This enchanting restaurant in the compound of the Rose Hotel is housed in a delightful golden teak wood building constructed over 100 years ago during the reign of King Rama V. Origi­nally it was the home of a herbal medical doc­tor whose name has been lost in the dusts of time. Today, as a nod to its heritage some of the medical herbs once used by the doctor are used in some the dishes.

The Rose Hotel was acquired by the Vitayakul family in 1960’s and then a decade later they purchased the adjacent plot of land where the golden teak house stands. In its day it was used as a storeroom and housed exclusive guest accommodation on the first floor.

A couple of years ago the teak house was completely renovated to make it into a Thai restaurant. Guests have a choice of dining on two floors. The ground floor is air conditioned with floor to ceiling windows allowing an open view of the swimming pool and gardens. The feel is contemporary with clusters of dark wood tables topped with lime green cotton placemats and lounge areas tastefully woven together to create a residential feel. Up­stairs the setting is more formal, classical Thai with a collection of antiques and classical paintings. As it was a cool balmy winter’s night we decided to dine al fresco on the first floor terrace – the tranquil environment adding to the dining experience.

The taste of the food is modern Thai, designed to be an authentic Thai taste balanced and not overpowering. The introduction of non-traditional Thai ingredients such as salmon, soft shell crabs, scallops and broccoli doesn’t mean fusion food. This is simply taking advantage of what’s now available in the market to improve the quality. The cooking technique adheres to tradi­tional Thai methods.

All of the furniture dates back to the 70’s. Some sets of chairs are Chinese style from the middle of the decade, others are heavily carved teak from Chiang Mai, all had been originally used in the main hotel building and have been restored for their new role in this restaurant. The cutlery is con­temporary western with simple cotton placemats and napkins on dark wood tables.

The first dish we tried was a crispy seafood crepe, a modern Thai dish with an authentic taste. This was followed

by a selection of appetizers; among them spicy shredded chicken and giant prawn cakes with a superior texture. Dipping sauces to match were served in small round bowls.

It seems that almost every restaurant these days are using white chinaware to showcase their food but here the colorful Thai food is served on black chinaware, a presentation decision that works very well.

The soft shell crab was deliciously light with the perfect crunch to the taste-again not the purest of traditional ingredients but another example of how new ingredients are being successfully integrated into the Thai menu.

The lemongrass infused chicken with a delightfully unique and subtle Thai flavor was refreshing and light. Again there was balance in the taste allowing the guest to enjoy the freshness of the ingredients used. I appreciated the fact that burning chili wasn’t the dominant flavor.

Tom Som is one of the lesser known Thai soups but has a delightful taste. Their version was served with small cubes of fresh salmon, with the sweet taste coming from tamarind sauce used in the preparation. It didn’t smell fishy due the amount of fresh ginger that had been used together with shal­lots and Kapi, a Thai shrimp paste. It is very refreshing and wonderfully fragrant.

The queen of Thai desserts is mango with sticky rice garnished with flakes of gold leaf to enhance the presentation.

The contemporary residential setting blended modern paintings with Asian artifacts and was complimented by a selection of light instrumental music with a slight Asian twist. Dining at Ruen Urai isnt just about eating food – it’s a complete dining experience, feeding the need of all the senses.

The dinning experience is superb, to describe it as fine dining would create the wrong impression of too much stiffness and formality. This is not the case. Its best described as elegant casual, something stylish yet comfortable that just feels right. A small sanctuary of calm in a sea noise and chaos, proof that small is beautiful.

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The Doctor’s Former Golden Residence: Ruen Urai

Kai is a Japanese restaurant located at the posh Greenbelt 5 Mall and having a meal there is guaranteed to be a memo­rable culinary experience. The brains behind the restaurant’s exciting menu is Chef Gilbert Pangilinan – a hard work­ing, experienced chef and co-owner of Kai restaurant.

Before he could convince his mother to allow him to study at the Culinary Institute of America, he first had to graduate from his Entrepreneurial Management Degree. Then he had to prove to her that he was serious in pursuing a culinary career by being an apprentice at Edsa Shangri-La Hotel and at Tagaytay Highlands, (a golf resort) which was run by Chef Gene Gonzales’ group. Highlands had 22 kitchens and Gilbert worked there without pay, just to learn the ropes. After a year, his mother was convinced of his culinary ambition and packed him off to the Culinary Institute of America where he earned an associate’s degree.

When asked what was his most difficult job, he recounts his experience when he worked at the Savoy in London. “We had a restaurant and a banquet serving a thousand guests. There were 50 of us in the kitchen under a German sous chef and we worked at both the banquet and restaurant simultane­ously. When there was a function in the banquet, we’d go up to cook for the thousand guests, then come down to the restaurant again. We were in an oven room with burners in it, plat­ing the food, and a hundred waiters would come in to get them and serve them to the guests. Then there was a refrigerator room for the desserts. We were going from hot to cold (hence the toque and gloves), from the ban­quet to the restaurant in one night.”

