Gaggan Anand’s new restaurant. Plus a culinary travel guide to Bangkok.

I first met maverick chef Gaggan Anand six years ago in Dubai, when I interviewed him at a pop-up here. His irreverence and wit were refreshing, and his cooking style so memorable, that I booked dinner at his then flagship restaurant in Bangkok for my husband’s birthday in July 2019. As destiny would have it, both are Foo Fighters fans, and music pairing is an integral component of his concept. That dinner at his chef’s table in a charming Thai mansion, just before he closed following a fall-out with his investors, became my best ever dining experience, for many reasons, explained here.

So when a culinary press trip invitation to Bangkok including Gaggan’s new restaurant landed in my inbox four times over the space of six months, destiny was calling again. The dates finally aligned compelling me to visit.

The new Gaggan Anand is located in a different Bangkok district to the OG – and shares the same two-storey premises as his casual Indian-Mex restaurant Ms. Maria & Mr. Singh. This time round, he only offers a 14-seater chef’s table. Despite the ground floor setting, I feel like I am walking into a dark but far from dingy dungeon, which creates a degree of mystique. From our front row seat overlooking the open kitchen, we watch the rebels (Gaggan’s reference for his team) glide silently like ballerinas prepping the mise en place. He welcomes us to his “Shit Show”, a performance inspired by his visits to New York’s Broadway – in contrast to the “One Night Stand” of the old Gaggan. If we’re expecting fine dining, he says, we’re in the wrong restaurant. Some rules follow which add to the intimidating atmosphere. That soon blows over once service and music kick in.

His world-famous emoji menu remains, now with 22 dishes, which is divided into two acts with an intermission. Most are large bites eaten with our fingers. “The soul is Indian. The inspiration is Japanese,” Gaggan continues. 80% of the menu changes every four months, and I do recognise the odd dish, like the spherical yoghurt explosion that forms the first bite. He embraces a nose-to-tail philosophy with satire. Spoiler alert: no rats are consumed. In fact, very little meat features, but please don’t take the 18-spiced quail, grilled over miniature sandalwood barbeques, off the menu. Morsels offer a taste of India with innovative flair, like the beetroot curry leaf lassi ‘cappuccino’ – until the curries and grills which veer towards the traditional. A couple of dishes don’t work. Mouth freezing is not my thing, which only serves to ruin any potential flavours.

He refuses to mess with classics, and he refuses to create photogenic dishes for Instagram. In fact, a combination of dire lighting and reflections bouncing off lacquered black tables, makes iPhone photography abysmal. I’ve snapped better pics in a night club.

Rock and pop music, once again, is a core component of the experience, with a song to match each dish – whilst other tunes inspire his cooking, such as the purple sweet potato bite paired with Prince’s Purple Rain. I even dance during the intermission with a couple of my dining companions. Shame Gaggan misses that moment.

Two and a half hours later, dinner concludes with a plate-licking exercise of passion fruit chilli. Natural, low-intervention Champagne, wines and sakes make up the alcohol pairing.

I’ve always said that elevated dining experiences (I daren’t use the term fine dining), need more than solely good food to make me eat out. That’s a prerequisite, as it is at Gaggan’s, bar the odd dish. But dinner here is so much more. It’s a performance by conductor Gaggan, on a different level to his original. Immersive, with instruction after instruction for each dish. Educational with all his stories. Rebellious like his “Be A Rebel” slogan. Entertaining with a playlist that makes you smile…and dance. Succinct, because the storytelling happens with the prep, rather than wasting time at the table – and therefore, the meal is far from torturous, like rival restaurants around the world. All that combined makes the new concept bloody good fun. The rush to dine out after Covid lockdowns demonstrated a craving for social experiences, one that continues – otherwise we would still be ordering in. With all this in mind, the new Gaggan Anand restaurant retains the crown for my best dining experience. Don’t expect a shit show.

