KARMAKAMET DINER Western influenced by Asian 30/1 Soi Metheenivet (Behind Emporium shopping mall) Klong Ton, Klong ToeyMonday to Sunday, 10am-11.30pm Call 02-262-0700 Email contact@karmakametdiner.com Visit www.karmakametdiner.com
Karmakamet Diner. Karmakamet Diner
THE SETTING
It is common knowledge that the decor of Karmakamet Diner was inspired by a medicine warehouse in Hainan, China, which belonged to the grandfather of Natthorn Rakchana, Karmakamet founder, who also designed the restaurant.
Though a busy brunch spot, Karmakamet Diner takes on a much fancier appearance in the evening when the sun goes down and the lights go on. The warm lighting and small touches of days gone by make it the perfect spot for date night or for a cosy, comforting dinner, food included.
Executive chef Jutamas "Som" Theantae, Karmakamet Diner's co-founder's passion for cooking coupled with her background in fine arts, adds to the ambience of the restaurant as she says, "Perfection lies in looking at the little details."
"The dinner menu changes regularly, usually every three months. During those months, if there is a special that's really good then we change the menu," says chef Som. "My background as a teacher makes me want everyone to learn. If you are an all-day dining then there is nothing for the younger generation to look forward to in the kitchen. We are not cooking just to sell food, this is our lives, so it is about learning new things in the kitchen and out of it. This is why we go from casual day dining to slightly refined dinner."
The Mudcrab.
THE MENU
The menu at Karamakamet Diner is Western cuisine influenced by Asian cuisine. It's important to note that it is not fusion -- a word I despise.
The first half of the menu is divided into cold and hot appetisers. I start off with the Hamachi crudo (B590). Fresh Japanese amberjack is paired with a Napa cabbage salad and an oyster mayo. The salad, dressed with red wine vinegar, honey and chilli was tangy and the peanut jam was delicious and went well with the dish. The oyster mayo did not overpower the generous slice of sashimi. A refreshing dish to start off a good dinner.
A must-try dish at Karmakamet Diner is from the hot appetisers section. Beef tongue and crisp fried shrimp cake (B790) is a beautiful marriage between beef tongue, scallop and crisp shrimp cake. If you ask chef Som what is the one dish she cooks best her answer will always be "beef tongue". When growing up, she wasn't allowed to eat junk food so when she asked for potato crisps or sausages, her father used to give her fried beef tongue, something she wasn't happy eating. That has changed since becoming an adult. Now she is thankful for the beef tongue and has begun to appreciate it, as it always reminds her of home. I am a huge fan of beef tongue and for me, as well, it is a childhood memory of helping my mother in the kitchen making salted tongue for sandwiches. The crunchy shrimp in the Karmamaket version adds texture to the ever so soft buttery beef tongue, that pairs well with the scallop. Satisfaction guaranteed!
The 280g Wagyu beef rib eye.
From the pasta section, the Mudcrab (B1,190) called out to me. Served in its shell mixed with spices from around the world, the crab comes with a choice of 600g of linguine or spaghetti (of which I ordered none), pickled artichoke, garlic confit, tomato confit, garlic and basil. The creamy tartare sauce is not your regular tartare, be warned. It is best to squeeze lemon over the crab and eat everything together. Spoiler alert! The crab in the shell also contains apple confit, so get ready for the surprise element. The aroma of the dish was not only amazing, but the taste took me back to a small seafood restaurant in Mumbai I frequent.
A La Bottarga (B690) has spaghetti, bottarga, pork belly, crisp garlic, and spring onion cream. You know when pork belly is done right if it melts in your mouth and this one does! The handmade spaghetti was yummy and the bottarga added the rich creamy flavour to the pasta, while the garlic gave it the extra oomph. For the novices, bottarga is the Italian word for salted and cured roe.
The luxurious combination of lobster and foie gras can't never be topped. From the fish and shellfish section, Poached Maine lobster (B1,390) is filled with foie gras and crabmeat, with a bone marrow Madeira sauce atop. Succulent lobster, smooth foie gras and a rich taste of heaven. The inclusion of dill gave the dish an interesting flavour. Yum, yum, yum!
If you had to choose one dish from the meat section, go for the 280g Wagyu beef rib eye (B1,990). A feast for the eyes and palate, the #8-#9 marbling of wagyu is grilled to your liking and is served with gratin dauphinoise and ratatouille. The four sauces -- ponzu cream, wasabi sabayon, yuzu kosho and tarragon mustard -- are cleverly served in grilled onion shells. The addition of soft shell crispy crab and crab cake make the dish an elevated surf and turf. My favourite sauce was the yuzu kosho, which is a chilli paste made with yuzu, pickled jalapeños, fresh chillies, vinegar, olive oil and pine nuts all blended together. The wasabi sauce provided the right amount of kick and the ponzu brought the tang. The star of the dish was the beef, which was cooked medium rare.
Beef tongue and crisp fried shrimp cake.
A dessert of Rum Baba (B330) served with Chantilly cream and vanilla ice cream, whose presentation was reminiscent of a Thai jasmine garland, was the most delightful way to end the meal.
INSIDER'S TIP
Do order the Diebolt-Vallois a Cramant Brut when here. It is chef Som's favourite Champagne, ever! (She doesn't drink any other kind). Possibly also the only Bangkok restaurant you will find it in. Take advantage of Karmakamet Diner's Happy [After] Hours, where it's a buy one, get one on selected beers and cocktails, daily from 9-11.30pm. There is an upstairs private dining room for special occasions and chef Som is more than happy to cater specially for it, away from the menu. Downstairs there is a smaller private table for cosy dinners with friends.
VALUE AND VERDICT
The food is cooked without disguise, leaving no room for error and that is what chef Som does best -- cooks good food. The best kind of meal is one that evokes forgotten memories and Karmakamet Diner achieved that for me. A short walk from BTS Phrom Pong, the restaurant delivers on every bang for your buck, service included.
