tour companies and destination properties spoke about how moviemaking technique was just as important for them. As Rob Holmes, Founder and Chief Strategist at GLP Films explained, you have to “connect with your target audience through emotionally driven storytelling” in order to make a lasting impact, and not just have people scroll past your marketing video on their social media newsfeed. The 2018 MTF was a great networking and strategising event, and bewildered local Nakhon Phanom residents admitted that it was the largest number of Westerners they’ve ever seen at one time in their fair city. For those interested in attending next year’s event, the 2019 MTF is scheduled to take place in China’s Yunnan province. For more information, visit: www.mekongtourismforum.org.
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TRAVEL | upcountry now
SHRIMP PARADE August 1-September 30
Tens of thousands of these tiny shrimps, known as Kung Foy in Thai, migrate up the stream of Lam Dome Yai in Ubon Ratchathani province. When they reach Kaeng Lam Duan Waterfall Rapids, the force of the flowing water becomes too much to handle. The migrating shrimps beat this obstacle by directly climbing out of the water and marching along the wet rock on the water’s edge until they reach a point where the stream is calm enough to continue their journey in the water. The shrimps’ parade takes place only after dusk when predators can’t see them easily, and the chance of fatal dehydration is minimised.
INTERNATIONAL DRUMS FESTIVAL August 23-26
Ang Thong International Drums Festival is an annual event held in Drum-making Village, Ekkarat Sub-District, Pa Mok District, Ang Thong. Features of the festival include the Wai Khru Klong Ceremony, majestic drums procession, mini light-and-sound presentation, international drum and cultural performances, Thai classical music show, long drum and drum dances, Thailand to ASEAN cultural performances, exhibitions on Ang Thong’s products, sales of OTOP products and inexpensive goods, plus a food fair. The event is always well attended but with all drumming activities, be prepared for some noisy celebrations.
SUPHANBURI TINGKAJAD FESTIVAL August 23-September 1
The merit-making festival is held annually around August September in the municipal area. Thousands of poor people always gather for free food and necessities. Activities available during this festival include Chinese parade, shopping market, Loy Krathong, making merit activities by a Chinese monk, donations, and Chinese exhibitions. The festival is also a wonderful opportunity to see all things Chinese, including dragon bands, Chinese operas, dances, firecrackers, outdoor movies and of course, lots of Chinese food. Also, the illusion of a huge golden dragon floating on clouds during a sunny afternoon is really a sight to behold.
HUA HIN FOOD FESTIVAL August 27-September 2
The event will highlight a wide variety of local food and international delicacies cooked by professional chefs from participating hotels and restaurants in Hua Hin and Chaam. Visitors will get the chance to taste an extraordinary menu created for this event – the 88 pans of hot and spicy fried rice with fresh seafood. Moreover, the event will showcase professional skills from talented kitchen staff in a series of competitions, including ice carving, vegetable and fruit carving, and cooking. There are also free evening mini-concerts by Thai leading singers. 70 | AUGUST 2018
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Where business and pleasure mix, perfectly
Located in the heart of Northeast Thailand, just a 15 minute drive from Khon Kaen International Airport, AVANI Khon Kaen Hotel & Convention Centre is the perfect blend of comfort, style and service. Whether you’re travelling for business or pleasure, enjoy AVANI’s signature comfort and convenience, letting us take care of the details that matter. COMFORT & CLASS Feel at home in any of our 196 comfortable rooms and suites across five different accommodation types. You can rest easy knowing that at AVANI, we have all the essentials covered. Select the details that matter to you and catch up on work or a restful night’s sleep in one of our AVANI rooms, or why not upgrade and enjoy the added
comforts of a suite with a King size bed, 32” inch flat screen TV and jacuzzi. All of our stylish, modern rooms are designed with functionality in mind and are fitted with essential amenities, including in-room safe and full WIFI connectivity. MEETINGS, EVENTS & WEDDINGS Make business a pleasure with over 4,000 square metres of space across eight stateof-the-art conference and function facilities. Recently awarded the Thailand Mice Venue Standard award and ASEAN Mice Venue Standard 2018 award from TCEB for 11 high-standard convention rooms including innovative instruments that can host any meeting type. Whether you’re craving intimacy or large corporate size event space, AVANI Khon Kaen Hotel & Convention Centre has the space you need to host your meeting in Khon Kaen. Brainstorm in the boardrooms, party in the ballroom or make an impact in the AVANI Convention Centre – one of the biggest Khon Kaen meeting venues, with space for up to 2,000 guests. A WORLD OF FLAVOURS From international favourites to regional specialities, AVANI Khon Kaen Hotel & Convention Centre’s seven restaurants and bars dish up the freshest flavours. Sip, snack or dine without the fuss.
AVANI KHON KAEN HOTEL & CONVENTION CENTRE
999 Moo 4, Prachasamosorn Road, Khon Kaen 40000, Thailand • T. +66 43 209888 • E. khonkaen@avanihotels.com
www.minorhotels.com/en/avani/khon-kaen
ART
| ART & CULTURE
LEAVE FAR AWAY Chinese artist Zhao Yang’s work displays the strange, intricate, and sometimes hilarious lives of local characters
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ova Contemporary is proud to present ‘Leave Far Away’ by renowned Chinese artist Zhao Yang, an exhibition supported by ShanghArt Gallery. In the graphic world of Yang, it is common to find virtual figures and absurd images in the same painting, while each of them respectively represents different ideas, both strengthening the visual by highlighting contradictions. Implicit and dramatic elements always get united in the flat space-time created by Yang. His paintings wander among reality, merging Eastern and Western fairy tales and transforming themselves as carriers of metaphors and symbols until they finally present a hybrid of images to the audiences. Figures in Yang’s paintings are always strange, even hilarious. They stand like monuments on the canvas, transmitting nihilism and romanticism. The diversity of pictures is controlled within a region of conflict and anxiety by the artist. Yang paints daily trifles, endowing them with different understandings and interpretations. His role is more as a director than a painter, expressing memories and narratives in his visual language. Figures from the paintings are like actors, posing for the director to fulfil his requirement. All these experiences, emotions, histories, stories and feelings are expressed smoothly with his plain painting language. Zhao Yang was born in Jilin province in 1970 and graduated from the China Academy of Art in 1995. Currently, he lives and works in Beijing. A list of Yang’s Recent exhibitions include: Zhao Yang: In Between, Kuandu Museum of Fine Arts, TNUA, Taipei (2016); ‘Zao’ by ZHAO Yang, ShanghART, Shanghai (2016); China 8, Contemporary Art from China at the Rhine and Ruhr, Lehmbruck Museum, Duisburg(2015); Une histoire: art, architecture, design des années 1980 à nos jours, Collections contemporaries, Centre Pompidou, Paris, France(2015); Semi-automatic Mode 2, ShanghART Beijing, Beijing (2014); A Mirage Similar Truth Trugbild, ZHAO Yang Solo Exhibition, Galerie Eigenheim, Weimar, German (2013). The exhibition will showcase from now until September 23, 2018 (free of charge). Gallery hours are Tuesday-Sunday 11:00 am to 7:00 pm, at Nova Contemporary, Rajdamri Rd. (near BTS Rajdamri station). For additional information, please call 090 910 6863
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ART & CULTURE | exhibitions
AUGUST 23-SEPTEMBER 23 HER
ARDEL Gallery of Modern Art 99/45 Belle Ville, Boromratchonnanee Rd 02 422 2092 | Tue-Sat, 10.30am-7pm, Sun, 10.30am-5.30pm | ardelgallery.com
HER, is a unique printmaking exhibition by Chalita Tantiwitkosol, presenting femininity—a gender considered highly complex—through a series of stunning lithography works. The young artist from Silpakorn University in Bangkok expresses her ideas of beauty-loving women, each of who beautify themselves to meet their desires, through figures posing in various manners. These women, while boasting their physical attractiveness, possess many hidden meanings and feelings. Some are portrayed blissfully thinking, others appear in an almost fairytale sleep state.
UNTIL AUGUST 25 Glories of Greyscale Tadu Contemporary Art
2F, Thaiyarnyon Building, Sukhumvit 87 02 311 8848 | Mon-Sat, 10am-6.30pm | BTS Onnut
“Glories of Greyscale” by the five artistis, Kamin Lertchaiprasert, Amnaj Wachirasut, Uten Mahamid, Wansavang Yensabaidee and Trinnapat Chaisitthisak is curated by Angkrit Achariyasophon and showcases the works of Kamin Lertchaiprasert along with younger rising talent all in white, grey and black. Kamin’s works have been first displayed at Tadu in 1997 as a solo exhibition contrasting “Normal and Nature”. Now, his works are world-renowned and collected by the the likes of the Guggenheim. In this show, he explores “The Timeless Present Moment” between birth and the afterlife.
SEPTEMBER 6-OCTOBER 13 Perseverance
ARDEL’s Third Place Gallery The Third Place, Thonglor Soi 10, Soi 55 Sukhumvit Rd | 02 714 7929 | Mon-Sat, 10am-6pm thirdplacebangkok.com/gallery | BTS Thong Lo
“Perseverance” is the latest exhibition by Teerawat Kanama showing a new series of acrylic paintings that tell the story of perseverance and unbending determination for success. The exhibition was inspired by the royal literature written by the late King Rama IX entitled The Story of Mahajanaka for which the artist once helped create illustrations. Not only that, it was also motivated by the normal local lifestyle that incorporates the concept of perseverance to their everyday life so that people can live a full and happy life by following their pure endeavor.
