THIRTY YEARS AGO, the Peninsula Plaza mall’s restaurant Le Jardin was a pioneer, taking guay tiew ruea (boat noodles) from their usual environs among the roadside stalls of Bangkok and giving them a rousing welcome in a posh setting.

The restaurant, run by Dusit Thani Bangkok founder Thanpuying Chanut Piyaoui and her daughter Sunong, went out of business about 20 years ago, the space taken over by another restaurant.

But this past July Le Jardin was reincarnated under a new name, MaiMai, and the terrific boat noodles are back too, made from the original recipe.

MaiMai is Le Jardin reincarnated and revives the notion of serving classic boat noodles in a posh mall.

The Peninsula Plaza feels quieter these days, hemmed in by all the other retail palaces around the Ratchaprasong intersection, which makes it quite a surprise to see MaiMai packed with diners throughout the day.

MaiMai is in the hands of another generation, Sunong’s daughter Chalita Salirathavibhaga, though she’s keen to revive the recipes of her grandma and mum.

Situated in the centre court of Peninsula Plaza, the restaurant is deep blue for the most part, save for a glowing pink-neon portrait of Sunong on one wall, as if guaranteeing that the heritage carries on.

In a charming example of wordplay, the logo appears with the first “M” drawn in traditional, graceful Thai curves to represent Grandma Chanut.

It was Thanpuying Chanut, in another pioneering feat, who built the Dusit Thani Bangkok 48 years ago – the first Thai hotel touting international standards while at the same time celebrating Thai design and culture.

“The first ‘Mai’ represents my intention to revive the restaurant and my grandma’s recipes. The second ‘Mai’ is my mum’s nickname and the second ‘M’ in the restaurant logo is rendered in a contemporary style,” says Chalita, 30.

Boat Noodle Soup with Rib Eye Beef

The eternal favourite among locals and foreigners, as popular today as they were 30 years ago, the boat noodles are presented in a large bowl and in a generous portion. You can have them dry or in soup – Bt140 if ordered with pork and Bt160 with beef. (With Kurobuta pork they’re Bt280, with rib-eye beef Bt320.)

The broth is full of flavour thanks to the salted cow’s blood used and spices such as star anise, pepper, coriander seed, fennel and cinnamon. Among the noodle types on offer, rice vermicelli is recommended because it soaks up the broth so well.

Spicy Grilled Mushroom Salad with Shrimp 

“My grandma and her long-time cook came up with the original broth recipe,” says Chalita. “We also add fresh coconut milk to intensify the taste and make the broth slightly creamy. You should taste it before adding any condiments because it’s already designed to have the right combination of flavours.”

Chalita served the same dish at her other Bangkok restaurant, Khun Mai Boat Noodle, which has outlets at the GMM Grammy Building and the Central Chidlom Food Hall. The same broth is used but the noodle portions are smaller and the price of a bowl between Bt60 and Bt65.

“At MaiMai, I’ve added Thai and Western comfort food for a wider variety of choices,” she says. “Half our customers are Thai and many of them were long-time customers of Le Jardin. Most of the rest come from Hong Kong and mainland China.”

If the broth, with its intense infusion of cow’s blood, isn’t quite your thing, you can opt for noodles in clear broth with pork and a fish ball, or a spicy kick of tom yum noodles. Each of these costs Bt160.

Sweet Corn Soup with Crabmeat 

The Western dishes extend to pasta and burgers, with the starters including Sweet Corn Soup with Crabmeat and Garlic Toast (Bt260) and Crab Croquettes with Tartare Sauce (Bt250).

Also recommended is Duck Confit Rillettes (Bt280), which you spread on slices of toasted baguette, though my serving arrived slightly frozen.

Duck Confit Rillettes 

Thai-style fire is evident in Spicy Grilled Mushroom Salad with Shrimp (Bt250) and Stir-fried Rice with Mackerel and Herbs (Bt220), both beautifully prepared and flavourful.

