Talk about sensory immersion. Step inside Al Saray, pressed hard-up against Saladaeng station on the Thaniya side of Silom, and you could be in Lebanon, India, or even Morocco.
The smaller, newer, 3-floor sister of the larger, 5-year-old Al Saray beside Bangkok Hospital buzzes with ebullient Near Eastern and Indian hospitality.
An exotic world that stirs the senses and arouses the appetite is intricately woven into rustic white plaster walls, massive arches, candle-lit recesses, and snazzy lanterns.
"Al Saray" refers to a mayor's house, the grandest in each Lebanese village, where people gather for joyous and sad occasions, explains Chef Patron Hassan Farran, from a Beirut family of chefs. Silom Head Chef Mahdi Zehri is also from Lebanon whereas Soonvijai Head Chef Sampooran Singh is from New Delhi.
Why Lebanese and Indian?
"The two cuisines are near to each other in ingredients, not in taste: Lebanese is lightly spiced while Indian is intensely spiced."
Perfect for mixing and matching.
"The main things are quality and authenticity," says Hasan. "When you go to a Lebanese restaurant you judge the chef on hummus, kibbe and garlic sauce."
You get Hasan's point when you taste the creamier, smoother, fuller-tasting hummus, a signature chickpea and sesame dip.
Muttabal, another dip, is finely diced eggplant smoked over charcoal, mixed with sesame paste and garnished with pomegranate seeds.
Tabbouleh is a refreshing salad of parsley,
lemon and mint notes with bulgur crushed wheat for crunch.
Fatoush, another salad, has a slightly sour flavour attributable to pomegranate molasses, and sumac spice, imported from Lebanon where it sun-dries on roofs. Crispy pita gives crunch.
Hot starters include pastries filled with marinates of chicken, lamb, cheese. A sambousek sees lamb seasoned with pine seeds and the house mix of seven Arabic spices. Spinach Fatayer is spiked with sumac and pine seeds. Another sambousek sees ekhawi and feta cheese melted with parsley. Ditto cheese rolls but with springroll pastry. Pungent Indian samosas are stuffed with mixed veggies and Indian spices. Grainy kibbe, blending bulgur, lamb and spices, goes divinely with snow-soft garlic sauce.
Lebanese Mixed Grill Platter presents a superb selection of grilled, marinated meat and minced meat skewers. Shish Tawouk Chicken is marinated with yoghurt, garlic, lemon, with optional spicy tomato sauce. Minced ("kofta") Australian lamb is with parsley, minced onion and Arabic spices. Chicken kebab is with garlic, capsicum and spices. Lamb skewer cubes and chops are lightly marinated with salt & black pepper, and dipped in tahina (sesame) sauce after grilling. Chicken is dipped in garlic sauce after grilling. All go brilliantly wrapped in flatbread spread with chilli paste, capsicum, sumac and parsley.
Al Saray Silom's two Indian chefs spike the signature lamb biriyani, India's saffron-infused rice dish, with fragrant rosewater, nuts and gravy. Cooked in a pot sealed with dough, it's salivating.
Dal Makhani combines three dahls (lentils) and red kidney beans, tandoor-cooked overnight in tomato gravy, served with cream.
Butter "makhanwala" curry is chicken marinated and cooked tandoor-style with tomato gravy and cream. Chicken korma (onion gravy, coconut, cream) is equally awesome.
Mohalabieh, a traditional Lebanese dessert, is thickened milk infused with rosewater, sprinkled with toasted pistachio: divine. Ditto Indian classic, Gulab Jamun, syrup-soaked bread dumplings simmered in butter.
Lebanese wines start at 1,850/bottle.
Take-away orders are welcome and Al Saray's catering service is popular among embassies, as are the restaurants. Say no more.
http://www.alsarayrestaurant.com
Al Saray Silom (11:00 - 24:00)
Tel. 02 234 4988/Al
Saray Soonvijai (9:00 - 22:00)
Tel. 02 319 4388.
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