Grapes of pure joy

Once regarded as the exclusive hangouts of the smart set, wine bistros have slowly gained acceptance among ordinary folk over the past few years. Bangkok and its suburbs are today home to an increasing number of small and cosy wine bars where guests can chill over a bottle of their favourite varietal and enjoy a meal, all without breaking the bank. 

Despite the slightly cliched name, the newly-opened Wine We Well at Crystal Design Centre calls itself a restaurant, not a bistro, and serves a variety of fusion French dishes designed to complement a choice of Old or New World wines, all of them carefully selected by the in-house sommelier.

“We are neither bistro nor a fine-dining establishment with white linen covered tables where you have to worry about the dress code and wine expertise. We’re a relaxed restaurant with a 160 labels on our wine list. We pay attention to service and most premium ingredients are imported. Even our baguettes are flown in from France every two days. I tasted many baguettes baked here but couldn’t find one than tasted French. There is no frozen meat or seafood and we use no monosodium glutamate in any dish,” says owner Supamas Isarabhakdi.

If her name is familiar, that’s because she used to be a member of the House of Representatives and is now a spokeswoman for the Bhum Jai Thai party. Supamas and her husband Police Colonel Lampun Puntanaprates are both gourmets with a particular love of European cuisine.

“Great French food is available at fine-dining restaurants but most people can only afford to go there once every several months or on a special celebration due to the high price of the dishes. We’ve opened this restaurant to serve a full range of French food at affordable prices,” she says.

Wine We Well can be easily identified by the giant wine bottle standing out front. Decorated in black and gold, which gives off a warm ambience, it features separate wine cellars for red and white wines, which range from light in body with delicate fragrance to robust wines with intense aromas. It can accommodate 40 guests indoors and another 60 in its alfresco dining area. Supamas’ pride is the open kitchen, where guests can look on as the culinary team prepares their dinner.

Wine guru Pairat Intaput serves as the restaurant’s consultant in selecting wines, which cost from Bt950 to Bt50,000 per bottle (more if really want something special), and Bt180 by the glass. 

“With more varietels on the market and a larger range in terms in price, Thais are now drinking more wine. Globally too, wine is regarded as more sophisticated than hard alcohol. To me, wine belongs with food. It is an essential part of the dining experience because it adds extra complexity and a layer of flavour profile to fine dining,” she says. “My husband knows a Danish wine maestro who selects wine for the world’s best known restaurant Noma in Denmark and he’s offered advice on pairing wines with our dishes.”

Iron Chef Chumpol Jangprai serves as the restaurant’s food consultant. Though calling Wine We Well “fusion French”, Supamas says the dishes are true to traditional French recipes but with the addition of more herbs and spices “to please the Thai palate”. 

“We don’t combine the various cuisines of different countries into a single eating experience. We still stick to French cuisine but for mushroom soup, say, we put in more artichoke,” she explains. She recommends we start with the soft shell crab salad (Bt290), a fresh organic green salad with deep-fried soft shell crabs, served with shrimp roe mayonnaise and sesame dressing on the side. The soft shell crabs are crispy with plenty of spices and go best with fresh vegetables. The dish is best matched with a New World Sauvignon Blanc. 

“It can be a Sauvignon Blanc from New Zealand or Chile. When slightly chilled, it is light and refreshing,” says the restaurant’s sommelier Siwapol Patumanondh.

Another tempting dish is lobster bisque (Bt790), which arrives with a half Boston lobster in the creamy soup. The sommelier introduces us to a New World Chardonnay that is distinctive for its rich, buttery and oak aroma in full body. Next up is angel hair pasta with olive oil, garlic, dried chilli, shrimp and bacon for Bt250.

The French-style frog legs for Bt350 are pleasing. Sauteed with garlic butter, fresh parsley, crispy bacon and garlic, they taste like chicken and indeed the texture is similar to chicken wings. Siwapol recommends pairing the dish with Albarino from Spain 

“The frog legs are full of spices and contain a bit of oil so this wine is good for overcoming any oiliness thanks to its fantastic acidity. However, there is no absolute right or wrong food and wine pairing, so enjoy the wine with whatever food you like. Wine selection is subjective and depends on personal tastes,” says Siwapol.

Carnivores may enjoy premium wagyu lamb rack for Bt790. The roasted, grain-fed wagyu lamb from Australia is praised for its tenderness and juiciness and is cooked with egg plant caviar and thyme and served with romaine, baby carrots and lamb sauce – not the familiar mint one. 

“I would recommend Barossa shiraz or syrah from Southern France with this dish. Lamb has a peculiar odour and this wine is full-bodied, strong and powerful and won’t be overwhelmed by the meat,” says the sommelier. 

For dessert, we sample crepe suzette (Bt190) served with orange cointreau sauce and vanilla ice cream. Siwapol recommends a sweet French Sauternes or Alsace Gewurztraminer but we pass in favour of coffee.

 

PERFECT PAIRINGS

<< Wine We Well is at Crystal Design Centre on Ram Indra-Ekamai Road. It’s open daily from 6pm to midnight. Call (02) 102 2515 or (080) 205 1111.