ADHOC Bangkok – A Farm-to-fork Modern Thai Experience
Words: Alison Christ
Photos: Monica Tindall
One evening last week, I was exploring my new hood in Bangkok with my rescue dog, Rave. He was doing his usual sniffing around, and I happened to look up and see a small sign displaying the word ADHOC. Oh wow, I say to Rave (he ignores me), I’m eating here next week with Monica! The space inside looks architecturally intriguing, and I can’t wait to get inside.
ADHOC Bangkok
On the night I am meeting Monica at ADHOC Bangkok for our 11-course Thai dining experience (THB 3,900++). Chef Pop herself greets me at the door, like a friend inviting me into her home. As I am escorted up to the third floor, I want to stop on each level and ooh and awe at the artwork, romantic table settings, and all the little things adorning the eloquently designed space. I reach the third floor to find Monica bursting with joy over our private dining room. This room can seat up to six people maximum. Tonight, Monica and I have it all to ourselves, along with our very amazing server, Amigo (how apropos that her name is Amigo, we are feeling like friends already). Amigo proves to be lovely, knowledgeable, and perfectly attentive to our every possible need and to my one hundred questions.
On our beautifully set table for two is a handmade ceramic charger plate. Monica admires it, and Amigo tells us that the Chef has hand-picked out this plate and all of the plates and dishes we will see tonight. Each one is very special, whether by design or function, adding to the wow factor of the experience. The beige ripples and dark brown centre were crafted to resemble the mountains and the sea, representing the north and the south of Thailand, where Chef Pop shares her cultural heritage.
ADHOC Bangkok Beverage Pairings
Amigo informs us about the different beverage pairing options we have. The Chef’s Pairing offers a unique selection of meads and other fermented brews, three glasses for THB 1,350++ or six glasses for THB 2,700++. There is also a Kombucha pairing of four glasses for THB 999++ for those abstaining from alcohol, and finally, two different wine pairings. Can you guess which one Monica and I pick? No brainer, really! Wine, please! The first option is a Thai wine pairing for three glasses THB1,900 ++, but since we just did the GranMonte wine pairing at dinner last night, we go for the regular wine pairing of five glasses 2,500 THB ++. It’s my impression that the wine selection changes frequently so the wines we are served tonight might be different when you come to ADHOC Bangkok for dinner.
Farm-to-fork Modern Thai Experience
ADHOC Bangkok boasts itself as a genuinely Thai, farm-to-fork, modern Thai experience run by Chef Pop, a well-travelled Thai chef. She creates menus using her instinct and her generational Thai roots. She is deeply passionate about sustainability and supporting local Thai farmers. Pop strives to use only organic, raw materials that are environmentally friendly, fresh, and of the highest quality.
We are served the first three “courses” in unison; they are actually small amuse-sized bites considered part of the 11-course journey we are about to embark on.
Add-on
Our first dish is a surprise from Chef Pop, the Lon Kem Bak Nut offered on the menu as an add-on for THB 390++. This menu starts small but grows in size as we continue on. I recommend adding this on, not for hunger’s sake but because it’s so darn delicious. The herbs, spices, and coconut cream collide with a burst of flavours in our mouths. This one requires two bites, and I almost don’t want to destroy its intricate layers and tiny edible flowers inside its delicate vessel, reminiscent of a cannoli shell but thinner and more fragile. Chef tells us that Lon is the very core of Thai cooking, representing the gentler, kinder side of relishes, and it means to simmer in coconut cream. Lon is always made with a fermented base, and Buk Nut is a word from a province in the northeastern part of Thailand. It means pineapple. Chef has fermented pineapple with fish and salt for two months and simmered it with coconut cream and other aromatics. Then, mixed it with sous vide banana shrimp. Monica and I are loving every second of it.
ADHOC Bangkok Amuse-bouche
Our next dish Tawee Farm Pork with Quail Egg, House-made Chili Sauce, and Bun arrives on one of the coolest serving plates ever. It’s a big round ceramic and yellow, Monica moves it for her photo only to find that it has been heated. So clever to keep these delicate small bites warm. I put the whole amuse-bouche in my mouth, and as I chew, my first impression is… these are bacon and egg sandwiches for queens! Or kings! Absolutely spectacular. I am already excited about the décor and design of the once-house-turned-fine dining private kitchen, and from hearing a lot of good things about Chef Pop, this most pleasurable treat of pork belly and quail egg with just a dab of super flavourful chilli sauce carefully dotted underneath the small bun has gotten me giddy!
Our next bite of Bigfin Reef Squid with Roasted Sticky Rice, Thua Nao, Celtuce, and Tomato is also on a warm stone. Monica and I also love this (the food and the warm stone). These look like a pastry or a cookie but are actually a savoury dish with nice heat and spice that does not overwhelm the fresh squid flavour.
Next up (literally up three flights of stairs, these girls are getting their exercise) is Giant Trevally Smoked Dry Fish, Longan, Local Seaweed and Som-Sa Dressing. Amigo gently spoons something white and smoking over the top and informs us that this is the Som-Sa Dressing, which has been frozen. The display is fun, and we are instructed to mix everything together before we dive in. The fish is fresh and delicate with tiny, perfect circles of beetroot. The som-sa, a Southeast Asian citrus, is refreshing and compliments the dish.
