Tenors and truffles by the river

THE CHAO Phraya River is a beauty at night, but you’ve already done the dinner cruises, so instead, on September 12 and 13, mix in with other music lovers and gastronomes for a “Weekend of Grand Opera and Culinary Art” at the Anantara Riverside Bangkok Resort.

Spooning couples and whole families alike will enjoy the dual delight – a four-course feast on Saturday evening and high tea on Sunday afternoon – all set to the music of the Grand Opera Thailand.

Fresh from a tour that took them to Bahrain, Pakistan, South Korea and Myanmar, the opera, led by artistic director Stefan Sanchez, will perform for 90 minutes each day – offering entirely different shows. 

The resort spent several months earlier this year modernising its Chaophraya Ballroom with glittering glass walls and elegant lighting. Able to accommodate up to 200 guests, it’s ideal for corporate seminars and wedding ceremonies – and next weekend, grand opera!

“The resort has 10 restaurants, with different chefs preparing different kinds of food, but right now they’re all working together to create new selections for the opera weekend,” says marketing director Elizabeth Dass-Brown. “The highlight will be the wonderful desserts created by Chef Claus Olsen, who worked at Mandarin Oriental Hotel for many years. This will be the amazing event!”

Chefs de cuisine Alessandro Giustiniani and Thanavoot Srilardlao and executive sous chef Wanwisa Kanjam have taken the concept of European opera as their cue in preparing the Western-style dishes for the occasion, along with appetisers and vegetarian treats. Ingredients have been imported from many countries, though the vegetables come from the Royal Project farms. 

Saturday’s proceedings begin at 6.30pm with a reception at which guests can sample a variety of wines as well as cocktails concocted by resident mixologist Ron Ramirez and platters of canapes. 

The evening’s appetisers alone are astonishing. There’ll be Smoked Salmon with lime sour cream, Sevruga caviar and butterfly peas, and Leek Terrine with saffron meringue and tomato butter. Ferrero Rocher Foie Gras is a sphere of hazelnut chocolate filled with smooth foie gras mousse. The Iberico is a fresh forest fig from the Royal Project wrapped in Iberico ham. 

Some of the starters and main courses are named for cities in Europe famed for their love of opera. “Venice” is a roll-up of lobster tail served with avocado puree and a wrapper of cherries, tomato confit and guacamole espuma, adorned with pomegranate and edible flowers. Vegetarians can instead have the “Venice Red Beetroot”, with goat-cheese marshmallows, wasabi peas, raspberry sponge cake and more of those edible flowers. 

“Salzburg” is a black-truffle mousse in creamy potato creme soup served with fried coconut balls and porcini powder. 

“Barcelona” is a pan-fried fillet of black cod from France in smoked vinegar-almond broth. It comes with porcini mushrooms, butternut squash, carrots, broccoli, asparagus, roselle and powdered pistachio. Chef Wanwisa says the fish is marinated in olive oil to maintain the texture and flavour. For vegetarians, the variation is artichoke tortellini with ravioli and blue cheese in the same vinegar-almond broth.

The final course is “Sevilla”, a big ball of white chocolate filled with “Citrus Divine”, a blend of lime peel, passion fruit and mango, served with creme Anglaise and crumble.

As for Chef Olsen’s solo desserts for the high tea on Sunday, there’ll be Vanilla and Raisin Scones served with smooth clotted cream and homemade raspberry jam, a Lemon Confit Tart with almond flowers from San Clemente, California, the Caramel Turtle – chocolate packed with French caramel and toasted hazelnuts, and Orange and Pistachio Panna Cotta infused a jelly of Sicilian oranges. 

Sunday’s snacks courtesy of Chef Wanwisa will include Duck Rillettes, Crab Roll, Prawn Perrine, Miniature Crudite Compositions and Smoked Trout, any and all of which go nicely with sparkling wine, Dilmah tea or the resort’s Coffee Club brews.

 

 

CHAO PHRAYA PICNIC

>>The Weekend of Grand Opera and Culinary Art takes place on September 12 and 13 at the Anantara Riverside Bangkok Resort on Charoen Nakhon Road on the Thonburi side of the river. 

>>The costs are Bt3,800 for dinner and Bt2,700 for high tea, inclusive of free-flowing wine, cocktails, soft drinks, juice, teas and coffe.

>>Find out more at (02) 476 0022, extension 1416, and www.BangkokRiverDining.com.