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exhibitions | ART & CULTURE
UNTIL SEPTEMBER 8 Borderline
P. TENDERCOOL 48-58 Soi 30 Charoen Krung Rd I 02 266 4344 Mon-Sat 10-6pm | ptendercool.com
This exhibition by Ti Foster is about that formative period, wide ranging in its influences, dissembling the search that lead this artist to find himself, and for this reason alone, is both fascinating and instructive. These are the milestones that built the bridge across a chasm of curiosity to that most precious of places—the discovery of the ‘ I ‘. The work is both unique and personal, a series of images vital to the artisit's life and in helping them understand who and what they are; stepping-stones to his unique artistic essence. A poingent and powerful series of works, created by examining the personal and the private in order to reveal the true identity of the aritist.
UNTIL SEPTEMBER 9 Multiple Planes and Perspective Bangkok Art and Culture Centre
939 Rama I Rd | 02 214 6630-8 | Tue-Sun, 10am-9pm bacc.or.th | BTS National Stadium
These two exhibitions reflect today’s contemporary photography and its appearance in both idea and process. Multiple Planes by Atit Sornsongkram, Pathompon Tesprateep, Sathit Sattarasart, Thakol Khaosa-ad, Virada Banjurtrungkajorn, Viriya Chotpanyavisut shows the various possibilities of the artists approaching and working with photography, introducing alternate perceptions towards the idea of “image” materialised in another platform. Perspective by Akkara Naktamna, Charinthorn Rachurutchata, Montre Kumsiri, Shinya Matsunaga, Chanipa Temprom presents artists thoughts, ideas, and photography techniques, processing today's society. SEA URCHIN RICE trout roe + yuzu + wasabi
LOCATION Conveniently located just 20 metres off Convent Rd (on Soi Pipat 2), in Bangkok’s Silom District OPENING HOURS 3pm–1am Every Day Full Kitchen & Bar until 1am CONTACT T: 02 238 0931 E: reservations@eatmerestaurant.com @eatmerestaurant @eatmerestaurant @eatmerestaurant
www.eatmerestaurant.com bangkok101.com
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ART & CULTURE | Museum Spotlight
Digging into the Dignity of Thai Society The Thai Labour Museum shows the local history of sweat, strife and toil By Luc Citrinot
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ou may have already noticed that most of the smiling people on Bangkok’s omnipresent advertising billboards look much the same: young, handsome and above all white with a Chinese—eventually Korean—look-out. This is a long-ingrained image of the Thai society in people’s mind. The successful ones in Thailand—which means the wealthy ones—are Thai with Chinese blood, a symbol of affluence. But many forget that a successful business relies on the community, often simple workers. Labour movements in Thailand estimate that the labour sector has about 38 million people, but very few of them have an influence on politics and/or social development. The task of the Thai Labour Museum is to tell the story of labourers. Located near to Makkasan station, in a historical building which used to be the Police office, the Thai Labour Museum is dedicated to these anonymous
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people, the vast ‘army’ of workers who mostly migrated from their rural areas into the big cities to work in factories, workshops, and other underprivileged locations. The small museum is free to enter and admittedly looks a bit shabby from the outside. Inside is dark but it is an exciting plunge into the relationship between the haves and have-nots. It talks about slavery in the old times. King Rama V finally freed Siam from slavery in 1874, but he did so step-by-step in a bid to avoid Upper-Class alienation. In 1905, slavery from birth was abolished and it wasn’t until the reign of King Rama VI that slavery was entirely eradicated. The museum tells stories through pictures, original posters, and items about the conditions of work, all mostly from the 19th to the dawn of the 20th century. Of particular interest is the evolution of workers and labour rights after 1932 during the two ‘revolution’ movements under Prime Minister Field Marshal Plaek bangkok101.com
Museum Spotlight | ART & CULTURE
Phibunsongkhram and then PM Field Marshal Sarit Thanarat. While the latter was a staunch anti-Communist, driving a very authoritarian regime, he had a real social policy towards the less privileged. Prices of basics were freed or even reduced, free care was provided, and city services fees reduced, if not abolished. An important step was to allow small business to sell their food or items in the streets of Bangkok, the start of today’s street food and street market traders directly! An exhibition within the museum is also dedicated to Thanong Po-Arn, Thailand’s Labour President who fought to give social security rights to workers. He disappeared during the Military Coup of 1991. His legacy is part of the museum’s education process. In front of the museum, is a sculpture called “Dignity of Labour” where a couple are seen pushing a large wheel, a symbol of the struggle for women and men to achieve status through work. bangkok101.com
Here is an intersting and educational museum that should absolutely be explored. A visit will help you understand the history of Thai people and the history of the county, too. It will make you think differently about the hundreds of people you cross everyday, as well as all of those smiling billboards you see. INFORMATION The Thai Labour Museum is open from Wednesday to Sunday, 10 am to 4 pm. Check the time as afternoon opening hours can vary. Mornings are best to visit The Museum is free, but contributions are welcomed. The museum is easy to access from Makkasan or Ratchaprarop SRT stations along the airport express line. Address: Ratchathewi Rd., Makkasan, Ratchathewi, Bangkok 10400. Tel: 66 2251 3173 AUGUST 2018 | 7 7
ART & CULTURE | cinema scope
Film News & Screenings By Bruce Scott
Eullenia
In the Shadow
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Paul Spurrier
ast month the annual Bangkok ASEAN Film Festival presented a series of fascinating films from across Southeast Asia at the SF World Cinema at CentralWorld (999/9 Rama I Rd). Now in its 4th year, the festival kicked off on July 4th with the Thailand premiere screening of Eullenia—coincidentally the 4th motion picture from Bangkok-based director Paul Spurrier. A bright light on the Thai cinematic scene, Spurrier is known to many city cinephiles as the man behind The Friese-Greene Club (259/6, Sukhumvit Soi 22), a small, private member’s club dedicated to passionate filmmakers, film students, film journalists, and film enthusiasts alike. However, this UK-born, former child actor is equally devoted to making films of his own, and his latest release tells the dark and sometimes disturbing tale of a billionaire banker who believes that in Thailand all his worst desires can be fulfilled purely by offering cash. In the film, Alec Newman (A Lonely Place to Die) stars as the evil head of the Eullenia corporation—a microfinance lending institution—aided by his assistant, played by Thai star Vithaya Pansringarm (Only God Forgives), while the local love interest is none other than Thai actress Apicha Suyanandana. Interestingly, Eullenia marks a departure from the supernatural themes explored in Spurrier’s two previous films, The Forest (2016) and P (2005). “The depth and strength of the belief in the spirit world that one finds in Thailand provides great inspiration for films,” the director explains. “However, with Eullenia the horror is based in the world of reality. I realized that however gruesome Thai ghosts might be, none are as terrifying as a man with unlimited power.” 78 | AUGUST 2018
After Bangkok, the film went on to have its international premiere at the BIFAN Festival in Korea, on July 19th, and will continue making the rounds of the festival circuit for several months to come. In the meantime, check out the always intriguing online screening schedule of The Friese-Greene Club, posted at the beginning of each month. www.fgc.in.th In other film screening news the Contemporary World Film Series at TK Park continues on Saturday, August 18th, with a 4pm screening of In the Shadow (2016), an awardwinning motion picture from the Czech Republic directed by David Ondricek. Set in the 1950s and shot in film noir style, with plenty of dark shadows and shadowy figures, the story centres around a police inspector investigating a robbery who slowly realizes that he’s just a small cog in a bigger wheel, and that there are much more powerful forces at play—including the Secret Service, his political bosses, and other members of the police force. The narrative also touches on the infamous “show-trials” of Communist-era Czechoslovakia, which condemned many innocent people (especially Jews) to death. This special screening is supported by the Embassy of the Czech Republic in Thailand, who will serve snacks and drinks after the screening. In addition, the Ambassador, HE Mr. Marek Libricky, will introduce the film. The Thailand Knowledge (TK) Park is located on the 8th floor of CentralWorld (999/9 Rama I Rd), and tickets are only B20 each. For advance reservations, email: filmforum17@ gmail.com. www.tkpark.or.th bangkok101.com
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OVERGROUND ND
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LEADING ART GALLERIES BANGKOKARTMAP
Art & Culture
Photo Feature
We look at the special relationship between food and art, and pay a visit to JUA, the beautifully crafted izakaya-style restaurant where yakitori, photography, and tomfoolery merge The depiction of food in art spans across cultures and all of human history. We have been drawing, painting and using art to express food since the very beginning. Appearing in myriad contexts, this practice stretches back to ancient Greece and Rome where banquets and bacchanals were consuming passions celebrated in literature, painting, and in mosaics. Since food is so interwoven with most aspects of our lives, this comestible art history also connects with larger themes and is spread across the world, accessible to all. Nowadays, we all document food, photographing and plastering it across our social media. But at JUA, the Charoenkrung izakaya-style
restaurant owned and operated by Chet Adkins and Jason Lang, they do things a little differently. Food and photography go handin-hand at JUA. Indeed, Lang is a photographer and Adkins a chef, and together they place great emphasis on the happy coexistence of both artistic expressions; something that is evident upon entering the restaurant and seeing the works of photography behind the bar. They rotate the photography displays intermittently and use social media to their advantage, advertising the menu and detailing a series of delectable images taken by Lang; whose work features regularly in the pages of Monocle, Condé Nast Traveller and Saveur. Lang also photographed
Sake: The History, Stories and Craft of Japan’s Artisanal Breweries, a book considered to be the foremost guide to the sake process, landscape and people involved. The restaurant was designed by Hong Kong-based Sean Dix as a cement corner unit with vertical panelled doors, each set with tall glass window panels. The use of glass ensures that plenty of light streams in while revealing the warm inner space, as well as a terrazzo bar that bends at the corner. Sourcing quality charcoals they also use artisanal cookware handcrafted in Thailand and serve one of the finest bowls of food you’re ever likely to put in your mouth: orecchiette with uni butter, fresh uni, ikura and nori.
