NO ONE’S going to stumble by chance on Thai-food restaurant Jarn Kub Kao. It’s on a lane that zigzags across Vibhavadi Rangsit, Ratchadapisek and Lad Phrao roads. And yet it’s packed every lunch- and dinnertime with loyal customers who love the homey, cosy ambience as much as the cuisine.

Painted a remarkable mustard tone, the two-year-old restaurant occupies a renovated two-storey house on Vibhavadi Rangsit Soi 20. You can also get there from Ratchadapisek Soi 19 and Lad Phrao Soi 18.

The dining area is a humble gathering of wooden tables and chairs plus marble tables with grey sofas. On the walls are decorative plates from the May & Clay Ceramics Studio.

Most inviting of all is the inner area under a high ceiling that was created by removing part of the floor above. Tall windows let the natural light in. One wall features charming hand-drawn illustrations of the various dishes on offer.

Sisters Wimalin and Wilanda Ratanaporn worked at the Tourism Authority of Thailand and a marketing firm, respectively, before opening Jarn Kub Kao – the name is Thai for “plate” and “rice”. Wilanda and her husband Surakiat Thienthong lived in the building before it was renovated as a restaurant.

“It’s located in a soi but it’s surrounded by many offices, such as Thai Airways and Thai PBS,” says Wimalin. “Surakiat’s mother is a great cook, so we all agreed to make use of the building by opening a restaurant serving the dishes we usually cook at home.”

The menu is extensive, most of the dishes large enough for sharing. Many of the choices are from the Central region but there are also southern delicacies and Thai-Chinese selections.

Stir-fried Crabmeat with Yellow Chilli

“Southern food is becoming popular in Bangkok restaurants thanks to the strong flavours and well-balanced tastes,” Wimalin explains. “We get fresh meat from the legs of Surat Thani paddle crabs daily, so the freshness is guaranteed, as is their natural sweetness. And every dish is cooked to order.”

Gaeng Phu Bai Chaplu

Crabmeat appears in a multitude of dishes. For Bt380 you can have it stir-fried in yellow curry or with yellow chillies or black pepper. Well worth trying for the same price is Gaeng Phu Bai Chaplu, which involves a large amount of crabmeat in strong yellow curry cooked with aromatic chaplu leaves.

Bai Liang Pad Kai

Southern cuisine never feels complete without some Pad Gapi Goong (Bt180). The stink-beans are perfectly stir-fried with chillies and scented shrimp paste.

Other real deals are the comfort foods Bai Liang Pad Kai (stir-fried liang leaves with eggs) and Kua Kling Moo Sub (spicy dried and minced pork. Each of these is Bt140.

Goong Tod Sauce Makham

Another top seller is Goong Tod Sauce Makham (Bt450) – three large fried river prawns in sweet-and-sour tamarind sauce sprinkled with fried garlic and shallot.

Moo Shanghai

Health-conscious diners might hesitate over the signature dish of Moo Shanghai (braised pork belly in brown sauce, Bt250), but the soft texture and flavourful sauce ought to twist their arm. The juicy pork is slowly braised in coconut juice, brown sugar and soy sauce until tender and cut into three chunks per serving.

Pla Kem Nueng Moo Sab

Another fine choice is Pla Kem Nueng Moo Sub (Bt180) – steamed minced pork with salted fish, served with white turmeric and fresh seasonal vegetables such as cucumber and long beans. Lemon juice is presented separately if you want to tone down the saltiness.

Gluay Kai in syrup and coconut milk with coconut ice cream

The desserts include Gluay Kai, a banana in syrup and coconut milk with coconut ice cream (Bt90), Lod Chong (pandan-flavoured rice noodles in coconut milk and shaved ice, Bt45), and Chao Guay (black grass jelly in syrup and shaved ice, also Bt45).

There are also various flavours of Thong Dee-brand ice cream, carved to resemble the fruit that gives it the flavour, such as pineapple, durian, coconut, mango and dragon fruit. They’re Bt80 each.

Pineapple-and dragon-fruit-flavoured ice cream

A friend of Wimalin’s who graduated from Le Cordon Bleu Dusit Culinary School bakes the cakes at home – Chocolate Flourless Cake (Bt100 a slice), White Chocolate Cheesecake (Bt120) and Double Cheese Cheesecake (Bt130).

