Dining at Paste: Bangkok’s Renowned Thai Restaurant
Thailand is a country of bold flavours and hearty fare. I can’t recount a single street vendor dish that let me down – every steaming plate of seafood pineapple fried rice or pad thai has been a delight.
If you’ve watched Netflix’s Street Food series, you’ve probably heard of Jay Fai and her hugely popular crab omelette (that’s on my list, though I’ve yet to brave the hours-long queue).
But if the occasion calls for something more refined, there’s still plenty to whet your appetite. One such gleaming example is Paste Bangkok.
Paste is run by acclaimed Thai restauranteur, Bee Satongun. I’ve had the pleasure of dining at this Michelin-starred joint twice – once during a solo work trip and again while travelling with my friends @perthcomfortfood.
Awarded ‘Best Female Chef’ by Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants in 2018, Bee also operates a local outpost of Paste in Mittagong, NSW, alongside her Australian husband and fellow chef, Jason Bailey.
Our dining experience at Paste Bangkok
Paste Bangkok is located on the top floor of the upmarket Gaysorn Village mall. The décor is effortlessly modern yet subdued.
There are many surprises in store, starting with a complimentary welcome drink and canapés. We each splurged on a cocktail (฿550-600, ~A$22) which were artfully crafted at the table. I recommend the ‘Kiss of the Dragon’ – you lean in to give the bubble a peck and watch as the scented smoke dissipates.
Not wanting to miss anything, we ordered ‘family style’ with five main dishes between four (each ฿1,200-1,700 or ~A$50-70).
By far, my highlight was the ‘31 Flavoured Thai Omelette with Blue Swimmer Crab’. It is massive and easily feeds 3-4 people. With my wife (then-fiancé) allergic to shellfish, the rest of us savoured each umami bite of seasoned egg and delicate crab meat alongside fragrant jasmine rice.
Also highly recommended is the black cod with palm sugar, fish sauce, soy & duckweed powder. It instantly evoked an image of Nobu’s black cod miso (one of my all-time favourite dishes).
But this iteration adds more of a ‘sweet and sour’ tone owing to the contrasting marriage of palm sugar and fish sauce. The cod is best devoured solo rather than shared and also pairs beautifully with rice.
The other three dishes we tried are:
Grilled Iberico pork salad with starfruit, jet berry shoots & Thai almonds
Aromatic roasted duck curry with mangosteen, fennel seed & freshly squeezed coconut milk
Massaman curry with Australian beef (not pictured)
All were simply excellent, and you could really taste the difference between what we’re used to at home. The fresh Thai herbs, freshly squeezed coconut milk and expert preparation elevated the Thai cuisine to new heights.
Whilst we didn’t have the appetite for dessert, Paste Bangkok surprised us with a selection of petit fours. Not just one plate, but four!
Perhaps I’m a person of simple tastes, but my favourite was the Thai milk tea mousse. So refreshing!
FINAL WORDS
If your budget has a bit of flexibility, I heartily recommend a visit to Paste Bangkok. It’s an expensive visit, even by Australian standards, but I daresay you’ll savour some of the best Thai cooking across your entire trip. There are also two ways you can enjoy a meal at Paste with a discount:
Australian American Express Platinum Charge members have an annual A$200 international dining credit which can be used at Paste.
Pre-pay a lunch or dinner set menu/degustation on Klook! (If you’re new to Klook, use the code THEPOINTSWANDERER for a discount on your first booking).
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