Jua, 672/49 Charoenkrung Soi 28 | 061 558 7689 | www.facebook.com/juabangkok All photography © 2018 Jason Lang
Clams in a miso-garlic broth, chopped parsley and roasted chilli served with milk toast
Orecchiette with uni butter, fresh uni, ikura and nori
Salmon Aburi with wasabi salsa, ponzu, layu oil and garlic chips
Okra with shio and shichimi
Chef Chet Adkins cleaning a Hamachi (Yellowtail) before service
Tomfoolery at JUA with award-winning pastry chef, Jason Licker (centre), Jason Lang (top), Chef Chet Adkins (right)
Plate after plate, smile after smile, JUA's yakitori and Japanese-influenced cuisine fills up the counter
Chef Chet Adkins preparing yellowfin tuna for JUA's poke dish
Locally sourced and sustainable lumyai charcoal, adds a unique flavour to JUA's yakitori and kushiyaki
Ranger's Valley 240-day grain-fed Black Angus skewer
Japanese eggplant with tentsuyu, ginger and itogaki
The New World Mall in Dusit, Bangkok
JUA occupies the space of a former gambling house. The name "JUA" meaning " turning up a card"
Vanilla Custard, Single Yolk Mooncake from Bangkok Marriott Marquis Queen’s Park
| FOOD & DRINK
AROY Fluffy, bouncy, springy pancakes from Osaka
Gram Cafe & Pancake, Osaka’s famous soufflé pancake specialists, have opened a Bangkok post in Siam Paragon, giving locals the delicious opportunity to sample the famous three-layered pancake stack with their choice of whipped cream or syrup. This is only the second international opening for Gram Cafe & Pancake, the first outpost having opened in Hong Kong in March. Expect a wobbly tower of highly-addictive airy pancakes, but sweet-toothed enthusiasts should be aware that they are only served during three intervals a day on a first come, first serve basis: 11am, 3pm and 6pm. Get there early and get there hungry! www.facebook.com/Gram-Pancakes-Thailand-191480038123076/
Soooooooooooo amazing chef line-up SO Amazing Chefs returns to the SO Sofitel Bangkok next month for its 7th year, bringing together a new league of 21 amazing chefs and culinary maestros representing 14 Michelin stars for a 10-day culinary spectacle. Cooking classes offer foodies the rare chance to learn the art of spices, pastry, and chocolate directly from respective masters. As with every year, the event culminates with a Culinary Showdown, in which all chefs compete against one another in an evening of friendly culinary competition. Together with nine AccorHotels chefs, they will be taking diners on a gastronomic journey. Friday 14th – Sunday 23rd September 2018 at SO Sofitel Bangkok. www.so-sofitel-bangkok.com/so-happening/so-amazing-chefs-2018/
Celebrate the start of the Mooncake Festival early Pagoda Chinese Restaurant, Bangkok Marriott Marquis Queen’s Park are celebrating the MidAutumn Festival (Sept 24th) early with an array of mooncakes, available for order and purchase. From traditional baked favourites to mini baked, all handcrafted mooncakes are made by carefully selected ingredients and presented in exquisite festive boxes, the ideal gift for family, friends or colleagues. Mooncake styles include: Signature Black Truffle, Single Yolk with Premium White lotus Seed Paste; Chanthaburi Durian, White Lotus Seed Paste & Single Yolk; White Lotus Seed Paste with Single Yolk; White Lotus Seed Paste with Macadamia Nuts; and Pork Bak - Kwah, Assorted Nuts. Plus, a Vanilla Custard, single Yolk mini baked mooncake. Available from August 1st – September 26th 2018. Email restaurant-reservations.bkkqp@marriotthotels.com for more details
End of the month Lavish Brunch Sunday 26th August is the last Sunday of the month, so what better time to get your closest friends and family together and head to Bangkok Trading Post at 137 Pillars Suites & Residences Bangkok (on Sukhumvit Soi 39) to celebrate with an almighty feast! The restaurant serves artisanal breads, jams, coffee, eggs, rice, grains and incorporates a patisserie with cakes and pastries as well as an a la carte menu, with a fine selection of traveller’s favourites. Price: THB 2,900++ per person. www.137pillarsbangkok.com/en/dining/bangkok-trading-post/
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FOOD & DRINK | meal deals (including Mother‘s Day)
Heart-Felt Fun + Extra Love for Mum
Latest Recipe | Le Meridien Bangkok, 40/5 Surawong Road, Silom, Bang Rak Tel: 02 232 8888 | www.lemeridienbangkokpatpong.com/latest-recipe Latest Recipe rolls out Mom’s Week celebrations with brunch, lunch, and dinner. Fill your plates with your preferred picks from across the world and make the Mother’s Day experience all the more sweet. On Sunday 12 August from 12:30-16:30, *50% discount for mom + 1 kid (12 years old or under) dines free! Plus Kids Corner with toys + cooking workshop (price is at B1,950 net). In an exclusive partnership with Phytomer, every mom will receive a Phytomer gift set + B1,500 value cash voucher. Plus enjoy a complimentary Phytomer “Spa at Home Workshop” from 10am-2pm..
Special for Mother’s Day in August At The Continent Hotel
Bangkok Heightz | The Continent Bangkok, 47 Sukhumvit Rd, Khwaeng Khlong Toei Nuea, Khet Watthana. Tel: 02 686 7000 | www.thecontinentdining.com/bangkok-heightz Start the upcoming Thai Royal Birthday celebrations and Mother’s Day with a feast for the senses. Perched up on the rooftop of The Continent Hotel, Bangkok Heightz cooks up the next 2 months with a dedicated Thai Dinner Tasting Menu, available daily. Price is B999++ (1,176 net) per person for non-vegetarian and B699++ (823 net) per person includes an organic welcome drink and a free flow of Thai herbal drinks, fruit juice or flower juice. On 10th-12th of August, every Mother visiting Bangkok Heightz will get a return voucher and a signature Welcome cocktail/Mocktail called Khan Thong.
Mum Dines Free at Up & Above and Yamazato Restaurant
Up & Above and Yamazato | The Okura Prestige Bangkok, 57 Wireless Rd, Khwaeng Lumphini, Khet Pathum Wan. Tel: 02 687 9000 | www.okurabangkok.com Why not treat your precious mum at The Okura Prestige Bangkok. Mum dines for free in groups of four (limited to one mother per table) at Yamazato restaurant when ordering Okonomi Gozen during lunch or Icho Kaiseki for dinner. The special Mother’s Day Sunday Brunch takes place on 12 August from noon - 3 p.m. at Up & Above Restaurant. Priced from B2,800++ per person with soft drinks. The Okonomi Gozen lunch at Yamazato is served on 12 August from 11:30am-2:30pm at B800++ per person and the Icho Kaiseki dinner is available from 6pm-10:30pm at B2,500++ per person.
Heritage-Inspired Mooncakes Light Up Mid-Autumn Festival
The Athenee Hotel, 61 Wireless Rd, Khwaeng Lumphini, Khet Pathum Wan. Tel. 02 650 8800 | www.theatheneehotel.com Athenee Hotel, a Luxury Collection Hotel, Bangkok, is baking delectable mooncakes presented in exquisite packages inspired by the late Princess Valaya Alongkorn. All available from 1 July to 25 September. The princess, an aunt of the late King Bhumibol Adulyadej, once lived where the hotel is now located. She loved flowers and spending time in her garden, a royal pastime reflected in the central role played by local flowers in the mooncake boxes. Pink Peony Box (4 pcs of 170 gsm) is priced at B988 net, The Athenee Luxury Box (8 pcs of 60 gsm) at B1,988 net and Single Box: (170 gsm) at B190.
Kisso Celebrates Its 25th Anniversary: Ultimate Kaiseki
Kisso | The Westin Grande Sukhumvit, 259 Sukhumvit 19, Sukhumvit Road. Tel: 02 207 8000 | www.kissojapaneserestaurant.com Kisso Japanese Restaurant marks its 25th anniversary as one of the most popular and awarded Japanese restaurants in Bangkok this year and is celebrating by thanking its fans with an exquisite Kaiseki menu, cut-price sushi, and the ultimate Japanese Sunday Brunch. Ultimate Kaiseki Menu (dinner only) Experience an indulgent Kaiseki menu with sake pairing for up to 10 guests shared in an elegant private room, with a special memento for all, priced only B25,000 net. Advance reservation is required. The special menu is available from 1st-31st of August.
As The Season Changes, So Does The Menu Here At Red Sky
Red Sky | Centara Grand at CentralWorld, 195 Phayathai Rd, Khwaeng Pathum Wan, Khet Pathum Wan. Tel: 02 100 6255 | www.centarahotelsresorts.com/redsky/ Head Chef Christian Ham reveals a new Seasonal Tasting Menu available at the rooftop bar and restaurant from now-31 August 2018 for B2,955++ per person. The multi-course menu features heavily on fresh, in-season seafood, including dishes such as ‘Hokkaido scallop and beef tomato carpaccio’ and ‘Golden chanterelle fricassee and langoustine from Britany’.For an extra B1,899++ our sommelier’s selections include pours of G.H. Mumm Cordon Rouge Brut, Reims NV 12 cl, Etna Bianco DOC ‘Alta Mora’, Cusumano, Sicily 2016 9 cl and Château de L’Ecole, Gonnet-Médeville, Sauternes 2009 6 cl.
