It is located on the fourth floor of Lazona Kawasaki Plaza, a major shopping and lifestyle complex in the heart of the city. Kawasaki lies between Tokyo and Yokohama in the world’s busiest metropolitan area, with a population of more than one million people in its own right. The new casual restaurant will specialise in traditional dishes from Isaan like som tam gai yang (spicy papaya salad with grilled chicken) for the ultimate combo meal.

With such an abundance of fresh produce available, Isaan has developed a rich culinary culture and is now considered a culinary heart of Thailand. As part of its efforts to showcase Isaan cuisine, Mango Tree Japan is now launching a book on Isaan cooking in Japanese, supported by the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT).

“Som tam is one of the most popular dishes in Thailand, enjoyed by everyone – young and old, rich and poor. We are delighted to bring this spicy treat to Japanese diners with the opening of our new cafe, as we continued to expand our contemporary culinary concept across the country,” says Trevor MacKenzie, Mango Tree’s global managing director. “We fully expect this restaurant and its authentic Isaan menu to strike a chord with local diners, and I look forward to introducing Mango Tree Cafes to even more parts of Japan in future.”

In addition to som tam, the menu will feature a range of other traditional Isaan dishes, including larb (spicy minced pork with Thai herbs), Isaan-style sausage and the Lazona Special Plate – an assortment of Isaan favourites including sweet basil, green curry, vegetable salad, a fried egg, noodle soup and a fried egg.

Diners can also enjoy a selection of light bites and classic Thai dishes, such as pad thai (stir-fried noodles) and gaeng kiew waan (green curry), while lunch-time specials include pad gapao (spicy stir-fried minced chicken or pork on rice, topped with a fried egg) and tom yum goong (spicy and sour prawn soup).

Bright, stylish and modern, with a full bar service, the eatery can seat up to 60 diners. It is expected to be frequented by a wide range of diners, including young people, families and couples, and office workers during lunch-time.

At present there are 20 Mango Tree restaurants in Japan, 11 of which are Mango Tree Cafes.

Find out more at http://www.ExquisineThai.com.

From July 1 to September 30 guests can indulge in such sweet temptations as lavender macaron, lavender and bee pollen chocolate, lavender and black current cream roll, lavender wild blueberry cake, seasonal cream daifuku, lavender and blueberry tartlet, potted lavender creme and blackcurrant scones accompanied by artisan clotted cream, jams and marmalade.

The tea is serves with a choice of Illy coffee or freshly brewed premium Saro and Mariage Freres teas. The afternoon tea set also offers a selection of savoury bites and sandwiches including crab, avocado and nori tartlet, white asparagus with sauce Hollandaise and capers, and a miniature club sandwich of smoked trout layered with cucumber and horseradish on rye.

The Lavender Garden Afternoon Tea is priced at Bt1,190-plus inclusive of premium coffee or tea for two.

Find out more by calling at (02) 687 9000 or email upandabove@okurabangkok.com.

A FAVOURITE with fans of Cantonese food since it opened 35 years ago, Dynasty restaurant at Centara Grand, Central Plaza Ladprao has now spread its wings, opening a sister branch in downtown Bangkok to cater to urbanites on the go.

Located on the 24th floor of Centara Grand at CentralWorld, Dynasty occupies the 800 square-metre dining area that used to house the Asian-inspired restaurant Ginger. The 200-seat, glass-wrapped restaurant boasts a contemporary Asian design incorporating the contrasting elements of fire and water through fluid curves and a cool aquarium, to transparent displays and five glass-enclosed private rooms.

The sister branch of the famed Dynasty Chinese restaurant opens in downtown Bangkok at Centara Grand at CentralWorld.

The open dim sum station with its piping hot bamboo steamer baskets teases the taste buds while the adjacent live cooking station allows diners to watch the chef as he makes hand-pulled noodles.

“Though the menu is based on the flagship eatery, some new dishes have been created to add contemporary flair,” says chef Kongsun Sae-Liang. “You can try a steamed prawn dumpling crafted to look like a golden fish, or steamed zucchini with prawn dumping prepared in the shape of a carrot. A steamed shrimp dumping is also wrapped to look like a scallop and served in a martini glass.”

Steamed golden fish-shaped dumpling

Kongsun has lived in Bangkok for more than 30 years and had worked at the original Dynasty and the Noble House at the former Nai Lert Park Hotel as well as in the kitchens of the Aurora Hotel in Malaysia.

