True Thai treat

It is the pursuit of beauty and related creativity that helped evolve civilization. In Thai culture, from architecture to food every facet is a paean to perfection. Benjarong, on the TTK Road illustrates this aspect clearly. The new menu drawn up with the help of experts from Rajapath Suan Dusit, culinary institute in Bangkok, drew me again to this lovely restaurant.

Bansani Nawisamphan, who specialises in vegetable carving and sauces, had displayed her artistry on watermelons that evening. It goes without saying that each piece was exquisite. Visual presentation is of utmost importance to Thais.

Copying Nature, particularly flowers, on fruits and vegetables started in the royal palace, fount of gastronomical brilliance in the country. The other visitors are Thanapat Saengrungrueang, who focuses on stirfries and Natcha Rueangsawang, salads and desserts. The menu seems to have undergone a near total make over except for a few all-time favourites like the chicken grilled in pandana leaves.

The change starts from the complimentary welcome platter itself. Lettuce leaves are served with lemon cubes, groundnuts, birds eye chillies, chopped onions, ginger, dry shrimps and a palm jaggery and dry coconut sauce. As each condiment comes separately, guests can make their own lettuce rolls. The combination is great, I can vouch for that.

Among the new starters, seasoned shrimps in egg nest (Rs. 128) and steamed sago dumplings with chicken filling (Rs. 98) are outstanding. They please both the eye and the palate. The bright yellow trellised egg nest give the necessary colour and textural contrast to this cold starter. The sago cover to chicken serve the same purpose. For vegetarians the winner is golden bag with exotic stuffing (Rs. 108). Exotic describes water chestnuts, carrots and other vegetables.

Soups as a rule do not excite me much. But Po Taek or aromatic spicy seafood soup (Rs. 298) is an exception. This is more like a main course in the line of a Mongolian hot pot. Though the guests do not get to add the ingredients themselves, the chunks of fish, prawn, crab, squid and other sea food are substantial enough to make the dish an entrie. Besides it comes with steamed rice. The other gorgeous main course is goong ohb woonsen, jumbo prawns cooked in a clay pot with cellophane noodles (Rs. 448). Done in our dum pukht style, it is a marriage made in heaven. The flavours subtle but with enough pepper to give it a bite.

Hormok Goong or curried prawn mousse steamed in banana leaf cups (Rs. 298) too gets my vote. With steamed rice it warms the cockles of one's heart. We are on a familiar territory here, but not enough to be banal. The new desserts, Sa-leem and Bua roy samsee, both coconut milk based (Rs. 108 each) were nice. The first had jelly noodles with rice flour and agar and the second, sticky rice dumplings. The rice flour and coconut milk being common factors the difference is not as sharp as it ought to have been.

It is the fact that Benjarong offerings go beyond the plate that make it unique. It becomes a cultural experience.

MARIEN MATHEW

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