Wine Pairing
Granmonte Cremant Methode Traditional, Khao Yai, Thailand 2019, is served with the first four dishes. If you’ve never tried Thai wine before, I highly recommend that you start with this one. I’ve had it a few times already, and it’s well done, delicious, and pairs amazingly with spicy Thai food and seafood dishes. It’s definitely a great choice for everything we’ve eaten so far.
Now we are served our second wine pairing, which will accompany the next two courses, a classic Chardonnay from Burgundy, which is poured using a Coravin (a wine preservation system that allows fine restaurants to offer high-end wines by the glass without fear of them becoming oxidised). The Thibault Liger-Belair “Les Charmes” Nuit-Saint-Georges, Burgundy, France, 2019 is a small production biodynamic fine wine that sees only 40 per cent new oak, so the wine remains fresh, reflects the terroir of the Côte d’Or and pairs perfectly with delicate seafood dishes.
Fish
Our Goby, House-made Bun, Thai Tabasco and Assorted Pickles arrives. Amigo tells us how Chef Pop envisioned this dish while tasting her way through Saturdays on a trip to Malaysia. Monica and I have both lived in Malaysia for a very long time, and we’ve tried countless versions of satay. We both agree this is one of the best and most creative we’ve ever had, and my first done with fish! The fresh catch of goby fish is sourced directly from Chachoengsao and slow-cooked to perfection using fragrant longan wood, accompanied by tiny house-made buns served on their own special plate. I’d love to bottle the house-made Thai tabasco and satay sauce. Pak paew (a traditional Thai herb) and the flavourful coconut vinegar are both adding to the dish’s complexity. I feel the Burgundy is a little bit lost in translation with the spice of this dish, but still lovely.
Let’s see how it does with the Blue Crab and Thai Mackerel, Herbs, Curry Paste Rice, and Southern Bu-Do Sauce. Bu Do sauce is a traditional southern Thai sauce made from fermented fish with salt, not to be confused with one of my favourite R&B artists Erykah Badu (which is now playing in my head).
Crab
Monica and I are wow-ed with the dish used for the crab. Again, Chef Pop has outdone herself with the visuals. This blue bowl of tentacle-looking arms is so cool, I want one. Amigo comments on its fragility, and I can imagine it’s only safe to carry two at a time, one in each hand. Defying all practicality here is the essence of our journey so far. I am actually petting my plate! I stop and focus on the exquisitely prepared dish in front of me. This recipe is handed down from Chef’s grandmother, and I feel nostalgic as Amigo lists the 12 different vegetables, including Monica’s favourite, torch ginger. There is a thin cracker-like disc on top adorned with the sweetest, tiniest edible flowers you can imagine. This is not a cracker at all, but chicken skin, oh my! Fantastic, I have no idea how to achieve this in the kitchen, but Chef sure does. I am loving this and the plate it rode in on. The Thibault Liger-Belair is beginning to sing in my glass and I fear the last sip is coming soon.
Soup
Our next dish is soup and we are informed that there is no wine pairing with soup, which I guess is a thing, so I go with it. Banana Prawn (a type of prawn found in warm water and mildly resembles a banana) with Egg Tofu, Hua Hin Caviar and Sam Kler Soup. Sam ller is popular in Thai cuisine and translates to three friends or three amigos (not to be confused with the Amigo taking excellent care of us tonight). I do hear this used often when speaking with Thai or Lao chefs and I find it endearing. The three friends are coriander root, garlic, and pepper. This soup is very interesting and has layers of texture, and I feel like I am on a treasure hunt examining things like fleshy bites of something that we think looks like onions, but we find out it is coconut flesh. It might be just me, but it reminds me of French onion soup, yet it has nothing to do with it. It’s delicious and fun to eat, and I hardly notice that I have no wine.
ADHOC Bangkok – Red Wine
Amigo to the rescue with the first red wine of the evening, Château Poupille, Côtes de Bordeaux Castillon 2016. It’s also a biodynamic wine with all classic “Bordeaux notes” leather, pencil shavings, plums and dark berries. It’s 2016, and drinking well with smooth tannins. It should be fantastic with the Thai Wagyu with Bamboo shoots, Yum Beans, Khao Tod and Bai Yanang Sauce. I admit that I Googled Yum Bean, not realising the dish was Yum as in a mix of… Yum, meaning “mix,” in Thai is a dish consisting of meat, fish, or seafood together with many other typically Thai ingredients, which may include peanuts, fruit, herbs, and, in this case, beans. The act of mixing ingredients is key to creating a balance of sweet, salty, and spicy, and here we have Yum.
This wagyu is served with a small gold butter knife – as if we need any knife at all; it is so tender and delectable; my favourite part of this dish is the mind blowing-ly amazing strips of wagyu short rib on top. A first for me, having strips of short ribs, I can only imagine the knife-cutting skills required to achieve this cut of beef. The khao tod in the form of a tiny cube of sticky rice on the side is like giving candy to a kid. The bai yanang yum beans and spicy bamboo are all melding together to enhance the experience. There is a bit of spice, and I take another sip of The Poupille; it goes down all too easy. I sit back and relax; I am satiated and most definitely ready for dessert.
