Yes you may, daughter dearest

WITH MOTHER MAY I, a new restaurant in downtown Bangkok, Nataya Itthirattanakomol is aiming for the same success her elder brother Attapol has had with the Pattaya beachfront restaurants Glass House and Silver Lining. And it’s not like she needed her mum’s permission.

A short way down Sukhumvit Soi 59, the homey restaurant shaded by big banyan, mango, and chestnut trees feels like it’s a long way from the urban roar. Mother May I occupies 300 square metres in a 40-year-old, two-storey house, a sanctuary of Thai “comfort food” – cooked just like “mum used to make”. Here, though, Nataya is offering to do the cooking for all mothers.

They’ve replaced the concrete wall on the first floor with glass to let the light stream in and let the diner’s gaze stream out to the lovely greenery. 

Just three months old, Mother May I is delightfully uncluttered inside. The wooden chairs and tables are white or natural shades with cushions of indigo. About 60 people can dine in the main section and another 15 in a private room. When the weather’s nice you can eat outdoors under the trees while lounging in a comfy beanbag chair. The backyard garden will soon be devoted to barbecue parties.

“I want everything to remind you of all the comforts of home and the food your mother made,” says Nataya, who studied graphic design at college. 

“We’re close to Soi Thonglor here – probably Bangkok’s most dynamic area in terms of gastronomy – but it’s not easy finding a place that serves 

Thai-style home-cooked meals in a shady garden like this. And I expect that our reasonable prices, the free wifi and the relaxing ambience will keep the customers coming back.”

Thaninthorn “Noom” Chantrawan, who’s appeared on “Iron Chef Thailand”, creates simple yet pleasing dishes, typified by his clear soup with a minced-pork omelette. “It’s the nature of motherhood to always seek out what’s best for children to eat,” Noom says, “and here we’re very careful in selecting the best-quality ingredients. It’s nothing fancy – just simple and tempting food.” 

Noom invited his fellow Iron Chefs to create variations on the all-time-favourite omelette. His is called Kai Ku Fu, a crispy version with minced pork and tobiko (flying-fish roe), for Bt120. Peter Lai came up with Kai Jom Yud, which has seafood and green tobiko in abalone sauce for Bt185. Thanarak Chuto’s Kai Ting Lee has a 

 salted egg, a hundred-year-old egg and chillies for Bt165. And Chumphol Jangprai’s Kai Ai Teng has squid, black squid ink and sweet basil, for Bt145.

Another treat, the Southern-style Deep-fried Chicken Thigh (Bt195) is marinated in turmeric and served with golden-fried shallots on top, and on the side steamed rice in coconut cream and an Isaan-style jaew dip. The Fried Chicken Wings (Bt115) are also marinated and topped with fried garlic and slices of chilli. 

In his Mussaman Curry Chicken (Bt220), Noom exchanges the usual potato for unripe durian from Chonburi. The chicken is quickly seared and then slowly cooked through in curry paste and coconut cream, and then left to sit overnight so the ingredients marry. The durian has lost its customary pong, but instead gives the dish a creamy texture.

A perfect counterpoint to the creaminess is Spicy Thai Salad with Prawn and White Turmeric (Bt125), with a real tangy kick. And the Thai-Chinese dish Stir-fried Minced Pork with Salted Chinese Black Olive (Bt155) uses nam puay (peeled and seedless olives), the result being a wonderful sweet and salty mixture.

“I prefer nam puay to nam liab,” Noom says, referring to the Chinese olive with its seeds left intact. “When fried with minced pork it gives that distinct flavour – sweet, salty and rich – and meanwhile the leafy pak waan adds crispness.”

Lovely with hot steamed rice is Pan-fried Minced Pork and Salted Fish (Bt140), topped with shredded raw mango, shallot, chillies and a slice of lemon. “I use fried, salted pla insee [king mackerel] and pla kurao [threadfin], mixed with minced pork and cooked with garlic, pepper and shallots,” Noom says. “Minced shrimp is added to bind all the meat together, and the tangy raw mango balances out the saltiness.”

Quite apart from mealtimes, Mother May I is also a great spot to relax over coffee and sweets, of which there’s an extensive range. Among the best are Thai Creme Brulee with Roasted Banana (Bt195), Mille Feuille (Bt155), Brownie Topped with Green Tea Ice Cream and Caramel Sauce (Bt155), and Happy Meringue with Fresh Cream and Fruit (Bt150).

 

MUM IS DELIGHTED

Mother May I on Sukhumvit Soi 59 is open daily except Monday from 11am to 10pm. The Thonglor Skytrain station isn’t too far. 

Make reservations at (097) 990 5990 or the “Mother May I” page on Facebook.