“I intend to push Thai cuisine to another level,” says Chef Thitid “Ton” Tassanakajohn, the renowned chef behind acclaimed fine-dining establishments Le Du and Nusara, not to mention boat noodle restaurant ThepNakorn and, now, a new venture called Lahnyai.
As with his other restaurants, Chef Ton doesn’t fail to fulfil his promise to push Thai food forward. Lahnyai, in his words, is a “sequel” to Nusara, the elegant dining room that earned a spot in the 2021 list of Asia’s 50 Best restaurants. At Nusara, he brings life to his grandmother’s recipes. At Lahnyai, he still pays tribute to his grandmother (lahnyai translates to “grandmother’s boy”) by using her recipes but giving them a playful, contemporary edge. “I try to bring out the true essence of Nusara and add a modern twist characteristic of today’s generation. It’s all about fun, vibrancy and creativity,” asserts the chef, who also expresses how he tries not to repeat the same old tricks in his creations.
What you’ll get at Larnyai are dishes made with ingredients that don't seem to be the right fit for Thai cuisine—just imagine adding truffles and ikura (aka red caviar) to traditional dishes.
Chef Ton came up with an impressive 14-course tasting menu (B3,590++) to introduce the essence of Larnyai. To start, you have three bite-sized pre-appetizers, including caviar in a crispy golden cup, thong plu (fried flour balls) with chicken curry filling, and a reworked Thai crispy pancake.
Following the amuse bouche is a five-layer dried fish and watermelon jelly flavored with dashi and bitter orange. You also have steamed egg with coconut milk-based chilli paste and generous chunks of crab meat. To further drive the appetite, Chef Ton follows these up with a hot and sour soup of abalone.
The main course is served samrub-style and comprises five small plates: a southern-style spicy soup, grilled scallops with crab egg and shrimp fat, Ra-Wang curry with grilled pork jowl, and stir-fried Wagyu with holy basil. Each one is rich in flavor and executed to perfection.
To conclude the meal, the chef serves a palate-cleansing sorbet made with betel leaves. This acts as a prelude to a pa ka krong (Thai flower-shaped dessert similar to a mochi) with coconut caramel filling and white truffle flakes on top.
Chef Nongnuch “Nuch” Sae-eiw supervises the kitchen at Lahnyai alongside Chef Ton. The restaurant, which is located at Baan Turtle on Soi Suanplu, can accommodate 10 to 12 diners per round. Call 06 2242 5966 for reservations.