Perfect for sharing is Sticky Rice and Papaya Salad with Grilled Chicken (Bt380). The papaya salad (som tum) typically follows Central region tradition with a blend of sweet, salty and tangy, but you can specify any style you prefer.

Sticky Rice and Papaya Salad with Grilled Chicken

One of the most popular desserts at Le Jardin was Banana in Syrup (Bt80), and it too has returned at MaiMai, presented with fresh coconut milk.

Chalita notes that coconut custard has always been a must-order at the Dusit Thani, “and we offer coconut creme brulee mixed with coconut juice and coconut meat”. That’s Bt180.

Coconut Creme Brulee 

For the holidays there’s Homemade Stuffed Turkey with an herb stuffing and classic gravy on Christmas Eve for Bt399. You can order the whole one to take home for Bt5,955, but they need two days’ advance notice.

COSY AMID THE COMFORTS

MaiMai at the Peninsula Plaza on Ratchadamri Road is open daily from 10am to 8pm.

Call (02) 652 1399 or visit http://www.Facebook.com/maimaieatery.

One of France’s oldest independent family-run Champagne house, Louis Roederer has been producing fine wines and champagne since 1776 and was appointed as the official wine provider to the Imperial Russian Court by Tsar Nicholas II.

From 6.30pm, a Champagne reception at Elements terrace serves canapes and NV Louis Roederer Brut Premier before the dinner gets underway with Oyster ‘La Luna’ and Fruit de Mer, Japanese seafood, paired with 2012 Louis Roederer Rose Vintage.

It is followed by Organic garden with lobster and seabass courses paired with 2010 Louis Roederer Blanc de Blancs. 2009 Louis Roederer Cristal Brut Champagne then accompanies courses five and six, which are Hokkaido scallops with foie gras, and langoustine, kumquat and Japanese curry respectively.

2010 Chateau de Pez, Saint-Estephe, Bordeaux, France – Magnum served with course seventh which is French AOC cheese with condiments. Finally a dessert of white chocolate, raspberries, yuzu and violet sorbet is matched with 2007 Louis Roederer Cristal Rose for a sparkling end to a spectacular meal. Louis Roederer Champagne Dinner is priced at Bt7,500plus per person.

Book your table by calling (02) 687 9000 or email elements@okurabangkok.com.

It’ll have a daytime pool party at Double Tree by Hilton and then switches to Mango Tree on the River at 8pm.

Their New Year’s bash last year was a huge success and house and techno music are more popular than ever, in large part thanks to three years of Blast Sessions events. So this year’s party will be even better, with a barbecue, live entertainment and magnificent fireworks by the Chao Phraya.

The evening shows will feature House Jam residents Jamie James & Systimatic and Blast Sessions’ Adiero + Nukier, who’ve been driving Mediterranean-style tech-house music in Thailand at Double Tree, Glow, Violett, and Sing Sing Theatre.

Passes for both events cost Bt1,000 and cover free-flowing drinks. Head to http://www.Eventpop.me/e/4622-double-drop-2018-nye-party.

Find out more at Facebook.com/events/912847498913989.

On Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, dishes and drinks from the bar and restaurant’s special menu will be accompanied by live entertainment in the evening at the rooftop bar.

ATTITUDE is also welcoming in 2019 with a four-course set menu dinner, including complimentary champagne, on New Year’s Eve from 7.30pm until 3am.

The evening will include an elegant party with stunning fireworks above the city, with live DJs and musicians performing throughout the proceedings.

Advance reservations are strongly recommended.

ATTITUDE also offers a special promotion, “Hangover party on the first day of 2019”, with comfort foods and beverages on January 1, including special cocktails at the Vibes bar.

Free-flow beer, along with sparkling wines and signature cocktails, will be available, and for those who need further sustenance later in the day, there is the special Hangover American Breakfast Brunch.

ATTITUDE Rooftop Bar & Restaurant is located on the 26th floor, atop the Avani Plus Bangkok.

Full details and prices of the Christmas and New Year celebration offerings can be found at http://www.attitudebangkok.com.