Monica mentions a second main course and I try to climb out of my pleasurable food and wine haze and look down at the menu. Wait, what? A second main course and fish with pinot noir? I’m thinking of Twilight Zone, and Monica chimes in again and says that this is a trend in fine dining in Asian restaurants, serving fish after beef and having two main courses. I am a non-conformist when it comes to pairing wine and food; I’m 100% on board with red wine and fish when done logically. So, Burgundy with our second main fish dish is not a problem for me. I just really can’t eat anymore. Everything has been spectacular up until now, and we still have dessert.
Palate Cleanser
Amigo to the rescue again. She says not to fret. We have a refreshing palate cleanser on the way: Lemon Tea, O-Aew and Honey Yoghurt Mousse. O-Aew is a jelly-like dish created by Hokkien Chinese immigrants in Phuket made from the fruit of a type of fig tree called o-aew. O-aew… oh wow, it’s presently beautifully and in my notes, I write the lone word “yum.” I spoon it all into my mouth, smile, and somehow, I am eager for a fish course. Please, Amigo, help me out with some delicious red Burgundy before I can continue on. Amigo obliges, she fills our big bulbous Burgundy glasses with Domaine Odoul-Coquard “Les Argillats” Nuits-Saint-George, Burgundy, France, 2021. There is something like three barrels of this wine produced, and I am wishing I had a way to save my share for a few more years, but my second option is to drink it now! Yes, it is a special wine, and I am trying hard to save some for the second main course, which is arriving just in time.
Fish
Maybe the most beautiful piece of Leopard Coral Grouper is placed in front of me alongside Cashew nut, Dried Shrimp, Pork neck with Cumin leaves, Southern curry, Paco fern, and Yellow Steamed Ou-Doi Rice. There’s an array of dips and sauces, veggies, and pork neck, and honestly, I am overwhelmed. I try to taste everything and savour the moment with the Odoul-Coquard. I’ve tapped out, but I cannot continue. Except, my god, this pork neck is ridiculous; how can I possibly fit another bite? I do it. Amigo comes, she clears, and I feel slightly defeated. Monica doesn’t finish her pork neck, and I again cannot bear to let it leave this table (oh please, Amigo, might I take this poor little pork neck home with me? Absolutely says Amigo). Moments later, I have a small little takeaway with me at my side.
ADHOC Bangkok Dessert
Dessert. Did I mention two desserts? I have to get up and walk around for a few moments, so I take this time to check out the washroom, which, upon our arrival, I noticed was very cool…it is one of the coolest toilets ever! Co-ed with a huge marble basin for hand washing with cloth towels, aroma therapy sticks, and a huge mirror that reflects the room behind and the lush greenery outside.
I head back to the table where Amigo is already prepping us with a delightful sparkling dessert wine, “On the Rocks” by Sieur d’Arques Limoux Doux, Languedoc, France. This is a playful, low-alcohol sparkling wine that is bursting with tropical fruit and has fresh acidity, so it’s not too sweet. Our dessert, Smoked Milk Ice Cream, Corn, Honey, and Tuile, is placed in front of us. I will not lie, I would never order a dessert with milk and corn (I mostly never order dessert at all), but this is one of the best desserts I have ever had in all of my dining experience. I am truly blown away. The smokiness is reminding me of a single malt (if you’re a whisky drinker now’s the time you should order a glass).
A fine meal would never be complete without a selection of petits fours. Four intricately crafted petit fours are offered, somehow, we manage to devour them all, and there’s chocolate! Yes! I love chocolate; it is a perfect ending to a spectacular experience.
ADHOC Bangkok
Monica and I hug good night, walk down the stairs (pass by some romantic diners on the second floor), receive a very warm farewell from the gracious kitchen team, and off we go. Lucky for me, I am only a ten-minute walk home. Don’t tell anyone, but later in the evening, I do find myself standing at my fridge, and I finish off that most delectable, sweet, and tender leftover pork neck, which alone is worth the journey to ADHOC Bangkok.
Reasons to visit ADHOC Bangkok: Creative and delicious food, immaculate service, stunning interior design, intimate dining spaces, Smoked Milk Ice Cream dessert, locally sourced sustainable ingredients, and a fine selection of artisanal and bio fine wines.
ADHOC Bangkok
Off of Sukhumvit 39
2 Soi Phrom Si 1, Khlong Tan Nuea, Watthana, Bangkok 10110
BTS Phrom Phong
+ 66 65 143 1111
[email protected]
LINE: @adhocbkk
ADHOC Bangkok Opening Hours
Lunch: 12 pm – 2:30 pm (Sat-Sun)
Dinner: 5 pm – 10:30 pm (Wed-Mon)
Find more gourmet travel recommendations for Thailand here, and stay up-to-date on the latest gourmet and travel happenings around Asia via The Yum List on Instagram and The Yum List on Facebook.