A restaurant serving artisanal Thai food, conceived by one of the most talented and respected female chefs in Bangkok, rewarded with an excellent ranking in the most renowned culinary listings like Michelin (1 star) and Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants (#31)… If that can’t convince you to schedule a trip to Paste Restaurant, we wouldn’t know what would trigger you anyway…
Curious to discover the true spirit and taste of the Thai cuisine, we took the opportunity to visit Paste restaurant for an extensive lunch and a meeting with chef Bongkoch ‘Bee’ Satongun, who runs the restaurant together with her husband Jason Bailey.
Cosmopolitan meets Thai
Paste restaurant is located in the Ratchaprasong district, in the shopping area next to the Intercontinental Hotel. The interior design has a cosmopolitan appearance, using light colours, elegant curtains softening the industrial look of the building with its high ceilings and discrete round shaped spacious seating areas. On the other hand the international feel is perfectly balanced with the local identity by using Thai style decoration and flowers creating elegance, cosiness and serenity.
Chef Bongkoch ‘Bee’ Satongun’s artisanal Thai cuisine
At Paste they represent an artisanal Thai cooking style, that is so much more than a perfect version of the typical Thai dishes that are nowadays well-known and popular all over the world. Chef ‘Bee’ Satongun explains in a calm, yet passionate way how Paste wants to bring (back) to live the authentic recipes from the ancient Thai heritage, honouring the true identity of Thai cooking. They have been studying and chronicling the evolution and history of Thai cuisine, discovering century-old recipes and long-forgotten cooking techniques. By travelling frequently across the diverse landscapes of rural Thailand to discover, gather and collect unique ingredients the carefully balance dishes to make them stand out. The philosophy of re-examining common Thai dishes and reinventing and respecting the past makes Paste truly unique.
Unlike most fine dining restaurants, Paste presents a food sharing concept. A variety of dishes is brought to the table all together and is intended to be eaten with jasmine rice. The menu is a balance of textures, flavours and aromas. A traditional Thai meal is composed of soup, salad, curry, relish, fried food and steamed rice. Although they have some popular dishes on the menu, the food that is served at Paste also often changes due to market availability and produce quality. The team proposes three different set menus, a lunch menu and a variety of a la carte dishes that allow guests to have the perfect journey through Thai cuisine. It’s a discovery of layered flavours, a play with textures and temperatures and a daring, yet respectful combination of herbs and flavours.
Chef Bongkoch ‘Bee’ Satongun was awarded with the prize of Best Female chef in Asia in 2018. From as young as five years old, Satongun used to help her mother in the family’s small restaurant in Bangkok. But it was only when she met Australian chef Jason Bailey, together they discovered how much they loved the traditional Thai cooking, so they developed their own interpretation of the local cuisine, resulting in the opening op Paste in 2013. In 2015 they reopened the restaurant at the new and current location.
Tasting Menu at Paste
When we visit Paste chef Bongkoch ‘Bee’ Satongun has prepared a typical tasting menu, featuring the history and true taste of Thai food as it should be according to her philosophy.
Thai Chili Paste with Crab Meat and Cha Plu Leaf on Seaweed Cracker. The river weed base is created and calibrated in-house using multiple types of river plant life from Nan province Thailand bordering Laos.
Pomelo salad with char-grilled scarlet prawns, Asian citron, chilli jam and gapi khoei plankton paste.
Old style hot & sour soup of crisp pork leg, char-grilled shallots, jackfruit seeds, roasted tomatoes in a smoky chicken broth.
Crunchy fermented rice balls with sour sausage, kaffir lime zest, red curry paste, lemongrass, river weed and rose pepper leaf.
‘Singhol’ curry slow roasted goat with a large array of dry spices, fragrant pandanus, som saa-Asian citron juice and young dill.
Thai deep sea game mackerel, slightly umami-synergy cold infused. Served with Southern Thailand fresh Kua Kling curry and beach plant life.
White chocolate rose flavoured dessert with mousse-sponge cake stuffed white snake fruit jelly.
Mango sticky rice dessert made with ok rong mango sticky rice rolls with golden threads and jasmine sorbet.
In short
At Paste Restaurant chef Bongkoch ‘Bee’ Satongun and her husband Jason Bailey take you on a trip through Thai history, by presenting the very best flavours, produce and techniques of the ancient cuisine, re-invented in a contemporary way. It’s a interesting experience for all the senses, inspiring for other chefs and foodies from all over the world.
Practical information
Paste Restaurant, 3rd Floor, Gaysorn, 999 Ploenchit Rd., Lumpini, Bangkok, Thailand | +66(0)2 656 1003 | info@pastebangkok.com | www.pastebangkok.com | https://www.facebook.com/Pastebangkok/ | https://www.instagram.com/pastebangkok/