“So I realized what our chef used to tell us was true: What you can do with one plate you can do with 2000 plates. That’s what I do now for catering, no matter how difficult, it’s feasible. It can be done.”

In New York, he worked for the prestigious and popular Nobu restaurant. Working in Nobu made him dream of opening his own restaurant, which had been at the back of his mind even while he was still studying. He came home to the Philippines and opened Sticks Japanese Bistro, a casual dining restaurant that gives classic Japanese dishes an unexpected twist. Sticks was first opened in Robinson’s Star Mall in Pampanga, then he moved it to Rob­inson’s Galleria in Ortigas. The food in Sticks Japanese Bistro was very good and very reasonably priced.

But soon after Sticks, he was approached by some restaurant entrepreneur friends and together they opened Kai at Greenbelt 2, then moved to Green belt 5, a newer more plush mall.

Gilbert claims that as much as he loves to experiment, there are some dishes you just can’t touch. Like Peking duck, “you don’t touch the sauce profiles. Even in Japanese cooking, you don’t change the teriyaki sauce. I’ve been wanting to use truffle oil for one Chinese soup, but I know it would ruin the taste, so I gave up the idea.”

Part of Chef Gilbert’s success lies in his attention to detail. During one cater­ing experience for a high end group, he and his staff called up the guests one by one and asked them to choose from the main courses. Weeks before the party, they asked the host to give them a copy of the seating arrangement. So at the party, the waiters knew exactly what to give to the guests without having to ask them. It was such a gratifying moment for him when he was introduced after the dinner and all the guests clapped and congratulated him for his menu and the excellence of his service.

Gilbert got the idea when he attended a wedding in the USA. The hotel called him and asked him to choose from the set menu. It was such a good idea, he thought, no intrusive waiters interrupting the guests who are in the midst of a conversation to ask about their choice for a main course.

Chef Gilbert is in his restaurant daily to personally cook the specialties that Kai offers daily. He comes up with new menus every so often and usually gets his ideas after a long walk which he says clears his head.

The best gauge of a good Japanese Restaurant is when you hear the Japanese themselves giving it a good rating and this is true for Chef Gilbert’s restau­rant. And the man most deserving of the restaurant’s excellent rating is Chef Gilbert Pangilinan himself.

KAI NEO RESTAURANT
Green Belt 5, Makati City, Philippines
For reservations, call: 632-7575209
fax is 632-7575210

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Master of Details

Face Bar is non-conformist dinning con­cept created by a multi-racial, multi cul­tural group of entrepreneurs. Something to appeal to those with an intellectual cu­riosity in culture, are well informed and appreciate quality without pretense.

It started in Jakarta with the opening of Hazara, their In­dian restaurant in 1993 followed four years later with the opening of Lana Thai; the two dining concepts con­stant to the Face philosophy. The following year they opened branches of these two restaurants in Shanghai where they conceptualized Face Bar.

In 2003 Eric Perez the former pastry chef and chocolatier at the French Embassy and Ritz Carlton joined Face to open Visage, their patisserie and chocolate shop in Shanghai with branches in Beijing, Jakarta and Bangkok. The same year face opened a branch in Bangkok.

In a perfect world it would be nice to be able to replicate exactly the same restaurants in four cities in Asia but the reality is local tastes are always exactly the same. Thai and Indian restaurants work in all four cities but each has their own unique restaurant appropriate for their location. Japanese sells better in Bangkok than chocolate. Eric decided he would open his own pastry training school Macaroon in Ekamai on the site where Athena the Greek restaurant was once lo­cated. What was Visage in Bangkok has been converted to Misaki, the Japanese Sushi Bar and restaurant.

“I keep a traditional Japanese taste to my food,” he explains, “but here I can give it a modern twist that I can’t do so easily back home.

When Visage first opened there was direct street access but now customers have to go inside Face Bangkok’s main entrance and climb the wide wooden staircase to the restaurant reception. From here they will be directed down the narrow staircase to Misaki, the name means ‘beautiful sake’

Behind the glass front façade is the modern cosmopolitan interior, the main dining area is divided into a series of booths by sa paper lined glass panels and the sushi bar is at the far end.

What attracted Chef Nakamura to come to Bangkok from Japan was that he would have the freedom to try something new with his cooking style. “I keep a traditional Japanese taste to my food,” he explains, “but here I can give it a modern twist that I can’t do so easily back home.

To start with he served a selection of four sashimi. “With this dish I have taken from a traditional Japanese dish of tuna, yellow tail and mackerel,” Chef Nakamura explains, “but I have added fresh salmon from Norway. This would not be popular back in Japan, but it is here. I chose Norwegian salmon as it’s the best quality I can find here. Traditionally, sashimi is simply sliced raw fish but I like to marinade the mackerel in vinegar and suki yaki sauce to enhance the flavour.

