Bringing another world-class and fashionable name to Bangkok's gastronomic scene, Vogue Lounge, which opened a couple of weeks ago in the middle of the city's financial district, is the fourth dining establishment in the world (following Vogue restaurants in Dubai, Moscow and Kiev) officially inspired by the iconic fashion magazine.
The outdoor dining area.
The Bangkok venue, owned by a Thai private hospitality company, and not a publishing house, has enjoyed astronomical investment to include luxurious lifestyle elements. The 120-seat restaurant boasts a black and gold interior adorned with famous pop art pieces and serves up contemporary haute cuisine by a Michelin-starred French chef.
Its executive chef Vincent Thierry is the former sous chef of three Michelin star Le Cinq at Hotel George V, Paris, and the opening chef-cum-chef de cuisine of three Michelin star Caprice at Four Seasons Hotel Hong Kong.
At the uber-chic lounge, Thierry's star-studded cuisine is presented in neat, tasting portions, and complemented by a collection of designer cocktails served while psychedelic trance tunes are pumped out by a professional house DJ.
It is also an all-day dining restaurant so it's an ideal spot for a casual gathering over a stylish, long meal.
Under straightforward categories of "savoury" and "dessert", options on the menu change according to the season's best harvests and come at one fixed price of 350 baht for each savoury dish and 250 baht for a sweet selection.
From the savoury line-up, otoro sashimi with lemongrass beef jelly and cucumber pickle was a thick, supple slice of top-grade bluefin tuna belly served with soy sauce and yuzu zest on a shiso leaf. The chilled raw fish, releasing its much-celebrated sweet fatty flavour, was given a delightful contrast by the sharp-tasting accompaniments.
Aveyron lamb rack with artichoke barbajuan.
Should you want to start off the meal in sumptuous French style, I recommend duck foie gras terrine. Of course, the silky liver paste didn't look run-of-the-mill as it came sprucely wrapped in red berry jelly which gave off an acidity and fruity taste. Hazelnut cream and crumbles added a mild nutty dash.
One of my favourite dishes was diver's scallop à la plancha with Iberico paleta and marinated clams. Served on a succulent and salty slice of Spanish shoulder ham, the gigantic pan-grilled scallop exhibited a mild sweet taste that was heavenly. It was served with sweet shallot jam, aromatic basil oil, mustardy arugula leaf and crusty pine nuts. Equally impressive was pan-seared line-caught sea bass with a multi-tier stack of savoy cabbage and green apple, which scrumptiously showcased different cooking styles and textures. It was served with oyster-based Béarnaise sauce and creamy lobster bisque espuma.
I urge that you also sample crusted Palamos carabineros with veal sweetbread and nori seaweed. The dish, featuring a puff pastry roll that reveals a substantial filling of Spanish lobster from a famous Mediterranean coastal town, a veal offal, spinach, nori seaweed and lemon jam, was truly scrumptious.
Aveyron lamb rack with artichoke barbajuan was another dish I couldn't afford to miss. The lamb came from Aveyron, a lowland territory in the French mid-Pyrannees region famous for its super succulent meat. It was served with artichoke-stuffed pastry and balsamic vinegar pearls on a stone bowl.
For those in the mood for a soothing soup treat, order onsen egg yolk with pork knuckle stew. The 63C-cooked organic yolk came hidden in a creamy sea urchin espuma with golden chanterelle mushrooms. The soup was lent an exciting touch by the pork stew that came in the form of deep-fried, battered cubes.
However, if there's only one dish to settle on, Japanese wagyu beef sirloin steak with black truffle potatoes and smoked bone marrow butter is the ultimate choice. Not only does the medium-cooked wagyu steak, which came in two bite-sized pieces with a small serving of romaine lettuce salad, provide true taste bud pleasure thanks to its hallmark melt-in-the-mouth quality, it was also value for money.
The restaurant has an impressive variety of gourmet sweet treats. From the 10-item list, frozen matcha sphere with ivory chocolate tofu, lemon cream and rice crisps was voted by our party of four ladies as the best tasting.
A creative interfusion of milky Japanese tea, tangy citrus zest and fine chocolate, the green tea parfait in chocolate globe easily beat the likes of confit apple tatin with pecan biscuit and rich Brazilian chocolate tart with cocoa sorbet.
Echoing Bangkok's cosmopolitan verve, the lounge boasts an awe-inspiring outdoor terrace with neighbouring skyscrapers as a backdrop. The roofless dining zone with capacity to seat 68 guests is air-conditioned. Yet for those looking for a more exclusive call, the 400m² venue also provides an indoor dining area with two semi-private rooms.
The 120-seat restaurant has enjoyed massive investment.
Otoro sashimi with lemongrass beef jelly and cucumber pickle.
Japanese wagyu beef sirloin steak with black truffle potatoes and smoked bone marrow butter.