To make reservations, call (02) 431 9120 or e-mail reservation@attitudebangkok.com.

The restaurant, which offers a stunning panoramic view of the Chao Phraya River, is featuring Christmas feasts on both December 24 and 25 including a special selection of champagne, wine, cocktails as well as live entertainment. A deposit of Bt3,500 per booking is required for Christmas’s Eve dinner.

To welcome the Year of the Pig, the restaurant offers an exclusive four-course set menu dinner on December 31.

From 7.30pm until 3am, guests can enjoy a variety of fresh seafood, sip their favourite wines from the special wine station and check out the lavish dessert and cheese spread as fireworks light up Bangkok’s sky.

The set menu includes complimentary Billecart-Salmon Champagne for each couple plus live DJs and musicians.

The set dinner is priced at Bt28,019-net per couple including a 750ml bottle of Billecart-Salmon Champagne and Bt15,019-net per person inclusive of a 375ml bottle. For those who join without attending dinner, the price is Bt2,019-net per person plus one glass of Billecart-Salmon Champagne.

On January 1, the restaurant has a special Hangover Party serving comfort foods and beverages at noon. There’s also a new list of special cocktails “Bless You Smoothie” and “Thank God it’s 2019” to be ordered from the bar.

The prices are Bt2,019 per person including free flow beer, wines and signature cocktails and Bt2,599 per person for Hangover American Breakfast Brunch with a la carte dishes, free flow beer, wines, signature cocktails and sparkling wine. The promotion will be available from noon to 3pm.

Make a reservation by calling (02) 431 9120 or visit http://www.AttitudeBangkok.com.

THE IDEA behind new Bangkok restaurant Charna is “a happy supply chain” – all the ingredients come from a network of local producers certified as environmentally and ethically responsible.

Charna is the latest venture by Food Passion Co, which operates the Bar B Q Plaza chain and the hotpot brand Joom Zap Hut. The restaurant’s name is a Hebrew word meaning “prosperity”.

Charna, on the second floor of Siam Center, looks quite inviting with its clean appearance, natural wood tones and an interior design that replicates a classic Thai-style house with louvered partitions, beams and wooden cupboards where food might be stored.

The new restaurant Charna borrows its name for the Hebrew word for “prosperous”, but it’s your health that will prosper most.

The decoration includes household kitchen utensils such as mortars and pestles, enamelware, pots and woven baskets.

“Our idea was to create a restaurant that would satisfy health-conscious diners and yet maintain the full flavour of every dish,” says owner Chataya Supanpong.

“The quality ingredients have been harvested with love by our friendly farmers. They’re cooked with care to make healthy dishes and assure a balanced meal of meat and vegetables.”

The Cold-pressed Juice Station

Out front is the Cold-pressed Juice Station. Grab your favourite ingredients and the staff will extract the juices for a delightful drink, or you can choose among the 10 prepared juice choices on offer.

Heart Beat (Bt95) is a concoction of beetroot, red cabbage, red apple and pineapple and is designed to strengthen the heart. Eyes Beam (also Bt95) is made with carrot, red apple, orange, pineapple and passion fruit and is said to improve your vision.

A shot of cold-pressed juice is a welcoming drink for diners as they arrive.

Freshly pressed juices make a nice start to the meal.

The menus are extensive and divided into five categories – Farm Pot, Farm Grill, Salad & Appetiser, Thai Comfort, and Drink & Dessert. Each category highlights the producers of the non-toxic, organic items used in the kitchen. The menu even has QR codes for the main producers that, when scanned with a phone, reveals more information about them.

“We want to pinpoint where the food comes from, how it’s grown or produced and what ingredients are used,” says Panadda Ritthiruengdej, public relations manager at Food Passion. “The principle is environmental sustainability. We should learn about the produce and the producers and be able to pay its real value.”

Farm Pot offers mild chicken soup and spicy soup. Choose one, then one of the three meat sets, which are all good value for money.

The Farm Pot has a choice of meat sets, including Kurobuta, Australian beef and seafood.