For a soup he served a subtle and light egg custard with a clear soup below. I enjoyed the crisp crunchy freshness of his prawn tempura.

With his main course his creative touch of modern Japanese became ap­parent. First he served grilled free-range chicken breast, sliced into strips topped with very tasty green onion sauce. Before grilling this Australian beef tenderloin he marinaded the meat in Sukiyaki sauce with a splash of red wine.

I make no secret of the fact that wine is my beverage of choice with food but when it comes to Japanese it’s hard to find a wine to match nicely chilled sake, and by price it is more affordable. They carry three labels and I enjoyed Hokkaisan Honjiyo with the meal.

Visage may have moved out to make way for this restaurant but fortunately Eric is still responsible for the desserts available in all three restaurants at Face Bangkok. His chocolate bomb is decadently laden with endorphin re­leasing flavors while his passionate fruit sorbet is for me the ultimate tropical taste experience.

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Misaki The Face of Japan

In recent years, Bangkok diners have become more famil­iar with Turkish and Middle Eastern restaurants as they have established a notable presence on the local restaurant scene. Already en vogue for a number of years with UK and European trailblazers, the fascination with Moroccan cul­ture has now spread to Asia and in 2008 various Moroccan themed resorts and restaurants have peppered Thailand’s landscape from north to south.

To understand why Moroccan cuisine is so popular across the world, you have to really taste the tanginess and the spicy flavors. Considered as one of the most diversified and sumptuous foods, it has blended different cuisines from Moorish, Arab, Middle Eastern, Berber, Jewish, Iberian and Mediterranean African cultures. Hence Sukhumvit Soi 3 serves as the prefect ground in Bangkok’s own eclectic scene for one of the finest ambassadors of the Mo­roccan kitchen, Tagine Marrakesh.

Located at the foot of The Grace Hotel, 200 meters in from the main Sukhumvit road, the space is nothing fancy yet comfortable, and those who really know their Mechoui from their Kefta wont need any strange words to invoke Moroccan magic here. It’s all about the food, and perfecting the true taste of an exotic land. The interior furniture designs, decorations and crockery are imported from Morocco and when walking in from the steamy streets of Bangkok this contrast in cultures is striking.

Over different historical eras and centuries the Moroccan cuisine has been refined by the highly capable cooks working in royal kitchens from Meknes, Fez, Marrakech, Tetouan to Rabat. Tagine Marrakesh in Bangkok has managed to lure the chef away from The Sheraton Hotel in Casablanca to bring her spice jars and whip up her own magic in the menu now available on Sukhumvit Soi 3. Most of the dishes are priced between 120 – 300 Baht and in Europe you would have to add at least one more zero to these prices for the same quality, and probably less quantity.

Known as the culinary star of North Africa, Morocco is the doorway between Europe and Africa. Much imperial and trade influence has been filtered through her and blended into her culture. Unlike the herb-based cooking across the sea to the north, the Moroccan art of cooking is characterized by a palate of rich spices. Cumin, coriander, saffron, chilies, dried ginger, cinnamon and paprika are on the cook’s shelf and in her mortar. Harissa, a paste of garlic, chilies, olive oil, and salt, makes for fiery dishes that stand out among the milder foods that are more the Mediterranean norm.

Couscous, granular semolina, is central to Moroccan cuisine and cooked with spices, vegetables, nuts, and raisins. After a triple steaming process under the skillful eyes of the chef at Tagine Marrakesh, it makes a meal in itself or is topped with rich stews and roasted meats. Lamb is the principal meat and when done the Moroccan way it is cured and roasted until tender enough to be pulled apart and eaten with the fin­gers. Topped with raisin and onion sauces, or even an apricot puree it’s the carnivore’s dream of greener pastures in a concrete world. Meat and fish on the Moroccan menu are grilled, stewed, or cooked in an earthenware tagine – the name for the pot, the dish and this particular restaurant.

Nuts are prominent throughout the menu; pine nuts, almonds, and pistachios show up in all sorts of unexpected places. Sa­vory foods are enhanced with fruits, dried and fresh apricots, dates, figs, and raisins, to name a few. Lemons preserved in a salt-lemon juice mixture bring a unique face to many Mo­roccan chicken and pigeon dishes. Where you have rich food laced with Moroccan spices, you will definitely have desserts. In Morocco these don’t necessarily have to be sweet although the sweeter it is, the better it will be with rich and dense confec­tions of cinnamon, almond, and fruit perfumes that are rolled in phillo pastry, soaked in honey, and stirred into puddings.

