Villa Frantzén Bangkok – Nordic Cuisine
Monica Tindall
In June 2022, Villa Frantzén unveiled its 60-seat restaurant and cocktail bar in Bangkok’s Yen Akat 3 neighbourhood. This establishment marries Nordic cuisine with Asian influences in a six-course tasting menu. Executive Head Chef Nilas Corneliussen and Executive Sous Chef Luke Cawsey give each dish a local twist, offering multiple options per serving. Villa Frantzén diverges from its three-Michelin-starred siblings in Stockholm and Singapore, prioritising a less formal experience and a more inclusive vibe. Designed by Joyn Studio, the restaurant’s interior boasts a captivating collaboration of Swedish creativity, with a separate cocktail bar, gorgeous gardens, a restaurant and several private rooms.
Villa Frantzén Bangkok Bar
I highly recommend beginning (or ending) in the bar. Separate from the restaurant, it feels like a friend’s living room (a wealthy friend with impeccable taste). It’s spacious, comfortable and very stylish. I start with a cocktail, Villa French 75 (THB 450++), the bar’s twist on a classic. Composed of Cognac VS, a house-made elixir (from ingredients collected in the local market – vanilla, lavender and chamomile), given freshness with citrus, a touch of savoury with salt, and a light effervescence topped up with Champagne. A Maraschino cherry sits in the bottom of the glass, inviting a final tiny bite of intensity, readying the mind for dinner.
Hubby, understandably, is still digesting an eight-course wine-paired lunch we only finished 90 minutes ago, so he goes with an alcohol-free bevvie. Bergamot (THB 290++) is easy-drinking with yuzu and sweetgrass cordial, verjus and sparkling water, making a refreshing aperitive – a play on a gimlet.
From the bar snacks menu, we indulge in a French Oyster (THB 250++) cooked precisely at 63.4c, topped with smoked cream, spicy pumpkin paste, finger lime and sea buckthorn oil. It is recommended to pop the whole thing in your mouth and enjoy it in one bite. It’s delicious, spreading across our tastebuds, informing us that it’s time to head to the restaurant for dinner.
Restaurant
Ex-Thai boxer turned economist turned chef, Nilas Corneliussen had an illustrious career before taking on the role of Executive Head Chef at Villa Frantzén, Bangkok. His team works harmoniously and spotlessly with an open kitchen, making anyone who cooks envious.
The glass-walled space is surrounded by greenery, and every surface is pristine. Service is exceptional. Tables are cleaned between every course, and staff are efficient in service, ensuring operations run like clockwork. The kitchen is abuzz with activity, yet every movement seems calm and purposeful.
Villa Frantzén Menu
The base for a meal at Villa Frantzén is a six-course tasting menu, with wine or juice pairing optional. Guests choose between two items for each of the six courses, with snacks and petite four standard inclusions. If you have a large appetite, you can order extra plates at a supplemental price.
Snacks – Kavring & Corn Potage
The meal begins with soup and bread. The bread, kavring, is a white beer and dark rye bread that’s warm, dense, slightly sweet and tastes so good with the salty butter and rapeseed oil that melts upon spreading. Delivered simultaneously, corn potage is comfortingly warm, filled with spring succotash, preserved truffle and foie gras. Slices of baby corn are soft yet almost raw, offering a sweet crunch. There’s a wonderful balance of sweet and salty in this soup.
ONE – Pelle Janzon
We’re lucky to try the latest version of beef tartare, as it’s only been on the menu for a few days. Pelle Janzon gets its name from a famed Swedish Opera singer from the 18th century who loved to eat tartare with vendace roe (Swedish caviar royalty). The team alter the recipe with house-made crème fraiche, smoked eel and finely chopped beef. It makes us want to sing, too.
The creamy nature and oak influence in the 2017 Guillot-Broux, “Clos de La Mollepierre”, Macon-Cruzille from southern Burgundy mirrors the house-made crème fraiche. Alternatively, freshly pressed rhubarb juice infused with coffee beans and silver needle tea is a refreshing, non-alcoholic option.
TWO – Chawanmushi
Chawanmushi can sometimes feel too rich, but in course two, the recipe’s roe and crunchy fermented fennel cubes provide freshness and great texture. Then, of course, the luscious chunks of sweet lobster are on top, gifting a taste of the sea. Hubby offers to take mine over before I’m halfway through, but he doesn’t stand a chance.
A French Chenin Blanc matches course two. The 2022 Poil de Lièvre, Domaine Bobinet, Saumur, complements the chawanmushi’s dominant fennel aroma and saltiness. This biodynamic wine is full of ripe fruit, a hint of sour yoghurt, and is high in acidity, slicing through the rich custard. The juice pairing is made with Thai red jasmine rice and is cloudy in the glass, giving texture and holding the flavours of tamarind and cloudberry on the palate.
