The Rising Smoke and Crackling Fire, Thai Charcoal Grill Fine Dining Restaurant Taahra's Enchantment
Tucked away in a small, quiet, unnamed alley of bustling Chareon Krung, surrounded by jewellery shops and smiths, a cosy and intimate Thai charcoal grill fine dining restaurant Taahra offers a distinctive take on Thai cuisine. The use of charcoal grilling and woodfire grilling as key methods gives Taahra's food unparalleled characteristics.
Taahra is a two-story restaurant painted charcoal black to represent its essential cooking methods. The decor is minimal and organised. Despite being completely black, the restaurant's well-designed lighting creates a serene, inviting, and intimate atmosphere.
The second floor is filled with tables and seats perfect for diners who come in groups. The spaces between tables are wide enough to give each group privacy and comfort while relishing the food the culinary team has to offer.
Those who come alone or in pairs may find seats at the counter facing the open kitchen at level one more suitable. Also, this is an excellent opportunity to see live cooking from the culinary team and converse with them.
This Thai Charcoal Grill Fine Dining Restaurant is now under the leadership of a talented Akekorn Narunpattraporn, who prefers to stay low-key and blend in with his crew. He even likes to be called a Cook rather than a Chef. He has been in love with Thai cuisine since a very young age and would like to help his grandmother to cook.
The food by Akekorn is a deconstructed Thai dish that respects the traditional taste. The menu comprises twelve courses, starting with three amuse bouches: Papaya, his take on street food Som Tum Khai Kem or salted egg papaya salad; Beef, a dish inspired by Sah Jihn or Thai Northern spicy beef tartare; and Crab, his version of Thai relish called Lhon Ppoo or crab coconut milk relish.
Taahra's Oyster is a deconstructed Or-Suan or scrabbled oyster pancake. Akekorn uses Celine oysters from France as the main ingredients and poaches them to firm its exterior while keeping their sweetness and juiciness. The yellowy sauce is creamy, yolky and spicy. To enhance the spiciness, three dots of house-made chilli sauce and kaffir lime zest for the refreshing citrus aroma.
The following dish is Hokkaido Scallop. Tom Kha Talay, or seafood spicy and sour coconut milk soup, inspires the dish. Akekorn's creation consists of oyster mushrooms, king trumpet mushrooms, shitake mushrooms, jelly ears, snow ears and shallot confits. Akekorn brushes Numprik Kha or galangal relish on the mushroom while grilling, making the galangal aromas more intense, which mixes very well with the charred mushroom and links to the coconut milk sauce seasoned with galangal, chillies, kaffir lime leaves, fish sauce and palm sugar.
The next dish is Sea Prawn, a spicy grilled pumpkin with coconut and prawn. The pumpkin is sous-vided in coconut milk before being grilled, making it absorb the nuttiness and creaminess. The sea prawn used for the grilled prawn in this dish is farmed in a cooling water system, resulting in naturally crunchy, firm, and sweet meat. The spicy, sweet and sour dressing is refreshing and aromatic. The garnishes of sliced garlic, pickled garlic, pickled shallots, fried shallots, fried garlic and chillies give various flavours and textures to the dish.
The following course, Red Snapper, is a grilled Phuket red snapper with Thai aromatics salad and tamarind sauce. The fish is treated with the ikejime method, a technique that originated in Japan. It involves inserting a spike into the hindbrain of fish, resulting in immediate brain death. A needle or wire is inserted into the spinal column to prevent muscle movement. This technique prevents reflex action, which averts lactic acid and ammonia production to keep the fish meat firm, sweet and tasty. To enjoy this dish, mix the salad with the sauce before eating the mixture with the fish.
Organic Chicken, the next course, is a twist on the classic Thai chicken curry. The chicken is sourced from a free-range farm in the Ratchaburi province. Akekorn rolls the chicken with curry chicken stuffed inside before grilling it, giving the chicken a dimension and layers of flavour. The chicken is served with potato gratin, pickled vegetables, Thai curry sauce and coconut cream.
Cobia, a dish paying homage to traditional Tom Klong Pla Chon Talay, is spicy, sour and umami. The clear brown soup is usually made of smoked fish bones, dried squid and Thai herbs, but for people with allergies, such as squid and cuttlefish allergy, the team substitutes the squid with chicken stock and adds bonito. The cobia is grilled with light char, giving a smoky character while the meat remains buttery. The soup adds an umami taste and herbaceous notes to the dish. Grilled mushrooms and cherry tomatoes in the dish offer different smoky notes and umami tastes. The dish comes with a lime wedge for those who love some sourness.
The main course is Wagyu. This course is a spin on the lesser-known classic Geang Rawang Nuah. Akekorn uses beef cheek and striploin of Australian wagyu and grills them to customers' liking. The beef is served with roti and grilled aubergines. The Rawang sauce is rich, spicy and aromatic, similar to Geang Keaw Wan, but with turmeric and caraway notes instead of a galangal note. For those who don't eat beef, the team will replace it with Kurobuta.
The first dessert course is Santol, santol sorbet topped with chunks of santol fruit and sprinkled with salt and chilli flakes. It's refreshing, sweet, sour, salty and spicy.
The last course is Banana, a syrupped banana with coconut cream ice cream and red bean purée. This dessert is flavourful and full of textures.
Taahra, Thai Charcoal Grill Fine Dining, is a comfortable fine dining restaurant where people can relish expertly prepared Thai cuisine, minus formality and stuffiness.
Taahra
Hours: Tue-Sun, 17:30 – 22:00 hours
Reserve: +6686 333 7979
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Taahrabkk/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/taahrabkk/
Location: Charoen Krung Road, Si Phraya, Bang Rak, Bangkok 10500