Epicureans can’t claim to have really enjoyed a complete Moroccan meal unless it ends with a time-honored tradition; a pot of mint tea and a selection of three pastries. The aromatic blend of Chinese green and jasmine teas is made all the more enticing by adding some orange blos­som water and then infusing it with fresh mint leaves. At Tagine Mar­rakesh this is best enjoyed together with restaurant owner, Hassan.

Although he has been living in Bangkok for several decades Hassan still knows the fine art of his country’s kitchen and aims to share it with other appreciative nomads – and they wont be disappointed. Those who already know the Moroccan cuisine make a beeline for his res­taurant, including the Moroccan Ambassador to Thailand. A violinist by profession, Hassan appreciates and understands cooking as an art form, touching not only our taste buds but also providing a sensory and tantalizing feast for the eyes and nose.

Chatting with Hassan is a treat in itself, with his heart-warming insight to culture and cuisine he transports you to another time and place. Ed­ucating guests on regional specialties and the tricks of the trade when it comes to food combinations, colors and health properties of their food, Tagine Marrakesh dishes up the essence of Morocco with no frills attached. You will be forgiven for altogether forgetting you are in Bang­kok and upon leaving this restaurant culture shock strikes again when an elephant, not a camel, stops you in your pace.

Tagine Marrakesh, The Grace Hotel
Sukhumvit Soi 3, Bangkok
(between BTS Nana and Ploenchit)

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Tagine Marrakesh

There is no Turkish restaurant in Bangkok but I was recently lucky enough to have been invited to the Turkish Delight food festival celebrating the 50th An­niversary of Thai-Turkish Diplomatic Relations. The event was organized by the Dusit Thani Bangkok, together with the Embassy of the Republic of Turkey.

To ensure the authenticity of the Turkish dishes, Ekrem Sarpkaya, Executive Chef of Bilkent Hotel & Conference Centre in Ankara and his team were flown in especially for this event.

Turkish cuisine is largely the heritage of Ottoman cui­sine, which can be described as a fusion and refinement of Central Asian, Middle Eastern and Balkan cuisines. These elements led to it being described as one of the world’s three great cuisines along with French and Chi­nese.

Being unfamiliar with the Turkish cuisine Kurtulus AYKAN, Counsellor of the Turkish Embassy was my guide through the key elements of their food style.

“At the table in Turkey,” Kurtulas says, “see start our meal with salad. Five or six bowls of different dishes similar to Lebanese mezze are placed in the middle of the table and everyone just helps themselves to whatever they want.

“The next course will be a hot soup,” he says, “usually named after their main ingredient, the most common types being lentil, yoghurt, or wheat.” I tried a very tasty thick lentil soup with cumin that had a pleasingly subtle curry flavour.

“For the main course we normally serve either lamb or chicken,” he continues. “We believe that meat makes a meal richer, our preference is for milk fed lamb as the taste of mutton from the older sheep we find too strong.

Being a country with the sea on three sides we have a wide variety of fsh in our food style such as anchovy, sardines, red mullet, sea bass and turbot.”

The main course dish that most impressed me was Topkapi Palace Chicken, breast of chicken stuffed with shallots, raisins, pine nuts and long grain rice.

Pilav is the most basic, sustaining, and comforting of all Turkish dishes. The Turks cook their rice rather diferently, the secret is in the sizzle – which gives it a creamy, buttery, and melt in the mouth consistency and taste. The rice is sorted and washed, then allowed to soak in salted water and drained. It is then fried in oil (especially but­ter), and cooked with water and salt. At the end of the cooking processes, it must be left to rest for 15 to 20 minutes off the heat in order to achieve its best consistency.

“Turkish wine is not available in Thailand,” says Kurtulus, “but to complete your dinning experi­ence we have brought some of our wines, one white and one red both made with our local grapes for you to try with our food.”

The wines he had elected were from Kavaklidere Winery, Turkey’s first and oldest privately owned wine producer. The Kavaklidere Winery were es­tablished in Ankara in 1929 by Cenap And who are now Turkey’s leading wine producer.

They believe in making “Anatolian Wine from Ana­tolian Grapes” promoting indigenous noble and new grape varieties suitable for wine production that have won over 400 medals in domestic and in­ternational competitions.

The white wine we drank is made from the Narince grape which are grown in three different vineyard regions along the Yesilirmak River of Erbaa, Niksar and Tokat. The microclimate is milder than that of the Central Anatolian region because the moun­tains separating the Black Sea and the plateau local­ize the weather. The soil is sandy or gravelly, which bestows a suitable environment for producing grapes for making supreme wine. Narince produces a wine that develops its own flavours after one year. It is the only local white wine that can be aged in oak barrels, because of its complexity of aroma and well-structured body. The developed bouquet of mature fruit flavours combined with fine oak fla­vours can easily last for four or five years. Tasting this wine in the glass the colour was a sub­dued yellow-green colour; on the nose I discovered aromas of citrus fruit, lemon, and camomile and when it flows into the mouth the taste was fresh, round with vanilla flavour coming from oak aging.