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chew on this | FOOD & DRINK
Forbidden Fruit
Spiky, pongy, stinky, sticky, gloopy, but oh so delicious Durian
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ou can tell you’re in the presence of a durian fruit before even seeing it. The smell carries for miles, through walls and around corners; its malodorous stench taken on the wind across the Chao Phraya river. Although, you can’t deny that it’s a bright fruit, the Stephen Hawkins of the botany world; giving off the odour of rotting flesh to fool potential consumers. Up until now, the durian had eluded me, deliberately so. However, given that I have chosen to call Bangkok home, this sizeable stinky mass with its appearance of an obese hedgehog was at least worth considering, if not consuming. And anyhow, I needed to understand a nation’s—perhaps even a continent’s—fascination. Last month in Singapore, McDonald’s announced they were launching a Durian McFlurry in line with the National Day celebrations. In their advertising, plain white cloth gloves—often associated with the handling of durians—made an appearance with the McDonald’s logo as the fruit handler splitting the fruit to reveal the new D24 Durian McFlurry within. “If there’s one fruit that could bring Singaporeans together,” said Agatha Yap, Senior Director of Marketing & Digital Innovation at McDonald’s Singapore, “it’s got to be the durian.” Last year, McDonald’s in Malaysia also brought in the durian flavour as part of its Merdeka campaign, as well as David J. Constable is a British writer currently residing in Bangkok, where he is the Acting Editor of Bangkok 101 magazine. He has written for a wide range of publications, including Condé Nast Traveller, Tatler, and Jamie Oliver magazine. He is currently working on his first book, a collection of travel assignments. www.davidjconstable.com bangkok101.com
reintroducing the Durian McFlurry last month in line with Hari Raya Aidilfitri and the football World Cup. All of this durian-loving and fruity-appreciation made me wonder, what the hell is all the fuss about. My research took me on a zigzag tour of Bangkok, all of the labyrinthine dark and strange Sois full of dodgy, durian-eating characters, and dead ends (or ends you wish you were dead in). The distinction between fresh durian, packaged durian, and supermarket durian first had to be made. It seems that, such is the love for durian, that it has its own merchandise, sold in a variety of forms from Durian KitKat, Durian & Black Truffle Crisps, Durian Cheesecake, and Durian with Dried Tamarind. In its fresh form, durian is somewhat frightening; like a giant green conker. Right now it’s durian season, just about (April through August), and because of this I was finding premium examples. My first (from Or Tor Kor Market) and my second (from a vendor on Charoenkrung Road in Chinatown, who very kindly helped prise open the fruit for me), were both, well, fine. Delicious, yes. Stinky, well of course. And not at all what I’d expected. Inside, the flesh is marmoreally slimy, some say silky. And, once you get past the stench, a gelatinous stony goo reveals itself, a texture Asians prize. You pull and tear, and suck and nibble. In fact, I don’t know how you eat it? I don’t think anyone does. The texture is spongy and the flavour complex and challenging to describe. Creamy maybe, with an undertone of caramel. Actually, it’s rather yummy. Soft, squidgy, and pulpy; a little bit caramel and custard, and a little bit banana. Apparently, the old, over-ripe ones taste of vinegar, like licking an infected spot on a stranger’s face, or as Anthony Bourdain once observed, “It’ll leave your breath smelling as if you’ve been French-kissing your dead grandmother.” I’m sure detractors will continue to berate and slander the durian name, but I’m now firmly in the devotee camp; as long as I hold my nose. AUGUST 2018 | 89
FOOD & DRINK | review
Broken Eggs
A casual gastrobar in trendy Ekkamai demonstrates a flair for Galician tapas
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roken Eggs isn’t in any way a place to get an omelette, not even a Spanish omelette, but a sausage-laden speciality of the same name. Broken Eggs doesn’t even call itself a restaurant—but a gastrobar where the exceptional array of small plates is meant mainly as alcoholic accompaniment. Yet thanks to Jacobo Astray, a native of Galicia (“world’s best seafood,” he touts) who trained under some of his country’s most advanced chefs, and moved to Bangkok six years ago, this light-filled watering hole, fronted by a wall of windows and featuring the world’s best wall mural portrayal of an octopus and an elephant (mingling together around pots and pans!), has dramatically expanded Thailand’s connection with the excitingly freewheeling experimentation that is Spanish cuisine today. While his menu of tapas variants is continually evolving, with a sufficient number of light bites, mainstays include the satisfying Garlic Shrimps (B210), hot and crispy Iberico Ham Croquettes (B200), and Thai Burrata Cheese topped with Raspberries and Pistachio (B320). A spring roll of slow-cooked 90 | AUGUST 2018
beef cheeks over creamy polenta (B320), Red Tuna Tataki & Guacamole topped with Mango & Ponzu (B320), and Pumpkin Puree and Mushrooms accompanying an egg cooked sous vide (B24). Oh, and the house signature, Huevos Rotos—eggs fried in plenty of olive oil and with Iberico ham, of course (B220). Get the idea? This is no predictable paella and chorizo joint. Tried-and-true ingredients, many Asian or otherwise scrupulously sourced, are paired with radical techniques. And if you aren’t in the mood for one particular bite, there’s always another (for which you won’t have to wait long). Best, though, to order five plus at a time, so not to run out too quickly. Octopus is most often in evidence, too. I suggest the Grilled Octopus with Potato Puree & Paprika (B380). Desserts are also worth exploring, with the likes of Mint & Mango Cheesecake (B180), Passion Fruit with Coconut Foam (B180) and Macadamia Ice Cream & Chocolate Sauce (B180). The same holds true for especially aromatic and digestive gin-and-tonics, adequately mixed sangria and other
wine-based sips that stay loyal to Spanish roots. As one might expect, the selection of Iberian vintages goes way beyond the ordinary, too. You can savour this spot solely for its beverages, but to miss Astray’s culinary creations would be a shame. You’ll also find an impressive selection of Thai and Laotian craft beers as well as Galician, including Estrella. The atmosphere is entirely casual, not at all stuffy for something so gourmet. With the fun just begun, Jacobo’s instincts and formula are in no way broken. He is on form, the perfect host during an evening of delicious Spanish gourmet fare. Where else but Ekkamai could you find a three-year veteran of the kitchens of the world, including famed elBulli, personally preparing the finest finger food for you? By John Krich / photos: Olmo Reverter
Broken Eggs
112/7 Ekkamai Rd (Sukhumvit Soi 63) 02 047 7811 Open: Tue-Sat 5pm-11.30pm, Sun 12-4pm www.brokeneggsbangkok.com bangkok101.com
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FOOD & DRINK | review
Urbani Truffle Bar & Restaurant
High-rise truffle sniffing atop the 39th floor of Sathorn Tower grew up, who its parents are, what ambitions it has. The rest of the menu is split into: Appetizer & Soup; Pasta & Risotto; Seafood; Mains; and Desserts. Two “Signature Menus” (5 and 7 courses) allow guests to create their own meal from a list of options. Both “Signature Menus” include a complimentary amuse-bouche—an oyster showstopper—and a glass of Chandon. They also have a cellar with over 250 wines and make their own truffle-infused Grey Goose vodka. The food is all good. Nicely plated and served with flair. The views from the 39th floor aren’t half-bad, either. Truffle Risotto (B980) is a rich mix of squid ink sauce, pan-seared Hokkaido scallops and black truffle, and a creamy Tagliatelle Carbonara (B890) with sous vide egg yolk has its roots in Rome. A standout White Truffle Tiramisu (B420) is airy and delicious, a balancing act of sweet and savoury, and while the Mango & Truffle (B420) with butter he price of fresh truffles usually it has been Roberto Ugolini’s desire crumble didn’t pass my lips, the to bring the same observance to means that they’re used description alone warrants a return visit. Thailand. As the Director of Urbani, sparingly, so to open a truffle he wishes to protect and promote the My only gripe—and it’s a bar and restaurant—in Thailand no reasonably considerable one given the Italian culinary traditions, something less—means importing and utilising a concept—is that they don’t present Urbani Tartufi established previously serious amount of truffles. with the opening of delicatessens from and serve the truffle at the table. For You set out your stool when you such a rare and costly commodity, New York to the Netherlands. call yourself a truffle restaurant. No The menu is surprisingly moderately surely guests wish to see it, smell it, one expects to order pork & pomme priced (with a lunch menu at B590 for 3 and witness it being shaved over their purée, but you need to present food. Instead, plates arrive with shards courses) but appears a little incoherent options. There has to be the offer of of knobbly fungi already applied, taking in places, leaning heavily on Italian food that’s lesser than the truffle, away some of the magic. And yet, classics whilst detailing all of the high because you can’t upstage the main it’s all ambitious stuff; high-rise fine falutin ingredients you’d expect to find act. You can’t have other ingredients dining from Bangkok’s go-to truffle in such an establishment—foie gras, getting in the way of the musky, dealership. By David J. Constable pungent complexity of a prized truffle. lobster, wagyu—all laced with truffles. In many cases, the truffle only pops At this new, sleek Sathorn restaurant, there are plenty of options, up in passing, a minor mention in a list of ingredients; often just written although guests are encouraged to Urbani Truffle Bar & embrace the truffle with 70 per cent of as “truffle” with nothing to suggest Restaurant whether it’s black, white, summer, the menu focussed on the application Sathorn Square, 39 floor, 98 North Sathorn Rd. of truffles from Umbria. As an integral winter? If you’re dropping B1,350 on Open: Mon-Fri, 11am-11pm, Sat, 6pm-11pm Tournedos Rossini, then I’d want to part of Umbrian cuisine, the black Tel: 02 233 1990 know my truffle’s narrative; where it truffle has a celebrated history, and www.ugolini.co.th