Food and alcohol or non-alcoholic pairing: THB12,000++ (AED1,255). Dietary requests can be accommodated. Booking info HERE.

A FEW MORE RESTAURANTS WITH A DIFFERENCE

• Le Du: Chef-patron Thitid Tassanakajohn’s (aka Tonn)‘s Thai restaurant name translates to ‘season’- reflected in the use of seasonal ingredients, mostly native – delicious ant larvae included 😉 The cooking deconstructs classic dishes from Thailand’s diverse regions. A grilled river prawn with shrimp paste rice and pork jelly is a signature. The portions are unusually generous for a tasting menu, priced at THB4,500 (AED470) for six courses, or THB3,900 for four courses. Venture upstairs for a glimpse of satirical paintings, and the PDR (private dining room). This restaurant’s global accolades include topping Asia’s 50 Best, one Michelin star, and the highest ranking Bangkok restaurant on the World’s 50 Best list at number 15. After dinner, we pop into his and brother Tam’s latest opening, Nusara for a little tour – an opulent homage to their grandma. A coupe or two of Krug Champagne might have been consumed to toast Tonn’s brand ambassadorship – all whilst gazing at the Wat Pho temple complex across the road, famed for the reclining Buddha. You couldn’t ask for a more inspiring view.

• Potong: Chef Pam Pichaya Utharntharm with husband Tor have converted her family’s five-storey Sino-Portuguese building and century-old Chinese herbal pharmacy in Bangkok’s Chinatown into a restaurant and cocktail bar. Her cooking philosophy embraces five elements – salt, acid, spice, texture and the Maillard reaction for the ultimate umami finish, using solely local produce. Even her pork charcuterie, offered with the aperitif on the terrace, is cured in-house. The highlight of a 20-dish progressive Thai-Chinese tasting menu (THB5,500/ AED575 per person) is the unbeatable Peking duck that uses all parts of the bird, brain and offal included – and qualifies as the best of its kind I have ever eaten.

• Sühring: Identical twin German brother-chefs Mathias and Thomas Sühring helm this modern German restaurant housed in a beautiful Thai mansion, that is also the latter’s home. Natural light streams through all the dining rooms, including the gorgeous, conservatory-style PDR. Throw out any preconceptions of German cuisine and expect broader contemporary European cooking with German flavours and ingredients creeping through. The 14-course tasting menu follows the European season, typically changing four times a year. This is a dining experience that not only offers style through precision and works of art on every plate – but substance, with flavour and textural surprises. Favourite dish? When fine dining becomes fun. A bespoke ‘Enleta’ wafer, a childhood treat for the twins, replaces the hazelnut chocolate with foie gras. Two Michelin stars. Worthy of a third. Ten courses start at THB7,500 (AED785), food only.

CASUAL DINING

• Baan: Our Bangkok culinary adventure kicks off with lunch at this gem of a contemporary Thai bistro, owned by Thai chef-restaurateur brothers Tonn and Tam. The traditional Thai soul food crafted from family recipes with all ingredients locally sourced is just what the doctor ordered to appease a hungry stomach after an overnight flight. The five-spiced egg and pork neck stew is a must-order. The wine list boasts grower Champagnes and natural wines, Pet-Nat included.

• Ms. Maria & Mr. Singh: Gaggan Anand’s informal Indian-Mexican bistro sits right above his chef’s table. I dare even Scandi monochrome fans to not fall in love with the vibrant, colourful and energetic interior. Despite the casual concept, a nine course, sharing-style set menu is on offer priced at THB5,000 (AED523) for two people. The use of spice in both cuisines, albeit on different levels, makes for a well suited marriage, like the fictional couple the restaurant is named after. However, Gaggan insists that all his curries should be wholeheartedly Indian – apart from the British tikka masala that he cooks for the Brit half of yours truly. An all-natural wine list.

