The buzz: Siam Wisdom is Bangkok’s latest fine dining restaurant, helmed by celebrity Chef Chumpol Jangprai, who grew up helping his stepmother at the classic Thai restaurant Sanguan Sri (Wireless Rd.) and previously worked at Blue Elephant and for Anantara. He now takes pride in serving up authentic Thai dishes served mainly as set menus, which will be rotated three times a year according to the season.
The décor: The restaurant is set in a traditional, though relatively new, Thai house, with the downstairs serving as a lounge and the main air-con dining room on the second floor, adorned with impressionist artworks by Thai artists like Wattana Poolcharoen from the gallery Rock Around Asia. The vibe is not overly fine-dining thanks to the greenery on display and a glass roof that lets in plenty of sunlight.
The food: In keeping with Chef Chumpol’s passion for authentic Thai cooking, the set menu lets you choose from three options: ancient, classic and innovative dishes. Many of them are served in beautiful handmade pottery, while the high-quality local produce and ingredients are quite carefully sourced, such as the kapi (shrimp paste) from Klong Khon, palm sugar from Petchburi or sturgeon’s roe from the Royal Projects. Stand-out and rare dishes include the homemade sai kork pla nam (ancient pork sausage), gaeng buan (herbal soup with pork intestines) and khao tok with nam pueng duen ha (roasted rice with honey collected at the end of the dry season). The “innovative” options throw some fusion into the mix with dishes like namtok with ribeye steak and parmesan taco shell (B280) and duck confit with chili paste (B580). If you want to sample a range of flavors, drop by for the lunchtime a la carte menu as dinnertime is reserved for the set menu (B1,800 for 12 courses) only.
The drinks: The drinks are sponsored by Mekhong and Singha so you get signatures like Thai Noon (vodka, lemongrass, lime, coconut syrup and ginger ale, B350) and Num Dokmai Margarita (rum, mango and triple sec, B350) while Singha beer starts from B160 and Hoegaarden at B350. Wine by the glass starts from B390 and bottles from B1,800.
The crowds: Fans of Chef Chumpol and actor/partner Chakrit Yamnam, and those curious to try another take on Thai fine dining.