T
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FOOD & DRINK | breaking bread presented by sanpellegrino
FINE DINING WATER TO ENHANCE GREAT FOOD ACQUA PANNA AND S.PELLEGRINO. THE FINE DINING WATERS. w w w.finedininglovers.com Distributed by Global Food Products Co., Ltd. Tel. +66 26831751
Breaking Bread
with Nanang Prasetya Aditama Local produce and responsible gastronomy is the key focus for this young chef at Nimitr
T
alk about taking on a challenge. Chef Nanang Prasetya Aditama is still under 30 years of age and yet, even with high-end, luxury resort experience in Bali and the Maldives, arrived in Bangkok to head perhaps one of the most ambitious and beautiful restaurants in the city. A big responsibility on young shoulders. Joining Nimitr Restaurant at 137 Pillars Suites & Residencies Bangkok in November 2016, Chef Nanang set about creating a menu of “Oriental appreciation” that plays to the
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advantages of local and sustainable produce. Leaning on his experience and the techniques acquired from hotel institutions such as the Grand Hyatt Bali, Villa Balquisse, Bintan Lagoon Resort, Niyama Resort, Maldives, and The Sanchaya Resort, he is creating a cuisine with a strong focus on responsible gastronomy. Playing with concepts of Thai molecular cuisine, it soon became evident that a more conventional, honed approach would benefit the restaurant, and Chef Nanang and his
team moved towards “cutting edge Oriental” which incorporated numerous countries and cuisines. Regional staples were inescapable but new and exciting Pan-Asian creations materialised too: Chilli Crab, Lamb Rendang, Szechuan Rock Lobster, Beef Massaman, Scallops and Abalone Sashimi. “Looking to Asia opened the possibilities,” says Chef Nanang. “We could incorporate more ingredients and play with techniques, creating a menu with focus. It opened up our creativity, allowing us to update the bangkok101.com
breaking bread presented by sanpellegrino | FOOD & DRINK
menu every 3-4 months, introducing around 80 per cent of new dishes.” Nimitr opened in February 2017, atop 137 Pillars, with a warm and intimate, boutique-feel restaurant, and outdoor terrace and bar area that remains one of the most stylishly crafted and beautifully-lit spaces I’ve seen in Bangkok; an impressive achievement, given this city’s infatuation for ritzy rooftop dining. “Where possible, we only use Thai produce. That is important to me and for the 137 Pillars philosophy,” says Chef Nanang. “We like to keep a few signature dishes because we think they’re strong enough and our regulars like to see them on the menu.” After graduating from STIPAR Triatma Jaya—studying in the day and working in a local Balinese restaurant at night—Chef Nanang started his career as a Commis Chef at Grand Hyatt Bali. He left to join Pica Tapas Restaurant and then Villa Balquisse, where he worked as a private cook. “That was a very enjoyable time for me. I could be creative because the menu was up to me. I would visit the local market every morning and see what was available and then make meals based around the daily produce. It forces you to be creative. But I knew that if I stayed in Bali working like this, then I wouldn’t be able to grow.” bangkok101.com
In 2012, he joined Bintan Lagoon Resort, cooking mostly Italian cuisine, followed by a move to Niyama Resort Maldives, where he worked as Chef De Partie in the Tribal Restaurant. “I worked there for a year and a half, without a vacation. That was interesting because, by the time I arrived, the chef who had hired me had left. I didn’t know anyone.” It was in the Maldives where Chef Nanang met Chef Ken, a Thai chef at the Anantara Maldives. “He trained us how to cook Thai food, real and genuine Thai food; from the basics up. Not just the tourist staples,” remembers Chef Nanang. “Thai food was a sort of revelation, like a memory of home. I’m always going to lean towards more of the Asian and Balinese way. I had been handling unusual produce like ostrich eggs, making salsas with Mexican spices, and trying to use sea urchin in sorbet, all for international clientele—quite a mix.” With local ingredients an ever-present part of the Nimitr menu, relationships with suppliers is always at the forefront of Chef Nanang’s mind, and even on his off days, he’s out and about exploring, visiting the markets, keen to further his knowledge. “I like to explore local ingredients and meet the suppliers,”
he says. “My face might look a little Thai so the people in the markets will speak to me when they see how interested I am in the produce, and I’ll nod my head and say okay, okay. Sometimes I’ll be with someone from my team so that they can help. Right now I’m looking for a ginger flower. In Singapore, its used very often in Michelin restaurants, and it’s easy to find it, but here’s it more difficult. It’s used for decoration here and not for cooking. I plan to use it in salsa. I’ll try to find it and am planning to visit the flower market in the next few weeks.” Responsible gastronomy is the direction of Nimitr and 137 Pillars. In Chef Nanang they have found a young chef with similar principles. “We work together in supporting the community. Food always tastes better this way, and it gives the maximum benefits to the customer. It’s also much better nutritionally. That’s what I love about Thailand; they have the land to grow. Farmers are producing high-quality products, and my goal is to seek them out and apply their ingredients to new, creative, and exciting menus.” Interview by David J. Constable
www.137pillarsbangkok.com/en/ dining/nimitr/ AUGUST 2018 | 95
FOOD & DRINK | street eats
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bangkok101.com
street eats | FOOD & DRINK
Torisoba Nanase Japanese lanterns and a bowl of beauty
I
discovered one of my favourite Torisoba Nanase Japanese chicken Ramen shops by pure chance. Illuminated by the warm glow of the Japanese lanterns dangling outside, the wisps of steam curling upwards from the boiling broth inside were enough to lure me in. Feeling relaxed and hungry after a long massage at the parlour next door, I was easy prey for the charms, and odours, of this atmospheric-looking Ramen shop. Inside I noticed that the photos covering the wall, like a gastronomythemed wallpaper, were, in fact, the shop’s extensive menu. After scanning the wall for a few drooling minutes, I opted for a bowl of Nanase Tomyam Ramen, Taiwan Maze Soba, Tanrei Soba and steamed Gyoza. I found out later that this particular shop is a Japanese franchise specialising in Shiba style chicken broth. My bowl of Tenrei Soba was served in a tasty soy sauce soup, decorated with a sprinkling of fried sliced shallots. From the colour of the soup alone I knew this was going to be unique–when it comes to chicken broth, these guys are serious! The deep flavour of the broth is created by boiling down a vast volume of chicken bones, making the resultant soup rich in collagen, oil
eat like
Nym
Our roving roadside gourmand Nym knows her local grub inside-out and thrives on the stories behind the dishes. Each month, she takes an offbeat tour in search of the city’s next delectable morsel. bangkok101.com
and, best of all, flavour. It’s almost creamy it’s so concentrated and rich. Japanese women drink the broth for its medicinal properties, with collagen being particularly effective for healthy bones and a good complexion. Instead of seasoning my broth with Kaeshi sauce, I decided to sample my friend’s bowl of Tomyam Ramen. The broth was just as rich as mine, but the spiciness of the soup created a sharper, tangier note. I might have felt guilty for pilfering my friend’s soup, but it was so tasty there was no time for regret. I took my time, carefully fishing out a few strands of Ramen from the soup, slowly hauling them in with my chopsticks so I could savour every broth-drenched mouthful. The other dishes, while not the highlight, were excellent too. The steamed Gyoza was oh so tender. The rice flour skin wasn’t too thick while the filling was aromatic, juicy and tasty. The Taiwan Maze Soba was no slouch either. Unlike the menu picture
on the wall, it was served without an accompanying soup. Instead, the bed of al dente soba was adorned with an assortment of seaweed, vegetables, chilli and eggs. I gently mixed the soba and accompaniments until the dish harmonised into a delicious and hearty ensemble that was a satisfying counterbalance to the rich chicken soup. Curious to know the most popular choice, I was informed that Negi Soba with extra soba was the favourite for Japanese diners. Checking their recommendation against the menu photos, I noted that the Negi Soba was served with the shop’s signature chicken broth–those savvy Japanese diners were getting the best of both worlds! If you’d like to try for yourself head to BTS Onnut, then walk to Sukhumvit 79–where you can also grab a pre-meal massage before treating yourself to the joys of one of Bangkok’s best Raman and chicken broth shops.
