For almost two years since Bunker emerged at an indistinct corner of Sathon 12, the restaurant has enjoyed good buzz on the Bangkok food scene.
The 75-seater, set behind a stark concrete façade, greets guests with a convivial, full-scale ground-floor cocktail bar. The main dining area awaits in the upper story, where modern American cuisine by a team of young American chefs is served.
Chef partner Arnie Marcella, a native of New York, leads the kitchen. An alumni of several Michelin-starred establishments, including Jean-Georges, Marea and Corton in New York, and Dolce Stil Novo in Piedmont, Italy, Marcella has a firm foundation in classic European cookery, with a deep, developed interest in new American culinary sensations.
Thus his food is inspired by the cultural diversity of cuisine that's been indulged in the US. "An edgy style that is distinctly Western in origin but with an infusion of Asian flavours and ingredients," he describes.
A meal here starts off with an array of amuse bouche. On the night that I visited there was home-made ricotta cheese stuffed in squash blossom; warm corn bread bite with brown sugar butter; and pork cracklings with Asian glaze.
Putting the cuisine label aside, for me Bunker offers well-executed casual food that comes in a fine-dining look with comforting taste.
The menu isn't very big, listing approximately 25 items of small plates and main entrées of seafood, red meat and poultry. Five dessert options, as well as half a dozen selections of Italian cheese, are on offer as of now.
Among the most popular starters here is the Eagle Rock oyster (170 baht per piece) with garlic, almond and sherry vinegar. Thanks to the delicate, sweet taste of its plump meat, the oyster, from the US's Puget Sound, promises to satisfy even those intimidated by the shellfish.
But should you feel the freshly shucked oyster is too simple a meal kicker, then go for the Alaskan scallop crudo with green strawberry (385 baht), a dish that's also had me yearning to return.
The naturally sweet and supple raw scallops, arriving in neat cubes, were paired with salt and sugar-cured strawberries, candied yuzu, roasted bitter almond, oregano oil and fresh chillies to lend to the dish a vitalising diversity of flavours.
Equally impressive, despite its unexciting name, was the salad of fresh tomato and Asian pear (350 baht). It's a very tasty and refreshing dish that turned a tomato-shunner at our table into a real fan. Thick slices of tomatoes were layered with salted ricotta cheese, pickled onions, yuzu-infused pear, curried croutons and deep-fried young peanut leaves, to form a wholesome stack of delights.
I almost licked clean the two plates of pasta on our table. One was foie gras ravioli with super-aromatic glazed mushroom and garlic froth (600 baht). The other was veal agnolotti in a rich, silky pool of pumpkin purée flavoured with sage, crispy curry leaves and bacon jus (475 baht). Both were as luxuriating to my taste buds as they were comforting my soul.
For main entrée, I found enjoyable though not memorable the seared snapper with smoked tomatoes, pomelo and romanesco broccoli (700 baht).
In unison, high praise was vocalised by me and my two foodie friends over the 21-day dry-aged pork chop with a trimming of Brussels sprouts and pumpkin (725 baht). The pork itself, aged and smoked in house, showcased a delicious resistance to the teeth, revealing a meat seethed with a smoky whiff.
But it was the vegetable trimming that sent this ordinary-looking pork chop to cloud nine. Of it, the oven-roasted miniature cabbages and pumpkin exhibited a sweet and salty taste complemented by a marvellous charred crust from the burnt glaze and peppery punch from fresh chillies.
The whole-roasted truffle chicken (2,100 baht) is certainly a recommended choice for a group of three or more poultry aficionados.
A hefty 2kg roasted whole bird was flash-presented to us before being sent to the kitchen for cutting and dressing.
The crispy, glossy-skinned chicken returned to our table neatly chopped to reveal its juicy meat, fragrant with tarrago, thyme and Perigord black truffle shavings. A large casserole of roasted garden vegetables and a serving of black garlic sauce were presented on the side.
For the sweet ending, my friends were crazy about hot and gooey blondie with caramel popcorn, vanilla ice cream and chocolate crisps (325 baht).
I, however, found true ecstasy in the rose and roselle (300 baht) -- a lusciously frosty exhibition of roselle meringue, tonic gel, lychee sorbet and white chocolate.
A collection of five- and nine-course set menus are also available, with wine-pairing options. Prices start at 1,500 baht per person.
Bunker
118/2 Sathon Soi 12Call 092-563-9991Open daily, 5.30pm to midnight (last order 10.30pm)Park along the street or valetMost credit cards accepted