SENSATIONAL SISTER ACT

Jarn Kub Kao on Vibhavadi Rangsit Soi 20 is open daily except Monday from 11.30am to 10pm.

Call (098) 276 1161 or visit http://www.Facebook.com/jarnkubkao.

Inspired by the two-Michelin-star restaurant Ciel Bleu at the Hotel Okura Amsterdam, Elements has developed a reputation for finely prepared gourmet French cuisine with seasonal Japanese influences.

The restaurant’s wide selection of a-la-carte dishes is refreshed regularly to take full advantage of the freshest available produce from Thailand and carefully selected overseas markets.

“Receiving a Michelin star is a great honour for us,” says Edward Snoeks, the hotel’s general manager. “It’s the culmination of a fantastic 12 months for Elements, which began with recognition of the restaurant’s innovative dining experience. It’s wonderful that the restaurant has earned a Michelin star for the second year in a row and an affirmation of the skill and commitment of our culinary team in delivering dishes of a consistently high quality.”

Elements was ranked third by lifestyle magazine Thailand Tatler at its Best Restaurants Dining Guide Awards 2018 and recently earned a spot in BK Magazine’s Top Tables Bangkok 2018 listings.

“The recognition received from these respected publications reflects our commitment to enhancing the guest’s dining experience based on the spirit of kaizen, a key part of the company’s vision and mission,” Snoeks says.

The second edition of Michelin’s little red guide awards one star each to 23 restaurants, of which 13 are new recipients, and two stars to four establishments.

“Earning a Michelin star is a magnificent accolade for the restaurant and a testament to the hard work of our culinary team and front-of-house staff,” says executive chef Alvaro Roa. “We will continue to work closely with Ciel Bleu to share culinary savoir-faire and our entire team will continue to strive for excellence in all that we do.”

Elements is open from 6 to 10.30pm Tuesday through Saturday. Visit http://www.OkuraBangkok.com.

Siam Paragon offers crossconcept, popup series and meals prepared by top chefs including siblings Christian and Manuel Costardi who are famous for their modern take on risotto dishes. Customers can enjoy their dishes along with fine wines on November 16 and 17 at Amici on the ground floor of Siam Paragon. The fivecourse lunch paired with wine costs Bt3,000plus and the sixcourse dinner paired with wine goes for 4,700plus.

Michelin starred chef Fabrizio Fiorani, a pastry chef at Bulgari II Ristorante Tokyo, will demonstrate the art of making desserts which can also be enjoyed with fine wines on November 23 and 34 at Laduree Salon de The on M floor. A master class with afternoon tea costs Bt900plus and dessert dinner and wine is priced at Bt3,100plus.

For the first time, Shiseido Parlour, a popular cafe in Ginza of Tokyo, will open its popup shop at Siam Center under the concept of Absolute Siam. Here, customers can enjoy assorted desserts from Shiseido Parlour’s nine signature menus and a special dish made for Thailand called La Ganache Strawberry.

Meanwhile, Siam Discovery offers “Local Hero @ My Kitchen” at My Kitchen on the fourth floor. Every order of Bt300 or more on weekdays from 11am to noon, and from 3 to 5pm, get one of Local Heroes’ dishes from popular eateries such as fried pork by Jae Chong, Thaistyle vegetable dumpling from Talad Phlu, meat ball from Wat Jet, and pork satay from Tha Dindaeng.

There are also 30 exclusive dishes, desserts and beverages from the collaboration of many restaurants, cafe and bakeries located at the three malls, plus special privileges from Siam Commercial Bank.

For details, go to Facebook.com/onesiamofficial.

 Served in the lush gardens of the hotel and surrounded by mature trees and unique plant life, chef Henrik Yde Andersen will present his chef’s table tasting menu of vegetarian fine dinging.

The two-day dinners include live cookery demonstrations by Andersen as he shares details of the ingredients and produce used in each course, and serves guests personally. Menu highlights include salt-baked celeriac served with butter, whisked miso, ginger and chives; tomato tartar; mushroom barlotto – a creamy corn risotto with chocolate and mushroom juice.

It will be available for 12 diners only each evening, as the chef intends it to remain a personal dining and learning experience. It costs Bt3,800-plus per person including wines.

