Behind an extraordinary restaurant are always extraordinary people.
That is also the case for this week's subject of review, Akira Back.
Akira Back is a Korean-born professional snowboarder-turned-chef from Aspen, Colorado. After seven years in extreme sports, Back decided to switch to a culinary career and gradually made his name among America's rising-star chefs.
The best-selling tuna pizza with umami aioli.
His first restaurant, Yellowtail, opened in 2008 in Las Vegas. Its phenomenal success from Back's innovative approach to Japanese cuisine led to the opening of Kumi, his second outlet on the same strip.
Back began expanding his business globally later on. Dosa, a modern Korean cuisine restaurant, which he opened in 2016 in Seoul, South Korea, recently earned him his first Michelin star.
His other ventures include his namesake restaurants, Akira Back, in New Delhi, Toronto, Dallas, Jakarta, Singapore, Dubai and, most recently, Bangkok.
The five-week-old Akira Back on the top floor of Bangkok Marriott Marquis Queen's Park hotel serves up creative and vibrant Asian fare that blends Japanese and Korean elements with international influences.
The 100-seat venue, which comprises a main dining area, sushi bar, omakase bar and four private dining rooms, looks ultra modern and spacious. However, you can always feel a homely charm in it. That is probably because Back has instilled a family touch in many of the details.
For example, many of the recipes on the menu are inspired by his mum and dad's favourite, and others from his own childhood memories. Meanwhile, designs on the plate are created by his mother, a painter.
Tuna pizza (430 baht) is the restaurant's worldwide best-seller. It featured expansive sheets of sashimi-grade tuna thoroughly covering a flaky, golden brown crust, on which was pasted a ponzu-seethed mayonnaise, aka "umami aioli". A garnish of micro shiso leaves and sprinkles of white truffle oil lent the addictive treat a more ambrosial frill.
The AB Tacos with wagyu bulgogi and roasted tomato ponzu filling.
Connoisseurs of ceviche are guaranteed taste bud contentment from the chef's Asian rendition of Peruvian classic salmon tiradito (390 baht), a super sour and zesty unification of salmon sashimi, grilled mango, yuzu-lemon sauce and cilantro oil.
Also promising to delight raw fish fans is jeju domi, a sashimi snapper rolled with Korean sweet and spicy red chilli pepper sauce topped with orange-infused tobiko roes and red sorrel.
You wouldn't want to miss AB Tacos (340 baht), my most favourite appetiser made with wagyu bulgogi and roasted tomato ponzu in crispy taco shells. It was for me a super-tasty merging between Mexican taco, Korean bulgogi beef and Italian Bolognese ragu, with fresh green chilli to give a crisp pungent finish.
Back got inspiration for the next dish, grilled octopus with smoked potato foam, salsa verde and anticucho sauce (480 baht), from Spain's classic pulpo a la gallega. However, his creation exhibited a taste profile that instantly, and of course comfortingly, reminded me of the vinegar-based hot sauce and smoky BBQ whiff of American Buffalo wings that proved to match excellently with the springy mouthfeel of the octopus.
Exclusively available in Bangkok is hamachi tartare with Oscietra caviar, wasabi soy sauce and brioche toast (510 baht). It is his rendering of East-meets-West tartare, featuring hand-chopped yellow tail fish with Asian-style condiments including pickled wasabi, Japanese pepper, avocado purée, shallots, chives and crispy deep-fried garlic.
For a main meat course, I recommend that you go for the very succulent and meaty Australian lamb chops with chipotle anticucho glaze (580 baht).
Salmon tiradito with grilled mango, yuzu-lemon sauce and cilantro oil.
While pan-seared Greenland halibut with Japanese mushrooms and soy beurre blanc sauce (520 baht) was an impeccable fish choice.
As my stomach was stuffed, my mind started whispering that I, as a non-chicken fan, would never be impressed by the next dish, jidori chicken with teriyaki sauce (490 baht).
Yet the oblong piece of chicken breast, seasoned only with salt and pepper before being sous vided, was so tender, juicy and delicious, and complemented with -- and not overpowered by -- housemade teriyaki sauce, that I suddenly fell in love with it.
For dessert, I could hardly keep my spoon off of Valrhona lava soufflé accompanied by Madagascar vanilla bean ice cream (190 baht). Served in a tiny brass pot, the piping hot souffle, made with Manjari dark chocolate, was crustily cakey on the outside and gooey molten on the inside and perfectly enjoyed with the ice cream.
The other sweet option was coconut mochi cake with salted caramel popcorn and candied macadamias (160 baht). The spongy gummy cake, inspired by Hawaiian butter mochi (glutenous rice flour cake), marvellously matched with the sweet mango sorbet. The marriage of flavours reminds one of Thai favourite mango sticky rice with coconut cream.
Food is offered alongside a selection of fine sake and a number of handpicked beverages including wine, craft beers and cocktails -- classic and house-concocted. Try the heavenly yuzu sour (360 baht).