In the Kurobuta set (Bt385) are Kurobuta shoulder, liver, marinated chicken and pork, pork ball and smoked duck breast. The Assorted Australian Beef set (Bt495) has beef shoulder, tenderloin, marinated beef and chicken, and smoked duck breast.

For seafood lovers there’s the Fishermen set (Bt465) with salmon, ruby fish, river prawn, cuttlefish, New Zealand mussel, scallop, squid ball, fish tofu and tofu roll stuffed with prawn.

A-la-carte meat selections are also available.

“The pork is from Green Pork@Ratchaburi, a farm that produces meat free of antibiotics, vaccines and growth hormones,” Panadda explains. “The no-toxins beef is from Max Beef in Rayong, part of the Beef Cooperative Network. And the seafood comes from Save Our Fish-Save Our Sea Network, the only network of Thai fishermen recognised with the Organic Agriculture Certification of Thailand.”

More than 30 different vegetables and herbs are on offer at the Farm Station.

Every meat-set order brings a basket you use to “harvest” your own fresh vegetables and herbs at the Farm Station, which has more than 30 selections.

Among the all-you-can-eat choices are jueng ju chai (white mugwort), beetroot, Chinese spinach and celery, kale, taro and red cabbage. Many of the organic and toxin-free vegetables come from the Jon Non Rai and Boon Chaluay farms in Nakhon Ratchasima.

You can do your own mixing and matching at the Sauce Station – where there are more brisk decisions to be made among the ingredients – or follow the restaurant’s chart suggesting how to mix jaew, ponzu or seafood.

The grilled meats and seafood are paired with vegetables and fruit that come in five colours and, because they’re fresh, grilled or blanched, in different textures too.

Grilled Pork Ribs 

Worth trying are the Grilled Pork Ribs (Bt395), which are marinated in herbs and topped with roasted, shredded lemongrass for a nice crunchy texture.

Other choices are Char-grilled Chicken Breast with Pesto Sauce (Bt285), Grilled Salmon with Lemon Butter Sauce (Bt345) and Pork Roulade Filled with Apple and Spinach (Bt395).

Siam Ruby Corn Som Tum with Salted Egg 

For a spicy kick, Siam Ruby Corn Som Tum with Salted Egg (Bt155) should not be missed. It has the perfect combination among the firm flesh of the corn and the balanced flavours of the som tum dressing and salted egg.

Another fine choice is Salmon with Herb Spicy Salad (Bt185), topped with crunchy fried shallot and aromatic dried chillies.

If your time is limited, the Thai Comfort menu is full of quick meals. Each comes with a organic onsen egg from free-range farm Baan Rak Din in Kanchanaburi where the chickens dine on healthy herbs like rang chuet (laurel clockvine) and look yor (great morinda).

Organic Rice and Mackerel 

The recommended dish here is Organic Rice and Mackerel (Bt175), the fish for which swims in from the Mae Klong in Samut Songkram. It arrives at table with chopped chillies and shallots, a slice of lemon and spicy soup and salad.

Dried Tom Yum Spaghetti with Salmon Steak

Other fusion dishes include Dried Tom Yum Spaghetti with Salmon Steak (Bt245) and Spaghetti with Palo (five-spice egg with pork in sweet brown sauce, Bt195).

End the meal with a tempting dessert such as Gluay Khai banana dressed with coconut milk and served with coconut ice cream on a bed of rice crackers (Bt145) or the silky soft Milk Pudding with Pineapple (Bt75).

Gluay Khai Banana with Coconut Ice Cream

GOODNESS SO FRESH

Charna on the second floor of Siam Center is open daily from 10am to 9pm.

Call (061) 415 8252 or visit the “Charna” page on Facebook.

For those who want to offer a gift that will please every friend and family member, there are a variety of festive hampers packed with Christmas goodies, such as cookies, Dresdner stollen, festive macaroons, traditional mince pie, and a festive chocolate tuk-tuk. This year, the hampers also include signature items from the hotel’s dining venues, including curry paste from Sra Bua by Kiin Kiin; BBQ sauce from Niche; duck rillettes from Brasserie Europa; and snacks from Hanuman Bar.

