KIN by Capella Bangkok (กิน โรงแรมคาเพลลา กรุงเทพ) โรงแรมคาเพลลา กรุงเทพ

#WongnaiHNY2023 ****Food**** • Amuse Bouche : Fish crackers served with “Nam Prik Pao” (Chili jam-น้ำพริกเผา) Fish crackers were from Ranong province. They were newly fried, very crispy, and had prominent taste of fish. The chili paste had intense but balanced flavor that complimented the fish crackers really well. As with all restaurants, I believe the amuse bouche here changes from time to time. • “Nam Prik” of the day (Complimentary) Served with fresh vegetables picked from the chef’s garden, the complimentary “Nam Prik” here changes daily. On the day of our visit, it was grilled fish chili paste. The taste was quite complex – spicy, with prominent taste of grilled fish and a whiff of smoky aroma. “Nam Pla Prik”, or fish sauce mixed with lime, fresh chili and garlic – was served on the side for diners who like their Nam prik saltier. Personally, I had no need for it, since I found the taste of Nam prik already spot on. The choice of fresh vegetables here was interesting, since some of them were local vegetables that are not easy to find in other restaurants, for example the fresh flower buds of Ceylon Spinach (It was crisp, succulent, and had a bit of mucus inside). • Pla yarng mieng som-o (ปลาย่างเมี่ยงส้มโอ): Grilled fish of the day topped with seasonal pomelo, kaffir lime leaves, Phra Nakhon dressing, cashew nuts and betel leaves. This menu is probably inspired by 2 traditional Thai dishes: Pomelo salad and Northern style leaf-wrapped hors d'oeuvre or “Mieng”. By replacing the prawns commonly used in pomelo salad with grilled catfish meat, this salad can be eaten alone or wrapped inside a Betel leaf and eaten like “Mieng”. The pomelo was well-selected. It was fresh, succulent, and had a vibrant zesty sweet taste. The taste of the dressing was perfectly balanced. Roasted grated coconut was sprinkled on top of the dish for the aroma. • Rice There are 3 choices of rice available : White jasmine rice / Brown rice / Sticky rice • Gaeng ped yang bai yee rha nor mai (แกงเป็ดย่างใบยี่หร่าหน่อไม้) : Grilled marinated duck breast, cumin leaves, long red chili, lemongrass, bamboo shoot, coconut milk and seasonal herbs You can choose level of spiciness: Spicy / Thai Taste/ Normal / Medium /Less spicy We picked medium spiciness and it was perfect for us. You can opt for spicier level if your other dishes have mild flavor, or ask for less spicy curry if there are already several spicy dishes in the meal. While this dish is commonly cooked with random parts of grilled duck meat, the chef elevated it to the next level by using the most beautiful fillets of duck breast. The meat was marinated until very tender, duck skin was thick and had smoky charred fragrant. As for the curry, the taste was that of a southern style curry. You don’t immediately feel the sharp spiciness, but it builds up over time and last longer than curries from Central Thailand. There was a hint of sweetness which gave a good balance to the overall flavor. The consistency of the curry was perfect. Creamy but not too thick. Smooth, but with beautiful separated layer of aromatic oils dotted on the surface. The bamboo shoot, cumin leaves, fresh chili and herbs helped adding depths to the flavor. This is one of the best grilled duck curries that I’ve ever had. • I-tim krati Phra Nakhon : Traditional Thai coconut ice cream with toppings This is the creamiest coconut ice cream ever! It was obviously made with undiluted coconut cream. The taste was a mix of saltiness (natural saltiness from coconut cream) and light sweetness. Toppings consist of soft-chewy palm seeds, candied yam and pumpkin, peanuts, grated roasted coconut, edible flower, and Tubtim Krob (Water chestnus coated in pink tapioca flour) Served on the side was a tiny piece of coconut pudding topped with “Fios de Ovos” or sweetened egg thread (ฝอยทอง). Taste of the coconut pudding was refreshing and not overly sweet, which balanced well with the intense sweetness of the Fios de Ovos. • Paradise Raindrop (Mocktail) A refreshing mixture of soda, lime juice, and butterfly pea. The fresh chili looked like a decoration at the beginning, but it gave off a bit of spicy fragrance after a while. ****-Ambience-**** The sun-drenched conservatory offers a view of the Chao phraya river on one side, and the lush green garden on the other side. The alfresco dining area, sitting right on the bank of Chao Phraya river, is a perfect spot for sunset-watching. There were a few outdoor tables in the garden too. Furnished with warm wooden tiles, marble tables, and taupe colored furnitures, the contemporary classic décor was cozy and elegant. Not ultra-chic, but classy and timeless. A serene beauty fitting for a relaxing time with friends and family. A perfect setting for every occasion. A minimum spending of 32,000 Baht is required for a private dining room.