I make absolutely no excuse for featuring a Bangkok
restaurant this week, because this was no ‘ordinary’ fine dining
restaurant, but was in fact a Michelin three star dining experience.
Perhaps a little information on the Michelin one to three
stars system is in order first. This way of ‘grading’ a restaurant began
more than 100 years ago as a guide for motorists to indicate places at which
they might enjoy dining. According to the guide, a one star restaurant is
one worth stopping at if you are passing through town, two stars indicates
the eatery deserves a detour from the planned route, and three stars means
the restaurant alone should be the destination. Only 20-30 restaurants in
the world earn three stars, and in these special establishments the food,
wine, decor and service will be exceptional and you should expect to pay for
the privilege, and you should probably leave the children at home!
So
to this week’s restaurant. Have you ever heard of the Les Jardin des Sens
three Michelin star restaurant in Montpelier in France, run by identical
twins Jacques and Laurent Pourcel? Fear not, you do not have to make an
overseas trip, as at the top of the Dusit Thani in Bangkok there is the
D’Sens restaurant, overseen by the same, three star, twin kitchen
brothers. (Does that make it six stars, I wonder?)
I knew the restaurant area many years ago, as the Foreign
Correspondents Club of Thailand, but is now put to much better use, though
several foreign scribes might disagree. The restaurant has its own level
button in the lifts, a nice touch of exclusivity, and exclusivity is what
D’Sens is all about. The greeting at the entrance to the restaurant soon
made that apparent too.
We chose to have a pre-dinner aperitif in the cocktail
area, a wonderland of rocking chairs and aquaria. By the end of the first
glass of champagne we had been cosseted, pampered and ready for whatever
Jacques and Laurent might suggest!
The dining area, with ethereal red lighting, has tables
around the perimeter to capitalize on the views out over Bangkok, or special
curtained off areas for more intimate dining. The staff were also special,
totally attentive without being intrusive, sometimes a difficult balancing
act, but one they did superbly.
We chose the set evening menu (after all, the chef’s
recommendations are good enough for me) which does include sufficient
choices to allow for individual preferences. I began with Brittany blue
lobster terrine with mango, baby vegetables, smoked duck breast and snow
peas in a vanilla flavoured olive oil. On the side I had my choice of French
bread, with a wrapped 50 gram pat of French butter (Beurre Echire) awaiting.
This was followed by a superb Butternut soup with Argan
oil and grilled hazelnut. We continued with a crispy sea bream filet ‘a la
plancha’ and then a wonderful roasted rack of lamb with a spectacular
sauce, while Madame enthused over her Duck breast choice.
We chose a French (“naturalement!”) white wine - a
2002 Languedoc, Picpoul de Pinet, Les Hautes de Peyrilles which suited
perfectly, followed by a ‘smokey’ red - a 2002 Vin de Pays de L’H้rault,
Lou Garrigou, Les Peyrilles.
By the way, while at D’Sens, please make time for a
visit to the toilet facilities. Superb ‘loos with views’; do try!
D’Sens is not a restaurant to visit just to have some
outstanding food. It is a restaurant that promises a totally outstanding
gustatory experience, and it certainly does do that. There are not many
establishments in Thailand that can offer this degree of total hedonistic
indulgence. Venue, food, wine, service, view, ambience, D’Sens has it all.
One of the most memorable evenings you can have in Bangkok. But do leave the
children at home. They could spoil what otherwise would be a perfect
evening. Expensive, but then, the best things in life always are. Highest
recommendation possible. D’Sens? D’Sensational!
D’Sens, Dusit Thani, 946 Rama IV Road, Bangkok, telephone 02 200 9000,
fax 02 236 6400, email [email protected]. Secure parking within hotel. Open
Monday to Saturday from 11.30 a.m. for lunch and from 6.30 p.m. for dinner.