Kalecik Karasi is a ‘monocépage’ wine developed after long research into the viniculture and vinifi­cation of this grape. It is cultivated in the Central Anatolia region, close to the Kizilirmak River. The vineyard benefits from the microclimate of Kizilirmak, which is milder than the continental climate of Central Anatolia. This special prestige wine is complex, elegant, well-balanced, and has a lasting and charming aroma of red fruit. It can be aged for up to ten years.

In the glass the wine has a ruby red colour, on the nose I detected aromas of red berry fruits, vanilla, chocolate; and then in the mouth its complex, el­egant, slightly oakey and the same red fruits in the aromas continued in the taste of the wine.

Baklava the world famous Turkish dessert was developed in the imperial kitchens of the Topkapi Palace. It is a pastry made of layers of filo dough filled with chopped nuts and sweetened with syrup or honey. “The secret of this dish,” he explains, “is that each sheet of filo should be so thin that you can see through it.”

To finish the meal Turkish coffee made simply on requests by adding spoonfuls of ground coffee and sugar to water in a long handled open coffee pot. This is placed over a strong naked flame and boiled together for a couple of minutes, then poured into an espresso cup.

Raki is a non-sweet, usually anise-flavored apéritif normally served with the mezze at the start of the meal. I had missed that oppourtunity but had to at lest taste it before leaving. It’s the unofficial ‘national drink’ of Turkey, and it is traditionally drunk mixed with water; the dilution causes this alcoholic drink to turn a milky-white color.

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Flavors of Turkey

In the 1970’s the smash hit TV show Let’s Cook with Nora opened the eyes of Filipinos to the world of food. Millions would tune in every Sunday morning, putting the Queen of Cuisine’s tips into practice and discovering a world of possibilities where once there had been mushy vegetables and crackled pork.

One  amongst  the millions  who’d stare wide eyed at the  show  would be  a  young boy
named  JA  Venturara. “She was an  icon; she uplifed food  in  the  Philippines  to  international standards with her show back  in  the 70’s.”  JA  smiles as he sips  Champaign  from  his  office above  the kitchen where his students are swifly mustering up the night’s menu.

With a fascination for cooking instilled at such a young age it’d follow that cooking school wouldn’t be  so  far  of.  “I wanted  to  study cooking  afer  I  lef  school but  in those days  there was no  cooking school in the Philippines, so I enrolled on  a  course  in hotel management.”

In the evening, while many of his friends were sat in front of the TV  or  propped  up at  a  bar  the young  JA would  be  volunteering his services as a chef’s  assistant, learning  from  seasoned  professionals, snatching  details  and noting  down their tricks and methods.

Amongst the chefs who infuenced him most were Jef Catral, Bang Ignacama and Fernando Aracama. “Tese were  the guys who  taught me  the  importance of understanding food, where it comes from and how it’s grown.” Combining his cooking skills with his qualifcations  in hotel management opened the door to a varied career.

Afer  qualifying  in  Hotel  Management he went into consultancy work before fying of to Canada in 2002 to
work in a town called Banf, Alberta, high  up  in  the  Rocky  Mountains. “Working  in  the  Rocky  Mountains was  a  great  experience. Tere was  a wide international mix in the restaurant where I was stationed so I learnt more about diferent cultures.” When I  ask  him  how  working  in  Canada differed  from working  in  the Philippines, he explains. “People were blunt, more direct. In Canada it’s OK to get mad  and  shout  at  someone  in  the kitchen  if  they  are  too  slow.  I  think it’s the same in the UK. I’ve seen your Michelin  star  chef  Gordon  Ramsey bursting  blood  vessels  and  spitting venom  in  the kitchens.  I don’t  think
he’d  be  accepted  here.”  JA  laughs, throws back another  swig of Champaign and continues.

“One  of  the  things  I  teach my  students  is  to  learn about diferent cultures  because  cuisine  is  very  much a part of  culture.  If  the  students  are interested  in studying Italian cuisine they  should  learn  about  Italian  culture. Not only where  the  food and wine comes  from but  the country’s religion, music and festivals, all these things are integral to creating the right food and the right environment.”

Banf is a beautifully located tourist town in the state of Alberta, famous for grizzly bears who linger in the woods but are rarely seen. “Unfortunately, I was too busy to spot a grizzly and afer a year I got an important phone call from the Philippines.”

The  call  was  from  San Miguel’s  head  office. During  the  few  years  since  leaving  college and fying of to Canada the young chef must have impressed a few people not only with his cooking skills but also his people skills. “I was a  little bit  shocked. Te position  they offered was  as  International Corporate Chef  for  San Miguel.”