Address: Torisoba Nanase opens from 10 am until midnight, and is closed on the last Wednesday of the month. It is in Soi Sukhumvit 79, 20 meters in the Soi with Japanese lanterns hanging over the food cart. AUGUST 2018 | 97
FOOD & DRINK | listings
CHINESE
INDIAN
Pagoda Chinese Restaurant
Elements
Charcoal
This upscale venue serves traditional Cantonese cuisine in a spacious, contemporary setting. The menu focuses on healthy dishes, while ensuring that the flavours and authenticity are retained. 4F, Marriott Marquis Queen’s Park Hotel 199, Sukhumvit Soi 22 Tel: 02 059 5999 Open daily: 11:30am-2:30pm, 6pm-10pm www.marriott.com
Yào Restaurant
Perched gracefully on the hotel’s 32nd floor, Yào Restaurant offers a fine Cantonese and Shanghainese cuisine with stunning views of Bangkok at night. Five private dining rooms provide a perfect setting for special occasions. 32F, Bangkok Marriott Hotel The Surawongse 262 Surawongse Rd. Tel: 02 088 5655 Open daily: Lunch 11.30am-2.30pm, Dinner 6pm-10.30pm www.bangkokmarriottsurawongse.com
No sloppy curries swimming in ghee–only sophisticated interpretations of tandoorgrilled delicacies enjoyed by the Moghuls of old, and a unique selection of cocktails with intriguing Indian twists. 5F Fraser Suites, Sukhumvit Soi 11 Tel: 089 307 1111 Open daily: 6pm-11pm www.charcoalbkk.com
INTERNATIONAL The Dining Room at The House on Sathorn
Few restaurant settings in the city rival this charming colonial-era mansion where Turkish native Chef Fatih Tutak keeps things rooted in the Ottoman canon, experimenting with tastes, textures, and temperatures in a 10-course—although expect more—tasting menu. W Bangkok, 106 North Sathorn Rd. Tel: 02 344 4025 Open daily: 6pm-10:30pm www.thehouseonsathorn.com
This Michelin-starred restaurant expertly fuses Japanese and French culinary aesthetics, flavours, and precision, in a retro-futuristic space that feels like a home study but has the theatricality of a playhouse. Meanwhile, views of Bangkok’s downtown cityscape can be enjoyed from the restaurant’s open-air deck. 25F, The Okura Prestige Bangkok 57 Wireless Rd. Open daily: 6pm-10:30pm Tel: 02 687 9000 www.okurabangkok.com
Karmakamet Diner
Although the café style selections are outstanding, the talented kitchen team is also adept at creating some serious fine dining dishes. 30/1 Soi Methi Niwet Tel: 02 262 0700 Open daily: 10am-11:30pm www.karmakametdiner.com
Latest Recipe
A new upscale brunch offering from the signature restaurant in the Le Méridien offers a delicious and indulgent approach
Cooking School & Restaurant
Amy Dabbs SINGAPORE
08/01/2017
Jarinya Thanasoonthonkul Bangkok THAILAND
08/01/2017
BANGKOK : 233 South Sathorn Rd., Sathorn Bangkok 10120 Tel : +66 2 673 9353-8, Fax : +66 2 673 9355 cooking.school@blueelephant.com
PHUKET : 96 Krabi Road, Tambon Talad Neua, Phuket 83000 Tel : +66 (076) 354 355-7, Fax : +66 (076) 354 393 phuket@blueelephant.com
www.blueelephant.com 98 | AUGUST 2018
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listings | FOOD & DRINK to wining and dining. The Medittareaninpsired “La Docle Vita” Lifestyle Buffet offers an eclectic mix of cuisines across various stations, with fresh seafood, made-to-order pasta, and free-flow wine and champagne options. 1F, Le Méridien Bangkok, 40/5, Surawong Rd. Open daily: Mon-Sat, 12pm-2:30pm, 6:30pm-9:30pm, Sun, 12pm-4pm Tel: 02 232 8888 www.latestrecipebangkok.com
La Scala
Vertigo Too Bar & Restaurant
Rossini & Cigar Lounge
Red Oven
Styled as a ‘World Food Market’, this all-day dining venue puts a contemporary twist on buffet spreads. And on weekends, the restaurant offers an irresistable scrumptious, free-flow wine brunch buffet. 7F, SO Sofitel Bangkok, 2 North Sathorn Rd. Tel: 02 624 0000 Open daily: 6:30pm-10:30pm, Sat-Sun Wine Brunch, noon-3pm www.so-sofitel-bangkok.com
Tables Grill
The award-winning restaurant features prime-cut steaks and sustainably sourced seafood in an elegantly unique setting that offers a fresh take on à la minute dining.
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ITALIAN
Grand Hyatt Erawan Hotel, 494 Rajdamri Rd. Tel: 02 254 6250 Open: Mon-Sat, 11:30am-2:30pm, 6:30pm-10pm, Sunday Brunch: 11am-3pm www.bangkok.grand.hyatt.com
Vertigo Too Bar & Restaurant
Neither an open-air rooftop bar, nor the kind of jazz den found in smoky brickwalled basements, the al-fresco Vertigo Too deftly toes the line between the two milieus. 60F, Banyan Tree Bangkok 21/100 South Sathorn Rd. Tel: 02 679 1200 Opem daily: 5pm-1am www.banyantree.com
This beuatiful designed fine dining Italian gourmet restaurant specializes in classic artistic, chef-style cooking, serving up dishes with finesse and finely balanced flavour. The Sukhothai Bangkok 13/3 South Sathorn Rd. Tel: 02 344 8888 Open daily: Lunch, 12pm-2:30pm, Dinner, 6:30pm-11pm www.sukhothai.com
A standout restaurant within the Royal Cliff Hotel, this definitive “Ristorante Italiano” serves authentic Italian cuisine with Mediterranean leanings. Think fresh salads, meaty lasagna, and hearty Italian sausage, roast chicken, and Thai pork served on the skewer. The chef takes great pride in desserts with a menu of delectable classics such as vanilla panna cotta. With live music sets within a stunning environment, and over 900 fabulous wine labels, this a premier dining choice.
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FOOD & DRINK | listings Royal Cliff Hotel (Grand Hotel) 353 Phra Tamnuk Rd, Pattaya Open: Thu-Tue, 6:30 pm-11pm Tel: 03 825 0421, ext. 2037 www.royalcliff.com
JAPANESE Kisso
Combining a modern mastery of timehonoured customs in a stylish and convivial setting, this is one of the top places for outstanding Japanese cuisine in Bangkok. 8F, The Westin Grande Sukhumvit Bangkok 259, Sukhumvit Soi 19 Tel: 02 207 8000 Open daily: 12pm-2:30pm, 6pm-10:30pm www.kissojapaneserestaurant.com
STEAK & BURGER The Steakhouse Co.
A new city steak restaurant, located on the vibrant Patpong Soi 2, serves up delectable cuts from Australia, the US, and Argentina. At the stove is Chef
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Moo, who has extensive experience across many city hotels, and who takes great pride in the ageing, marbling, and hanging of the carefully selected beef produce. A well-stocked bar with an impressive wine list and local craft beers, ensures guests find the perfect tipple to accompany their bovine. The Steakhouse Co. 9/8 Thanon Patpong 2 Open daily: 5pm-3am Tel: 06 109 Steak (78325) www.thesteakhouseco.com
THAI Blue Elephant
A wildly successful brand since it was first established in 1980, this restaurant (and cooking school) sits in a gorgeous historic mansion. On the menu, Chef Nooror takes a riff on the Thai food of tomorrow, but also shares her heritage with every dish. 233 South Sathorn Rd. Tel: 02 673 9353 Open daily: 11:30am-2:30pm, 6:30pm-10:30pm www.blueelephant.com
Canvas
Serving up artistic masterpieces on a plate, the visionary kitchen team here use mainly local produce and ingredients, conjuring up unique concoctions that give traditional Thai dishes a definite twist. Try one of Chef Riley’s incredible tasting menus. 113/9-10, Sukhumvit Soi 55 Tel: 099 614 1158 Open: Tue-Thu, Sun, 6pm-midnight, Fri-Sat, 6pm-12:30am www.canvasbangkok.com
Saffron Sky Garden
This “garden in the sky” offers stunning vistas overlooking almost all angles of Bangkok. Large bed-like grey lounge chairs adorned with bright coloured pillows provide the perfect spot to lay back and unwind while sampling the Thai tapas menu items from the hotel’s awardwinning Saffron restaurant. Kick back and eat in style, high above the city, at Saffron. 52F, Banyan Tree Bangkok 21/100 South Sathorn Rd. Open daily: 5pm-1am Tel: 02 679 1200 www.banyantree.com/bangkok
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STORY SPIRIT “Scarlet Woman” “Scarlet Woman,” one of Ruen Urai’s new signature cocktails, is inspired by Thai novels and literature and their colourful characters. In “Kuhn Chang Kuhn Phaen,” Pimphilalai or Wanthong, the female protagonist, was defenselessly caught between two lovers. Her name thus personifies the Thai version of a scandalous woman. Experience fine Thai culinary arts in the oasis that is Ruen Urai, “The House of Gold.” Open from noon to 11 p.m. Ruen Urai at the Rose Hotel 118 Soi Na Wat Hualumphong, Surawongse Road Tel. (66) 2 266 8268-72 www.ruen-urai.com
Enjoy Popcorn Chicken and Tiki-style cocktails at Octave Rooftop Loungue & Bar
| NIGHTLIFE
NIGHTLIFE what’s popping at octave rooftop lounge & bar? For a limited time only, Octave Rooftop Lounge & Bar offers the perfect bar snack in the form of Popcorn Chicken. This small bite-sized crispy fried chicken, which comes with sweet chili sauce and sour cream onion dip, will only be available in the month of August. THB 260++ per serving. They’ll also be be featuring Tiki-style cocktails mixed with local ingredients. Start with “Monkey Bay” cocktail, made from Chalong Bay Basil Rum, Coconut, Banana and Pineapple. Then continue with “Smuggler’s Cove” cocktail, a mix of Nusa Cana Rum, Mulled Wine Syrup, Pineapple and Lime. Both of them are inspired by the summer season and its fruity flavors. Price: THB 360++ per glass. Octave Rooftop Lounge & Bar opens daily from 5pm – 2am. For further information and reservation, please call 02 797 0000. www.facebook.com/OctaveMarriott/
calling all ladies to join the voyage every Thursday night Bar Savoy, Punch Bar and Singing Rooms invites all ladies to join its weekly journey for a new Ladies Night promotion: “Ladies On A Voyage”. Every Thursday before midnight, Savoy offers 2 free signature punches from its 12 signatures in 5 Punch theme: Space, Sea, Wild, Mountain and Oasis. Some ladies may find themselves sipping zesty and sassy punches on the upstairs bar with cool tunes from DJs while some enjoy singing and dancing in the private singing rooms with their squads. The journey ends here, but your night doesn’t have to. For reservations, call +(66) 2 392 7636. www.facebook.com/barsavoybkk
