The sight of courteous-yet-joyful diners flocking Le Normandie's dining room on a weekday lunch strongly confirmed my belief that it's not just the Michelin stars that made this 49-year-old restaurant so beloved.
Indeed, no one in the crowd seemed like someone who assiduously follows the food guide. They looked either like long-time regulars or experienced gourmands who were simply enjoying a good, comforting meal with the ones they're complacent with.
Last year, amid rave speculations following the announcement of the Michelin Guide Bangkok debut, people -- those in the know and otherwise -- had already been expecting the Mandarin Oriental Bangkok's French fine-dining establishment to be among the top crowned in the inaugural edition of the book.
And to many's prediction, the restaurant (along with its French chef de cuisine, Arnaud Dunand Sauthier) was one of only three establishments in the city awarded two Michelin stars.
Sauthier took the helm of Le Normandie's kitchen in 2012. With a high-profile career background and dexterity in contemporary French cuisine, the Savoy-born chef has humbly led his all-Thai crew to stellar glory.
"Cooking is my life. I cannot imagine what I would be [doing], except working in the kitchen for my clients.
Le Normandie's chef de cuisine Arnaud Dunand Sauthier.
"And to be able to train and steer my staff to world-acclaimed success makes me very happy and proud. That's more important to me than receiving the stars themselves," he said.
Sauthier's cuisine is inspired by the natural abundance of his home region in the French Alps.
Among the all-time celebrated dishes that bear the imprint of his culinary identity are French caviar with sea urchin roe, potato and Champagne sauce (2,300 baht) and roasted pigeon with endive, pear and cocoa (2,700 baht).
The first featured, on the day I visited, a creamy pool of potato espuma on which bright-orange lumps of fresh Hokkaido uni lent a naturally sweet and sumptuous complement to briny Kristal caviar and the puree spud.
The latter showcased the chef's sans pareil skill through a flavourful and tender quality of perfectly cooked breast and leg of French poultry from Bresse.
From the current tasting menu, I fell in love with Sauthier's exceptional rendition of tomato soup, dubbed "variation around organic tomatoes from southern France".
It's a simple and hearty bowl of orangish-red soup made with warm tomato consomme seasoned with wild thyme, brousse (French whey cheese made from sheep's milk), buttery croutons and tomato powder.
My dining companion ordered another appetiser: organic fennel with marinated mackerel and liquorice sabayon (1,650 baht). The fish, imported from Brittany and served pan-roasted in bite-sized fillets, offered a light and supple texture that went well with its fatty rich taste, accompanied by a pleasantly sweet and perfumy helping of braised fennel.
Other than the signature pigeon, another main dish promising a star is the roasted milk-fed lamb leg with zucchini, goat cheese, basil and cardamom (2,650 baht).
The lamb was cured with salt and herbs for six hours before being oven-roasted and served in a perfect medallion portion with herb-seethed lamb jus. I can't remember the last time I had a roasted-lamb dish this excellent and tender.
For the current harvesting season, Brittany wild-caught turbot is the chef's choice of fish. You should not miss the super-supple, springy and scrumptious roasted turbot fillet, which comes with a perfect portion of potato, Paris mushroom and bottarga (3,300 baht).
Our lunch impeccably wrapped in style with Le Normandie's darling dessert: the forever-puffy souffle (650 baht).
But this time, the cushiony soft, airy and piping-hot pastry came with an exciting nutty dash of praline, contrasted refreshingly by a tangy lime sorbet.
A degustation menu is also available. Lunch is priced at 1,800 baht for three-course meals and 2,250 baht for four-course, while dinner costs 5,200 baht for six-course meals and 6,200 baht for eight-course.
Matching the superlative cuisine, the service was uniquely Mandarin Oriental: a harmony of five-star efficiency, heartfelt cordiality and genuine refinement.
