Bangkok-Cosmopolitan Capital of Cuisine; Celebrating Thailand's Gastronomic Diversity

There was a time when world capitals were feted for serving native cuisine: Paris for Gallic fare, Chicago with its American steaks, and Tokyo's multi-course kaiseki ryori banquets. The same could be said about Bangkok dishing up the world's best Thai cooking. But in the Thai capital, it has never been a case of "and little else". Restaurants and international hotels here have long ensured that visitors are well catered for.

In a world of non-stop flights, faster aircraft, and cheaper fares, ever-changing immigration and tourism influences have led world capitals to a trove of international foods. But few cities surpass Bangkok's diversity and quality on offer.

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Gastronomic Diversity

The capital's infinite choice of culinary experiences includes Chinese, Japanese, Indian, Vietnamese, Korean and other Asian cuisines; the full range of European and Mediterranean gastronomic creations, especially Italian, French, German, Greek, as well as all-time British favourites including pub food; North American, Mexican and Latin American, plus countless others featured under the ever popular "international buffet" theme.

As Mandarin Oriental executive chef Norbert Kostner succinctly puts it: "We are not just feeding hungry people; we are giving them a food experience."

Ethnic Enclaves

Bangkok's ethnic enclaves are like travelling the world while staying in one city. Neighbourhoods such as Sukhumvit Road's Soi Nana whisk you away to the Middle East. Traipse Chinatown along Yaowarat Road by night, with its teeming streetside tables jostling for space with cars, and you could be in the Middle Kingdom. Head to the refined skyscraper roof tops of, say, The Dome at State Tower and you might just as easily be eating in France or Italy.

Bangkok is one of the world's great entrepots. Suppliers of imported goods are plentiful, and fresh fruits and vegetables are in greater supply than in many other less agrarian countries. Its seafood is top notch. More importantly, economic growth in Thailand continues to transform and augment the city's customer base.

John Chan, partner at 4Garçons has his own take on how trendy international styles make waves here: "It usually starts by the opening of one or two restaurants that at first cater exclusively to expats and tourists. Gradually they gain a foothold among locals." He cites new chains like cheap-and-cheerful Sunrise Tacos and pricier La Monita Taqueria for TexMex, and Olive Bistro for Greek/Mediterranean.

These represent the new brigade of franchised and corporate outlets, complementing older stand-alone stalwarts like Zanotti for Italian and Bei Otto for German.

Again to quote Chef Kostner: "To become good, you have to compete, and that is the same for restaurants."

Universal Gastro-Pubs

Today there's also the advent of the gastro-pub. Its English starting point glorified simple, slightly rustic local fare, with lower food prices subsidized by bar earnings. In Bangkok, they're rebranded as "gastro-bars," and typically offer an extensive range of beer or wine, served in a chic and trendy setting. "Unfortunately, the food often turns out lacklustre," laments Chan. New Spanish tapas bars sprouting up in the Thai capital, by contrast, cater more to victuals and less to cheap wine. Here the focus is on small-plate eats. In the near future, look for more Middle Eastern mezze appetizers.

International Guest Chef Stints

Appropriately, epicures head annually to Thailand each September for the World Gourmet Festival, which celebrated its 12th anniversary in 2011. Originally hosted solely at The Four Seasons Bangkok hotel, it has spread further afield. This week of rarefied meals brings together some of the world's greatest chefs from all continents, introducing their signature dishes to Thai cognoscenti.

While the festival initially showcased chefs from sister properties, it quickly transformed into its present larger status. Past events were broadened to include Thailand's northern capital and second city Chiang Mai, and this past year, for the first time, the idyllic island wonderland Koh Samui.

And little wonder for this geographic expansion: The culinary diversity that one finds in the capital, Bangkok, is repeated in most popular tourist destinations around the kingdom, not only Pattaya, Phuket, Samui and Chiang Mai, but also in places where there is an established expat community, such as the bucolic wine country around Khao Yai northeast of Bangkok, and melting pot Hat Yai in the deep south.

"Thailand is very well connected internationally, and since Bangkok is such a convenient hub, it's very accessible for the chefs who are flying in," explains Public Relations Director Nicola Chilton. "We're also very fortunate that we're able to source pretty much everything here, so the chefs don't have too much trouble obtaining the ingredients they need to create their cuisine."

Likewise, the Mandarin Oriental plays magnet to international celebrity chefs for regular guest stints, plus wine-pairing menus. But while the past was ruled by the French, today it is surprisingly Europe's frigid north. "The Scandinavian Chefs are winning many awards for their seafood dishes and leading the way, so we definitely have them come," notes Chef Kostner.

