You've got to hand it to those Singaporeans; they sure get what it means to be Asian these days. At least that's the sense you get at Element restaurant at Amara Bangkok.
The hotel's developers and owners have only relatively recently branched out from their Lion City roots to Amara Signature Shanghai and this one on Suriyawongse (BTS Chongnonsri walkable). But there's a nonchalance about their delivery that their avid customer base from all over Asia clearly relates to.
As cosmopolitan as Singapore itself, Element, presents international lunch buffets where potato gnocchi with tomato and cheese sauce sits alongside fish maw soup perfectly naturally. A leaf from today's "we know what we want and we want it now" playbook perhaps.
A well-learned lesson also exemplified in upscale items like Peking duck and home-smoked roasted duck sharing space on a full-spectrum live noodle counter with pork crackling, spare rib, red-roasted pork, wantons, bok choi and all kinds of condiments. These achievers don't get why they have to wait for treats.
Even more convention-bucking, the appetizers selection arrays freshly-shucked oysters and rebar-thick Alaskan king crab legs on its select but deluxe seafood raw bar. Not to mention New Zealand blue mussels, and king prawns, etc.
With a tariff to match? Not. The Bt1,299 net Mon-Fri, Bt1,499 net, Sat-Sun (incl. free-flow drinking water, coffee + tea) seems reflective. But with a perpetual "come 2 pay 1" offer, it works out at just THB 650/750 net each.
And it isn't only the luxury items that define this multi-cultural banquet. At the end of the day, it's the flavours, crafted by a top chef and team, that makes it all conspicuously appetizing.
Executive Chef Nattakit Kallayanamitr aka ‘Toei' is an Iron Chef Thailand judge who names Mandarin Oriental Bangkok among his alma maters.
Other signature specialties prepared to savvy Singaporean standards include Hainan Chicken. Indeed, with guai chap, kwateo luchin, ramen noodles, and bamee rotating, you can't overstate how luxe the Chinese chef-led rice and noodle station is.
The kitchen also rolls out a roast every lunch time, whether chicken, beef, lamb or festive turkey. Nearby a dish of thick-topped pizzas is constantly replenished. Then chafing dishes and urns filled by a stream of stir-fried cabbage/fish sauce; deep-fried chicken/Thai herbs; tom som pla; massaman beef curry; roasted pork-loin/apple calvados sauce; seafood and bean curd soup, and such.
Another live station prepares definitive Pad Thai Shrimp, spaghetti, or tempura.
Meanwhile, back at the appetizers cold cuts, cheeses, pickles and salads complement the seafood stars. Plus home-smoked salmon, top-draw sushis and makis and a sashimi setup.
The proof of Toei and team's culinary alchemy is also in the puddings such as really tasty mixed berry gateaux, mango mousse cake, chocolate brownie patisserie pieces, seamlessly jostling Thai naem kaeng sai (sweet condiments over crushed ice doused with coconut milk) along with miang kham, coconut bonbons steamed in banana leaves, minced pork (yes, pork!) and peanut sago-wrapped dainties etc.
The trendy banquet unfolds in a cellar-like ambiance below the lobby. A large glass wine cabinet wall feels fitting. The natural tone palette is composed of elemental materials while a terrace along two sides expands the space.
Served 12 noon to 2.30 p.m., if you prefer lunch at 1, you're in luck.
Evenings are all a la carte "Thai Passion" based on dishes hipster GM Viranat Silananda's mother raised him on in the US, from chilled watermelon/dried fish flakes to pineapple, minced chicken and peanuts, priced THB 150 ea.
Tel. 02 021 8888 extension 5320, email [email protected] or visit the hotel's website at http://www.bangkok.amarahotels.com.