the best-selling online beer shop in Thailand opens its garden The Wishbeer Garden in Thonglor celebrated the Grand Opening of their Wishbeer Garden last month, offering guests an impressive selection of over 500 craft beers—from Brothers Toffee Apple Premium Cider to Deschutes Fresh Squeezed IPA—all to be enjoyed in a brand new outdoor space. And, with a selection like that, it’s no wonder they are the best-selling online beer shop in Thailand. With the addition of the new garden at the Thonglor branch—Wishbeer have four Bangkok locations—guests can enjoy their tipple outside in the sun. www.wishbeerhomebar.com
celebrate a long happy hour, after hour, after hour… Could this be the best and longest Happy Hour in the city? We’re not sure but at TUBA Design Furniture & Restaurant (34 Soi Ekkamai 21) they sure do squeeze in a lot for an hour—okay, it’s three hours—with an advertised Happy Hour everyday of the week from 5pm – 8pm. Deals include Buy 2 Beers, Get 1 Free and Buy 1, Get 1 Free on cocktails. www.facebook.com/tubabkk
bangkok101.com
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NIGHTLIFE | listings
Levels
A Bangkok nightclub institution, still as sexy after six years
L
evels NightClub recently celebrated their sixth year anniversary and invited their supporters, friends and most of all the public, to give thanks to six years of fantastic success. They transformed the Club into a “Carnival” themed party where they could showcase the venue and why it is still sexy after six years. With this happening, I had a chance to see that Levels continues being a destination Club for international and local guests. I have been here on the weekends, early weeknight, and midweek, and never have I left feeling unsatisfied. For me, my experience always starts at the door with the team of people who are going to help me enjoy my night to the fullest. And they always deliver. When you arrive you are treated like a star. They roll out the red carpet, literally. You walk the red carpet and up the stairs where you are greeted by the beautiful smiling faces of a Host team, who will guide you into making your night one to remember. My favourite option that Levels have
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is their “Bottle” packages. If you get the right package, which I usually do with around 10 of my closest friends, you are able to be in one of their plush velvet booths and have your own private Host who never lets your drink become empty. Now that is service. Once the elevator doors open, you can hear the sounds of the music pumping, and people are milling around trying to see how they would like to start their night. Before you get into the main dance floor and inside bar, you tend to be pulled over to the outdoor bar where they have a DJ setup. The music is on the sexier side to make people feel comfortable and relaxed. You can grab your first drink, enjoy the open-air patio and ease into the night. I find their outdoor setup is good, you can have everyone mingling with each other, and it is a great way to start meeting more people that you will probably hit the dance floor with later that night. When you are finally inside you are engulfed by the DJ's spinning music, sultry red lighting and a large
round main bar. This is the centrepiece of the Club and the perfect spot to see the DJ, and all of the action, plus watch the Go-Go girls shake it up so the crowd will get excited and most importantly, BE SEEN. At this point, you are at the heart of it all. You better be ready to get your dancing shoes on and start testing your moves because in the height of the night the dance floor is crowded and everyone will be bringing the house down. Levels do it right. Beautiful people, music for everyone to enjoy, and most importantly, they know what service and hospitality mean. Come here to experience one of Bangkok’s most elegant venues, and I guarantee that you won’t leave until you have to. By Charity Waltenbough
Levels
6th Floor, No.35, Sukhumvit Soi 11, Sukhumvit Rd. +66 82 308 3246 www.levelsclub.com bangkok101.com
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NIGHTLIFE | listings
BAR 3 Bears Craft Brewery
This craft beer bar is a collaborative project by an architect, a sound engineer, and a renowned local chef. Alongside the great locally made suds, diners can order brewpub favorites like fried chicken wings and gourmet snacks such as piquant tempura-fried calamari. 1154, Sukhumvit Soi 22 Open: Mon-Fri, 4pm-midnight Sat-Sun 11am-midnight Tel: 095 456 8298 facebook.com/3bearscb
The Bar
Featuring a black and gold colour theme, and both indoor and outdoor seating, this 10th floor lounge is warm, sophisticated, quiet, and inviting—the archetype of a bar you would belly up to after a long day at work or a long flight into town. 10F, Park Hyatt Bangkok, 88 Wireless Rd. Open daily: 7am-midnight Tel: 02 012 1234 www.bangkok.park.hyatt.com
Duke
Although it’s in a mall, this high-end whisky and cigar lounge—full to bursting with paintings and sculptures—feels more like a SoHo warehouse loft space owned by an eccentric millionaire. 1F, Gaysorn Village, 999 Phloen Chit Rd. Tel: 094 647 8888 Open daily: 11am-midnight facebook.com/pg/duke.gaysorn
Explore a selection of signature cocktails, wines, and spirits, while the culinary team prepares a variety of snacks and delicatessen favourites in a contemporary lounge setting. 4F, Le Méridien Bangkok, 40/5 Surawong Rd. Open daily 5:30pm-11:30pm Tel: 02 232 8888 www.lemeridienbangkokpatpong.com
Brew
See and be seen at any one of the city’s three Brew. All have a healthy list of foreign brews and ciders on tap. A beerlover’s dream. 1F, Seen Space, Sukhumvit Soi 55 (Thong Lor) Tel: 02 185 2366 Sukhumvit Soi 11, Tel: 02 185 2366 Asiatique, 2194 Charoenkrung Rd. Tel: 02 108 8744 www.brewbkk.com 106 | AUGUST 2018
A proper cocktail bar, run by industry insiders, where the drinks come first and the cool interior just tops it off. What’s more, the personable bartenders really know their spirits. 125, Sukhumvit Soi 55 Tel: 081 822 3392 Open daily: 7pm-2am www.facebook.com/rabbitholebkk
Flava Bar & Lounge
Taking its visual cue from the private wet bar of British fashion designer Paul Smith, this fun and funky hangout also boasts Bangkok’s “longest happy hour”, which stretches from 5pm till midnight, every day of the week. 2F, Dream Hotel, 10, Sukhumvit Soi 15 Open daily: 5pm-midnight Tel: 02 254 8500 www.dreamhotels.com/bangkok
FooJohn Building
With four distinct venues within one building—from French bistro to US-style smokehouse—this hip Chinatown hotspot has quickly joined the ranks of go-to destinations for night owls and creative types alike. 831 Charoen Krung Rd., Soi 31 Open: Wed-Sun, 7pm-midnight Tel: 085 527 3511 www.facebook.com/foojohnbkk
J. Boroski Mixology Bamboo Chic Bar
Rabbit Hole
A secret bar, built by masterful mixologist Joseph Boroski, who creates drinks to reflect a customer’s specifications or, if you’re lucky, according to his own whims. Ask someone “in-the-know” to reveal the exact location. Sukhumvit Soi 55 (secret location) Tel: 02 712 6025 Open daily: 7pm-2am www.josephboroski.com
Pirate Saloon
With walls covered in Jack Rogers skulls and crossbone motifs, and a large ship hanging over the bar, the impression is that you’ve entered Davy Jones’ Locker— however, this one has an expansive drinks and dining menu. It’s a unique change of pace for groups looking for a fun night out, yearghhhh! 251/1, Thonglor Soi 13 Open daily: 6pm-2am Tel: 083 639 9919 facebook.com/piratearena.official
Riedel Wine Bar & Cellar
A world-class wine bar that isn’t just all about wine. There’s dozens of vinos to choose from, as well as some exciting options for the non-wine-inclined, while refined, rustic European cuisine is served up tapas-style for social dining. 2F, Gaysorn Plaza, 999 Ploenchit Rd. Tel: 02 656 1133 Open daily: 11am-midnight www.riedelwinebarbkk.com
Riverside Grill
While the restaurant’s “healthy menu” offers great meal deals, enjoying cool crafted cocktails by the riverside is an equally pleasant attraction here. Royal Orchid Sheraton Hotel & Towers 2, Charoen Krung Soi 30 Open daily: 4pm to 1am Tel: 02 266 0123 www.royalorchidsheraton.com
Scarlett Wine Bar & Restaurant
This sophisticated (and elevated) drink spot and bistro offers tipplers both a novel-sized wine list, and a host of creative cocktails—many of which make use of in-house infused spirits. 37F, Pullman Hotel Bangkok G Open daily: 6pm-late Tel: 096 860 7990 www.randblab.com/scarlett-bkk
TacoChela by Mikkeller
The combination of craft beer, fine spirits, and mouth-watering Mexican fare has made this taqueria an instant hit. bangkok101.com
Ari Samphan Soi 1 Open: Tue-Thu, 5pm-11pm, Fri-Sat, 5pm-midnight facebook.com/tacochelabkk
Vogue Lounge
This restaurant is established under the umbrella of Vogue magazine, and the menu and kitchen are under the direction of Vincent Thierry, a master of his trade and former chef at the threeMichelin-starred Caprice restaurant in Hong Kong. The menu is small and most dishes are designed as nibbles to be enjoyed over a few drinks. MahaNakhon Cube, Narathiwat Ratchanakharin Rd. Tel: 02 001 0697 Open daily: 10am-late www.voguelounge.com
ROOFTOP SKY BAR Aire Bar
Offering a variety of wines, beers, and artisanal cocktails, with delicious snacks to boot. Plus, one of the best views of the city (day and night). A laid-back bar perfect for unwinding… cocktail in hand. 28F, Hyatt Place Sukhumvit Bangkok 22/5, Sukhumvit Soi 24 Open: Mon-Thu, 5pm-midnight; Fri-Sat, 5pm1am; Sun, 3pm-11pm Tel: 02-055-1234 www.facebook.com/airebarbangkok
Char
