Chef Ton is the happy owner of two fine dining restaurants in Bangkok and I was lucky enough to try both of them. Le Du the first restaurant he opened and the success of that made it possible for him to open Nusara; an homage to his grandmother and the meals she would prepare for him.
Nusara is located across the street from the Reclining Buddha Temple. The temple is actually a big part of the experience. The experience for us started with two snacks in the kitchen before being taken to the terrace from where you have a perfect view of the temple. One of my absolute favorite champagnes in the World is Krug, and Nusara is a Krug ambassador. Enjoying a glass of Krug overlooking the temple together with the first dish was therefore a perfect start of the night. The champagne was served together a Pan Krip dumpling and a generous amount of caviar which really set the tone for an evening of luxury.
Down in the main restaurant we would continue the experience on what I am sure is the best table in the house overlooking the temple. The rest of the restaurant is actually very small but I really liked the design with great contrasting colors for a nice vintage look.
As in Le Du the first real dish would be a sorbet served together with seafood. This time it would be Hokkaido scallop and a refreshing ginger torch sorbet. A natural nice combination refined by a nice crispy crumble.
Another beautiful and refreshing dish in the form of thinly sliced squid with herloin tomato. A few flowers elevated the presentation. A simple dish but beautiful and delicious. A dish that was light in texture and flavor.
Naturally curry would also be on the menu. The first would be served with crispy rice doodles and blue swimming crab. There was actually very little of the actual curry sauce but it had so much flavor that the amount was just perfect.
The second curry would be in the form of a soup. This time a much sweeter, one with lots of delicious coconut milk. Naturally the soup would also have a crunchy element . A dish that I absolutely loved and I finished every last bit of it.
It’s custom in more casual restaurants in Thailand that all the food is put in the middle of the table and you share it family style and mix the food on your plate. I was very happy to see that this was part of the experience. Various different elements were served from soup, curry, salat and a piece of wagyu beef. Naturally all of this was served with rice. It was a lot of food but we still managed to ask for more rice and curry sauce. It was that good.
As a pre dessert we would have a very nice pink guava and rosella parfait. Such a beautiful and delicious dessert. It was also another great example of how the restaurant always mix soft and crunchy textures.
For our final dessert we would have an elevated version of a traditional street-food dessert. I have tried it a few times but on the street it is too sweet for me and yet I don’t remember its name. Here where it was done with sago which made it less sweet. It was still very sweet but it still felt more balanced and the proper amount of sweetness.
In stead of going directly home after our meal we would stop at their bar Nuss which is located in the same building with a nice cocktail. An obvious place to end the night
I am by no means an expert on Thai food so for me the food was similar in style and concept as to Le Du but the experience was more elaborated and luxurious. Maybe I am also over interpretating but it feels like a much more personal project. With the whole restaurant being built around the legacy of his grandmother it feels like he put his heart and soul into it to make it both luxurious but also personal. You see that in a number of ways. Already in the lounge you see pictures of his grandmother, but also a cosy atmosphere is created with the flowers and the small decorations that you usually find in someone’s house.
They check all the right Michelin boxes from waiters in suits, dining in different locations and Krug champagne. All of these things also gives that luxurious feel that makes you feel impressed but still relaxed.
Lastly the wine pairing is based primarily on natural wines at least for me always works great with spicy food in my opinion. In addition to that I loved the selection from the Service Director and fellow Dane Martin Wulffeld.
All in all we had such a great time at Nusara. Delicious food in a luxurious and cosy atmosphere is probably the best way to sum it up.
Practical information
Location: Bangkok, Thailand
Head Chef: Chem Tonn
Menu: 8 course tasting menu
Website: NUSARA
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