Circular Food – JW Garden Khao Lak
Monica Tindall
On the gold-tinged sands of Khuk Khak Beach, JW Marriott Khao Lak’s Drift Beach Bar & Grill has set the table for something refreshingly bold: SOWN & Reborn, Southeast Asia’s first fully circular food, farm-to-beachfront tasting menu. It was dreamed up by Silvano Amolini (whose CV includes Amanpuri and Trisara) and is brought to life by Chef de Cuisine Arkom Witoonpan, fondly known as Khun Eak. This six-course journey is both grounded and forward-thinking. It celebrates ingredients from the resort’s own 27-acre JW Garden alongside upcycled produce and sustainably sourced local seafood. It’s thoughtful dining with a conscience and a coastal breeze.
Circular Food – JW Garden Khao Lak
Guests can sign up for a circular food experience by booking Drift Beach Bar Grill’s SOWN & Reborn Menu.
The evening begins with a pre-dinner stroll through the JW Garden, where Khun Nuch and Chef Pad warmly introduce me to some of the very ingredients soon to appear on my plate. More than just a collection of edible plants, the garden is a thriving ecosystem—home to goats, chickens, ducks, and even a pair of impressively well-fed buffalo. While the kitchen team has dramatically reduced waste through clever repurposing, anything truly beyond salvage is placed in a neat line of blue bins, fermented into bio-liquid, and returned to the soil as fertiliser. It’s a beautifully literal interpretation of circular cuisine—what comes from the earth, goes back to it.
From there, it’s a short buggy ride to Drift’s sustainable station for canapés and a crash course in zero-waste philosophy. The creativity and care behind each element are quietly impressive—think house-made vegetable stock powder fashioned from kitchen trimmings, or watermelon bites that hero flesh, skin and rind. Offered by reservation each evening, the experience is designed not only to delight the palate but to ignite curiosity around circular sourcing and culinary ingenuity. It’s a clever, convivial statement that here in this beachside haven, even a humble potato skin has purpose.
SOWN & Reborn Menu
The journey begins not with fanfare but with a quietly confident gesture: house-baked multigrain charcoal bread, its inky crust sprinkled with sea salt, served with crisp shards of pizza bread with ajvar—a smoky Balkan-inspired spread of roasted capsicum, eggplant, garlic and a good glug of olive oil. It’s rustic, nourishing, and a subtle nod to resourceful kitchen craft.
In hand, a Pompelmo Spritz (THB 430) sets the tone—Lillet Rosé, Malfy Rosa gin, and Tio Pepe Fino Sherry mingle with a strawberry shrub, prosecco, soda water, and a breath of rose blossom. Served in a generously curved bowl glass, it’s bright, floral, and citrus-led—a sparkling overture that’s as pretty as it is complex.
JW Garden Duck Egg
Just minutes before its arrival, I’d been happily snapping photos of the very ducks responsible for the star of this dish—the JW Garden Duck Egg. Poached, then deep-fried to a golden crisp, the egg arrives in a silky potato espuma, flanked by morning glory prepared three ways: spaghetti, tempura, and—most unexpectedly—gelato.
The green begins innocently enough, stir-fried with garlic and oyster sauce. Then, the culinary curiosity kicks in. Enter mascarpone, and finally, a churn through the ice cream machine to create a savoury-sweet scoop that’s as bewildering as it is brilliant. As my fork breaks the crust, warm yolk spills into the espuma and melts into the chilled gelato. It should feel disjointed—a hot egg and frozen morning glory cream to open the meal—but in the mouth, it’s nothing short of alchemy. Rich, herbaceous, and strangely comforting, it’s a dish that rewires your expectations and rewards your trust.
Umami Power & Prawns
Presented in a bamboo cup and coconut shell bowl, Umami Power & Prawns is a thoughtful ode to flavour and resourcefulness. At the base sits a tom yum royale—all the punchy aromatics of the beloved soup reimagined as a silken chawanmushi-like custard studded with baby shimeji mushrooms. A delicate mound of prawn tartare crowns the pudding, awaiting the final flourish: a rich, vegetable-trimming broth.
Far from an afterthought, this broth is crafted from kitchen scraps—loose leaves and odds and ends are dried, ground into a fine powder, then steeped into a liquid that’s fragrant with kaffir lime and lemongrass. Light yet layered, the broth proves that heat isn’t the only route to flavour. This dish shows restraint and reinvention—comforting, clever, and brimming with umami, as promised.
Wine List
Twelve wines by the glass offer a respectable range, making it easy to explore the menu accompanied by a well-chosen glass, carafe, or bottle. The list also features a handful of local craft beers and several zero-proof cocktails for those seeking variety beyond wine. As you might already know, I’m a strong advocate for rosé in Southeast Asia’s tropical climes—so naturally, a glass of pink was high on my agenda.
