43 Sukhumvit Soi 8, 02-256-0328
Making our way through food stalls, hippie couture stands and nightclubs lining the streets around Nana, we are pleasantly surprised by what we find tucked away in a far corner of Soi 8. Although advertised by a somewhat defunct neon sign, the interior of Kinnaree is anything but cheap: Dark teakwood, lots of golden ornaments painted on the walls or integrated into the furniture and a mixture of atmospheric blue and subdued red light create a warm and cozy ambiance. There are lots of flowers, and even the bathrooms are adorned with orchid arrangements. Friendly waitresses greet us at the door, guide us to our table, make sure our water glasses are always full and throughout dinner go out of their way to fulfill our every wish. As we’re about to kick the evening off with a round of drinks, waitstaff bring a complementary appetizer: A bite-sized basket of dough holding an Indian-inspired potato curry. It goes well with a cold Singha, which seems a reasonable alternative to the more expensive cocktails. But since there’s a special drinks menu we decide to go with the Mint Sapphire Collins. The gin drink is refreshing, and our taste buds instantly want more, so we order our starters of beef wrapped around slices of pineapple and young banana flower salad with chicken and shrimp. Both arrive quickly and are absolutely delicious, with the salad still warm and boasting a slightly crunchy texture due to added roasted coconut flakes, and the skewers tender and succulent. As for main courses, they’re mostly winners. The pineapple “baked” rice is actually fried rice topped with shredded pork and unfortunately a bit of a letdown. Much better are a tender salmon fillet with herbs and red curry and marinated magret of duck “saignant” in an exotic sweet and sour tamarind sauce, which arrives in a thick sauce that tastes distinctly of tamarind. A creamy vegetable green curry is mild enough for European visitors, and is loaded with a wide array of different veggies. And while most locals would be surprised to find tried-and-true pad kapao (chicken with chili and basil leaves), it’s delicious, with big chunks of chicken covered in a deliciously spicy garlic sauce. Thumbs up to the chef who can whip up mouth-watering Thai fare that delights both Thai and foreign palettes. If there’s one thing to complain about, it’s the desserts. Although chocolate spring rolls, fresh young coconut cake and durian ice cream with sticky rice sound tempting, all come in tiny portions. The taste is just OK and can be found anywhere. It wouldn’t hurt to skip the sweets and just have some complementary lemongrass tea to wash down the meal.
