The silken treats of Bombyx

YOU’D EXPECT silk company Jim Thompson to be artful in its ventures into fine dining, and its new restaurant-bar Bombyx is certainly that. It’s next to the Jim Thompson store at the quieter end of Siam Paragon, making it ideal for relaxing, even intimate meals.
The dimness is deliberate to show off the artwork displayed on a rotation basis. The tables are modular and hexagonal, allowing for flexible uses. The place is modest in size, big enough for 34 diners, with another five folks seated at the bar.
Bombyx gets its name from the genus category of the silkworm on which Jim Thompson’s empire was built. For this year at least the restaurant is decorated with the work of National Artist Ithipol Thangchalok, whose abstracts the firm recently printed on a limited edition of scarves. 

Bombyx at Siam Paragon is the Jim Thompson silk firm’s latest F&B offering, where the concepts of fine art and fine dining meet.

Silk rectangles bearing his patterns drape from the ceiling like undulating waves. The wallpaper and tabletops bear reproductions of his complex twirling blue lines.
In the kitchen, chef Phongsak Mikhunthong leads a team that incorporates authentic-tasting Thai classics with Western cooking techniques and presentation.

Deep-fried Salmon Spring Rolls 

An excellent starter, Deep-fried Salmon Spring Rolls (Bt250) replace the usual shrimp-noodle-pork stuffing with Norwegian salmon that’s been luxuriating in milk to keep it juicy once fried. The fish is wrapped in leaves of sweet basil to retain moisture, then in rice paper. 
The rolls arrive with tartar sauce instead of plum sauce, and on the side a decorative flourish of edible rose petals, butterfly peas, Chinese cabbage blossoms and spinach, a lively contrast in colours.

Chef Phongsak compares the oval blue plates on which the food is presented to artists’ palettes. 
“You need to decide what kind of food best fits the shape and which colours to add to bring out the beauty of the main dish,” he says. “It should please to both the taste buds and the eyes.”

Green Curry with Grilled Salmon

Salmon also features in his Green Curry (Bt360), ousting the customary chicken or beef. A 170-gram fillet is grilled and then further cooked in coconut cream with eggplant, pea aubergine and Thai basil. Personally, I found the dish a bit sweet. 

Panang Curry with Sliced Australian Beef

The Red Curry (Bt540) has a slab of Australian beef tenderloin weighing 180 to 200 grams, grilled and roasted to medium doneness. 
Both curries are cooked with less coconut cream (kluk klik in Thai) than is typically used.
Phongsak’s Tom Yum Goong (Bt250) offers shrimp wontons in clear, sour soup with shimeji mushrooms and sweet basil.

Sour Soup with Shrimp Wontons

“The wontons are all shrimp – no pork fat added,” he says. “The wrappers are filled with both minced and diced shrimp that’s seasoned with salt, pepper and soy and sesame sauces. The broth has a base of shallots and onions, with grilled fish added to lend it a more aromatic flavour.”
Phongsak has given Northern-style khao soi a marvellous modernisation. For Bt280 you get Japanese whole-wheat soba noodles in place of egg noodles, cooked in curry sauce with grilled duck. 

Curried Soba Noodles with Grilled Duck

The curry is made with coconut cream, curry and masala powders, tamarind sauce, palm sugar and salt. The duck is marinated overnight in Chinese five-spice powder and soy sauce, then roasted and grilled. 
Topped with crisply deep-fried egg noodles, the dish is served alongside chopped shallots, slices of lemon, pickled greens, and fried ground chilli.

Fried Rice with Shrimp Paste and Chilli, Deep-fried Catfish and Sweet Chicken 

Also worth trying is Fried Rice with Shrimp Paste and Chilli, Deep-fried Catfish and Sweet Chicken (Bt320). 
They grind together shrimp paste, dried shrimps, shallot, pickled garlic and salted egg, fry the mix with rice, and season the lot with fish sauce, palm sugar and lemon juice. It’s presented with puff-fried catfish, sweetened chicken, ginger and more pickled garlic and chilli.

Banana and Salted Caramel Tart with Passion Fruit and Banana Cream

Banana and Salted Caramel Tart with Passion Fruit and Banana Cream (Bt250) is a perfect ending to the meal, a magical combination of sweet and tangy and soft and crispy.
Bombyx has an extensive list of drinks. If you shun booze, have a Rose Cobbler (Bt190) mingling watermelon and lime juice, diced watermelon and rose lemonade. 
For an alcohol kick, opt for a Gin Khao (Bt280), which does wonders with gin, Thai tea, Earl Grey tea and roasted ground rice. 

UNDER THE MULBERRY
Bombyx is on M Floor at Siam Paragon and open daily from 10 to 10. 
Book a table at (02) 129 4840 or www.JimThompsonBombyx.com.