The Dome at lebua at the State Tower on Silom hosts glittering fetes, and its most famous was in 2007 when promoters grouped nine Guide Michelin-starred chefs for an Epicurean Masters of the World dinner. Even with its hefty million baht/$25,000 per person charge - billed as "the world's most expensive dinner"— the evening was a sell out for host hotel lebua.

Great Value Dining

Bangkok overheads are markedly lower than in Western economies, and wages less as well - meaning that visitors to the Thai capital can often find extraordinary bargains when it comes to eating out.

From rarefied settings to humble shop houses, Bangkok eating is a bargain. Moreover, its not just budget travellers trekking down the capital's small lanes to sup at shophouses. So many of these hideaways have stellar reputations for serving some of the city's best food and consequently attract the most discerning culinary critics. Witness chef cum author and television presenter Anthony Bourdain's comment about Bangkok's myriad fare: it's "looking for extremes of emotion and experience".

Sukhumvit Road

Fittingly for the city's (and possibly the world's) longest street, Sukhumvit Road dishes up Bangkok's most diverse dining experiences — everything from streetside takeaways to five-star dining. The variety of international choices and tastes is overwhelming.

This busy commercial "downtown" district begins as a hive of minarets, turbaned men, chador-clad women, and African exotica around Sukhumvit Soi 3 (commonly referred to as Soi Arab) and Nana (Sukhumvit Soi 4). There you can feast on treats like om ali, a confection of pastry, cream and dried raisins, while smoking a hookah, or grab a takeaway shashlik meat kebab or chick pea felafel while meandering through its streets. Christian Ethiopian cuisine from the Horn of Africa has a base of millet pancake injera. If this peaks your fancy, head to the same area, and look for names like Abyssinia or Addis Ababa. Further eastward, Indian and Bengali cultures thrive around Sukhumvit Soi 12, while Little Japan flourishes near Sukhumvit Soi 33 and across the street at Sukhumvit Soi 24, with Phrom Phong SkyTrain Station straddling the two. But it's actually lower down on Sukhumvit on Soi 16, which leads the Japanese stakes - at least in price. Costs at Tensui may seem stratospheric for even a Tokyo denizen, but tastes rival the best original.

One cookery style you won't find on Sukhumvit, however, is North Korean. In Bangkok, the only place to sample this is on Pattanakan Soi 20 at Pyongyang Gwan restaurant. While dishes are similar to Southern fare, there is less spice, more salt, and definitely more culture, as in the performing kind. Evenings are likely to be frequented by raucous South Korean tourists and businessmen, but lunch attracts that communist state's staid embassy employees. Otherwise, head back to Bangkok's Korea Town on Sukhumvit Soi 12. That's the informal name for Sukhumvit Plaza where you can find eateries without the proselytising fanfare.

As for humble British fish and chips, look no further than the nightclub district of Soi Cowboy (between Sukhumvit Soi 22 and 24). The district offers some of Bangkok's coldest lager on tap. Nearby on Sukhumvit Soi 20, Bei Otto is lauded as much for its Germanic bakery and smoked small goods as restaurant. Chesa, an excellent Swiss restaurant, is right next door.

Trendy Thonglor

Thonglor (Sukhumvit Soi 55) has been described in the New York Times as the "Beverly Hills of Asia", but locals treat it like a United Nations mini-mart with myriad eats to match. Whether Japanese noodles, German pork knuckle, French casserole, Indian curry, Italian pasta, British fish and chips or American steaks, the boulevard and its annexes caters to practically every palate.

Gallic Flavours

Bangkok Tatler magazine lists 29 "best" French eateries in the capital, and Thonglor's newest is 4Garçons whose owners chose the oldest - going back to grandmothers' recipes passed down through the generations. Its owners are four Thai professionals - a doctor, a lawyer and two accountants - who are all passionate about food. Diners might find themselves with the city's governor or a wealthy financier sitting in the next banquette. Decor is smart Provençale, and the only give-away that it's Bangkok instead of Provence is Thai customers eating communally, sharing plates set in the table centre, just as they do with their own cuisine.

Rest assured, Bangkok offers no limit to French regional fare, from Paris to Lyon, Provence to Bordeaux, its Atlantic coast, and of course Escoffier's haute gastronomie. Since 1970, the city's Grande Dame of French eateries has reigned over the Chao Phraya with best vantage point. Le Normandie at The Mandarin Oriental still holds pride of roost, and the hotel's executive chef Norbert Kostner has been with the hotel since 1974.

"We just had famed 3-star Michelin Chef Michel Roux of The Waterside Inn in UK in November to stage his Asian culinary debut at Le Normandie," boasts Chef Kostner.