Visitors here can enjoy a beautiful view of Bangkok’s lively downtown core. The breezes are gentle, the chairs and couches are comfortable, and the cocktails are delicious. 26F, Hotel Indigo Bangkok, 81 Wireless Rd. Tel: 02 207 4999 Open daily: 6pm-11:30pm www.hotelindigo.com/bangkok
Character Whisky & Cigar Bar
Both outlets of this cozy and comfortable smoker’s lounge—one of which doubles as a skybar—serve some of the rarest and finest single malt whiskies from Scotland (and beyond), as well as housing humidors stocked with premium handmade cigars from Cuba, Nicaragua, Dominican Republic, and more. Courtyard at Anantara Siam Bangkok Hotel, 155 Rajadamri Rd, Tel: 02 254 4726 32F, Compass Skyview Hotel, 12, Sukhumvit Soi 24, Tel: 02 011 1133 www.facebook.com/characterbar
Cielo Sky Bar
A rooftop bar, with a business-casual ambiance and unbeatable views of Bangkok, serving a wide-ranging and impressive list of cocktails at fair prices. 46F, Sky Walk Condominium Sukhumvit Soi 69 Tel: 02 348 9100 Open daily: 5pm-1am www.cieloskybar.com
CRU Champagne Bar
Attitude
This sky-high drinking and dining spot boasts an inventive cocktail menu, delicious tapas-sized nibbles, and Instagram-worthy desserts, but the view overlooking the river is what really commands the attention here. 26F, Avani Riverside Bangkok Hotel 257 Charoen Nakorn Rd. Tel: 02 431 9100 Open daily: 5:30pm-1am minorhotels.com/en/avani/riverside-bangkok
This high altitude hot spot is own by G.H. Mumm Champagne brand and offers tipplers dozens of tables, as well as a circle-shaped showpiece bar. If you’re craving bottles of bubbly with a panoramic view, it doesn’t get any better than this. 59F, Centara Grand at CentralWorld 999/99 Rama 1 Rd. Tel: 02 100 1234 Open daily: 5pm-1am www.champagnecru.com
Mojjo
This elegantly appointed sky-high, Latinflavoured cocktail joint offers guests exceptional views. Light meals are also on offer to accompany evening tipples. 32F, Compass SkyView Hotel 12, Sukhumvit Soi 24 Tel: 02 011 1111 Open daily: 5pm-2am www.facebook.com/mojjoloungebar
Octave Rooftop Lounge & Bar
Whether you choose the outdoor lounge on the 45th floor or the alfresco bar on the 49th floor, you have breathtaking views in every direction. And those in search of a sundowner should heed the 5pm-7pm happy hours, when signature cocktails are half-price. 45-49F, Bangkok Hotel Marriott Sukhumvit 2, Sukhumvit Soi 57 Open daily: 5pm-2am Tel: 02 797 0000 www.facebook.com/octavemarriott
Red Sky Bar
One of Bangkok’s most acclaimed rooftop bars—perched dramatically above the heart of the city—offers light bites and signature cocktails. 56F, Centara Grand & Bangkok Convention Centre at CentralWorld, 999/99 Rama 1 Rd. Tel: 02 100 6255 Open Daily: 4pm-1am (Happy Hours: 4pm-6pm) www.centarahotelsresorts.com
Rooftop Terrace at Penthouse Bar + Grill
This dramatic skybar is the perfect spot to drink in Bangkok’s nighttime skyline in an outdoor garden lounge setting. Order anything from a bucket of drinks, to curated cocktails and expertly crafted bites. 36F, Park Hyatt Bangkok, 88 Wireless Rd. Open daily: 5:30pm-midnight Tel: 02 012 1234 bangkok.park.hyatt.com
Yào Rooftop Bar
Unwind in style at the city’s first Chinese influenced Rooftop Bar. With the glittering high-rise skyline on one side and the historic Old Town landscape on the other, the bar is the perfect backdrop for late-night light bites and Shanghaiinspired cocktails. 32F, Bangkok Marriott Hotel The Surawongse 262 Surawongse Rd. Tel: 02 088 5655 Open daily: 5pm-2am www.bangkokmarriottsurawongse.com
NIGHTLIFE | listings
Zest Bar and Terrace
Recently refurbished, this tippling spot entices guests with an all-new drink menu, featuring expertly crafted cocktails, and a range of gastronomic delights such as beer battered fish and chips. 7F, Westin Grande Sukhumvit, Bangkok 259 Sukhumvit Rd. Tel: 02 207 8000 Open daily: 7am-1am www.westingrandesukhumvit.com
Zoom Sky Bar & Restaurant
Meet, sip, and dine overlooking the city at this well-designed venue, offering innovative culinary experiences and 360° cityscape views. 40F, Anantara Sathorn Hotel Bangkok 36 Narathiwat-Ratchanakarin Rd. Tel: 02 210 9000 Open daily: 6pm-1am bangkok-sathorn.anantara.com
CLUB
Open daily: 9pm-late www.sxdance.club
The Firm
Within this upscale five-storey lounge, nightclub, and all-round watering hole, the 1st and 2nd floors are home to a restaurant and bar, offering continental pan-Pacific fare, while the 3rd floor—and the VIP access 4th and 5th floors—are all about the beat, with hip hop DJs performing regularly and mixologists performing their magic behind the bar. 10/4, Sukhumvit Soi 33 Open daily: 9pm-2am Tel: 065 880 0333 www.thefirmbangkok.com
Mixx Discotheque
Classier than most of Bangkok’s afterhour dance clubs, the space is a two-room affair—one plays R&B and Hip Hop, the other does Techno & House— decked out with chandeliers, paintings, and billowing sheets. President Tower Arcade 973 Ploenchit Rd. Tel: 02 656 0382 Open daily: 10pm-late www.mixx-discotheque.com/bangkok
Bamboo Bar
A small and busy landmark of the East’s past glories that is, nevertheless, romantic and intimate, thanks to the legendary jazz band that plays each night. Ideal for a boozy night out or a romantic special occasion. The Mandarin Oriental Bangkok 48 Oriental Ave (riverfront) Tel: 02 659 9000 Open daily: Sun-Thu, 11am-1am, Fri-Sat, 11am-2am www.mandarinoriental.com
Black Cabin
Half the space at Wild & Co. restaurant is given over to this brick-walled pub which eschews the mainstream Billboard 100, focusing instead on live bands. Before and after the bands play, resident DJ’s spin vinyl, relying on personal collections rather than playlists. Wild & Co, 33/1 Soi Farm Wattana Tel: 061 515 6989 Open daily: 5:30pm-1am www.facebook.com/blackcabinbar
Narz
Beam
An honest club with a communal vibe, plus great music and one of the best sound systems. You can be yourself here—dance like you mean it, soak up the vibe, then spread the love. 1F, 72 Courtyard, Sukhumvit Soi 55 Tel: 02 392 7750 Open: Wed-Sat, 8pm-2am www.beamclub.com
Club SX
Each section of this ultra-glam 1,000 sq.m club—Diamond Zone, Platinum Zone, Gold Zone, Cowboy Zone, Romantic Zone, Bar Zone, and VIP karaoke rooms—features a different theme and music. Hummer limousine service is also available. 6F, Pullman Bangkok Grande Sukhumvit 30, Sukhumvit Soi 21 (Asoke Rd) Tel: 02 204 4000 108 | AUGUST 2018
Also known as Narcissus, this multi-level club has been keeping Bangkok’s dance crowd moving for over two decades with their wild party atmosphere. Perfect for groups who want to make it their playground for the night. 112, Sukhumvit Soi 23 Tel: 02 258 4805 Open daily: 9pm-3am www.narzclubbangkok.net
LIVE MUSIC Apoteka
Built to emulate a 19th-century apothecary, this lively spot has a casual old-school feel, indoor and outdoor seating, an awesome line-up of live music almost every day of the week, tasty bar snacks, and a drink selection including beer and custom craft cocktails. No dress code, no cover charge, and no pretention! 33/28, Sukhumvit Soi 11 Tel: 090 626 7655 Open daily: Mon-Thu, 5pm-1am, Fri, 5pm-2am, Sat-Sun, 3pm-midnight www.apotekabkk.com
Maggie Choo’s
The bar’s attraction is the live jazz music, some of the best the city has to offer. The welcoming atmosphere is amplified with sultry mysticism and redolent of Shanghai’s dandyish early 20th-century gambling dens. GF, Hotel Novotel Fenix, 320 Silom Rd. Tel: 02 635 6055 Open: Tue-Sun, 6pm-2am www.facebook.com/maggiechoos
The Zuk Bar
An ideal place for aperitifs or after dinner drinks, which can be savoured alongside a selection of tapas menu items. Chill out while admiring the fabulous garden view. The Sukhothai Bangkok 13/3 South Sathorn Rd. Tel: 02 344 8888 Open daily: 5pm-1am www.sukhothai.com bangkok101.com
SIGNING OFF | did you know?
I
n keeping with our Chefs Issue, there’s one thing all chefs in Lopburi province—150 km north of Bangkok— have in common come November and that’s the feeding of thousands of long-tail macaque monkeys. That’s a lot of monkey business! The rather unusual feast is all part of the two-day Annual Lopburi Monkey Buffet in which more than 3,000 monkeys are invited, or rather, encouraged, to feast on over two tonnes of grilled sausage, fresh fruit, ice cream and other delicious treats. Locals see it as a special thank you to the monkeys which inhabit the village and bring thousands of tourists there each year. According to Thai legend, Lord Rama and his devoted friend, Hanuman (The Monkey King) together created the town of Lopburi and now, the monkeys that roam around the temples of Lopburi are descendants of Hanuman. The mass feeding takes place in San Phra Kan shrine and Phra Prang Sam Yot shrine—close to the railroad station in the Old Town of Lopburi—where many of the monkeys already make their homes. As part of the banquet, long tables are set out and covered in a red tablecloth, then blocks of ice are 110 | AUGUST 2018
placed on top with many encasing fruits for the monkeys to, eventually, lick their way to. The rest of the table is loaded with a great variety of fresh fruit and vegetables; very smorgasbord-style. The cheeky monkeys probably can’t believe their luck! The very first monkey buffet took place on Sunday 25th November 1989—created by a local hotelier named Yongyuth Kitwattananusont— and the guest of honour that year was the former prime minister M.R. Kukrit Pramoj. In more recent times, the event has been opened by the
Governor of Lopburi, before the monkeys are invited down to eat from the buffet tables. The annual buffet has become known as the “Monkey Festival”, drawing thousands of spectators each year, making for a unique, and quite possibly humorous, mix of man and monkey. Where: San Phra Kan shrine and Phra Prang Sam Yot shrine, Lopburi. Date: Saturday 24th & Sunday 25th November, 2018 (entry is B150). bangkok101.com