“Cantonese cuisine is all about subtlety and uncomplicated flavours. Our food portions are offered in three sizes – small, medium and large –and with choices of set menus for big family banquets. We offer good food at reasonable prices, hoping people will return and become regular patrons,” he adds.

Deep-fried shrimp dumpling

The all-you-can-eat dim sum available daily from 11.30am to 2.30pm is great value for money as until the end of this month, diners can enjoy a 25-percent discount from the normal price of Bt850-plus per person.

The buffet is hassle-free and you don’t even have to wait your turn to fill your plate. The dim sum dishes can be ordered from a menu that has more than 50 dishes on offer. You just order what you like and the dishes will be served hot at the table. They come with two or three pieces in one dish, allowing you to sample a wide variety of tastes and have fun sharing dishes with your party.

Deep-fried fish spring roll

Among the new dim sum dishes are Deep-fried Alaska Bean Curd featuring crispy fried bean curd wrappers filled with crabmeat and Japanese green bean, Deep-fried Shrimp Dumpling coated with crispy almond flake and served with lemon sauce, as well as Fish Spring Roll – snow fish wrapped in a fine-spun outer netting and deep-fried until it’s flaky and delicate.

Deep-fried shrimp with lemon sauce

In the steamed category, the new offerings are yellow-shaded Shrimp Dumpling with Japanese Pumpkin, Snow Fish with Black Bean Sauce, as well as Prawn Dumpling – all of them wrapped to look like scallops and steamed with teriyaki and sour sauce and topped with shredded ginger, chopped sweet pepper and coriander leaf.

Steamed shrimp dumpling with Beijing sauce

In addition to unlimited dim sum, you also have the option of two choices of appetisers ranging from drunken chicken, roasted duck and BBQ pork to jellyfish with sesame oil, crispy thin slices of pork leg and ear, and a bowl of soup. Here again, the choice is generous with black mushroom and bamboo pith, Sichuan-style hot and sour soup and conpoy and fish maw all on the list.

A platter of mixed appetisers

And it doesn’t end there. You can choose between rice or noodles from a menu that includes fried rice with duck/chicken and salted egg, fried egg noodle with chicken and noodles in gravy sauce topped with pork. For dessert, you’ll hesitate between seasonal fruits, hot rice dumplings in ginger soup, and chilled honeydew melon and sago.

If you simply can’t resist Dynasty’s signature Peking duck, it’s yours for an extra Bt400.

Black mushroom and bamboo pith and Sichuan soup

“We’re happy to serve up satisfying portions. People are more concerned these days about how they spend so we must provide both good food and the best value for money,” says the chef.

Kongsun and his team also take pride in showing how to make traditional Lamian noodles, which are prepared fresh by kneading, pulling, twisting and stretching the dough into strands. The length and thickness of the strands depends on the number of times the dough is folded. Literally “la” means to pull or stretch, while “mian” means noodle.

A chef shows how to make traditional hand-pulled noodles.

Available for both lunch and dinner, diners can order the fresh noodles cooked in different styles such as noodle soup with lobster in Shanghai sauce (Bt999) or with river prawn in Sichuan sauce (Bt399). For a more spicy kick, opt for tom yum noodle with sea bass (Bt265) or with mala sauce (Bt265) – a popular spicy and mouth-numbing Chinese sauce made from Sichuanese peppercorn, chilli pepper and various spices simmered with oil.

Lamian noodle with river prawn and Sichuan sauce

Although more than 100 a la carte dishes are already on the menu, Kongsun has created another four. Maine Lobster (Bt2,555) offers a whole lobster steamed either with black pepper sauce or garlic butter and a lamb chop grilled with coffee sauce (Bt1,355). Australian Abalone are braised with vegetables (Bt3,555) and Wagyu Rib Eye is wok-fried with black pepper sauce (Bt3,555).

Steamed Maine lobster with garlic butter

“For European cuisine, mint or kiwi sauces are traditionally used as a complement to roast lamb but we Chinese prefer to cook lamb with either black pepper sauce or red Chinese wine sauce. I decided on a new sauce that is made from a combination of coffee powder, oyster sauce and lamb stock,” says the chef.

Grilled lamb chop with coffee sauce

TAKE AN APPETITE ALONG

Dynasty on the 24th floor of Centara Grand at CentralWorld is open daily for lunch from 11.30am to 2.30pm, and dinner from 6 to 10.30pm.

Book your table by calling (02)100 6255 or email diningcgcw@chr.co.th.

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.