The work  entailed  traveling  the  length of  the Philippines, developing menus  for  the diferrent branches of San Miguel. Te work was hard but what  interested  the young  chef most was traveling  around  the  country,  observing  how cultural nuances  afect  the way we  eat.  “Chinese, Malay and Spanish culture has greatly infuenced Philippine food. As you travel around the country you can taste all the diferences.”

It wasn’t long afer leaving San Miguel that the wandering chef was back on the road. With a new  project  to  open  a  Spanish  restaurant  he traveled  to Barcelona and Madrid. Again,  the importance of understanding  the culture and experiencing it frst hand took precedence over the easier option of learning from books, “Ac
tually, being in Spain meant I was able to really appreciate and understand Spanish cuisine.”

Another road trip would shortly follow, this time from Euston to Dallas absorbing the sights and favors of Alabama, Philadelphia, Maryland, Washington DC and New York. “Cajun, Hawaiian, South American – the changes in style as you travel through these places is like entering a kaleidoscope of taste and color.”

As someone who’s worked the hotels and restaurants from the far side of the US to the kitchens of  the Philippines JA  is now passing on  these experiences  to  those who will become  the country’s next generation of leading chefs. Wisdom and foundation are what JA considers fundamental toward becoming a great chef. “Wisdom comes from hands on experience, the work you do in hotels, restaurants and food companies. We’re here to take care of the foundation.”

At the Academy for International Culinary Arts students are very much thrown in at the deep end. 90% of the training is hands on in the kitchens which are bedecked with state of the art equipment.

The amicable and easy going  JA fnishes his Champaign with a broad grin. “It’s great workiing here, we have a  lot of  fun.  I  try  to  stimulate a creative atmosphere. One day each week the students will write  their name on  the board along with a  list of personal characteristics.

They’ll then create a meal that suites these characteristics. For example, if Sue is exciting and unpredictable she could create spicy fsh with a surprising twang. However, we also stimulate the pressure cooker atmosphere typically found in the kitchen environment, the type of atmosphere where people like Gordon Ramsey come into their own.”

Tonight I’m lucky enough to be dining on the students creations. A nine course meal delivered in small portions that pretty much traverse the favors of the world.

“Our aim is to provide the fnest quality of culinary training in the Philippines.” When I ask him if he believes they’re achieving that aim he replies.

“Well, you’re eating my student’s meal; you be the judge.” All I can say is; if any other school in the Philippines is producing food this good then there be my next port of call.

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Cooking With JA

It all began innocently enough. Around twenty years ago someone had the bewitching idea of luring in the innocent; mixing cocktails and serving brew in a purpose built Victorian building thereby creating the ambience of an old English tavern. The Witch’s Tavern was the first English pub in Bangkok and is today the most unique; an oasis from the bustle of Bangkok where bands concoct a nightly dose of popular tunes from the 1960’s onwards.

Most great ideas spawn an offspring and it was ten years later that the group opened The Witch’s Oyster Bar in Soi Ramrudee. Having been told by a couple of friends that this stylish bar and restaurant was the best kept secret in Bangkok my curiosity is piqued as I creep through the Soi toward the smoky lights penetrating the mist before me.

Any sense of trepidation is swept aside as I enter the homely abode. Before me is a selection of fine ales from across the oceans and above me hang one of the most comprehensive selections of malt whiskies in Thailand. Surely a sight for sore eyes for any wandering farang; but what sets this evening on the right track is the fact that it’s happy hour and the night has only just begun.

The bar’s restaurant area overlooks the ground floor and spills out onto a balcony overlooking the street. Afraid of the shadowy mists that have enveloped the night my partner chooses to take a ta­ble inside. Climbing the rickety staircase we seat ourselves at a table that looks down on the bar area where people are flinging back the ale and mak­ing hay while times are good.

Filling my vessel with blood red wine the waitress asks me what my fancy may be. Tracing my finger down a menu that reads like a feast fit for a medi­eval King I predictably select a platter of oysters followed by a hearty serving of Roasted Foie Gras with Crushed Almonds and Port. My partner seeks comfort in the more homely fare of crispy roasted pigeon with creamy mash potato. Accompanying this is the Oyster Bar’s very own and very unique creation of chutney. When I ask the waitress what might be in that mix she turns pale and beseeches me to drink more.

More than happy to comply I sink into my chair, soak up the fare and gaze across at the far wall stacked high with various sized jars of syrup liquor. A million shades of amber nectar blend and coagulate into an attractive spec­tacle of potions that shimmer and swim with the movement of people. The wine is working wonders as my partner and I move onto our final course; Witches Dim Sum Basket.

The morsels, no doubt created in a cauldron where east meets west prove to be the per­fect end to the meal.
However, the night is far from over and with the sandpaper tones of Dylan ris­ing up from the floor below I knew it’d be a long time before I stepped back into the mist.

