The chef’s dining concept at The House on Sathorn reflects his passion for his art
by Christopher Scott Dixon
an exterior shot of the House on Sathorn
There it was, as the fading sun slipped below the horizon, the House on Sathorn. It is quite simply an oasis of charm and elegance amid the bland modernity of the nearby lofty office blocks.
It is located just off the Sathorn and Narathiwas intersection in Bangkok and it nestles close to the W Hotel. This 126-year-old former colonial and royal mansion boasts a long and distinguished history and was once the home of the Russian Embassy. It is now welcoming diners and guests to experience its stylish and opulent interior.
Better known as The House, it comprises a restaurant aptly named The Dining Room. The Bar is available for informal drinks and The Courtyard is an al fresco bistro for dining and afternoon tea. Upstairs is an exclusive club lounge with live music and hospitality suites, which serves as a private function space.
The design concept marries classical and contemporary styles in the form of tapestries, art work, photography, sculptures and paintings, a successful and respectful union of old and new.
Entering the Dining Room, which has a capacity of 38, helping to develop a more intimate atmosphere, we perched on high bar stools at the counter and had an ideal view overlooking an open cooking station to watch Turkish-born Chef Fatih Tutak create the dishes we would be sampling. His culinary credentials are as impressive as the venue, with experience in the former world number one restaurant Noma in Denmark and stints at other top establishments in Singapore, Bejing and Tokyo.
Some of the House’s signatures:
 Everbody loves Chocolate |
 Early Morning @ Tsukiji Market |
 PIER 9 |
 Hunting |
The chef’s dining concept reflects not only his obvious passion for his art, but incorporates his travel experiences and background, as he explains: ‘Each dish has its own identity and a tale behind it. I want to take people with me and create a relationship with them and the food.’
The menu is small but perfectly formed, and items are changed regularly so as to maintain variety. It uses clever headings such as “Start to Explore,” “Continue to Savor,” and “Sweet End,” to signpost the different food stages; and this is indeed a skilled international gastronomic journey derived from Chef Fatih’s career.
We sipped on a refreshing Lavau Chardonnay 2011 and were presented with a snack called “The Birds Nest” – a cute and tasty concoction of deep fried potatoes, mushrooms, truffles and a basil dressing.
Diving into a starter called Deep and Shallow, we were greeted with a flavorful marriage of pancove mussels, squid ink, seaweed oil, horseradish snow and salty fingers.
As the evening sky outside the high windows turned to ebony, we embarked on the next stage called “From My Childhood”, which is a delicious fusion of eggplant, eggplant puree, hummus, grilled okra, tomato paste and powder, and a clear jelly.
My wife and I metaphorically visited Japan with “Early Morning at Tsukiji Market” – a scrumptious blue fin tuna sashimi with avocado and wasabi.
The Dining Room was filling up with a mix of diners as eclectic as the menu, as we moved onto the mains. We were generously treated to four dishes, but space permits me to discuss only two of them.
Pier 9 continued with the Japanese seafood theme with a succulent jumbo river prawn, cheese sauce, and Kabocha pumpkin.
“Hunting” was a tender duck breast with onion noodles and a pomegranate sauce.
With the evening lengthening, for dessert we tried the aptly named “On My Way Home to Silom”, which is a moreish baked banana with a banana mousse and toffee. Followed by “Everybody Loves Chocolate”, which was a wonderful hot chocolate biscuit-fused dessert, with matcha green tea and Okinawa sugar ice cream.
The House on Sathorn is rich in history, offers a classy but fun environment with a flamboyant chef and ingenious menu.
House on Sathorn
106,108 North Sathorn Rd, Silom, Bangrak, Bangkok
Tel: 02 344 4000