The By.Ott Côtes de Provence Rosé 2023 (THB 430) is a refined expression, bursting with fresh aromas of peach, pear, and citrus, underpinned by a subtle whisper of ocean salinity. Crafted primarily from Grenache, Cinsault, Syrah, and Mourvèdre, it delivers a silky mouthfeel with lingering notes of citrus zest and white blossom. With a 93-point rating to its name, this vintage balances vibrant acidity with a long, spicy finish. It’s equally delightful as a quaffer or paired with the delicate fish dishes to come.
Snapper
A curved wooden square plate presents a delicate fish cake, gently wrapped in pickled cucumber and topped with Thai sweet basil, resting on a bed of crisp white noodles. The snapper is finely mashed with fragrant curry to create the paddy—a flavourful little morsel that pairs effortlessly with the rosé.
The Circular Grouper
Pretty on the plate, The Circular Grouper tartare is capped with glossy black balsamic pearls, delivering the perfect acidic counterpoint, while scattered dots of red chilli punctuate the bichromatic palette with a subtle kick. Like its predecessors, the fish is sourced from a nearby sustainable farm in Phuket, where grouper are raised on a natural diet of seaweed and insects—an eco-conscious choice that shines through in the clean, vibrant flavours.
The finely chopped tartare is combined with fragrant pomelo, zesty lemongrass, kaffir lime leaves, red onion, fresh lime juice, and chilli, all lifted by a curious yet elegant grouper jelly made from the fish’s own bone stock. Here, nothing goes to waste: leftover stock is dried into bone powder, and the skin transforms into a delicate, crispy chip. The result is a dish that’s as fresh and delicious as it is a celebration of circular cuisine.
JW Garden Chicken Egg
In this final savoury dish, the humble JW Garden chicken egg takes centre stage—shell and all. Smoked eggshells are incorporated alongside the egg and semolina in the tagliatelle dough, which is both handmade and hand-cut. The pesto is nothing short of extraordinary: a vibrant Thai basil blend from JW Garden enriched with creamy cashew nuts. It’s so darn delicious that I’d dare say it rivals, if not surpasses, the classic Italian original. Parmesan cheese provides the perfect finishing touch.
The smoked eggshells add an unexpected crunch that, try as I might, I can’t help but associate with the familiar—and often unwelcome—crispiness of shell fragments in scrambled eggs from my clumsy childhood. It’s a sensory quirk that’s hard to shake in the moment, but the pesto’s brilliance more than compensates. I happily switch out the pasta and use the last of the bread, in true Italian fashion, to mop up every last drop of sauce in a satisfying scarpetta finale.
Nipa Palm & Pineapple
The nostalgic Nipa Palm candy is a tender homage to childhood sweet treats crafted from nipa palm sugar candy and fresh coconut. They come in two delicate flavours: white infused with lemongrass and green brightened by Thai basil. I’m told these kanom ko sweets were once lovingly rolled by little hands at home—a ritual still honoured here. The candy must be eaten whole, revealing a crunchy palm sugar core in a mochi-like shell thanks to Thai sticky rice powder. The unexpected crackle of caramelised sugar surprises the palate amid gentle chewiness.
Accompanying this is a refined pineapple carpaccio. The thinly sliced fruit is marinated with warming cinnamon and star anise. A quenelle of Thai sweet basil ice cream adds aromatic coolness, balancing spice and sweetness in perfect harmony. Together, these desserts conclude the meal with grace and a subtle nod to local tradition—sweet, fragrant, and utterly memorable.
Circular Food – JW Garden Khao Lak Review
SOWN & Reborn, Drift Beach Bar & Grill’s circular food menu, is a remarkable journey that celebrates sustainability without compromising on flavour or creativity. Each dish reveals thoughtful craftsmanship, highlighting the rich bounty of the organic farm alongside the ingenious upcycling of ingredients. This innovative dining experience not only delights the palate but also invites diners to reflect on the future of responsible, circular cuisine.
Reasons to try the SOWN & Reborn Circular Food Menu: A journey from farm to beachside table; lovely sea views; inspiring use of root to leaf and nose to tail in a zero-waste cuisine menu; an experience presented with heart that stirs hope for a more enlightened future.
SOWN & Reborn – Circular Food
Drift Beach Bar & Grill
JW Marriott Khao Lak
41/12 Moo 3, Khuk Khak
Takuapa, Phang Nga, Thailand 82220
Link to Drift Beach Bar & Grill on Google Maps
+66 76 584 888 @jwmarriottkhaolak
driftkhaolak.com jwkl.fb@marriott.com
SOWN & Reborn Hours
Daily by reservation only
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