THREE – Grilled Scallops & Fermented Parsnips
We hear that the grilled scallops have been an all-time favourite on the menu since opening. The Hokkaido scallops are cooked over super-hot coals, charring and giving flavour to the outside while the inside remains uncooked. The plump scallop has been sliced for easy attack and sits atop a puree of fermented parsnips in a pond of truffle dashi. Fine green onions and almond oil add another layer of flavour.
NV, Gorin, Junmai-Shu, Sake, Ishikawa, Japan, naturally fermented, goes well with the umami of the truffle dashi. Meanwhile, oxidised pear and barley tea has an overtone of fruit and undertones of rice, an equally good match.
FOUR – Poached Turbot & Horseradish
Poached turbot and horseradish gives us a true taste of Sweden. The fish has been aged in-house and then poached. It’s topped with finely chopped egg white and even more finely ground egg yolk. Onion rings and capers add crunch to the crown, and browned butter intensifies the flavours.
Greece brings us the next pairing, a 2014 Athina, Assyrtiko from Santorini. It’s darker in the glass than most white wines, and the grapes are famous for retaining acidity despite the hot local climate. It’s a lovely match for fish; I can imagine happily drinking several glasses on a warm afternoon by the sea. Grape juice with red apple and a touch of star anise is the booze-free option, tasting just as it sounds, with the star anise furnishing a wonderful lifting aroma to the fruit.
FIVE – Chicken “Pôche-Grillé” & Scrambled Eggs
You might not often order chicken and eggs at a restaurant (“I can make that at home,” you might think). However, I encourage you to reconsider. I bet your home cooking comes nowhere near mimicking the baby-flesh-like texture of Villa Frantzén’s. It’s like a newborn’s skin: plump, soft and squeezable. The secret is Japanese shio koji, responsible for breaking down the protein, alongside gentle poaching and grilling. The tender slices lay across four types of mushrooms – champignon, truffle, shitake and black trumpet – in a chicken broth with roasted garlic oil.
Alongside the chicken, the 2017 Cascina Tavijn di Nadia Verrua Ottavio is a natural wine from Monferrato, Piedmont, Italy. It’s made from Grignolino, a rare grape known for chewy tannins. The wine is fermented in glass vats and stainless steel to preserve fruit flavours and tannins. Best enjoyed by tannin enthusiasts: I don’t manage more than a sip but appreciate the palate-broadening experience. On the other hand, the cherry juice mate with toasted chestnut resembles a bold red wine in colour and flavour.
Coriander, lemongrass and cucumber sorbet cleanses the palate on our way to dessert. It’s velvety smooth and herbaceous with a very gentle sweetness in the conclusion.
SIX – Sea Buckthorn Sorbet
The marriage of tangy sea buckthorn sorbet, creamy vanilla mousse, and briny seaweed is an unexpected delight, with the sweet crunch of peanut brittle and the juicy bite of mango adding balance and complexity. The sorbet is the star of the show, its vibrant orange hue and tart flavour a refreshing contrast to the richness of the mousse.
2022 Mizubasho, Artist Series, Kawabe Village, Japan, is a dessert sake inspired by art, with flavours of pear and peaches. It is made close to Tokyo and is best enjoyed by taking a bite of dessert, followed by a sip of sake. The last juice pairing is rooibos lemon sweet tea with grapes. Oxidation mellows the sweetness, while lemon adds a citrusy note, and the tea contributes a slightly bitter tannic finish.
Petit Four
Petit fours, done well, are like the encore to a meal; you think the show’s done, but the stars return with one last number, imprinting the final memory and enthusiasm of the performance in your mind. At Villa Frantzén, it’s freshly baked miso madeleines with tangy raspberry softened by liquorice sugar. Even sceptics (a.k.a. hubby) can’t resist – one taste, and moments later, they’re all gone.
Villa Frantzén Review
Villa Frantzén Bangkok offers a dining experience that is both unique and unforgettable. The menu is a masterful blend of Nordic and Asian cuisines, and the wine pairings are cleverly chosen. The service is impeccable, and the atmosphere is both elegant and inviting. If you’re looking for a special occasion restaurant or want to experience some of the best food in Bangkok, consider checking out Villa Frantzén.
Reasons to visit Villa Frantzén: beautiful private bungalow location with gorgeous gardens, separate bar and dining areas, and several private rooms; an excellent location to host events or a memorable night out with gourmet friends; beverage pairings that are spot on; a pre or post-dinner drink at the bar.
Villa Frantzén
7 Soi Yen Akat 3, Khwaeng Chong Nonsi
Khet Yan Nawa, Bangkok 10120
+66 87 344 8222
@villafrantzen #frantzengroup #villafrantzen
@heavensportfolio
Villa Frantzén Opening Hours
Restaurant: Tuesday-Sunday 17:30 – 23:00
Lunch service: Saturday-Sunday, 12:00 – 13:30 (last seating)
Cocktail Bar: Tuesday–Sunday 17:00 – 00:00
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The villa is absolutely gorgeous!