Nahm, Metropolitan by COMO Bangkok

The first research I do when planning a holiday is of course food research. When I was planning my trip to Bangkok recently, I made sure I did as much research as possible about the best eats, bars and fine dining restaurants. I knew I was only in Bangkok for a week and the food possibilities are endless! After asking all my contacts about the best fine dining experience in Bangkok, there was one restaurant that was consistently recommended, and that was Nahm.

Nahm is synonymous with fine dining in Bangkok. Since opening in 2010, Nahm has received countless awards and accolades for its exceptional food and dining experience. In March 2014, Nahm was voted number one in Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants List from San Pellegrino and Acqua Panna and in April 2014, the restaurant  was voted number 13 in the World’s 50 Best Restaurants.

So who is the man behind Nahm’s success? Meet the Australian born chef David Thompson, whose style combines big bold flavours with meticulous attention to detail, fresh local produce and traditional cooking methods. Prior to opening Nahm, Thompson worked at Darley Street Thai in Sydney which was voted ‘Best Thai Restaurant’ by the Sydney Morning Herald eight years in a row. Nahm London came next, where David secured the first ever Michelin star for Thai cuisine.

With the Bangkok outlet, Thompson was able to raise the stakes in the kitchen: ‘Bangkok has allowed me to cook for Thais in Thailand — and that is significant. I use some old favourites from London, such as ma hor. But in fact, most of the dishes here are new. I prepare and cook intensely flavoured dishes attuned to ingredients that simply cannot be found outside of the country. The whole place is also more relaxed than my original London restaurant — much as the Thais are themselves.’ says Thompson.

He uses robustly flavoured ingredients—garlic, shrimp paste, chillies, lemongrass—and melds them together to create a sophisticated, subtle elegance in which every element is in perfect balance. This includes curries, salads, relishes, soups and stir-fries, often featuring traditional ingredients less seen in modern Thai restaurants.

Nahm is located on the ground floor of Metropolitan COMO Hotel, a beautifully designed contemporary space on  South Sathorn Road.Upon entering, you’re immediately struck by a sleek and sexy venue of latticed wooden screens and booths, which gives the restaurant a feeling of intimacy. Despite its modern features, historic Thai influences remain in the brick-steeped columns reminiscent of Ayutthaya temples, the gold-leaf featured wall, the reclaimed Thai teak wood used for the flooring.

There is also additional seating outside, which has a superb view of the glistening pool and water feature

The service is impeccable, polite and attentive without being pushy. Diners can choose between the a la carte and set menu which comprises a selection of canapés, Thai salads, relishes, curries, stir fries and dessert priced at 2300 baht per person. The à la carte menu varies regularly, with regular highlights including jungle curry of grilled salted beef with wild ginger, kaffir lime leaves and holy basil and for dessert, durian and sweet sticky rice or crispy coconut cupcakes.