Chase That Dish: Gaggan

Review: Gaggan (Bangkok)

Rating: ★★★★★

Cost: $$$$$

Date visited: December 2015

When in Bangkok the food options are endless but I have been eyeing this particular restaurant for a while. Asia’s number 1 voted restaurant (2015 & 2016) and the world’s number 10 (2015) according to the The Worlds 50 best.
Growing up with an Indian background,I was very excited to have the chance to eat at a progressive Indian restaurant to taste chef Anand Gaggan’s modern interpretation of traditional Indian flavors. The chef has worked with the famous El Bulli research team in Spain and even cooked for Bill Clinton.

The surroundings:

The restaurant is tucked away in a side lane of Langsuan road in a white colonial house. The colonial settings inside is amazing and reminds you of a movie set. There is a dining area downstairs and upstairs. You are met with the smiles of the staff who are quite relaxed but very professional with services. We were guided to our table on the 2nd floor which was very spacy and cosy.

The drinks menu:

Usually the routine is to go for the wine menu to accompany the dishes. However once looking at the cocktail menu here and I fact I had a 12 hour flight to Europe later that night, the cocktail menu was a winner. My favorite was the Coconut Lassi Cocktail.

The dinner menu:

Seasonal menu with 23 courses is how the menu rolls. You will start the dinner with 11 small bites that you eat with your hands, followed by 8 mains, and finally 4 dessert items. Cost 4000 Bahts and it took 3 hours for the dinner service.

Conclusion:

The flavors I am accustomed to growing up in the Indian culture reinterpreted and created as modern western cuisine. The techniques used to reinvent the dish, change the structure, throwing in some liquid nitrogen, using the smoke gun, and simply disguising the dish in structure & appearance made it one of the more exciting dinner experiences. This is a must in Bangkok and a great experience.