Wednesday, June 24, 2015

YUM THAI @ BASIL , SHERATON GRAND SUKHUMVIT, BANGKOK

The décor is elegant and serves very refined Thai cuisine executed by Chef Kesinee and her staff. Interestingly the menu is one of its kinds and offers a range of flavours and dishes, the use of a broader range of seasoning leads to multiple flavours, textures and tastes in a single dish. 
My daughter Akanksha Dean and me with Chef Kesinee at a previous cooking class at Basil
As befits a country which has never been conquered or colonized (something which cannot be said about many countries), the food of Thailand is unique. Thai create bold combinations of flavours to make the resulting dishes quite individual.
These fish cakes are to die for
Food presentations at Basil are a feast for your eyes on a range of bespoke tableware: weaved bamboo containers, heavy ceramics. A more classic starter of DIY betel leaf wraps with coconut, chilli, peanuts and dried shrimps was extremely successful, and fun. The kindly waitress demonstrated how to fold them properly. The main course was refined, with the Chef integrating the multitude of aromatic spices to a tangy, sweet, spicy and savoury whole. Stir-fried morning glory with garlic and soya sauce was delicious. The vegetables were cooked just right and maintained a touch of crunchiness, and the use of soya sauce was not too overpowering. 
The Green curry is amazing too
What’s Thai food without curry? I am a huge fan of the southern yellow curry because of its high coconut milk content and spiciness. The one here with snow fish certainly didn’t disappoint and is in fact, the best rendition I had yet. The curry is so well-balanced and addictive. Rice served was also interesting as there was free flow of the usual white jasmine rice, basil rice or the more chewy black glutinous rice. All were good for me!
Traditional desserts make for a sweet ending to a potentially ‘chili hot’ meal. I would recommend the ‘Khao Niew Mamuang’ sticky rice with fresh mango and coconut cream. The glutinous rice was steamed to such perfect degree of hardness, while the coconut cream was brilliantly served in the form of ice cream. Paired with sweet Thai mangoes that would never disappoint, there’s simply no better way to end the meal! Basil is a benchmark for good, authentic Thai food. Friendly waiters and prompt service also make dining here a great experience. All in all Basil offers an unprecedented and amazing dining experience that takes one on a unique voyage through Thailand’s rich gastronomic diversity.
 
Don't miss the Som Tam here
Knowing a few terms will help you navigate your way through the Menu: tom yum(soup),yum(salad),khao (rice),mee (noodles),Kaeng Phed(hot soup or curry),nam prik(hot dipping sauce),nam oi(sweet sauce),pla (fish), kai (chicken), pak (Veg), poo (crab),kung (prawns), and moo(pork).

Where: Sheraton Grande Sukhumvit, a luxury collection hotel, 250 Sukhumvit Road, Bangkok 10110, THAILAND
TEL: (66) 02 6498888 
E-MAIL: grande.sukhumvit@luxurycollection.com

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