While Singapore and Hong Kong have more Ducasse and Robuchon spin-offs than you can wave a chef’s hat at, Bangkok can only count D’Sens as a proper Michelin-star annex, of a pair of two-star chefs, the Pourcel brothers, from the Jardin des Sens in France. Still, we had our issues in the past with Dusit’s flagship restaurant: the prices, the excessive modernity (every single dish seemed to come with either some sort of spherization or, most often, a cloud of emulsified wispiness) and a deserted dining room. That’s all history. This new menu is their boldest yet, the modernity is better balanced and dinner starts at B1,700 for a menu decouverte—which is at last attracting a few younger, cooler people, and turning our affection to full-on amour. Chef Julien Lavigne rolls out a complex, creative cuisine that feels effortless and natural. The dishes might have impossibly long descriptions, but there’s always a clear lead actor—usually wonderful, well-chosen meats and fishes, like fresh, plump Hokkaido scallops and tender, flavorful duck Challans (B1,600 or as part of the highly recommended B2,900 six-course set). The other ingredients support the star without overpowering it: the mousse infused with bacon lends meatiness to the frog legs, the lemon jus cuts the fattiness of the lamb chop, fennel and an ever-so-slightly sweet orange marmalade bring a tinge of sweet and sour to the duck. This is nothing short of a high-wire act and we can guarantee some dishes will have you swooning back in your chairs with your hands on your hearts. (In our case, it was the aforementioned grilled Hokkaido scallops and Parma ham, baked spinach and meat jus with condiments, B980). Service is impeccable, making the equally knowledgeable Thai and French maitres d’ perhaps a bit redundant. As for the décor, D’Sens’ space age furniture will not sit well with those who can only have their confit in a fake Louis XIV chair, but we’re fans, particularly of the control tower views of Lumpini Park. Our greatest fear now is that Chef Julien, like so many of Bangkok’s young bright chefs, will soon grow tired of our humble city and head off to the brighter culinary lights of Singapore.