The much-loved Gin and Tonic was introduced to the world in the 1700s by the army of the British East India Company in India, who used it as a herbal medicine. In 2009, World Gin Day, which falls every second Saturday of June, was launched by Emma Stoke, a London-based bartender and barfly with a passion for gin. This year she has teamed up with Drink Up, London to turn the event into a global celebration.

At Toro Bangkok, the international branch of the celebrated Barcelona-inspired tapas bar by James Beard and award-winning chefs Ken Oringer and Jamie Bissonnette, gin is the main act at the party, which gets underway at 6pm.

Guests can build their own G&T with their preferred of gin, tonic, and garnish. Entry is Bt1,200 net per person for three glasses of G&Ts. Choose your own or ask our bartender for some recommendations. Toro’s signature G&Ts created by Nawin Pimonrat will also available as will superb Toro style signature cocktails from the bar.

Toro Bangkok showcases eclectic Spanish fare that also makes use of local Thai ingredients. The food menu pairs with a robust beverage programme with lots of wine and gin from which to choose. The restaurant boasts a private second floor patio available for chef’s table and group events.

Make your reservation at (02) 392 7790 or email info@torobangkok.com.

You’ll find the venue at 72 Courtyard Soi Suhkumvit 55 (Thonglor)

Food lovers can now enjoy delicious food from Bangkok’s best street food vendors without having to leave home thanks to foodpanda’s newly launched service – Street Food by foodpanda – either through its app or on the website. It also comes with a stressfree condition of a fixed delivery fee for Bt40.

“Since Bangkok is famous for street food, it a logical step for us to make street food available for our customers. Our mission is to become our customer’s daily choice when it comes to their food decisions. With the launch of street food we are tapping into a broader customer segment and increasing our assortment of affordable food options,” says Alexander Felde, co-founder and managing director of foodpanda Thailand.

Tasty chicken rice from Kuang Heng Pratunam or braised pork leg from Kao Kah Moo Meng Jai can now be delivered straight to your doorstep. Fancy some noodles? Then order a bowl of beef noodles from Wattanapanit or yentafo from Yentafo Convent. Kinza Gyoza, meanwhile, offers savoury dumplings which are crispy outside but soft inside.

Check more options at http://www.Foodpanda.co.th or via the mobile application. The street food section comes with a pink tag.

 Matt Abergel, executive chef and co-owner of Hong Kong’s Yardbird and Ronin, will showcase the food that has excited him since his first visit to Japan, and the event will share the restaurant’s beak-to-tail philosophy through each part of fresh, high-quality chicken, skewered and grilled over charcoal.

“We will host the KitchenTakeover event series twice a year. This is our first time, and we are delighted to have chef Matt on board. The beautiful yakitori and unique drinks from Yardbird will go seamlessly with the venue’s fun and relaxing atmosphere, as well as music from the live DJ,” says Barom Bhicharnchitr, founder of Siwilai.

Yardbird Hong Kong is a modern izakaya that specialises in yakitori dishes of skewered grilled chicken. The menu focuses on the many different parts of a chicken, from neck to tail, that are grilled over traditional Binchotan charcoal. It is a relaxed neighbourhood restaurant, whose collaborative creative ethos comes back to Canadian chef Abergel’s roots in skateboarding, and a youth spent entrenched in a community hanging around a skate shop like The Source.

At the age of seventeen, Abergel travelled to Japan and ate his first sticks of yakitori. He fell in love with the skewers using the neck, tail, and soft bone of the chicken. A few years later while working at Masa in New York City, he found his food mentor in celebrated Japanese chef Masayoshi Takayama. After a stint at Hong Kong’s Zuma, he and his partner Lindsay Jang opened Yardbird, Hong Kong in 2011. Since then, the restaurant has appeared on the World’s 50 Best Asia list in 2013 and 2014 and is frequented by the world’s best chefs.

In addition to showcasing Yardbird Hong Kong’s signature yakitori, the event will also celebrate the launch of Abergel’s “Chicken & Charcoal” cookbook. Much more than a cookbook, “Chicken & Charcoal” also explores the team’s passions and collaborations with artists, designers, illustrators, and brands such as Vans, Carhartt WIP, and Stussy. With its own unique style and strong visual references by artist Evan Hecox, the book reveals the magic behind the restaurant’s food and drinks as well as the story of where Yardbird, Hong Kong started, how it grew, and where it is today.

The dinner costs Bt2,800.