The Heritage hamper is priced at Bt3,900-plus, while the Connoisseur hamper costs Bt7,000-plus. There is a choice of rattan baskets for the Connoisseur hamper, along with a burgundy box for the Heritage hamper. A personalised hamper option is also available, where customers simply select items from an a la carte menu that includes Christmas fruitcake, Dresdner stollen, English Christmas pudding, Choco snowman and Christmas fruit bread.

Brasserie Europa also presents festive brunch every Sunday throughout this month, from 12.30pm to 4pm.The feast features roast butterball turkey with chestnut stuffing and traditional condiments; roast Angus beef with potato gratin; and honey-glazed smoked pork ham. Other highlights include a foie gras and cured meats station; foie gras creme brulee; foie gras pralines; Parma ham; and premium salami.

Or tuck into seafood on ice with a choice of Atlantic lobster, rock lobster, three kinds of oysters, Alaska king crab and New Zealand mussels. The buffet line also features a Japanese corner with sushi and hot dishes that change every Sunday. Guests can order a la carte main courses, cooked a la minute and served at the tables, such as Wagyu beef medallion Rossini style served with buttered spinach and topped with a slice of pan-fried foie gras; Australian lamb cutlets with aromatic herbs and paired with rosemary and pumpkin veloute sauce; and seared giant Hokkaido scallop served with a spoonful of soft pot-braised lentils, and sprinkled with mullet bottarga. Prices are from Bt2,900 to Bt4,900 for adults and Bt1,450 for a child aged six to 12.

There is also a feast of fun for children at the “Kids Gingerbread Decorating Class”, presented exclusively at the hotel’s Kids Club from 3 to 4.30pm. This is a complimentary benefit for all children whose families are enjoying the festive brunch and make reservations in advance (limited seats available, every Sunday until December 23).

Children from Chumchon Moobaan Pattana School in Bangkok’s Klong Toey district will be singing a selection of Christmas carols throughout this month, as part of the hotel’s commitment to supporting local communities. These Christmas performances, staged every Sunday as well as on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, are performed in partnership with BE Health Association – the non-profit organisation co-founded by Kempinski Hotels S.A. to work against the spread of devastating infectious diseases such as HIV/Aids tuberculosis and malaria through training, education and moral support. The performances will take place from 5 to 5.30pm and 6 to 6.30pm. Special performances on Christmas Day will start at noon and 1pm.

For more information, call (02) 162 9000 or email dining.siambangkok@kempinski.com.

ON A serene patch off Sukhumvit 31 in Bangkok, the restaurant Haoma – a two-storey house with a backyard garden lush with edible greens – is named for a divine plant from Persian mythology.

This is indeed a green destination, where the zero-waste principle is pursued and all the ingredients have been raised free of pesticides and antibiotics. The owners have the big beautiful backyard as well as a four-rai farm in Chiang Mai.

Fruit and vegetables are served about 48 hours after harvest in the belief that that’s primetime for their component nutrients. They come from small, local producers whose methods are certified as environmentally and ethically responsible.

Haoma takes a sustainable approach to “progressive” cuisine with its farm-to-table meals.

A visit to Haoma typically begins with a short tour of the garden with the proprietor and executive chef, Deepanker “DK” Khosla from India, who proudly shows off his integrated “aquaponics” system where fish and plants grow together.

Wasabi mizuna, Indian borage and French roselle are among the herbs under cultivation in beds, while six large vats, each containing 500 litres of rainwater, hold pla nil – Nile tilapia fish.

Whatever food waste emanates from the kitchen ends up in the fish bellies and then the fish waste fertilises the plants, which in exchange filter the water in which the fish live.

In the backyard garden grow a variety of edible plants and herbs.