“I will be selecting the freshest of produce to create dishes that offer exceptional flavour and that are an integral element of healthy living. This new tasting menu demonstrates effectively that meat is not an essential part of our daily diets and that vegetarian cuisine can offer you a gourmet experience at the level of any traditional menu. I want to encourage our guests to look more closely at the many benefits of consuming fresh produce and the good fortune we have here in Thailand, where the soil provides so generously,” says Andersen.

Another restaurant Brasserie Europa also invites families and friends to celebrate Thanksgiving on November 22 with an international buffet dinner featuring executive chef Stefan Trepp’s exclusive home-made roast turkey and traditional trimmings from 6.30 to 10.30.

The feast features slow-cooked butterball Turkey with traditional stuffing and gravy, roasted US prime rib with red wine jus, roasted leg of lamb with mustard and herbs, flambe wood- baked salted codfish, plus Maryland crab cake with chipotle sour cream served as pass-around items. The buffet also includes seafood on ice, with rock lobster, tiger prawns, scallops (in shells), oysters, and mussels with traditional condiments. The dessert station offers traditional pumpkin pie, pecan pie, red velvet cake, caramelised cream puff with cranberry cream, raspberry pavlova, a premium Dulcey chocolate fountain, along with a variety of dessert condiments and American doughnuts.

Thailand’s Loy Krathong festival to honour the goddess of water also falls on November 22 this year. Brasserie Europa thus presents a special selection of Thai dishes as part of the international buffet dinner that day. These dishes will be served on the restaurant’s terrace and include hai appetisers yum-som-o (pomelo spicy salad), and a BBQ station featuring moo-ping (pork skewers), gai-yang (grilled chicken), Northern sausage and all-time Thai favourite som-tam (Thai papaya salad), as well as massaman curry and tom yam goong (hot and sour Thai soup with shrimp).

Every table will receive one complimentary krathong made from banana leaves to be floated in the hotel’s swimming pool.

The dinner buffet is priced at Bt2,100-plus per adult (half price for children aged six to 12 years. For a free-flowing selection of alcoholic beverages, juices and soft drinks, add Bt1,150-plus per person.

For details and reservations, call (02) 162 9000.

Laid out into sections from One Bites and Small Plates, to Bigger Plates and Communal Feast, the menu is designed to cater all levels of appetite, big and small groups alike.

Diners can start with bite-sized snacks like Crab Cake Fritters,’a combination of crab meat from Chumphon, bechamel sauce and Northern chilli, completed with sprinkles of kaffir lime leaf powder, or the Fried Shrimp Paste from Trang with minced prawns, where the chef packs every element of shrimp paste relish in each bite. For small plates, try the Soft Shell Crab Salad – Chon Buri soft shells coated in chilli breadcrumbs, fried and served with local greens.

And be prepared for Gai Yang 2018 inspired by the varieties of grilled chicken available in different parts of Thailand.

In the bigger plates section, the Braised Beef Cheek showcases Chef Pita’s Thai-influenced take on Western stew. Instead of braising Surin beef cheek with bay leaf, onion and black pepper, the chef does it with kaffir lime, galangal and ginger. The dish is served with corn sumac and tzatziki. Big groups can consider the Grilled 900g Dry-Aged T-Bone Steak, lushly grilled with beef fat and served with a grilled-eggplant relish. Diners can opt for house-made tom yum bread or turmeric rice.

For desserts, go for the Mango and Gianduja Chocolate Mousse Cake with its layers of feuilletine chocolate, sponge cake, gianduja, mango mousse and mango jelly, and served with longan honey, honeycomb, crushed Thai candy and citrus fruit. Sticky Date Pudding is another sweet option, an unusual cake covered in butterscotch sauce and topped with mascarpone and served with grass jelly and rosella poached pears.

Besides the regular menu, Siwilai City Club’s culinary team will collaborate with a range of guest chefs. The first collaboration is with chef Chalee Kader from the Isaan nose-to-tail restaurant, 100 Mahaseth, resulting in two new dishes – Fermented Pork Ribs with Ginger and Garlic, and Cassia Leaves Curry with Hairy-Fruit Eggplant Relish. A few more signatures from 100 Mahaseth will also be featured on the menu, including Bone Marrow and Beef Tartare, Yum Chee, and Sai Ua Hot Dog.

Find out more by calling (02) 160 5631 or visit http://siwilaibkk.com/siwilaicityclub.

