Mandarin Oriental's teak wood shuttle boat took us, a company of eight journalists and well-versed foodies, from the hotel's pier to another part of its premises just across the Chao Phraya River.
We have been familiar with the venue, which encompasses the spa and Sala Rim Naam restaurant. But this would be the first time we get to step into the century-old, gingerbread-style house that has been an iconic landmark of the property.
It would be for a totally new culinary experience, a refined Thai cuisine dinner in the warm and genteel setting of an aristocratic residence.
Open for dining guests for the first time in five decades, the house was built around 1910 as a family home of high-ranking bureaucrat Phraya Mahai Savanya and his wife Khunying Loearn. The couple frequently hosted sociable dinners, welcoming guests -- from friends to socialites to diplomats and state visitors -- into their home with fine cookery.
Inspired by such history, Baan Phraya, an intimate 24-seat restaurant set in the riverfront house, was recently launched to offer diners an exquisite cuisine prepared according to long-forgotten Thai recipes.
The kitchen is helmed by the petite, humble and talented chef Pom Patchara, who merges age-old cooking traditions with modern-day creativity.
Meals are offered through an eight-course set dinner, priced at 3,500 baht per person. Additional wine pairing is available at 1,950 baht.
Upon arrival, guests are treated to a welcoming aperitif and an amuse bouche at the open-air riverside porch. That evening they were bael fruit kombucha and a redefined ma hor, an old-fashioned snack made with pineapple, tamarind and peanuts.
Dinner is served at 7pm inside the house. The aircon dining room was decked out in pastel green and cream hues and with white-washed rattan furniture to preserve the classy spirit of the olden days while offering the laidback comfort of a home.
The first course was khanom dok jok, a deep-fried honeycomb-like pastry. To give a savoury character and appealing fragrance to the typically sweet treat, a dash of crab roe cream and bitter orange zest were imbued into the pastry layers, making it a brilliant start to the meal.
A small helping of yum thua phu, or winged bean salad, followed.
Although miniature in portion, the dish was tremendous in taste. It was prepared with fresh winged beans, naturally sweet Hokkaido scallops and a pungent roasted chilli paste made to a recipe of Pom's grandmother. The bracing salad was given a rich flavour enhancement by a boiled rosella-marinated quail egg and a fish sauce fermented egg yolk that added to the dish a creamy lava-like gloss.
That night was the first time I had gaeng ron, an old-fashioned simmered dish that traditionally features translucent mung bean noodles in a peppery coconut milk broth, and I liked it.
Instead of the glass noodles, Pom opted for a more sumptuous ingredient, the Andaman squid. Sliced into fine strips, the squid offered a springier and tastier mouthfeel compared to the carb. The milky broth, meanwhile, was seethed with smoked squid roe and spiced with pink peppercorn, kampot pepper and prickly ash for a more in-depth pungency.
The fourth course, a charcoal-roasted bamboo fish with eggplant relish, was a show stopper even before it reached the table.
A neat fillet of river-fresh goby fish was cooked in herb-stuffed bamboo, a technique used in the countryside, and served piping hot with a very captivating smoky aroma. Complementing the fish was a delectable green relish made with grilled aubergine and various indigenous vegetables and herbs such as bai hu seua (country borage), Thai coriander florets, mint and dill.
Grilled jumbo-sized prawn from the Tapee River in Surat Thani province arrived next. The super fresh prawn was impeccably cooked and the meat exhibited an extraordinarily springy and juicy character. The cheese-like tomalley, regarded as the holy grail of the crustacean, came seasoned with young tamarind and chillies. The result, I found, was a nice combination of sweet, sour and creamy taste, although arguably less gratifying than the unseasoned version.
Marvelously representing the main course was Australian Wagyu beef striploin with housemade panaeng curry and heart of palm. The intense curry, fragrant with bitter orange zest, was offered with organic brown jasmine rice.
The meal came to an awe-inspiring finale when a dessert trolley was rolled out to present a dozen choices of classic Thai dessert. Among them, my most favourite was som chun, or assorted seasonal fruit in ice-cold kaffir lime syrup.
Service by the Mandarin Oriental's team of 5-star veterans was as flawless and hospitable as always. Reservations are a must.
- Baan Phraya
- Mandarin Oriental, Bangkok
- Call 02-659-9000
- Open for dinner Wednesday-Sunday, only upon reservation
- Park at the hotel’s car park
- Most credit cards accepted