“It’s a carbon-neutral system,” Khosla explains. “Each tank can hold about 100 fish and the rainwater is constantly recycling. I got the idea while camping at Kaeng Krachan Dam in Phetchaburi, where the reservoir was full of pla nil initially raised by King Bhumibol. He encouraged people to breed this fish because it grows quickly and is rich in protein.”

By the end of next year, says Khosla, who also runs the restaurant Karma Kismet in New Delhi, Haoma will be zero-waste.

Pla nil, a fish highly recommended by King Bhumibol, is cultivated in constantly recycling rainwater. 

“We’ve already reduced about 80 per cent of the waste and the rest depends on our suppliers. We’ll stop using suppliers who use diesel trucks – they have to run on CNG [compressed natural gas]. And we give our vegetable suppliers cotton bags to use for deliveries so there’s no need for plastic. The meat we get in recyclable containers.”

The indoor dining area is predominantly wood and chock-full of decorative plants. There’s also an outdoor deck in the backyard with low tables.

For the cool season, Khosla has unveiled menus of nine courses (Bt1,990) and 13 courses (Bt2,590) that draw inspiration from the mountains of Chiang Mai, the Gulf of Thailand and the little urban “farm” on Sukhumvit 31.

Chef Deepanker “DK” Khosla gathers herbs for the evening serving.

He characterises the cuisine as “progressive”, with frequent spicy kicks in a nod to both the chef’s homeland and his adopted land.

“The dishes reflect my roots and my journey so far in Thailand,” he says. “I’ve been living here for five years and I travel regularly to experience different flavours. I want to bring all these elements to my food.

“The menu presented to the guests is like a map of Thailand and they can travel to different provinces in different courses. Sakon Nakhon is popular for its pon yang khambeef, for example, Buri Ram for its wagyu and Ayutthaya for its river prawns.”

Galauti Cornets 

Galauti Cornets are a spicy, slightly tangy opening pop to waken the taste buds. They’re tiny pastry cones served on a tree branch and they’re filled with wild mushrooms, 13 Indian spices, local hed tob (black mushroom) and citrus gel.

Oyster & Corn Tartar 

Oyster & Corn Tartar is a cracker holding slices of oyster and abalone from Phuket, cooked with cilantro and yuzu lemon. It’s topped with a “deconstruction” of corn soup that ends up looking like corn kernels.

Melon Terrine 

Khosla says his Melon Terrine combines what he loves most about green and red Thai curries, massaman and tom kha (coconut soup with galangal). It features three chunks of melon – red, green and yellow – capped with tom kha ice cream. On the side is foam that’s flavoured just like massaman, green curry and tom kha.

Cured Wheel 

Arriving in a wooden box is Cured Wheel, which Khosla says “represents Haoma in one bite”. Here you have 15 different herbs grown in the backyard and some of that pla niltoo. It’s a roll-up with a rice cracker at the centre, encircled with layers of dashi, the Haoma greens and fish, and raisin jam, all with a ginger-and-lemon dressing.

Tikka Masala 

Also presented cold is tikka masala, in which charbroiled chicken meets cottage cheese, makhani and pickled shallot. Khosla says he’s had success tackling the “challenge” of presenting chilled versions of dishes normally served hot – like green curry, tom khaand tikka masala.

Wagyu Short Ribs 

Wagyu Short Ribs tap into the Buri Ram supply for 100-gram servings presented with eggplant gel, buckwheat seeds and a foam of fermented buckwheat, plus home-made miso paste and mushrooms on the side.

Black and White

The delicious dessert is called Black and White, the “White” being ice cream made with fresh cream and milk and dehydrated yoghurt, and the “Black” charcoal ice cream with home-made cookie crumble.

SHOW THAT YOU CARE

Haoma on Sukhumvit Soi 31 is open Tuesday through Sunday, daily from 6pm to 11pm.

Call (02) 258 4744 or visit http://www.Haoma.dk.

 Having been mentored by such culinary luminaries as Yotam Ottolenghi, Clare Smyth and Heston Blumenthal, and being the co-founder of the ice-cream chain Ungermann Brothers, Ungermann is known as “the king of ice cream”.