FOR THE last few days, the St Regis Bangkok has been celebrating the very best of Nordic cooking by hosting a “Simply Scandinavian” promotion at all the hotel’s restaurants.

The food is cooked to perfection by acclaimed guest chef Sayan Isaksson. Diners have one last chance to savour his three-course set lunch and three-course set dinner at the restaurant Jojo today, though he will be on hand to serve up a Scandinavian Sunday Brunch at Viu tomorrow and lay the foundations for Afternoon Tea at the Lounge and the St Regis Bar until the end of the month.

The elegant ambience of Jojo’s Restaurant

The Thai-born Sayan was adopted by a Swedish couple as an infant and has spent his life in Sweden. Now 44, he developed a passion for cooking during his teens and went on to work with several renowned chefs. He opened his Esperanto restaurant in Stockholm in 2005 and earned his first Michelin star in 2007, retaining it until the restaurant closed earlier this year. Esperanto was also awarded the highest food score ever, 40/40, by the White Guide, considered the most authoritative guide in Sweden.

He catered for the prestigious Nobel Banquets in 2015 and 2016 and is much appreciated both for his technical excellence and his commitment to sustainability in the kitchen, refusing to discard even the humble onion peel, turning it instead into a savoury broth.

Sayan brought an array of Scandinavian specialities to Jojo, where over the past week, diners have enjoyed not just the cuisine but also music and culture.

 Kumamoto Oystershells topped with Oscietra caviar

The dinner menu starts with a selection of Amuse Bouche featuring smoke-scented pickled quail eggs with chicken-infused whipped cream. The creamy yolk teases the palate with its sweet flavour before giving way to a delectable smoky aftertaste. They’re followed by Kumamoto Oystershells topped with Oscietra caviar in which the crispy edible shells made to resemble oysters are matched with salty caviar. A dish of lightly grilled prawns in nasturtium leaves brings the first part of the dinner to a triumphant end.

Oriental garden tartelette and buttermilk fromage blanc

Next on the menu are Oriental garden tartelette, buttermilk fromage blanc and Hamachi imitating gravlax, in which the fish, usually salmon, is rolled then smoked. Sayan adds to the flavour with Scandinavian dashi and horseradish, which he says has a kick similar to that of wasabi.

Hamachi imitating gravlax, Scandinavian dashi and horseradish

One-bite flash-grilled dry-aged beef tartar is presented alongside emulsified oysters and crispy seaweed, bringing lots of different textures to the same dish. Perfectly complementing these Asian-infused Scandinavian flavours is the mushroom porridge with grains, aged butter and yuba. Sayan adds a touch of visual drama by pouring tasty tea soup in a separate cup to intensify the flavour.

 Flash-grilled dry-aged beef tartar, emulsified oysters, and seaweed crisps

Softshell crab cooked over glowing embers with organic-waste-XO comes in an attractive presentation with a piece of green leaf covering the whole dish. It tasted goods too though I personally found it a little too salty for my taste.

Softshell crab cooked over glowing embers, organic waste-XO

The chef, who along with his team, is on hand to discuss the dishes and how he prepares them, told The Nation Weekend that he has more signature techniques than signature dishes. The celeriac petals and white truffle is one of his favourites. It looks simple but is actually quite complex, requiring the celeriac to be sliced into thin pieces then crafted to resemble a rose. He personally slides in the white truffle in front of the guests to allow them to experience the full aroma.

Celeriac petals white truffle

For the main course, he served Black garlic pigeon imported from France, enhancing the flavour with five Nordic spices – garnish, cinnamon, black pepper, fennel and dried chive flowers.

Black garlic pigeon, Nordic five spices, and dried chive flowers

The meal ends with his best-known dessert, “Autumn Leaves”, featuring frozen sunchokes and grilled apple tea with ice cream made of potato. Despite its vegetable base, the icy delight is surprisingly sweet thanks to the white chocolate and has a wonderfully thick creamy texture. The sophisticated dessert is beautifully decorated with crisp caramel to resemble autumn leaves.

