Salathip always worth the trip

Having dinner at the Shangri-La’s Salathip means taking time to appreciate the beautiful sunset settling on the Chao Phraya River. This exquisite Thai-style teak pavilion has been serving delectable traditional dishes for 25 years.

The decor is contemporary but based on traditional philosophy, with that fine balance of simplicity and elegance. There are three separate pavilions, in fact, for private parties, and a spacious terrace, all furnished with deep brown wooden tables, rattan chairs and earth-tone armchairs. It’s enough room for 138 guests.

Skilful chef Tussanee Putkaew and the kitchen crew proffer dozens of attractive a la carte dishes and glorious set dinners, most hot and spicy, all based on ingredients from the Royal Projects to ensure quality.

“We added some southern-style dishes last month,” says Tussanee. “There’s a difference in the flavours and ingredients. Most southern dishes are made with fresh bird chillies and other spices for the really strong and hot effect.”

Among the most popular dishes at Salathip, particularly among Europeans and Japanese, are Som tum khor moo yang, which is a spicy papaya-and-carrot salad with grilled pork shoulder, and Tom yum kiew goong, hot and sour soup with prawn dumplings.

Also at the top of the list is Nuea ka ta ron, grilled Australian beef tenderloin served in a sizzling wok.

Meals begin with a tray of Toong tong, the deep-fried dumplings stuffed with prawn, and Chor muang, which is steamed flower-shaped dumplings of pork. These are free, as is the rice, white and brown.

We “headed south” for our dinner proper with a Bt520 bowl of hot beef curry and Bt680 worth of stir-fried rice noodles with prawn. Add to that a plate of a spicy pomelo salad with shrimps, roasted coconut and cashew nuts for Bt350 and deep-fried seabass with lemongrass sauce for Bt550.

Also intriguing on the menu are stir-fried spicy roasted duck with Thai herbs (Bt350) and stir-fried pumpkin and taro topped with basil leaves (Bt180).

Perfect thirst quenchers include Blue Jasmine made from lychee, longan, lime and jasmine (Bt270 per glass) and Watermelon Blend (Bt220).

And dessert is exquisite when you have a coconut filled with water chestnut “rubies” in chilled coconut milk (Bt200) and Two-coloured sticky rice with ripe mangoes (Bt280).

Spiced up anew
<< Salathip is on the ground floor of the Shangri-La Hotel.
<< It’s open daily from 6.30pm to 10.30pm. Call (02) 236 7777,
extension 6220.