The Oyster Bar is located 20/10­-11 Soi Ruam Rudee, Ploenchit, Bangkok 10330  Tel: 02-251-9455 0.3 km’s from BTS Ploenchit Station

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The Witch’s Oyster Bar

This grand, two storey restaurant in Pattayaland Soi 2 was opened in February 1998 by American restaurateur and Pattaya businessman, Steve Burke and his former business partner. Its heritage can be traced back to a five star restaurant of the same name in Bonifacio High Street, Manila; in fact that’s where the chefs come from.

But why is there a Philippines connection with New Orleans? The answer, I discovered, was that both had been influenced by Spanish culture and thereby share a similar food style. Then what’s the link between Pattaya and New Orleans? The connection lies in a section of New Orleans, Bourbon Street, which houses a thriving gay community and atmosphere similar to that found in Pattayaland, Soi 2.

The architectural style of the building could have been lifted from the fa­mous Bourbon Street. The interior has been decorated in old Louisiana Creole style, with rich colours and low, elaborately designed ceilings. With cool jazz setting the mood, one could easily believe they were dining in the French Quarter of New Orleans, the birthplace of jazz. On the walls of the two dining rooms hang many portraits and original posters depicting fa­mous jazz players.

The extensive menu, created under the expertise of Chef Albert, concen­trates on serving the best of American Cajun and Creole recipes. The house speciality is a slab of succulent baby back ribs with the chef ’s secret recipe BBQ sauce. There are no ribs to compare with these anywhere in Pattaya.

I tried their Pork Saltimbocca, pan seared slices of marinated pork tenderloin that have been rolled and stuffed with ham and cheese. This delicious tenderloin was served with a cauli­flower mousse and baby asparagus tips that have been wrapped and baked in filo pastry, with a raspberry saltimbocca sauce. Steve, the owner, himself a professionally trained chef is pas­sionate about how the food is presented on the plate – first, we devour the food with our eyes and then with our stomach. The rolls have been sliced at 45 degrees and arranged verti­cally to give height to the dish.

My dining companion opted for the Seafood Fantasy; a hearty dish comprising a wide variety of seafood piled high. At New Orleans they serve generous sized portions to assure no-one goes home feeling hungry. They also offer a very pleasant house wine by the glass at B150.

In addition to the Cajun and Creole dishes there is a great se­lection of steak and beef, seafood, pasta and vegetarian dishes to be found on the extensive menu.

As the customers know, the chefs are from the Philipines and Filipina food isn’t available elsewhere in Pattaya; as such, Fili­pina specialties are gradually being added to the menu.

When it comes to time for dessert there is a tempting, exten­sive range of American classic puddings; such as Mississippi Mud cake, apple pie á la mode and pecan pie.

Finally, when the meal is over, one can sit out on the terrace, sipping an espresso while watching the party creatures rev it up in the streets below; just like New Orleans itself, the spirit of Mardi gras can be felt every night in Pattaya.

With cool jazz setting the mood, one could easily believe they were dining in the French Quarter of New Orleans, the birthplace of jazz.

Published by Traversing The Orient Magazine. You want to make an online travel business? Please go to www.web.com.

Modern Eateries: New Orleans

As night falls, lanterns set aglow the white washed exterior of Lyon, creating a homely glow for dinners in search of tradi­tional French cuisine. The cobbled paving and lattice awn­ings surrounding this two story house adds to the impres­sion of French authenticity, but what transcends the diner is the food itself.

Upon entering, one is magnetically drawn (or at least I was) towards a walk in wine cellar to the right and a stylish bar to the left. One can enjoy an aperitif, a Martini perhaps, or a tipple of their 1982 Chateaux Margaux, at 95,000 baht an ideal choice for those who have just won the lottery; but don’t be put off, a good French or South American red starts at a reasonable 1,100 baht.

Since opening, around 12 years ago Lyon has won numerous awards for its French cuisine and has maintained a regular clientele, both Thai and none Thai who have been seduced by their cuisine par excellence. A recent renovation has revitalized the atmosphere and attracted a new clientele. The décor is conservative and unimposing. A polished mahogany brown floor blends nicely with the coffee brown tones while knowledgeable waiters dressed in bow ties and dinner suits remind the cli­ent they’re on a  special night out.

For starters, I enjoy smoked duck breast with salad while my partner tucks into the pork head pate. C’est magnifique, she attests. Having once spent a gap year as a waitress in Paris’ esteemed Le Grand Vefour, her judgment bodes well for what is to come.

Before choosing our main course the waiter fills our glasses with a fine house red and explains how and why the restaurant has aspired to create and main­tain such high standards. “The staff, they have been cooking French cuisine for the past 40 years.”

