For years now, Saffron, located on the 52nd floor of the Banyan Tree Hotel in the heart of the Sathorn business district, has been a leader among high-end Thai restaurants. Taking its name from the luxurious spice, the restaurant has proven itself to be innovative and forward-thinking, while at the same time honoring Thai traditions. The cuisine is emphatically not fusion, but rather a progressive interpretation of classic dishes.
Head chef Renu Homsombat is the brain behind Saffron, including its numerous international outposts at overseas Banyan Tree locations. Talking with her for just a few minutes reveals a passionate love of Thai ingredients. She pointed out that she sources her supplies of som sa, a highly aromatic bitter orange, direct from farmers in Ratchaburi, and she informed me that the taste of lemongrass varies widely from locale to locale. And this commitment to detail and locality, with a strong focus on locally sourced ingredients and immaculate plating, shines through in the cuisine.
This New Year’s Eve, Saffron will be celebrating with a set menu, priced at B6,800 net per person, or Baht 8,600 net with wine pairings, highlighting some of the best the restaurant has to offer.
Dinner starts with the Chef’s Signature Appetizers, three bite-sized pieces served on spoons. To start, there is a light crab spring roll, with just enough meatiness in it from the crab meat to give it some bite. This is followed by a piece of grilled foie gras with an almost salsa-like mango topping, and a deliciously complex piece of roast duck with an Isan style jim jaew, in which the fiery Isan spice is balanced enough to not overwhelm the flavorful duck meat. This is followed by Yam Hoi Shell, Hokkaido scallops piled high with cilantro, the aforementioned som sa, and an abundance of edible flowers, and with plenty of chili spice to match the dense scallops.
Following the appetizers and salad, diners are greeted with the soup, a tom yam kung. In keeping with Saffron’s ethos, it’s a dish that gives a nod to the past while looking towards the future. Lightly cooked pieces of river prawn are surrounded with a roast coconut foam and a smoky roasted chili powder, before a clear tom yam broth is poured into the bowl. The result is something that is neither a creamy nor a clear tom yam, but somewhere in between – the best of both worlds.
Next comes the ultimate Northern Thai classic, khao soi, but this time featuring salmon in lieu of the usual chicken, and thin, delicate Phuket noodles, garnished with fresh salmon roe and a prawn cracker filled with pickled cabbage. For a quick breather between courses, a sorbet is offered to cleanse the palate, made with passionfruit and som sa, served in an ice cup to keep it cold.
The centerpiece of the meal is beef slow-cooked for four hours with longan, all sweet and spicy and melt-in-your-mouth tender. Alongside the main to soak up the rich, reduced longan sauce, diners are offered a selection of four styles of rice: a classic jasmine, healthy brown rice, a hearty mountain rice, and the house specialty, saffron rice.
Finally, for a dessert plate, refreshing pieces of fresh mango are followed by kluay buat chee ice cream — a frozen reimagining of the old-school Thai dessert featuring boiled bananas floating in coconut milk – and a roselle jelly topped with lychee foam and lychee ice cream.
Saffron’s signature cocktails make an ideal pairing, blending premium spirits with Thai flavors. Top choices include As the Wind Blows (vodka, Martini Bianco, kiwi puree, lime, kaffir lime, and soda) for something fruity, the Eastern Ginger (gin, Martini Rosso, roselle, lime, grapefruit juice, and ginger) for something more spirit-forward, and the Garden Collins (gin, Chartreuse, lime juice, syrup, and soda) for a unique refresher.
Even if you can’t make it for dinner this New Year’s Eve, there has never been a better time to visit Saffron. You can sample Saffron’s greatest hits, such as salmon salad, beef massaman curry, and gaeng kati puu, a much-loved red curry with crab meat, anytime you like.
Also, for a pre-dinner aperitif, an after-dinner digestif, or simply a few drinks with friends, check out the brand-new Saffron Sky Garden, featuring signature cocktails, craft beers, and a menu of tapas-style modern Thai street food now occupies the outdoor deck just outside the main restaurant, with stunning river views on one side, ideal for a sundowner, and a panoramic city view on the other side, the perfect match for a night out. Saffron Sky Garden is also going to be hosting its own New Year’s bash, with an unlimited drinks package priced at Baht 4,900 net per person, and a disco vibe to carry you into 2018.
BANYAN TREE BANGKOK
21/100 South Sathorn Road. Tel. 02 679 1200 E-mail: hostesses-bangkok@banyantree.com. www.banyantree.com.