“Autumn leaves” – frozen sunchokes potato ice cream and grilled apple tea

“In my line of work, I need to push the boundaries and explore within the realm of good taste. Of course, it’s important to maintain balance and my dialogue with customers helps my creativity. I get energy from customers – when they are happy, I am happy. I’m really honoured and moved by this opportunity to cook in my birth country. My wish is to infuse Scandinavian flavours with the very sophisticated and brilliant food culture of Thailand,” says Sayan, who is determined to learn more about Thai food and open a restaurant.

Chef Sayan Isaksson

The three-course set lunch at Jojo features oriental garden salad, buttermilk fromage blanc and a poached pullet egg, followed by black garlic pigeon, Nordic five spice, potato and herb bundles, and finishes with Autumn Leaves.

PLENTY MORE TO COME

The Scandinavian Sunday Brunch is served tomorrow from 12.30 to 3.30pm and priced at Bt3,200-plus per person.

Today’s three-course set lunch costs Bt2,800-plus while the eight-course set dinner goes for Bt3,900-plus.

Scandinavian Afternoon Tea is Bt1,800-plus for two.

Advance reservation is recommended. Call (02) 207 7777.

From November 12, diners can enjoy a soup selection that includes Cold Cranberry Veloute (Bt145) and Pumpkin Truffle Soup (Bt135) along with Holiday Turkey Plate (Bt595), Holiday Beef Plate (Bt525), Holiday Ham Plate (Bt325) and Salmon en Croute (Bt425). Several side dishes are also available, among them Truffle Mashed Potato (Bt95), Broccoli & Cheddar Casserole (Bt95), and Mixed Green Cranberry Salad (Bt75).

The sandwich selection also features a festive touch with the likes of Turkey Cranberry Hoagie (Bt295 for restaurants and Bt195 for cafes) or Holiday Beef Hoagie (Bt285/Bt195). The range of Christmas desserts and bakery goodies includes Pumpkin Pie (Bt95), Chocolate Pecan Pie (Bt155), Mocha Yule Log Cake (Bt125) and Pumpkin & Pecan Cheesecake (Bt145). These sweet treats are available at all branches except Khao Yai.

To complete the holiday vibes, the barista team has whipped up a series of festive drinks with inspiration taken from “Hygge” lifestyle or the Danish way of living that involves finding joy in the simple things in life. The Speculoos Lingonberry drink series blends bittersweet coffee with sweet speculoos syrup, fragrant Christmas spices and sour lingonberry jam. The drinks are topped with whipped cream, sweet kuromitsu or Japanese sugar syrup and a touch of spiced turbinado sugar. The Speculoos Lingonberry drinks are available only in size M, and are offered as hot (Bt135), iced (Bt150) and frappe (Bt175). In addition, the barista team has introduced another innovative drink, New York Egg Cream (Bt135) featuring Bellagio chocolate sauce, fresh milk, soda water, a touch of strawberry puree, dark chocolate powder and sliced strawberry. All drinks are now available at all stores except Suvarnabhumi Airport and Khao Yai.

If you plan to enjoy the festive feast at home, Holiday Whole Turkey (Bt5,955) and Holiday Whole Ham (Bt4,950) can be pre-ordered. The Holiday Whole Turkey to-go set features whole roasted turkey, traditional turkey stuffing, turkey gravy, cranberry orange sauce and two sides of your choice. As for the Holiday Whole Ham, the to-go set consists of roasted maple glazed ham and Asian BBQ sauce. Contact sales@deandeluca.co.th.

Themed gift hamper sets are provided at the MahaNakhon Cube, Central Embassy, Emquartier and The Crystal outlets. Corporate gifting is also offered. Call (081) 900 7282.

DESPITE BEING open just two months, Cape Fahn – a new luxury property on the small private island of Fahn off Koh Samui – is becoming a major draw. Its beautiful scenery and promise of intimacy with nature has made it a top wedding destination, with popular actress Jennie Tienposuwan sharing her romantic pictures online.

Only by a 300-metre-wide strait separates Koh Fahn from Samui’s peaceful Choeng Mon Beach. You can get across in five minutes by boat or simply walk over at low tide.

Cape Fahn, run by Cape & Kantary Hotels, occupies the entire 15-rai island, ensuring that it’s as exclusive as can be with its 22 one- and two-bedroom pool villas.

All-day dining restaurant Hue at the new Cape Fahn Hotel offers southern-style favourites with authentic taste.

