Spiking 39 stories from uptown Bangkok's gnarly undergrowth, at the summit of Sathorn Square (Narathiwas), the sundowner view at KOI "Japanese-Californian fine dining restaurant" is an over-stuffed Gotham City executed by a maniacal manga artist.
To the American owners, it's the rock to the restaurant's water, forming a classic Feng Shui axis, in a Zen-sensitive design where natural materials in dark shades and dragon-denoting plum red highlights comprise the sultry structure.
With minimalist tables, plush leather-upholstered chairs and banquet alcoves along the widescreen window, no squinting is necessary to scope the bejewelled firmament or marble-clad theatre kitchen-cum-sushi bar commotion.
Infused in all this is the idea of koi – "nishikigoi" or 'brocaded carp' to the Japanese – eponymously actualized by a koi pond and waterfall wall sporting frisky, multi-colour-flashing fish. Note nishikigoi is also a homophone for "love".
Stuck in an authenticity rut, though, this isn't. It's a culinary concept American Nick Haque began in Los Angeles in 2002: essentially a Western appetizer, mains, dessert format that found fans in Leonardo DiCaprio, George Clooney, Madonna and Jennifer Lopez, among others. Having branched to Las Vegas, New York and Abu Dhabi, opening in this other City of Angels seems apposite.
The cuisine is as pumped as one might expect from an LA cool dude finding Japanese food far out if only the flavours were as dramatic as miyazaki anime.
Carrying the torch is a creative team of culinary experts led by Head Chef Hisashi Iwata, who trained traditionally but fine-tuned his craft over 25 years in the US and has previous in Bangkok.
Sticky bricks of rice seared with a crispy skin, topped with tuna or salmon and slathered with spicy mayo, ebiko (shrimp egg) and jalapeno (450 baht) are a Koi signature.
Piping hot, crispy-coated white shrimp tempura, mixed with creamy sesame mayonnaise, garnished with crispy onion and crispy lettuce (480 baht) go down real easy too.
Geleno maki roll, spicy seared albacore and raw yellowfin tuna, cucumber, crispy spinach & onion, jalapeno, kuzu ponzu sauce (580 baht) were specially created for a New York customer and turned out too delicious to nix thereafter. "Umami" doesn't cover it.
Miso Bronzed Black Cod Saikyo Miso (990 baht) is a mountainous maw of deceptively tender fish (it's marinated with baby gingery miso sauce and roasted three times until it calves like snowfish) poised on roasted vegetables. A sour green plum, consumed last bite, concludes poignantly.
Grilled New Zealand lamb chops (1200 baht) is essentially a rack tenderized with olive oil, ginger and garlic marinate, charcoal grilled, doused in creamy ichimi chili-sesame sauce. Zesty tabbouleh-couscous salad, transposed from the Levant to Japan via shiso leaves instead of parsley, provides contrast.
Desserts, created by Chef Hisashi Iwata, are equally striking. Gemini's cheesecake (380 baht) is a ying-yang exposé of contrasting temperatures, flavours and textures. The base is deconstructed into a crumbled shortbread ring around a dense but yielding plum red sphere hinged with a chocolate strap. Inside is a sumptuous white chocolate matcha cheesecake mix over red bean.
Similarly creative vegetarian menus don't play second fiddle.
Cocktails, ranging "Midnight Train to Sathorn" (Gin, Aperol, Grapefruit Juice, Lime) to Tokyo- Hattan (Japanese Whisky, Pimm 's, Cherry Heering, Chocolate Bitters) share star billings.
Chef Hisashi says the team also constantly works on new dishes while decorative head waitress Khun Mot is a mine of information.
Adjoining is Koi Lounge Bar leading to Club@Koi, a cavernous nightclub where well-healed sybarites, including diners, are wont to gather for grooves.
Carpe diem! There's nothing coy about KOI.
http://koirestaurantbkk.com
Tel. 02-108 2005
