A culinary ‘Voyage’ at The House on Sathorn

THE design of the two buildings is contrasting. One is massive and towering, the modernity presenting a competition against its peers along the prominent Sathorn Road. Dwarfed before it is the original occupant of the vast property, a two-story edifice in neo-colonial architecture erected in 1889 during the reign of King Rama V.

Go beyond the shell. One is new, the other old but both bear the very distinct character of the city it stands on & represent

The mansion is the original occupant. It was built in 1889 during the reign of King Rama V.

The mansion is well preserved, donning its old world charm nonchalance with pride amid the fast changing styles of the metropolis, and recently brought back to its life of sophistication.

The two may look polars apart but go beyond the shells, enter, experience and discover that these are in fact fraternal twins more alike than different. Both bear the very distinct character of the city it stands on and represent—the vibrancy, excitement, and dynamism of Bangkok. Both are styled with distinctively modern Thai artistry.

Traditional + modern treatment in the colonial mansion.

While the W Bangkok welcomes the hip, young cosmopolitan travelers from across the globe into its chic living spaces, The House On Sathorn, repurposing the 127-year-old architectural landmark into stylish entertainment areas, is luring in gourmands as “Bangkok’s latest culinary experience destination.”

The House on Sathorn offers nostalgic, theatrical flair to the city’s old-and-new juxtaposing scene as it is transformed into a hot venue fuelled with artisanal Asian-inspired cuisine, cocktails, exceptional art and performance converge,” shared Fah Supichayangkul, assistant MarCom manager of W Bangkok, as she invited to me to experience it.

Before embarking on the culinary voyage, I had a drink at The Bar, an elegant room filled with all leather sofas and seats and a well stocked bar occupying a quarter of the floor space, and ordered a signature cocktail called “The Garden”, a refreshing and beautifully scented drink of infused Chrysanthemum and Thyme Tanqueray Gin, Chamomile tea and Rosemary syrup.

The bar.

And the cocktail, gin-based "The Garden"

Dinner was right across the hall, at The Dining Room, a restaurant that features for a modern backdrop Thai-inspired handcrafted tapestries like richly textured and embellished royal gowns torn apart and delicately sewn back together.

The Dining Room with the Thai-inspired handcrafted tapestries

The man in charge of the cuisine was introduced to me by Turkish Chef Fatih Tutak, director of Culinary for The House on Sathorn, whose culinary interest was inspired at a young age by his mother’s home cooking, which developed into a passion and fuelled him in achieving his dream of becoming a chef.

The man of The House on Sathorn, Turskish-born chef Fatih Tatuk. There is a story to every dish, each based on personal experience

His menus are inspired by his extensive travels in Asia and beyond.

Constantly seeking new recipes and preparation methods, Chef Fatih communicates with guests through the mediums of flavor, texture and color – and more than a dash of good humor.

“The ‘fun dining’ concept perfectly balances technique, culinary sensibility and a sense of lightheartedness, which is well aligned with the house’s narrative,” he said.

To those stories, the Chef Fatih adds another chapter — an inspiring new tasting menu, all reflecting “the true flavors of nature,” created with new techniques and ingredients.

The delicate process of preparing every single dish

“The most exciting part behind our cuisine is the intention, the process, and the story behind it. Experience the message of each dish with all your senses."

Chef Fatih’s new tasting menu is comprised of three set menu choices: the Journey (9-course set menu), Voyage (6-course set menu) and Voyage (Vegetarian 6-course set menu), all with optional wine pairing add-on.

I took the "Voyage" at the best seat in the house, on the long wooden counter set against the open kitchen. It gave me the chance to interact with the chef as I watched them prepare every course.

The best seat in the house. Siting at the bar gives the diner the chance to interact with the chefs.

The culinary treat started with the a seasonal dish not in the menu - “The Chicken Thief a Fisherman”, an egg soup served in its shell and topped with foam sprinkled with cinnamon, served in a rustic way.

“Summer was always with grandparents by the seaside in West Turkey where we have fresh eggs from the pen for breakfast. Suddenly there were no eggs for a week. Then my grandparent stayed up all night and proved his notion right. He caught a young fisherman stealing the eggs.”

Hatching a dish from a story. The Chicken Thief a Fisherman was created from time spent along the seaside of West Turkey.

A couple more amuse-bouche was served-avocado rolled dusted in tomato powder and topped with olive oil caviar, and a sinful indulgence of buttered bone marrow.

Amuse-bouche: Avocado in Tomato Sauce Powder & Olive Oil Caviar

Amuse-bouche: Buttered Bone Marrow

Back on course, the Voyage menu is lead by “Early Morning at Tsukiji Market Vol. 4”— tuna topped with black caviar, sprinkled avocado and yuzu-miso.

According to the season, the chef changes the fish thus the “volume”. The (melt in your mouth) tuna is the used for the latest version of the dish.

“Early Morning at Tsukiji Market Vol. 4” Misted leaves to represent the morning dew.

Up close. Volume 4 of the dish highlights the tuna

I blushed in sin with the “Red Parfait”— foie gras wrapped in beet jelly, served with 16 years aged balsamic from Modena, Italy to contrast the rich creamy taste of the dish and brioche.

"The Red Parfait" is foie gras wrapped in beet jelly

The “Generous Spring Time”— white asparagus with sweet pea and morel, was the prettiest edible garden I’ve ever seen, and tasted.

“Generous Spring Time” was the prettiest edible garden I’ve ever seen-and tasted

The dish up close

In the “Mind of Kyoto” the chef said, “Everything on this dish is from Kyoto. The madai-shio koji (the fish is marinated with sake and topped with soya and butter sauce foam), bamboo, yuzu-butter,” and related how he trained under the tutelage of a Kyoto chef during his stint in Tokyo.

"Mind of Kyoto"

The House on Sathorn Signature Dish was served next. “Hunting”–grilled Nantes duck breast with citron pepper (aka the gun powder), pomegranate sauce (aka duck blood splatter), onion noodles — represented a fond memory of his hunting days, and the dish bears the components of the process.

My dish was special as it came with a bonus — the tongue of the duck marinated in duck juice with sake and grilled and glazed, which the chef served for the very first time.

"The Hunting" is the signature duck dish of the house. It was made special with the addition of the duck tongue. The chef shared the story behind the dish.

Dessert was “On My Way Home to Silom” – roasted banana and topped with toffee solidified via liquid nitrogen— inspired by Chef TF’s daily walk home from work where he always passes by an old lady who sells fried bananas. This dotted the Voyage with perfection.

Dessert: "On My Way Home to Silom"

The light but very filling of 6-course Voyage tasting menu took 90 minutes to finish. A nice span of time to watch in wonder how the dishes are prepared, engage in interesting conversations with dinner mates and all together, enjoy the meal.

The Sweet Tree

Opting for a tasting menu at The Dining Room of The House on Sathorn is a very wise way to sample the specialties of the house. If you’re craving for more of a particular dish, then you know what you will be having on your next visit.