Book your table at (02) 160 5631 or visit http://SiwilaiBkk.com/siwilaicityclub.

The pair will prepare a very special “Four Hands” collaboration menu, offering gourmets a rare opportunity to experience two of the world’s top chefs working in tandem.

Ekkebus is the Culinary Director of the Landmark Mandarin Oriental, Hong Kong and oversees the highly acclaimed modern French restaurant Amber. It has held two Michelin stars for 10 consecutive years and was ranked No 24 on last year’s prestigious World’s 50 Best Restaurants lost. The Dutchborn chef sources the finest ingredients in the world for his menu at Amber, which bills itself as a “contemporary twist on classic French cuisine”.

The 6course lunch menu is priced at Bt5,500plys while the 8course dinner has a price tag of Bt9,800plus with wine pairing.

Book a table by emailing mobkkrestaurants@mohg.com or call (02) 659 9000 extension 7390 or visit http://www.MandarinOriental.com/bangkok.

The Herve family has been farming oysters since 1939. Its three-hectare oyster farm in the sea off the Marennes-Oleron basin enriches the shellfish with the benefits of the Atlantic Ocean currents.

At the Peninsula, executive chef Dominique Martinez of the Lobby restaurant uses the Rounce variety to make classic New Orleans-style Oysters Rockefeller (Bt780-plus for six). They’re served on the half-shell, topped with a rich sauce of butter, parsley and other green herbs and baked or broiled.

Sweet Oysters Royale, which are available year-round, are turned into Oyster Champagne Sabayon (Bt980 for six) and Oyster Speciale (Bt1,280 for six), with a characteristic saltiness, crispness with nuttiness.

Oysters Boudeuse (Bt680 for six) are regarded as “stubborn” because the ocean waves slow their growth, so the shell is round and small – but the meat is sweet and delicate. Martinez adds white asparagus veloute and Parmesan shavings.

Classic Oysters Fine de Claire (Bt480 for six) arrives with classic mignonette, mango mignonette and spicy Thai seafood chilli sauce.

Also in the Lobby are Oscietra Prestige, Sevruga and white sturgeon caviar, all served on ice with homemade blinis and condiments. Prices for 30 grams start at Bt4,550.

At the Peninsula’s Chinese restaurant, Mei Jiang, executive chef Ball Yau goes Cantonese with Oysters Speciale, adding a salted egg (Bt780-plus for six).

Louis Roederer, established in 1833, presents a choice of Brut Premier, Rose Vintage 2011, Blanc de Blancs 2010 and Cristal Brut 2009 champagne to complement the feast.

Book a table at (02) 020 2888 or diningpbk@peninsula.com.

GROUND-BREAKING Spanish chef Ferran Adria said Wednesday he planned to open a food laboratory in what used to be his legendary former restaurant El Bulli which he closed in 2011.

The lab, a centre for new gastronomic inventions dubbed el Bulli 1846, will open its doors between June and October 2019, he announced.

“For seven years we have done many things to prepare this moment, and now it will be born,” added Adria, considered one of the world’s best chefs.

Adria is one of the pioneers of a culinary art form known as “molecular gastronomy” that uses science to invent new techniques that transform traditional dishes into fun culinary adventures.

His El Bulli restaurant, on the shores of Catalonia’s Costa Brava, served novelties such as gazpacho popsicles and melon caviar.

It was booked months in advance and was ranked the world’s best five times by Restaurant magazine.

When Adria served his last meal at the restaurant in July 2011, he announced he would re-open it three years later as a foundation for culinary experimentation.

“El Bulli has become a monster that had to be tamed and transformed,” he told reporters at the time.

But the renovation works were blocked due to environmental concerns since the former restaurant is located in the Cap de Creus nature park.

Adria then scaled down the project and last week he received permission from municipal authorities to continue with the renovation of the building.

WHEN THE much-hyped Asiatique the Waterfront evolved from an arty space into a popular venue for bargain-hunting tourists, the French restaurant Brasserie 9 decided to relocate further downtown, taking over the century-old Colonial-style mansion on Sathorn Soi 6 (Soi Pipat) that once housed Anna Restaurant & Art Gallery.

Operated by Bangkok Air Catering, which also runs the Lebanese and Indian restaurant Al Saray, renovations to the villa took about three months.

Tall windows on the first floor allow the natural light to stream in while the left wing of the house has become home to the Brass Bar – perfect for both aperitifs and digestifs – and a walk-in wine cellar with more than 1,000 labels where diners can enjoy cheese and cold cuts along with their wine of choice.

