All stirred up at Yellow Spoon
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A modest bakery on Soi Ekamai serves up some of Bangkok's most delicious savouries and sweets
A COSY and friendly pastry shop located about 50 metres from the mouth of Ekamai Soi 19 is doing a roaring trade thanks, in part, to a clever design that allows customers to watch the chef as she bakes a delicious variety of cakes, tarts and pies.
A smallish space with two small tables out the front and a few seats at the counter, Yellow Spoon Pastry is a pleasant place to while away the hours and enjoy a chat with owner Mintira Vichayadwontirakul and her chef Tawinkarn Ariyavaraddhorn.
Open for less than a month, the cafe has proved a hit with locals, many of them attracted by the fragrant aromas that waft through the open door.
Tawinkarn uses only the best ingredients in her sweet treats and there are rarely any left over at the end of the day. She does her baking in the morning, so take a stool if you want to watch her at work while sampling the pick of the day’s batch.
The outside area is a great place to relax as the sun goes down while enjoying an evening snack of quiche and dessert.
Mintira, who enjoys chatting with customers, says that every effort is made to maintain the original and authentic tastes of the pastries, both savoury and sweet. She should know too, having lived in several countries as a child and munched her way through many different recipes.
Tawinkarn studied patisserie at Le Cordon Bleu Australia and worked as a pastry chef in a leading Thai hotel before becoming an instructor at Le Cordon Bleu in Bangkok.
To ensure the freshness of the pastries, Tawinkarn prepares 10 recipes a day on weekdays and 15 recipes on weekends.
Minitra says the favourites are Apple Rhubarb Lattice Tart (Bt130), Tiramisu (Bt170 per cup), Lemon Meringue Tart (Bt130), Quiche (Bt130) and Salted Caramel Chocolate Cake (Bt130).
I particularly enjoy the apple tart, which Mintira tells me is made to the original US recipe. The lattice style is the signature of the shop and the tart screams out for a generous dollop of vanilla ice cream.
The Tiramisu, made from Italian mascarpone cheese and Lavazzo’s espresso coffee, is rich but not too sweet while the lemon tart has a refreshing tang that goes well with the sweet lemon cream. It’s encased in a crispy and buttery tart crust, topped with meringue then torched for a fragrant smoky smell.
The quiche is available in four flavours – Lorraine (bacon), spinach, caramelised onion, and salmon leek – and Mintira is pleased that these have become the best-sellers.
The Salted Caramel Chocolate Cake is an interesting blend of salt, sweet and bitter. The caramel butter cream topping delivers the salt while the caramel has both bitter and sweet varieties.
Yellow Spoon also offers fresh juices, coffee and tea.
JUST LIKE HEAVEN
>>Yellow Spoon Pastry is on Soi Ekamai, near the Phetchaburi Road end.
>>It’s open from 10 to 8 on weekdays and from 9 to 9 on weekends. It’s closed on Wednesdays.
>>Home delivery service is available through BikeXenger.
>>Find out more at Facebook.com/yspastry.