In addition to stunning panoramic vistas of the Gulf and wonderful accommodations, the resort has a beachfront-poolside restaurant called Hue – named not for the Vietnamese city but for the Thai word for “hungry”. There can be little else as romantic as a private four-course dinner there on the beach as the sun sets in magnificent fashion.

A private four-course dinner by sunset on the beach is guaranteed to leave romantic memories.

Appetisers come in a choice between a platter of a trio of Thai or Western appetisers, followed by seafood stew. The main course entail “surf & turf”, including tiger prawns, lobster, snapper, T-bone steak and the Green & Red Salad of strawberry, watermelon, local greens, cashew nuts and Thai basil dressing.

A fine ending can be either dessert of the day or passion-fruit pavlova followed by coffee or tea with petit fours.

All of this costs Bt7,900 for two, including a bottle of sparkling wine.

Hue is open all day and 90 per cent of the menu is authentic southern-style street food.

Gaeng Lueang Nor Mai Dong Pla Grapong

You can expect to try regional favourites like Sataw Pad Gapi Goong (stir-fried stink beans with shrimp and shrimp paste), Gaeng Lueang Nor Mai Dong (hot and sour soup with bamboo shoots) and Kua Kling Nuea (spicy dried and minced beef curry).

“Most of the ingredients come from Samui – great seafood and tasty sataw [stink beans] and gapi [shrimp paste],” says sous chef Aekkaparb Songsen, a Nakhon Si Thammarat native.

“We don’t serve tom yum goong because you can get that at any restaurants, but we have Pad Thai Chaiya [named after Chaiya district in Surat Thani], which tastes quite different from Central region pad thai.”

Pad Thai Chaiya

Samui natives call Pad Thai Chaiya (Bt295) mee pad kati – stir-fried rice noodles with coconut milk. The sauce is a blend of dried red bell peppers, tamarind paste and coconut milk.

“The noodles are thoroughly stir-fried with the sauce until almost all the sauce is absorbed, making the noodles very soft,” says Aekkaparb. “They’re served with tiger prawns and on the side crushed peanuts, bean sprouts, cucumber and a slice of lemon.”

If Sataw Pad Gapi Goong (Bt320) sounds like it might leave you with bad breath, Aekkaparb explains that all you need to do is follow it up with fresh makhuea proh (Thai eggplant).

Sataw Pad Gapi Goong 

The stink beans are perfectly stir-fried with chillies and aromatic shrimp paste. Pickled garlic and shallot are added to tone down the saltiness of the paste, and the result is a pungent and flavourful dish.

“We found a good shrimp paste here,” says the sous chef, “with the tiny shrimp pounded with sea salt and sun-dried more than five times, making it very aromatic and flavourful. The sataw is also now available year-round.”

Kanom Jeen Bai Chaplu Phu Talay 

Kanom Jeen Bai Chaplu Phu Talay (Bt395) is also the real deal thanks to the strong flavour of yellow curry cooked with chaplu leaves and the meat of mud crabs. It’s best with rice vermicelli and fresh seasonal vegetables.

Pla Tod Khamin 

Tone down the spiciness with Pla Tod Khamin (Bt890). It’s a whole sea bass marinated with turmeric and fish sauce and deep fried. For easy eating, it’s cut into fillets and served atop fried and julienned lemongrass.

Gai Golae 

Also worth trying is Gai Golae (Bt390) – a char-grilled half chicken marinated in coconut milk and curry that’s made from dried bell peppers, palm sugar and fish sauce. After a perfect grilling, the sauce is also generously poured over the chicken, cloaking in the moistness. This is served with tamarind sauce.

Khao Mok Gai Baan Don 

Khao Mok Gai Baan Don (Bt330) is a Thai-style biryani rice with chicken and the rice is fragrant and perfectly cooked – neither dry nor moist. The chicken is well seasoned and tender and tossed with fried shallots.

The restaurant also offers a selection of comfort Western fare such as salads, burgers, pizzas, pastas and steaks.

Samui Burger

The Samui Burger (Bt375) is a chunk of grilled salmon on a bed of asparagus, cream, lemon, dill, Parmesan cheese and sun-dried tomato. Cappelini con Bottarga (Bt520) is angel-hair pasta simply cooked with bottarga and olive oil for a slightly salty taste.