Next door is an exclusive cigar lounge with a large selection of Cuban cigars and lockers for clients to stash their own humidor, plus a semi-private room seating 10.

Recalling past grandeur, the right wing serves as the main dining room and is decked out in classic Jim Thompson wallpaper and vintage dining tables. The timber staircase leads to the upstairs dining area and a counter groaning under platters of fresh seafood on ice. There are also three function rooms named after the French cities of Lyon, Bordeaux and Paris that can accommodate around 60 people. And the property is one of those all-too-rare venues in downtown Bangkok with a parking lot that can hold more than 30 cars.

“We’d been at Asiatique for four years before it started to target visitors more interested in shopping than spending time in a fine-dining restaurant,” says assistant F&B manager Luca Sigg. “The new location is convenient and has different sections to cater to different needs and lifestyles. The walk-in wine cellar allows customers to see and select their preferred wines rather than just choosing from the wine list. Smokers will find an extensive list of cigars while seafood lovers can head to upstairs to see and select the items themselves. The spacious area is also perfect for large group outings.”

The cuisine, adds chef Ekapan Buranakul, is traditional and authentic French and as in all the very best French restaurants, Tomahauk steak and crepe suzette are flambeed tableside to entertain guests.

Oven-roasted escargots in garlic butter

A popular starter is the escargots, which are oven-roasted in garlic butter and parsley and served in a shallow ceramic bowl with six snail-size cavities (Bt380). Seafood lovers should opt for the cold seafood platter for four (Bt7,200) offering a combo of imported oysters and mussels on the bottom tier, while the two upper tiers hold two whole Canadian lobsters, eight tiger prawns, four langoustines and two king crab legs. They are served with Thai-style seafood, shallot vinegar, tomato, cocktail and tartar sauces. A smaller option for two is also available at Bt3,600.

Cold seafood platter perfect for four to share

The foie gras is pan-seared and glazed with ginger reduction and deliciously complemented by caramelised peach in maple syrup and diced lemon with a hint of peach Schnapps (Bt620). It comes with freshly baked brioche.

Pan-seared foie gras with caramelised peach

Carnivores will find it hard to resist the 200-gram chunk of grilled wagyu A5-graded tenderloin steak (Bt1,900) served with potato fondant and caramelised onions on a bed of kenya beans. A range of side dishes including buttered rice, sauteed mixed mushrooms and ratatouille priced from Bt80 to B220 is also available.

Tenderloin steak with peppercorn sauce

“For the French classic potato fondant, the potatoes are first slowly boiled then fried in oil until brown and crispy on the outside but fluffy and soft inside. The kenya beans are sauteed in butter that goes well with caramelised onion. Clients can select from a choice of five sauces –peppercorn, bearnaise, truffle hollandaise, red wine and Cafe de Paris butter,” says chef Ekapan, who had previously worked at Novotel and Mezzaluna at the Dome.

Pork chop with Dijon butter

If beef isn’t your thing, you can opt for pork chop with Dijon butter, green asparagus, baby tomatoes and rosemary tomatoes (Bt490) or duck breast in orange sauce served with red cabbage and gratin dauphinoise.

Crepes Suzette is prepared tableside. 

Crepes Suzette (Bt440) are prepared at the table and flambeed with Grand Marnier then served with a scoop of home-made vanilla ice cream. The meal is best finished by biting into an Eiffel Tower made from chocolate with a chocolate fondant and vanilla ice cream on a bed of crumble (Bt300).

Chocolate fondant and chocolate Eiffel Tower  

Brasserie 9 offers a set lunch with four choices of salads, soups, mains and desserts for Bt690 for four courses and Bt590 without dessert.

FRENCH FLAVOURS

Brasserie 9 is on Sathorn Soi 6 (Soi Pipat) of Bangkok and open daily from 11.30am to 1am.

Call (02) 234 2588 or visit http://www.Brasserie9.com.

GROUND-BREAKING Spanish chef Ferran Adria said Wednesday he planned to open a food laboratory in what used to be his legendary former restaurant El Bulli which he closed in 2011.

The lab, a centre for new gastronomic inventions dubbed el Bulli 1846, will open its doors between June and October 2019, he announced.

“For seven years we have done many things to prepare this moment, and now it will be born,” added Adria, considered one of the world’s best chefs.

