People-watching is a good way to pass the time when waiting for your meal at Savoury. In fact that might be the best reason to eat here, because it’s certainly not the food. What it does offer is a familiar formula for hiso and successful types: beautiful surroundings to match their beautiful lives and a not-too challenging menu of Thai-friendly Western dishes and modern takes on Thai favorites. The floor-to-ceiling glass front lends a spacious, airy feel. You can laze on colorful stuffed chairs for a long lazy meal or head to the outdoor area when the weather permits. The staff is friendly and knowledgeable enough, and on a recent visit we kicked things off with their recommended soft shell crab salad with tomato salsa and balsamic vinaigrette. Light and zesty, it was a good start. For our main course, we opted for clams and zucchini linguine with garlic and olive oil, which reflected Savoury’s emphasis on simple cooking. Yet, the dish was not quite there. The linguine was al dente and perfectly seasoned, but the clams were so tiny we enjoyed neither their succulent flesh nor sweetness. Stir-fried lamb with sweet basil served with jasmine rice and fried egg was an even bigger disappointment. The dish was way too salty, and the flavor of the minced lamb was overpowered by soy sauce, which might have been better used in the flavorless clear soup accompanying the phad kraprao. But there are bright spots on the menu, such as a juicy pork rib with just the right amount of fat and perfectly matched with a tangy prune sauce. And if you only have one dish at Savoury then make it dessert: The best and safest bet on the menu is their Fudgy Brownie Extravaganza, a luscious combination of warm brownie topped with vanilla ice cream and banana and sprinkled with chocolate fudge. Unfortunately, the same cannot be said for their apple berry crumble, which came with a generous portion of warm fruit filling and custard sauce but was topped with crumbles that were soggy, not crumbly. Again, like the pasta, the dessert had the potential to hit high points, but fell flat in the end. So not an unpleasant dining experience, but we wish the food at Savoury measured up to the setting and the prices.