Cappelini con Bottarga

The Mixed Seafood Pizza (Bt450) is thin crust with tomato puree, mozzarella and assorted seafood and irresistible when it arrives fresh from the oven.

Kanom Pim I-Tim Mapraw

The meal can end with Thai-style Waffle with Coconut Ice Cream (Bt250).

“Southern people call this kanom pim because it’s baked in a mould – pim in Thai,” says Aekkaparb. “The texture is not truly Western but softer because the flour dough is mixed with coconut milk, grated coconut, egg, salt and sugar. The locals normally eat this in the morning with a cup of coffee. At Hue, we serve it with coconut ice cream so it’s more like a Western-style presentation.”

SAY HELLO TO HUE

Hue is at the Cape Fahn Hotel on the Koh Samui shore and is open daily from 11am to 10.30pm.

Call (077) 602 301-2 or visit http://www.CapeFahnHotel.com.

FANCY A piece of California’s dream pancake? If so, you’re in luck –North America’s oldest International House of Pancakes aka IHOP, recently opened its third branch in Bangkok at Mega Bangna and it’s packing ’em in.

Founded by Al and Jerry Lapin along with Trudy Kallis in 1958, the diner’s first branch was in the Los Angeles suburb of Toluca Lake.

It secret to success, reveals Gary Moore, regional vice president, is being honest and doing what they do well.

“For our pancakes, we have just one recipe throughout the world. India is an exception, as there we introduced a vegetarian pancake that has no eggs in it. It took us two years to develop a mix that was just right and identical to the pancake with eggs. So you see, it requires a lot of effort to do something that simple.”

Authentic Buttermilk pancake with strawberry syrup.

Traditionally, IHOP has been the place where people connect over pancakes and breakfast, a family meal, or a coffee break with pancakes and strawberry sauce. It’s also a great venue to grab a bite before or after sporting events or perhaps after a movie.

“The main thing is that our guests have a nice experience. We are here to provide the family with a pleasant environment, good food and good service at a price that most people can afford. We have great partners in the USA and elsewhere. That means we get solid business and are part of the communities as the restaurants are run by local people,” Moore continues.

There are currently more than 1,600 IHOP restaurants in all 50 US states along with 33 branches in the Bahrain, Dubai and Kuwait, as well as 70 outlets in Latin America, Mexico, Canada and Asia.

In Thailand, IHOP is operated by King of Pancake, a subsidiary of Dr Ausanee Mahagitsiri Leonio’s King Food Group. The group comprises many high grossing chains such as Krispy Kreme, Cinnabon, Bulgogi Brothers, and Pie Face.

The new IHOP branch at Mega Bangna is faithful to the original Californian d้cor and at 268 square metres, is also its biggest branch in Thailand.

Breakfast Sampler

“We talk about blue sky, blue sea, white sand, yellow sunshine, and natural wood. Our IHOP ceilings are painted blue. The original photograph we have of the first store is in black and white though so you have to trust us that it is blue,” he smiles.

Natural materials are important to IHOP so you won’t find a trace of plastic in the restaurant, which features a small open kitchen and a juice bar.

The menu is straightforward and the pancakes are offered with a variety of toppings.

Here pancakes are part of the main course, side dishes and dessert. Since it is ideal for breakfast, the restaurant opens at 7am and stays that way until 10pm. In the United States, it’s open 24 hours.

The must-have is the Breakfast Sampler (Bt270), which features your choice of pancake plus two eggs any style, hash browns and two bacon strips or sausages links. The texture of the Original Buttermilk pancake is just right, soft inside and a little crisp on the outer rim.

Berry and Cream Waffle

Other pancakes priced between Bt180 and Bt215 include the famous Rooty Tooty Fresh’n Fruity, New York Cheesecake, Chocolate Chip, and Strawberry Banana with toppings that include crumble, sausage, egg, bacon, fresh fruit, whip cream, vanilla ice cream, and more.

“We try to keep it simple. People get the genuine experience, you come to IHOP to eat the pancakes, but we also have burgers and everything else too. Every six months we look at the menu, add something or take something out. We are constantly doing research. Some people may say ‘I come to IHOP in the afternoon and want a fresh cup of coffee and pancakes.’ Others say they come for breakfast, lunch or a late night meal. We cater to them all,” Moore notes.