Adria is one of the pioneers of a culinary art form known as “molecular gastronomy” that uses science to invent new techniques that transform traditional dishes into fun culinary adventures.

His El Bulli restaurant, on the shores of Catalonia’s Costa Brava, served novelties such as gazpacho popsicles and melon caviar.

It was booked months in advance and was ranked the world’s best five times by Restaurant magazine.

When Adria served his last meal at the restaurant in July 2011, he announced he would re-open it three years later as a foundation for culinary experimentation.

“El Bulli has become a monster that had to be tamed and transformed,” he told reporters at the time.

But the renovation works were blocked due to environmental concerns since the former restaurant is located in the Cap de Creus nature park.

Adria then scaled down the project and last week he received permission from municipal authorities to continue with the renovation of the building.

The hotel’s pastry chefs will create sweet and savoury treats, referencing the East-meets-West aesthetics and colours of the iconic Qeelin collections. These delights are served on a specially designed stand, in the signature gourd-shape of Qeelin’s Wulu collection, together with TWG tea or coffee.

The pastry items play with three main colours to represent the jewellery brand. Black and red are the brand’s signature colours while gold represents the wealth in Asian culture.

Representing the Bo Bo collection, the black shade is featured in a chocolate panda atop charcoal biscuit, chocolate ginger cremeux and chocolate mousse. The red scheme is a raspberry glazed jewel with gianduja cream to represent the Wulu collection pattern. The gold colour is a nod to the Chinese Year of the Dog and inspired by the Wang Wang collection, with mandarin-flavour cake, lightly laced with coffee, gold covered chocolate and a logo-emblazoned macaron.

The tea set also includes cream tea scones, other sweet delights and a selection of savouries, such as a Boston lobster and tom yum mayo soft roll; a duck liver mousse profiterole with coconut; Norwegian salmon gravlax, honey mustard and red onion, on rye bread; egg mayonnaise, black truffle paste and caviar; and a salami and mustard butter pretzel roll.

At Bt1,800-plus per set for two people, each Qeelin Afternoon Tea set includes a complimentary Qeelin gift certificate, which is redeemable at the Sette Peccati boutique, on the M Floor of Siam Paragon, available while stocks last.

It’s available daily from June 1 to July 31, from 2 to 5pm. Check it out by calling (02) 207 7777, or email fb.bangkok@stregis.com.

Part of The House on Sathorn, The Upstairs has an opulent grandeur with intricate ornaments and details offering a picturesque juxtaposition to bustling Bangkok. The Upstairs even has three different rooms with different identities, namely the Emerald Room, Ruby Room, and Secret Room.

Built in 1889 during the reign of King Rama V, The House’s neo-classical structure originally housed wealthy businessman Luang Sathorn Rajayutka, who created Sathorn Canal. The home was later was passed down to his descendants. In the early 1920s, the site was converted into the majestic Hotel Royal. Later, from 1948 to 1999, the building served as the Russian Embassy.

Recognising the immense historic value of the house, the development team worked closely with Thailand’s Fine Arts Department to carefully restore the home to its former glory, as part of the conversion to The House on Sathorn. Major renovations were conducted on the four buildings and large courtyard, keeping the original main structure intact. Meanwhile, inside, the original colour palette, intricate wooden staircases and even the Sathorn Rajayutka family’s personalised fresco motifs have all been meticulously restored by the Fine Arts Department.

The high tea at the Upstairs begins with a refreshing sorbet of the day, followed by traditional scones with home-made marmalade, jam and Devonshire clotted cream. Pastries include steamed pumpkin custard, candy bale fruit chiffon cake, pandan coconut mango jelly cake and 64-per-cent Valrhona chocolate cake.

Also on the menu are Macau egg tart, mango tartlet with vanilla cream, blueberry cheesecake, Thai orchid tea praline and traditional Thai sweet coconut pudding wrapped in banana leaf.

Savoury treats are Prosciutto-Cheese Mini Bun, Scottish Smoked Salmon Croissants, Spinach-Ricotta Quiche Lorraine and Crab-Cucumber Finger Sandwiches.

The afternoon repast is complemented by fine TWG teas. A tea master from TWG will also on hand to share his tea experience.

The high tea will be served every last Saturday of the month (May 26 and June 30), from 2.30pm to 5.30pm. Each set is priced at Bt1,499-plus including a selection of TWG teas.

Find out more at (02) 344 4025 or email thehouseonsathorn@whotels.com