Michelin-starred R-HAAN wins diners over with the intricate flavours and detailed preparation of authentic Thai cuisine.
Nestled on a quiet street in Bangkok’s trendy Thanglor district, fine-dining Thai restaurant R-HAAN could be mistaken for any other modern building, until you pass through its glass doors and enter a world where modernity and tradition co-exist. A funnelled walkway, plastered with monochrome motifs, marks the grand entrance to the restaurant. Follow it and an imposing bust of the Bhirom Bhakdi family patriarch greets you with the simple dictum, “We are Thai. Chilli dip with an assortment of vegetables is an essential part of the dinner course.”
This, and a diorama depicting Thai farmers toiling in the fields, reveal that the restaurant champions Thai cuisine at heart. In fact, its name R-HAAN, meaning food, illustrates the old Thai proverb ‘Nai Nam Meece Pla, Nai Na Mee Khao (there are fish in the water and rice in the fields)’; there is nothing they take pride in more than showcasing Thailand’s produce in an intricate preparation of food known as royal Thai cuisine.
Glimpses of old and new converge again as we enter the restaurant proper. Reminiscent of an eclectically designed home, red, neon gold, teak and rattan accents run through the bar and dining room with a view of lush greenery outdoors. In the stately dining room, each table is accompanied by a side drawer outfitted for table-side service, while a sommelier stands ready to recommend wines that go well with the bold flavours of Thai cuisine, such as the biodynamic 2010 Remelluri Reserva from Rioja, Spain, or the 2012 Cabernet Sauvignon-Syrah, GranMonte Vineyard and Winery from the Asoke Valley, Thailand.
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