A little bite of paradise

ONE OF the best known Vietnamese restaurants in Bangkok, Thien Duong at the Dusit Thani Bangkok is as renowned for the freshness of its ingredients as much as for its beautiful presentation.

The cuisine of our Southeast Asian neighbour, which features an extensive assortment of fresh herbs and vegetables, is favoured by many diners for its healthy properties and with more than 20 years of experience and several awards to its credit, Thien Duong is the among the first choices of those in search of a fine Vietnamese meal.

Combining old-world Indochinese charm with a contemporary decor, the 80-seat restaurant’s elegance is underlined by solid wood furniture and woodcarvings covered with gold leaf

The extensive menu offers such familiar fare as spring roll, the ubiquitous rice noodle soup known as pho and fried sugarcane skewered minced shrimp. In addition to the generous a la carte offerings, there also a four-course business set lunch for Bt590 and a six-course set menu for Bt1,080.

A terrific starter is Steamed Vietnamese Ravioli Filled with Minced Pork and Shrimp topped with golden-fried shallots (Bt310). On the side are slices of steamed pork sausages and fresh vegetables. 

Sous chef Phumphast Wattithum explains that the made-to-order thin wrapper is prepared from a mixture of wheat, tapioca and corn flours. It’s filled with minced pork, minced shrimp and black jew’s ear mushrooms, which are stir-fried with red onion, garlic and seasoned with salt and pepper before wrapping and steaming.

The dish is best enjoyed with relish and Thien Duong’s relish is second to none. Its base ingredients are julienned carrot and white turnip, which are marinated in vinegar, sugar and salt overnight before being blended with fish sauce, sugar and red chilli puree. 

“The relish should be the right balance of sweet, sour and spicy,” says Phumphast.

We next savour the Crispy Soft Shell Crab in Fresh Spring Rolls (Bt310). The soft shell crab is cooked with wheat and corn flours before being deep-fried and mixed with fresh vegetables and salad leaves.

One of the best-selling dishes is Fried Sugarcane Skewered Minced Shrimp (Bt420) that is served with steamed rice vermicelli. Made entirely from shrimp, the cake is dressed slightly with egg, sugar and pepper before being wrapped around on sugarcane skewers. It is then steamed and flash fried just before serving.

The secret to preparing Deep-Fried John Dory Fish with Lemongrass Sauce (Bt495), says Phumphast, is to cook the fish with wheat flour, lemon and salt before deep-frying to ensure the rich golden texture and long-lasting crispness. For the sauce, he adds, he blends lemongrass and tamarind with sugar and red chilli to achieve a sweet-and-sour taste. 

Popular street food Pho is also available with beef, pork, chicken, shrimp, fish and Vietnamese steamed pork sausage (Bt250). The beef version comes with a beef broth that’s made by simmering grilled beef bones and meat with grilled onions and shallots then adding a small amount shrimp paste to enhance flavours. Cinnamon and star anise are used to subdue the strong smell of beef. Pork bone is substituted for the pork pho while the broth for shrimp, fish and chicken pho is made with chicken bones. The shrimp paste here is replaced by tiny dried shrimps and fishes. 

Among the temping desserts are Banana Fritter with Vanilla Ice Cream (Bt230) and Lychee Sherbet in Young Coconut Shell (Bt220).

 

 

A POT OF PHO

>>Thien Duong at Dusit Thani Bangkok is open daily from 11.30 to 2 and from 6.30 to 10. A private room for 10 people is available on request.

>>Book a table at (02) 200 9000 extension 2199.