Issue 13^th: 29 Sept 2014

Hidden in the heart of Bangkok’s busy Sukhumvit district is exotic five-star fine dining restaurant MahaNaga. Horizon Thailand talks to its owner Joe Mangkornchai.

Joe Mangkornchai of MahaNaga, Modern Thai restaurant fine dining meets 5-star service.

Sometimes when you want to take someone special out for a meal, it’s difficult to find a fine dining restaurant with a good ambience in Bangkok’s busiest neighbourhoods. However, like a beautiful flower in a deep forest, one boutique, modern Thai restaurant is located in the heart of downtown Sukhumvit Soi 29.

Thai SELECT MahaNaga restaurant has been open for twelve years and is partly owned by Joe Mangkornchai. Internationally recognized as one of the best Thai restaurants and bars in the world, all the food and drink is designed by one of Thailand’s most talented chefs, Ekarin Yusuksomboon.

According to Mangkornchai, the restaurant embodies what is best in modern Thai cuisine. “By the word ‘modern’, we are talking about Thai food that suits the palate of the current Thai people,” he explains. “Thai food in 2014 is of course different from Thai food in 2004 because more and more Thais are exposed to new cooking styles, international food and foreign ingredients. Therefore, we refine the taste and give it an update. We are not trying to make a fusion.”

yamsom-ogoong sod (spicy pomelo salad with shrimp)

Mangkornchai believes it’s important that customers distinguish each taste of Ma-haNaga’s food. “When you close your eyes and try a bite of our yam som-o goong sod (spicy pomelo salad with shrimp), you will be able to tell you are chewing fresh pome-lo flesh and fresh shrimp sprinkled with lime and fish sauce,” he says.

Some highlights of MahaNaga’s menu are the puunim sauce makham which is crispy fried whole baby crab with tamarind sauce, and yum gaisamunprai or spicy chicken salad. In addition to the impressive food, MahaNaga’s cocktail list pairs Thai brandy with a variety of exotic mixers to create a full dining experience. The MahaNaga Cocktail is a must have signature, which adds a refreshing taste to the main dishes.

yumgaisamunprai, spicy chicken salad with herbs

The restaurant’s ambience is as impressive as the cuisine. Decorated in a Moroccan style with a touch of the orient in the detail of the ornaments, dining outdoors by candlelight provides a romantic atmosphere, well beloved by couples. “There have been many young couples coming to propose here,” says Mangkornchai. “That’s why we are always full with reservations every night.”

Mangkornchai believes that eating is not the only ingredient in the overall restaurant package. Providing five-star service is equally crucial in order to create the perfect dining experience.

“It is not that we come to a restaurant just to get filled, we need something extraordinary, something different from eating at home,” he says. “That’s why I try to make sure that our customers are pleased with our service and leave here happy.”

MahaNaga Modern Thai Cuisine Restaurant & Bar
2 SukhumvitSoi 29, Bangkok, Thailand 10110
(+66) 2 662 3060
http://www.mahanaga.com

Words by Phraewphan Puangkasem, photos by Emisa Wongsiri

Ingredient Tips: Bird's Eye Chilli

Known by its Thai name phrikkhi nu, this chilli is a key component of Thai cuisine. The fruity taste and extreme spiciness makes it key to any namphrik paste used in most Thai recipes, while it can also be added to fish sauce with lime juice or eaten raw.

Thai Select

MahaNagaThai is endorsed by the DITP under its Thai Select scheme. The Thai SELECT programme was launched to certify and promote authentic Thai cuisine around the world. It is a seal of approval granted to Thai restaurants – both overseas and local Thai eateries that serve authentic food – and processed Thai food products. The objective is to increase the recognition of quality Thai restaurants and processed Thai food products as well as to encourage Thai restaurateurs and food producers to raise quality while maintaining authenticity. For more details of the scheme visit: http://www.thaiselect.com