Gaggan at Louis Vuitton in Bangkok is Gaggans return to fine dining. The concept opened in the spring of 2024 inside the Louis Vuitton shop in Gausorn Amarin center. Naturally you enter through the shop to find a beautiful and very elegant dining room. Feminine and elegant in a way that you wouldn’t expect from Gaggan but how you would expect it from Louis Vuitton.
Both for lunch and dinner they serve a tasting menu but the unfortunately for us we didn’t know that the lunch version would be shorter than dinner to adjust to the regular shoppers which I assume are their primary guests for lunch.
We would start with a signature snack of Gaggan in the form of the famous yoghurt explosion with popping candy. A dish that is both playful, fun and also delicious.
Playful of fun is at the heart of Gaggan and we would follow in the same lines with another signature dish. This time “lick it up” would be shaped in Louis Vuitton emblematic shapes. Another fun and playful dish which this time had just a bit of heat to it which suited the dish. It was also fun to see the rich Asian ladies that were out to lunch lick their plates. I wonder if they knew what they were in for?
Presentations have always been an integral part of Gaggan and for the next dish that would be the case as well. In came a globe which would be split in 3 on the table. Each section represented a country that inspires Gaggan. Since it is a collaboration with Louis Vuitton France would naturally be represented. Here in the form of a small “sandwich” of foie gras and mango. Japan would be represented with caviar, tuna and matcha and finally Thailand with a small edible pouch filled with puffed rice with lots of lemongrass and kafir lime. It looked humble but looks can be deceiving and the flavors were very delicious. Having classic luxurious ingredients like caviar is fitting for Louis Vuitton.
The next dish would be another nice marriage between Asia and France. A dumpling stuffed with mushrooms were served with a rich and delicious beurre blanc and to add even more flavor to it black garlic was added to the dumpling.
Some might have called the last dish classic so the next one would not be. In came a hollowed out bowl of ice. Inside it a burrata ice cream which they would add a beautiful red tomato water to. To me it was a very nice and refreshing dish and using burrata in “ice cream” is something that I generally love as it changes the concept of ice cream from sweet to savory.
The next dish would be the most humble. A simple piece of steamed fish with lots of coriander, herbs and I think just a bit of butter. Smoked sandal wood gave another dimension to the dish which was very fitting. A nice comforting and delicious dish.
Pieces of raw scallop would be served beautifully with a refreshing snow and what can best be described as a cold refreshing curry. Elegant, subtle and delicious.
We were now ready for the main event. Rice and a selection of curries. If you have followed my recent trips in Asia you will see that my respect and appreciation for rice has grown substantially. Their version would live up to the same hype. The rice here would be served with a Japanese curry with beef, Thai curry with fish and a Mexican/Indian style with lots of coriander. Again I thought the portion looked big but we actually ordered more. Not because we were hungry but simply because it was delicious. Between all the elaborated dishes with elevated presentations this was comforting and just delicious.
Even though it is called Gaggan at Louis Vuitton the desserts are actually not done by Gaggan but by one of Asias best pastry chefs Dej Kewkacha. I first tried his desserts just 6 months earlier and I was eager to try them again.
The first would be an adaption of a dessert he would do then. A dish of different textures of black sesame with a bit of coriander and chili. A dish of super delicious flavors and great textures.
The same can be said for the next one of raspberries. Already here it was obvious that he works equally serious about textures as he does flavors which to me is a mark of a great chef.
We would finish our incredible lunch with different textures of strawberries and goat cheese. A hard dish to eat as the sphere was much harder than expected and it took a knife and fork to get it open. Once you did it was however pure bliss.
An obvious question after this meal would be whether or not you should go to Gaggan or Gaggan at Louis Vuitton? To me that really depends on what you are looking for? At Gaggan at LV a lot of the show and theatrics has been reduced to the theatrics that take plate on the plate. This naturally means that the experience is much more laid back and the focus is on the food. It’s also obvious that the food that they serve is not only beautiful to look at but also delicious. There is still a bit of storytelling which is mostly connected to Gaggan and his history but you will not find any political statements or the like. The experience is still very much an authentic Gaggan experience but naturally certain aspects have just been pealed away to focus on other elements to match with Louis Vuitton. You also see that Louis Vuitton brings something to the table and by table what I really mean is the dining room. Because the dining room is just incredibly well designed. It has a nice mix of luxury and understated elegance.
Like at Gaggan the wine menu consists of natural wine only which I love and they import only the best natural wines so it’s a true treat. This part was a bit of a surprise to me because everything else is set up for going for a Michelin star and natural wine is not that common in Asia.
Knowing a few of the chefs it was only natural that they would also serve some of the dishes. The familiarity and casual atmosphere that this brings is something that I really love. The rest of the serve was professional and attentive.
I think it’s fair to say that I loved the experience. The dining room impresses you from the moment you enter and the food is both elegant, technical well executed and very delicious which is everything you can wish for in a restaurant.
Practical information
Location: Bangkok, Thailand
Menu: Tasting menu 7, 11 or 18 courses ($120-$175)
Head Chef: Gaggan
Website: https://www.sevenrooms.com/experiences/gagganatlouisvuitton/gaggan-by-louis-vuitton-10421662797
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