All the Thai chef ’s at Lyon began an apprenticeship at the first French res­taurant to open in Bangkok, some 40 years ago. The restaurant, located on Silom Road, was called Chez Suzanne and the proprietor was a lady called Madam Suzanne, a French diplomat who trained the teenage staff in the finer arts of French cuisine. Ever since then the chefs have focused their skills on French cuisine, working at hotels and restaurants in various parts of Thailand before settling at Lyon 12 years ago.

When the music changes from piped muzac to Edith Piaf songs my mood lifts and I opt for something quintessentially French; frogs legs sautéed with garlic and dry sherry. I have to admit, the last time I sampled frogs legs I left the restaurant dissatisfied and searching for a kebab. But everything deserves a second chance and this time round I wasn’t disappointed; the legs were rounded, tender and oozing with flavor.

Meanwhile, my partner was working her way through a creature from the deep, a grilled rock lobster skewered and glowing red. When I made an attempt at conversation she was lost in a sea of Parisian dreams.
For dessert she comes afloat with a crepe suzette, gently heated pancake with syrup. When I order an Irish coffee the waiter wheels in a trolley laden with all the ingredients and accessories needed to create the perfect tipple. A spit­toon held high, from which he leaks the whisky into the glass, setting fire to it and looping the flame with an accomplished flick of the wrist. It’s an impressive display; so impressive that I decide to order another one.

When the meal is over the waiter brings us each a complementary glass of calvados, clearing the vapors and lulling our senses before we step out into the stormy night, swaggering to the defiant tones of Edith Piaf ’s J’ne Regrette Rien.

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Chef’s Table: Lyon J’ne Regrette Rien

It recently closed for renovation and has just re-opened with a softer, warmer more approachable feel. The glass fronted restaurant al­lows maximum light and visibility yet is sufficiently set back from

the pavement to allow some element of privacy. The new interior is matt polished chrome columns, caramel illuminated glass panels all nicely balanced with subtle lighting. Not only does it have a new look but also a new restaurant manager Kaseman Satayrak, who was most recently at Harvey but has a pedigree of having worked in most of the top restaurants in Bangkok. He understands the fine dining crowd in Bangkok and will be instrumental in growing this great restaurant into a successful business.

As with the sister restaurant in Singapore, Ember in Bangkok focuses on contemporary European cuisine complimented by a burst of local fla­vours and draws heavily on local ingredients.

The kitchen is overseen by muscular Chef Haikal Johari who previously before moving to Bangkok has worked in some of Singapore’s top restaurants such as Les Amis, Pierside and Raffles Hotel and has also short periods of time worked alongside the likes of Joel Robu­chon and Laurent Gras from San Francisco.
Chef Haikal is renowned for his tasting menus, reg­ular customers coming back time and time again; they aren’t specific about what they eat as long as it wasn’t the same as last. This involves complex guest history records but so far he has excited every time and never once re­peated.

We were eager to see what he wanted to serve and left the meal selection in his capable hands.
To start the meal they poured a glass of Hob Nob Chardonnay and to awaken our palate served Lang­oustine with Avocado ice cream, the combination may sound a little unusual but the combination produced a beautiful taste and flavour. Chef Haikal has a very indi­vidual and elegant style of cooking.

Next to the table came deep fried tofu, sautéed scal­lops and a wonderfully subtle tasting shitake-foie gras sauce. This combination was packed with powerful fla­vours yet the dish was beautifully light. The portion sizes are perfect for this style of multiple dish tasting menu.

Then arrived herb crusted frogs’ legs with spinach and porcini cream. For this dish Kasemsan felt he should pour the Hob Nob Shiraz and we agreed with his choices.

For his pasta dish he served tortellini stuffed with spinach, fricassee of leek with bacon and a veloute of fruits de mer. A simple dish yet with wonderfully complex flavours.

It was then time for some soup, roasted crab bisque with cognac and smoked paprika, a light foam style amaz­ingly packed with multiple flavours.

For his pan roasted foie gras he intro­duced some unusual flavours that worked exceptionally well together, lavender jelly and pineapple granite subtle ye effective.

Before progressing to the main course a mango passion fruit sorbet was served to cleanse the palate ready to ap­preciate what was to follow. A Japanese influence came with his aka miso glazed cod, again the flavours had a powerful “wow” but expressed with the subtlety of a whisper, so light and easy to digest.

Victorian field rack of almond crust­ed lamb was perfectly cooked, served with perfectly balanced unbelievable flavours of lavender- orange jus.

To finish the meal the house speci­ality, warm Valrhona chocolate cake with vanilla bean ice cream.
This was a perfectly balanced din­ning experience with a chef in kitchen a committed perfection with a front of house team who deliver with equal profes­sionalism to the guest.

Published by Traversing The Orient Magazine. You want to make an online travel business? Please go to www.web.com.

Ember