Born to a Dutch mother and Dutch-Indonesian father, Ungermann transcends the borders between European and Asian cuisine. This makes his creations equally stunning on their own or juxtaposed with sophisticated modern French and perfectionist, traditional Thai cuisine.

He will share all his culinary concepts on his own and paired with two of the hotel’s top chefs in mouth-watering four-hand formats.

Moreover, he will present a cooking demonstration to which keen hobby-cooks are invited, followed by a “chef’s table” dining experience. Plus, his ice cream will crop up both on the menus and in his cooking demonstration.

On December 5, explore his special corner and live station at the Rain Tree Cafe’s Father’s Day brunch and dinner buffets (Bt2,400-plus).

On December 6 at Reflexions, Ungermann presents “All About Chef Ben” – a three-course set lunch (Bt1,800-plus) and seven-course degustation set dinner (Bt3,800-plus).

On December 7, “The Dutch Connection” prevails as he joins forces with fellow Netherlander Roxanne Lange, chef de duisine of the Reflexions, presenting together a four-hands, four-course set lunch – two courses each by Ungermann and Lange (Bt2,000-plus), and four-hands seven-course set dinner – four courses by Ungermann and three by Lange (Bt3,800-plus).

On December 8, explore “Thai, Dutch Indonesian Influence” with Ungermann this time in a cook-off with smooth curry Thai-food guru Montri.

Together they will present a four-hands, four-course set lunch – two courses each by Ungermann and Montri (Bt1,600-plus) and a four-hands, seven-course set dinner – four courses by Ungermann and three by Montri (Bt2,800-plus).

The season of Ungermann concludes on December 9 with “Chef’s Table with Ben”, beginning with a cooking demonstration before segueing into a six-course degustation dinner (Bt4,200-plus).

Reservations can be made at (02) 650 8800 or fb.theathenee@luxurycollection.com.

REMEMBER THE decommissioned Lockheed TriStar that Somchai Songwatana was rebuilding as a restaurant at his creative-retail property ChangChui in Thonburi? Well, diners are now boarding.

The 55-metre-long, 150-tonne former jet that’s been permanently parked at ChangChui for 17 months is finally whisking passengers off on culinary adventures, its cabin whimsically decorated with stuffed animals.

The one-time member of the Thai Sky Airlines fleet was about to be shredded for scrap when Somchai, the celebrated clothing designer and founder of fashion label FlyNow, flew to its rescue.

The Lockheed L1011 TriStar jet has been transformed into a restaurant with unusual decor to match its fine-dining concept.

He and his team hauled the plane in 20 massive chunks from Don Mueang Airport and painstakingly reassembled it on-site.

It originally had 450 seats, but there are only 90 in the taxidermy-stocked restaurant named Na-Oh, a pun on Noah of biblical ark fame.

Na-Oh was supposed to open last Valentine’s Day with Andy Yang in the kitchen. The Thai chef earned a Michelin star in 2009 for his New York eatery Rhong Tiam. Instead, 19-year-old self-taught Mo-na Teeratada is in charge of the restaurant, which Bondi Belly, led by Natee Laorungrueangdet, is operating.

Upon boarding for what’s billed as a “futuristic food journey”, guests have three set dinners to choose among – five courses for Bt1,500, eight for Bt2,500 and the “chef’s selection” for Bt5,500.

Diners board Na-Oh, a decommissioned and permanently grounded passenger jet at ChangChui, for daily “flights” of culinary fancy.

“The menu will change every three months, but we’re starting with the theme of ‘diaspora’ – using food to discuss the cultures of the different nationalities being evacuated post-doomsday on board Na-Oh,” says Natee.

“As a Thai, I’m proud of jasmine rice, just as Indians love their spices and Chinese their teas. We’ll try to blend all of these together to recall the memory of what we’re leaving behind in the old world as we travel to the new world.”

An antique cage elevator lifts guests from ground to fuselage, where a glass cabinet holding a mama and baby stuffed polar bear greets them.

