We took our taste buds on a Thai vacay
One of Asia’s most well-known Thai restaurants is in town, with chef Sahil Pradhan leading the takeover. The idea? To offer diners a taste of Thailand shaped by its ingredients, techniques and unmistakable flavour profiles. We dropped by for a taste and spoke with Pradhan about travel, authenticity and why the best way to understand a cuisine is often to experience it where it comes from.
Flavour trails
For Pradhan, travel influences how we understand food, what we cook at home and what we seek out when we dine. “Travel exposes you to different cuisines, ingredients, techniques and the original taste of a dish. A vegetable grown in Thailand will taste different from the same vegetable grown in India because of the soil, climate and freshness. Experiencing these differences helps you understand what makes a dish authentic and how to recreate it.” And there was plenty to keep the palate curious. Crispy betel leaves with Chili lime dip made for a particularly fun opening bite, while the wok-tossed side of Thai cooking came through in dishes like the Stir-fried dishes - mushroom & broccoli in black pepper sauce, prawn with coriander, and french beans with Thai herbs. Seafood highlights like the Fragrant grilled John Dory with kaffir lime and the Edamame salad with grilled eryngii added even more variety for both vegetarians and pescatarians.
A Thai punch
The drinks followed the same spirit, with ingredients such as pandan, coconut, kaffir lime and galangal finding their way into beverages like the Pandan & coconut, Tom Yum twist and Thai tea boba. The meal ended on a sweet note with the Tub Tim grob and Chocolate crepe cake layered with rich ganache. Light as air, its layers kept the chocolate in check, making it indulgent without bringing the meal to a heavy halt. Among the savouries, Pradhan expects the Chicken kraprao to strike a chord with Kolkata diners. Packed with spice, saltiness and flavour, It stays close to the Thai profile while packing the punch that has made it a favourite elsewhere.
Travel is essential to understanding food because you can’t truly understand a cuisine without experiencing its ingredients, techniques and original flavours- Chef Sahil Pradhan
Chicken kraprao is a dish that really captures Thai food: it has the spice, the saltiness and all those layers of traditional Thai flavour- Chef Sahil Pradhan
For Pradhan, travel influences how we understand food, what we cook at home and what we seek out when we dine. “Travel exposes you to different cuisines, ingredients, techniques and the original taste of a dish. A vegetable grown in Thailand will taste different from the same vegetable grown in India because of the soil, climate and freshness. Experiencing these differences helps you understand what makes a dish authentic and how to recreate it.” And there was plenty to keep the palate curious. Crispy betel leaves with Chili lime dip made for a particularly fun opening bite, while the wok-tossed side of Thai cooking came through in dishes like the Stir-fried dishes - mushroom & broccoli in black pepper sauce, prawn with coriander, and french beans with Thai herbs. Seafood highlights like the Fragrant grilled John Dory with kaffir lime and the Edamame salad with grilled eryngii added even more variety for both vegetarians and pescatarians.
The drinks followed the same spirit, with ingredients such as pandan, coconut, kaffir lime and galangal finding their way into beverages like the Pandan & coconut, Tom Yum twist and Thai tea boba. The meal ended on a sweet note with the Tub Tim grob and Chocolate crepe cake layered with rich ganache. Light as air, its layers kept the chocolate in check, making it indulgent without bringing the meal to a heavy halt. Among the savouries, Pradhan expects the Chicken kraprao to strike a chord with Kolkata diners. Packed with spice, saltiness and flavour, It stays close to the Thai profile while packing the punch that has made it a favourite elsewhere.
Travel is essential to understanding food because you can’t truly understand a cuisine without experiencing its ingredients, techniques and original flavours- Chef Sahil Pradhan
Chicken kraprao is a dish that really captures Thai food: it has the spice, the saltiness and all those layers of traditional Thai flavour- Chef Sahil Pradhan
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