“Different countries have their favourite breakfast and as we gain more experience internationally, we try to work properly. We wouldn’t try to copy anything we couldn’t do well. So we have both international and local chefs working together to develop the right idea. But the pancake will always be the same. We can be different too – for instance, if people say they love green tea, maybe we can have a green tea pancake. Why not?”

Steak burger with fried onion rings.

The Appetisers Sampler (Bt240) is served with fried Mozza sticks, onion rings, and crispy chicken wings. Other dishes likely to prove popular with Thais are the Spicy Chicken Strip (Bt225) and the Chicken and Three Cheese Quesadilla (Bt195).

Burgers are also a big part of IHOP, with the Cheeseburger, Bacon Cheeseburger, Denver Omelette, and Mushroom, Spinach, and Swiss Burger all priced at Bt240.

The portions are generous so dishes like Sirloin Steak Tips (Bt270), Classic Ribeye Dinner (Bt595), Fish Horentine (Bt250) and Chicken Cordon Bleu (Bt255) can easily be shared.

However, the choice of vegetables dishes is rather limited – coleslaw, tomato salsa, and salad, the latter served with a thick, creamy dressing.

The fruits, though, are more varied, probably because these go better with pancakes and include strawberry, raspberry, blueberry, peach, mango and more. In addition, there are lots of different styles of sweet crepes, waffles and ice cream for dessert.

Most of the dishes are deep fried but for those of you on a diet, there is a wholesome breakfast under 600 calories that you can feel good about.

TASTES GOOD

>> IHOP is at the Food Walk zone on L1, Mega Bangna. It’s open from 7am to 10pm.

>> Find out more at http://www.Ihop.co.th, http://www.facebook.com/iHopTH and Instagram @IHOPthailand

Managed by Aqua Restaurant Group, the Dispensary offers an additional extensive list of wines, spirits and artfully concocted signature creations to complement its neighbouring counterparts, Statement and The Chinese Library. Like the two restaurants, the drinks mirror both the British and Chinese aspects of Hong Kong’s heritage, incorporating arresting stories of the police who made the building their home for over 100 years.

The Dispensary was brought to life by Hong Kong design powerhouse AB Concept, infusing classic touches with modern nuances. Low velvet lounge chairs gather around intimate tables topped with British traditional-style bronze serving trays. The bar is designed to mimic an old police armoury with ornate shelving. The gold glow of the bar beautifully complements the striking blue palette used on the walls which is reminiscent of the old Hong Kong police uniforms.

The walls are adorned with two specially designed mirrored shields inscribed with historical tales of the building’s past; including one about the mighty South China tiger and one sharing the history of the original police officer’s mess. The area where The Dispensary stands today is in fact the same area within the officers’ mess where the police officers were rumoured to have their off-duty bar, and its black-and-white tiled floor is similar to how the original floor of the Mess would likely have been.

Head mixologist and bar manager Isabella Vannoni takes contemporary British ingredients and traditional Chinese herbs to infuse and carefully craft a range of signature cocktails.

The British Collection includes The Crown, a unique drink which Vannoni says was inspired by reading that Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth was fond of carrot juice. A fresh and revitalising drink, it includes Tanqueray Gin shaken with Campari, lemon juice, rhubarb cordial and of course carrot juice mixed with aromatic Peychaud’s Bitters.

Recalling the date of Hong Kong’s last year as a British colony, the 1997 Punch features Johnnie Walker Black Label blended with passion fruit, chestnut syrup, lemon juice, egg white and soda water. Briskly shaken, the fresh, fruity and easy to drink concoction is served tall, resting in an ornate bronze frame.

Brave Burlingham meanwhile is named after the policeman who was said to have killed a tiger in a dramatic showdown in the New Territories after it had mauled two of his colleagues and local villagers. This crafted cocktail gives a nod to one of two large shields on either side of The Dispensary bar, which commemorate the 1915 tiger incident.

The Chinese Collection features the Mango Tree, which is an ode to the 60-year-old mango tree standing to this day stands within the grounds of the old Central Police Station. An abundance of fruit was said to imply that there would be either a large number of police promotions, or a lot of new cases solved that year.

The Dan Tat is a reimagined version of Hong Kong’s favourite egg tart that features pineapple rum shaken with a milk-infused egg tart, and cream soda cordial finished with lemon and nutmeg.

For details, visit http://www.Aqua.com.hk.