A hint: Le Normandie also offers a value-priced luncheon specials.

Kostner is an expert on the changing landscape and evolving nature of international and local cuisine in Bangkok. "The popularity of cooking has transcended the world and now cookbooks and food magazines rate number two in the world for most popular books and magazines overall," claims the chef. And this has led to "a lot more discerning clients demanding more in their food experiences".

Seasonal ingredients are the key. "Whenever it is plentiful, it is good and will be the freshest ingredients to use," says Chef Kostner. "Don't write the menu and go to the market, go to the market and write the menu based on what is in season."

Go Fusion

For fusion blends, look no further than Bed Supperclub, now nearing its ninth year, or Greyhound Café in the Emporium shopping mall (plus other branches, and in Hong Kong). The former caters to high-end socialites lounging on beds in a field of white, while supping from lap- or TV trays from a themed menu. It used to be three-course prix-fixe, but earlier this year management introduced à la carte options. On weekends, there's a floorshow of interactive performers, installation art, singers and dancers. Greyhound, which is part of a Thai fashion company, offers smart yet unfussy and affordable mod-Thai takes on both Western and Eastern dishes, and includes irreverent drinks like Cherry Coke Float.

A new entry is The Great Hornbill Bangkok Bistro of PB winery fame. An adjunct of its PB Valley Khao Yai restaurant, this offers relaxed international fare with wine offerings to match. (opening in December 2011)

Barbecue Treats

It's not just North Americans who relish barbecue; practically the entire world loves an outdoor grill. But Americans rule the roost when it comes to cooking their distinctly spicy and sweetened marinades. Roadhouse Barbecue, one of many eateries in this universally popular category, serves American favourites like ribs, sausages, steaks, and coleslaw. The style is casual, lots of fun, and here the Silom night market is just minutes away. More impressively, its chef and director Dana Caron is the chancelier (equivalent to president) of six years standing for the prestigious Chaîne des Rôtisseurs international group of cooking professionals.

Thanon Pan (Soi Wat Khaek), Silom

Thailand's neighbour to the west, Myanmar or Burma, has a sedate presence in the country, but you can still locate foodstuffs like mohinga fish soup and Burmese curries along Thanon Pan. More like a small soi, it actually links Silom and Sathorn roads. The street is also commonly referred to as Soi Wat Khaek Silom (or Soi Hindu) because of the adjoining Sri Maha Mariamman Hindu Temple.

Bangkok's Chinatown

Further afield, and closer to Bangkok's heart, Yaowarat district is a distinct magnet for Chinese tourists. This is Bangkok's Chinatown, famous for its dazzling range of Sino delicacies. As the majority of 19th century Chinese who migrated from China's south settled in this district, visitors will find a great variety of dishes representative of southern regional cuisines. These include steamed pao dumplings, barbecued charsiew red pork, roast duck and goose, Hokkien noodles, Teochew steamed seafoods, myriad delicately-flavoured Hong Kong and Cantonese specialities — many double boiled and featuring rare and expensive ingredients like bird's nest. But venture further and visitors will also discover a wider band of regional treats. China's myriad cuisines are represented here by spicy Sichuan pepper dishes; hot and sour hot pots or casseroles; air-cured Hunnan and Yunnan hams; Northeastern Manchurian boiled dumplings and noodles; Shanghai's alcohol-infused recipes (many uniquely sweetened, such as Beggar's Chicken); and Beijing's imperial cuisine, offering the riches of an empire, with Peking Duck being its most popular dish.

Pahurat — Little India in Bangkok

Neighbouring Pahurat whisks one to the subcontinent, especially northern Indian, Punjabi and Pakistani fare.

Vietnamese Delights

There was a time when Bangkok hosted few Vietnamese eateries, but those days are long gone. Le Dalat on Sukhumvit Soi 23 was a pioneer, but now check any ethnic eating guide and you are likely to find Vietnamese eating in many quarters, plus some hotels, such as Le Danang at Sofitel Centara Grand in suburban Ladprao on the way to Don Mueang, Bangkok's old international airport.

"Thailand has a whole lot of things to offer the traveller," concludes Chilton of the Four Seasons. "There is the world-renowned Thai hospitality with smiles, the great number of eclectic restaurants, stand-alone or otherwise. There is also an abundance of local produce and imported supplies, and qualified and talented people, from the chefs to the waiting staff."

Sift, mix, blend and combine together, and that's a sure-fired recipe for success!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Robert Carmack is a cookbook author, and hosts gastronomic tours via his websites www.asianfoodtours.com and www.globetrottinggourmet.com