• Jay Fai: This cafeteria-style hawker joint was catapulted to international stardom when it first scored a Michelin star five years ago, one that it has since retained, along with hour-long queues. Known for a wok-fried crab omelette that the owner Supinya Junseta, nicknamed Jay Fai, with her scuba-like goggles can be seen tossing from the street. This crisp, fluffy omelette overflowing with local blue swimmer crab is worth the hype – despite the high (for Bangkok) price tag of AED120. There are a few other seafood-based dishes to order, but it’s the omelette that tops them all. Do NOT leave Bangkok without venturing here. Only open Wednesday to Saturday 9am to 7.30pm. Walk-ins only.

• Rung Rueang Pork Noodle (Left Shop): If you love pork, offal, fish balls and egg noodles, you’ve picked the perfect streetside hawker joint. All are combined in a soup broth that goes by the generic name of Tom Yum that we are all well acquainted with – but did you know it translates to ‘boiled mix’? This one has a Bib Gourmand, whilst the adjacent ‘right shop’ opened by another family member following a dispute does not. But real bibs are required at both spots. Go here for the experience, more so than the flavours.

• Wattana Panich: Next up on our noodle tour are goat stew and beef hotpot, as well as…boiled goat penis. Yes, you read right. Chewy and bland, so you’re not missing out if this doesn’t tickle your fancy 😉 The open fire that lights up the enormous paella-like pan, brimming with goat stew, has never been turned off in the 60 plus years of operation. Also sporting a Bib Gourmand.

• Pompano Café du Musée: Across the road from Wattana Panich, sits this vintage-style coffee shop and roastery should you fancy a decent espresso and European-style cakes and cookies, whilst in the noodle neighbourhood. The red velvet cookie is wonderfully warm and chewy.

• Street Seafood by Noi: Smack bang on the main Night Market strip, this restaurant is where Gaggan brings big-name chef friends visiting Bangkok…and us. A hyper-local joint, as is the whole market. Mostly seafood which is displayed live outside, however we also try fried duck beaks (who knew?), which I would happily eat again as bar snacks. Pictured above right.

• Dej Kewkacha: This talented pastry chef offers a dessert omakase from Kyo Roll in Central World mall. He does mix in savoury flavours as well which will appeal to those with no sweet tooth.

• Hong Bao: Rookie error to book in a glorious Cantonese dim sum feast right before the dessert tasting menu. I should know by now to pace my meals. In the same Central World mall.

A COUPLE OF COCKTAIL BARS

• Vesper: Every bar owner should take note of Vesper’s cocktail list. A concertina-style visual printed menu, with illustrations painting a story, as well as the glass type. The latter is essential as so many of us choose cocktails based on the glass. No 19 on Asia’s 50 Best Bars list.

• Eat Me: For someone with zero sweet tooth, food-inspired cocktails with savoury notes appeal to me. And likely why I adore a martini-style cocktail of vodka, roasted rice, shallots, coriander, mint, lime – topped with a crisped PROSCIUTTO rasher. Most definitely one of the best boozy concoctions I have ever tasted. The cosy corner cocktail bar sits on the ground floor of this fusion restaurant.

RECOMMENDED CAFES

A few recommended restaurants, cafés and coffee shops that we couldn’t squeeze in:

• Charmgang: Trendy Thai curry joint.
• Sri Trat: Spicy seafood from the eastern coastal province of Trat that borders Cambodia.
• Madi: “Lifestyle” café by day, wine bar by night.
• Mother Roaster: The Talad Noi premises. Traditional Thai roastery.
• CDGRE: Gaggan’s “lifestyle” café.
• La Cabra: The Ari location. A Danish coffee roaster.
• Kaizen Coffee: Multiple locations. Australian-inspired roastery.
• Lilou & Laliart: Swedish-owned bakery.

For behind-the-scenes footage of our trip, check out my FooDiva Instagram stories in highlights – #BangkokDiva.

A bientôt.

FooDiva. x