Set within a cluster of three century-old Thai teakwood
houses, which were once a part of antique dealer and OSS agent Connie
Mangksau’s home, this hallowed venue entertained global glitterati the likes of
Jackie Kennedy, John Rockerfeller, Roger Moore, William Holden and Henry Ford,
to name but a few. Chon Thai Restaurant at The Siam really creates a special
atmosphere that you will be hard pressed to find elsewhere. mylifestylenews writes……
Chon means spoon in Thai, so it is rather fitting to have our spoons ready to sample the food at Chon Thai Restaurant at The Siam in Bangkok during our recent visit. The spoon is a symbol of service, dining and sharing at this modern Thai restaurant with personality, we have to admit that in our search for authentic local Thai flavours, this one took us by surprise with the quality of the excellent Thai food.
This is the place that serves truly local food in a great location that takes you away from the usual touristy dining venues in Bangkok. You have views of the Chao Phraya River yet feels the world away from the frenetic pace of life in the heart of Bangkok’s royal district.
The menu has all the classics and then some, you will easily spoil by the choice, but we plunged into a veritable feast to ensure that we got to try a wide selection and range of both spice and ingredients.
A simple amuse bouche of eggplant dip with rice crackers is an effective taster to set the scene for what is to follow. Mind you, to be able to enjoy Thai gastronomy with authenticity, you may have to at least being able to bear the heat from its ingredients used.
We started off with a few of the Chef’s Market Specials which included Nham Prik Ong, minced beef and crispy pork crackling with shrimp and chili paste, local vegetables and tomato dip and Yum Tua Phu Goong, spicy king prawn and wing bean salad topped with boiled egg and crispy shallot. This is indeed a delicious start on all counts, with a lovely spicy kick in the minced pork dish and the crispy crackling added another dimension, so dipping was totally in order. The Spicy King prawns were so fresh and tasty, with the shallots and coconut really adding a crunch and the sweet tamarind sauce balanced out the spice. A must order in Chon Thai Restaurant.
We love the fact that Thai food has no particular correct order – one moment you are having a meat dish and then you are into the fruits of the sea, so right up next was another juxtaposition of dishes with a Yum Som O, mildly spiced white prawn and pomelo salad with crispy shallot, garlic and water chestnut, Yum Takrai Pla Krapong Thord, spicy deep-fried sea bass and lemongrass salad with shallot, fresh chili and mint leaves and Salad Ped Thord, slow cooked and seared crispy duck on spicy salad with Thai herbs and tamarind sauce.
What a trio of flavours that danced on the tongue with all the palate mixing up with a pleasant complexity. This is exactly what Thai food shall have in its very own essence. The pomelo salad was one of the best we had tasted in a long while, getting that balance of ingredients is not always met with success but the kitchen surely nailed this one. You will be sorry if this is not included in your order while dining in Chon Thai Restaurant.
The sea bass was beautifully battered and lightly deep-fried, creating a great balance of both outside and inside with crispiness and fluffiness that was sublime. The sourness of the lime juice, finely chopped lemongrass and fresh mint leaves were a perfect foil to add just the right acidity into the mix to give the best yin and yang balance in flavor.
The duck was mouthwatering in flavor that was juicy, tender and crispy all at once and not any worst than the French version of confit canard.
How can anyone miss Tom Yum Goong when comes to enjoying Thai food, this spicy lemongrass soup with prawns and other sharp ingredients used is always a must try for everyone. it is simply unctuous and coated the mouth with rich flavours and we guaranteed you wouldn’t want to share with anyone but to savoured it until the last drop. This soup can also easily turned into a disaster in Thai cooking if it is not being handled well, quite often be too watery and lacking in the spice department could show how a restaurant could possibly handle it without much care. In Chon Thai Restaurant, they got the right recipe in flavor with the right spice in balance.
Gai Yang, char-grilled spring chicken with ginger, garlic, lemongrass, crispy shallot, chili, spring onion and tamarind sauce was served next. How could we not to like this combination of ingredient used. Such pungent and poignant mixed of fresh herbs used to accompany the char-grilled flavor is nowhere can go wrong. This is indeed a stunning dish to end the main part of the menu with tender juicy meat and textures created with the blend of vegetable and spice that was well balanced and did not overpower the superb quality of the spring chicken. Aroi mak mak (delicious)!
The only dessert one could choose after so many contrasting dishes is the classic Tub Tim Grab, water chestnuts, pomegranate, jackfruit, palm seeds and shredded coconut on shaved ice. This dessert not only cools the mouth down after all the spices, but is the perfect refreshing ending for such tropical climate in Thailand. The ice creates a nice chilled offering that overall could not be faulted, which is all about the ripeness and combination of the gorgeous local fruits. Chon has certain brought the street food essence to live without compromised.
This should be a key dining destination in Bangkok if you are looking for excellent and authentic Thai food, so sip on Connie’s favourite Thai tipple of whisky soda while sampling The Siam’s revival of traditional, home-cooked Thai cuisine and surrender to its authentic charm. Chon Thai restaurant has it all.
Tried & Tested:
Location: 4/5
Design & Decor: 5/5
Food & beverage: 5/5
Service: 4.5/5
Value For Money: 4.5/5
Experience: 5/5
Highlights:
Gai Yang
Yum Takrai Pla Krapong Thord
3/2, Thanon Khao,
Vachirapayabal, Dusit
Bangkok, Thailand
Tel: +66 2 206 6999
Reviews are based on actual day of visit and experience. mylifestylenews reserves the right of final decision in case of any disputes. All images are photographed by mylifestylenews team without any photoshop enhancement and are the property owned by mylifestylenews unless otherwise stated.
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