Amidst the lush greenery of the Four Seasons Hotel Bangkok at Chao Phraya River, Palmier By Guillaume Galliot makes an impressive debut.
Drawing inspiration from chef Galliot’s childhood and French ingredients, the rebranded restaurant will blend the charm of traditional French brasserie cuisine with elevated flavours and execution in an ambiance that is casual and unpretentious.
No stranger to the food world in Asia, chef Galliot is executive chef of three Michelin-starred Caprice at the Four Seasons Hotel Hong Kong, where he brings his vision of French cuisine, flavours of France dancing in unison with the tastes of the world, to life.
"Palmier by Guillaume Galliot will serve casual food but with the best ingredients, cooked using classic techniques. It’s comfort food that you can eat every day,” chef Galliot tells the Bangkok Post. "I believe in finding prestige in even the humblest ingredients, transforming them into unforgettable dishes. At Palmier, I'm excited to bring the essence of French brasserie cuisine to life, drawing from my experiences in fine dining to elevate classic flavours. Diners must try the Pâté en croûte bursting with savoury richness and the Roasted chicken with a delicate yellow wine sauce,” he adds.
The kitchen in Bangkok will be helmed by Caprice executive sous chef, Keith Cheung. “The menu makes way for simple things. When you eat a fish, it will taste of fish, when you eat vegetables, you will taste the vegetables. That’s the concept of the food at Palmier,” says chef Cheung.
Begin as I would (or not) with the Cuisses de grenouilles or the Frog legs. I first had this dish as a child, when my grandmother used to cook it for me, and it still never fails to satisfy. A traditional dish from Burgundy, at Palmier it is served with a spinach puree and parsley emulsion. To add flavour and texture, sautéed mushrooms are also on the dish.
A dish that is classic brasserie-style is the Bouillabaisse. “This is my take on a bouillabaisse with a tantalising rouille sauce,” says chef Galliot. A traditional Provençal fish soup originating in the port city of Marseille, the Palmier version uses fresh catch or what is available at the market on the day. I had some lovely sea bass and Japanese squid. To add some freshness, it is topped with a a fennel salad. The rouille, which is a spicy, garlicky, flavourful mayonnaise-like spread, is served separately so you can add as much or as little as you like.
The next dish is one of the chef’s many signatures at Caprice. “L’oeuvre de mon voyage à Singapore le laksa au crabe royal, oeuf confit et citron sudachi", roughly translates as “The Work Of My Journey To Singapore: The Laksa With King Crab, Confit Egg and Sudachi Lime” is not a dish that one would expect in a French brasserie. It may not be traditional, but yet it’s so French in taste. At Palmier, the dish uses Alaskan king crab. Save a bit of the crusty French bread to mop this dish up!
There may be few things quite as decadent as a whole lobster for lunch. At Palmier, Canadian lobster is slow-cooked in lobster butter and served with sautéed mushrooms, mushrooms puree and gnocchi in a yellow wine sauce with a mint emulsion. For dessert I chose another signature of chef Galliot at Caprice. The Banana chocolate mille-feuille topped with cocoa sorbet. No better way to end this meal (unless the desserts change, of course)!
"The menu will not change entirely,” says chef Cheung, “but will keep in mind the French seasons and serve seasonal dishes, too.” The Plats du Jour menu will also be served, as per usual.
Indulgence at Palmier By Guillaume Galliot while enjoying the panoramic views from the riverfront terrace, if the weather permits, is further enhanced on Sunday afternoons with a brunch that will be launched on May 19. Accompanying the small plates and roasted meat of the day will be live entertainment. Visit the hotel’s website.