The team has replaced the airline seats with vintage Art Deco sofas and chairs and added fancy chandeliers and framed prints of Noah and his menagerie riding the high seas. Old steamer trunks serve as tables.

A mother polar bear and her cub attest to the marvels of taxidermy.

It’s a bit disconcerting at first having stuffed animals staring at you while you eat, but the taxidermists have certainly done wonderful work. And the silent creatures are certified legal and ethical, meaning they died of natural causes. An eland and a baboon, looking quite life-like, peer calmly out from behind glass.

The animals, antique furniture and vintage decorative items came from Somchai’s personal collection. He owns 30,000 perfume bottles, and a bunch of them were turned into a counter bar on which stuffed birds perch.

The plane’s former baggage compartment is now a 10-seat lounge with stuffed beasts occupying a sizeable display cabinet.

The former baggage compartment is now a 10-seat lounge with high-backed maroon sofas and a large display cabinet of beasts escaping Noah’s flood – among them white lions, a black bear, a warthog, caribou and more birds.

The cockpit is a private dining room with a classic chesterfield. The tail end has been fitted with a large window affording views of the grounds.

The cockpit is a private dining area.

The five-course set was served at a preview day for the press last week, minus the amuse bouche “Adrift”, which we were told involves fermented black beans, rillettes and foie gras.

The lights dimmed and Mo-na strolled in carrying a lantern and wearing a Zorro-like mask – he bills himself as the Red-mask Chef. By way of an explanation: “He’s the person who drives Na-Oh, no matter who he is.”

To begin what proved to be a quite theatrical performance, he outlined the diaspora concept.

Amah – pickled cabbage in soy sauce

Then each dish arrived with a melancholy back-story. Amah, the staff said, was what your amah (granny) gave you to take on the journey – pickled cabbage in soy sauce. Thanks, Granny!

“We all are escaping Noah’s flood to a new world,” Mo-na intoned. “My fusion dishes represent non-linear storytelling, about the evacuation of peoples of many cultures who are yearning for something they’re missing. Amah represents the significant role that food preservation will play in the future, while the next dishes recall the past.”

Fake Fertile – Portobello mushroom, red snapper and prawn mash

“Fake Fertile” was Portobello mushroom, red snapper and prawn mash, hinting (we were informed) at the fertility of forests, mountains, rivers and seas in the world we’ve left behind. “Remain” was pork belly in caramel-soy sauce with riceberry, wrapped in banana leaves.

Remain – pork belly in caramel-soy sauce and riceberry

Dessert was “Not Just a Potato” – an accurate name since the baked sweet potato was filled with rum-raisin ice cream.

Mo-na returned home last year after being in Australia since age 11. He disliked the conventional education system there, though, and instead took on various jobs, including toiling in a fish market and a fast-food chain.

Not Just a Potato – baked sweet potato with rum-raisin ice cream

“I always cooked for my friends when we got together and they said my food was good, so I started to love cooking, and I liked to mix and match ingredients to create Asian fusion dishes,” he said.

“Then friends of friends heard about me and started hiring me to cook for them. I also worked at many restaurants in Sydney, but I refused to go to Le Cordon Bleu Sydney when my mum applied there for me.”

Mo-na Teeratada bills himself as “the Red-mask Chef”.

Once back in Thailand, he spent six months at one restaurant, but quit that to tackle the Na-Oh challenge. It’s an odd approach, he conceded from behind the red mask, but a bit of fun, the meal somehow suitably ending with a light-and-sound show.

I found plenty to “wow” about in the ambience and the concept, but thought the chef’s strolling and the pensive brooding over each dish a little too off-off-Broadway. As for the food itself, it wasn’t all that exciting or surprising.

Having said that – if you’re in search of an unusual new dining experience, prepare to take flight.

ZOO UP IN THE BLUE

Na-Oh is open daily except Wednesday from 6 to 11pm.

Book seats at (02) 007 7070 or http://www.Na-OhBangkok.com.