A Bangkok restaurant whose innovative Thai cooking earned it a Michelin star just seven months after its 2019 opening, Saawaan now has a more casual sister venue in Tokyo. Saawaan Bistro, found within the sprawling, greenery-covered Azabudai Hills complex, is a modern dining bar comprising a dining area with 100 seats, a counter bar serving tapas-style dishes and cocktails made with Thai herbs and spices, and two private rooms.
Though the Saawaan approach to its homeland’s cuisine is recognised for its innovation, it's equally a rediscovery of almost forgotten aspects of Thai food. Saawaan’s award-winning chef, who goes under the enigmatic name of Earth, brings modern accents to elements derived from descriptions of historical court cuisine.
Signature dishes include Gaeng Thai Plaa (¥2,242), or noodles topped with steamed shrimp and edible flowers in a fermented seafood sauce. The Neua Kem Tom Kati (¥2,068), based upon a recipe handed down by chef Earth’s grandmother, features salted and marinated beef fillet in a coconut soup prepared over three days.
Cocktails include the Holy Basil and Spice (¥1,210), a gin-based concoction whose Thai ingredients give it a tangy, spicy taste, and a passion fruit cocktail (¥1,540) that has vanilla vodka and artichoke in the mix. Setting the scene for these truly sensory experiences is a low-lit, modern Asian interior whose plentiful flora resonate with the ‘biophilic’ vibe of surrounding Azabudai Hills.
Text by Darren Gore