There are just so many wondrous ingredients and cooking patterns out there. Good food comes in great cuisines and while there is still a lot our team has yet to discover and savour; there’s a certain kind of cuisine that we just can’t get enough of. Thai presents the cordon bleu of impeccable flavours. It is said that this particular cuisine rejects simplicity and that just might be why it’s so exciting. We recently indulged and experienced a range of lightly prepared Thai dishes with strong aromatic components. And while everything stood out and had its individualistic quality- there was still one consistent edge among all: everything served was spicy and hot (unless it was dessert)!
Thai Lounge at The Ritz Carlton, Bahrain is one of the finest places to dine and unwind. Overlooking the breathtaking hotel property, the arrangement includes outdoor seating with wide glass windows, presenting for the perfect Thai indulgence as it adds to the soft ambience and fresh tones of the surroundings. The venue, adding more flair, also hosts a DJ on weekends. Chef De Cuisine, Rerkden Paensurin, a man who celebrates the authentic flavours of Thai with his impressive skills, welcomed us and stated how Thai food actually allows people to come together, connect and catch up on stories. Brushing up on how there is a harmonious finish to the different ingredients in a dish; Chef Rerkden said Thai food is as scrumptiously tempting to the taste buds as it is healthy, because much of the dishes come in curry form that is cooked and served in nutritional ways.
Looking very much forward to the experiencing it , we got started with an impressive and colourful spread of appetizers: the deep fried calamari, chicken satay, shrimp lemongrass and mix spring roll, consisting of chicken ,shrimp and vegetables. It was tasty, crunchy and appetizing. With perfect portions, we didn’t feel full but the varied items did hit the spot!
We were now all ready to taste the serving of the soup; it wasn’t your everyday regular soup, but this speciality of Thailand- the ‘Tom yum goong’ soup came with some fusions to suit the palate of the Bahraini people. “We have it prepared it with fresh shrimps from the market and added a zest of lemon to it. This makes it more tempting for the diners here,” Chef Rerkden shared. Certainly it had a splurge of tanginess to it and coupled with the shrimps, it was delightful.
Moving on, we were highly impressed when a vivid salad came to the table. Sure when you think of salad, you would think of leafy servings, but this had so much more going on for it. The ‘Green papaya and mango salad’ was in fact a splurge of tastes and textures. It was spicy, juicy and absolutely well-infused. The ingredients with their complex interplay of three-four fundamental taste senses heightened the sour, sweet and tangy in the experience. Absolutely a standout! We just wondered how could this ever be topped, but then we were served with the main course; in the form of a ‘Thai Green Curry Chicken’ with Jasmine rice. We have tried curries before but nothing like this. There was a distinctive taste and we turned to the Chef to know more. “The curry doesn’t make use of water, but we always use coconut cream coupled with the green Thai paste, which gives it the creamy texture,” Chef Rerkden stated. Indeed, it was heavenly and the ingredients brought an explosion of flavours that again while being spicy, were defining and made the experience so uplifting. The jasmine rice was an appreciated touch, making the indulgence even more special.
It went beautifully; no other words to describe how simple ingredients could be spun to bring so much flavours. While the spicy element of Thai cuisine was highly appreciated and enjoyed, we looked forward to the sweet indulgence and it was a very sweet surprise. Chef Rerkden had already impressed us with the savoury side of the menu but his skills were equally celebratory when it came to creating the perfect ‘Thai coconut ice-cream’. It was creamy, sweet and very coconut-y. While we could have easily continued with a few more scoops, we ended the day with one of Thailand’s most popular desserts- the Thai sticky rice that is served with sweet mango and coconut milk. It was the first time and certainly wouldn’t be the last time we try it as it brings into focus the complexity and tastefulness of various ingredients. Indeed Thai Lounge knows what Thai cuisine should represent and it beautifully does so with a few cultural touches to it.
