BANGKOK RESTAURANT

Wanghinghoi

Dine among fireflies in this enchanted-forest restaurant.

The buzz: This restaurant is tucked in a secret garden dotted with real fireflies. It's only temporary, though, with a planned lifespan of 18 months—around the same as a firefly. 

The decor: Entering the restaurant is like stepping into a set of A Midsummer Night’s Dream. A wood-flanked walkway opens into a dining room made to look like a nest, an effect accentuated by the use of raw wood as decoration. The enchanted-forest deception extends across senses: diffusers create the aroma of soil after rain and the background of instrumental music is meant to evoke the four elements. Windows look out into two semi-enclosed rooms with ecosystems controlled to allow the hundreds of contained fireflies to thrive. 9pm is said to be the best time to catch the natural light show.

The food: Two Thai head chefs present a set-menu (B2,400 for five courses) of deconstructed traditional dishes, like the miang dok bua with kapi (spicy shrimp paste in a lotus petal wrap) or the gaeng phed ped yang, a crispy duck confit dressed in a spicy curry reduction. The tom yam goong here takes the form of a double-boiled, viscous soup rich with shrimp fat and blended spices poured over prawns and mushrooms. Some dishes, like amuse-bouche of white chocolate-dipped artichoke, range farther from the home cuisine. The microgreens and herbs used for garnish are grown in-house, while the organic vegetables come from Suan Pueng in Ratchaburi.

The drinks: Mixing Thai-inspired cocktails behind the bar is a team formerly of Ku De Ta and Morimoto. The Farmer’s Delight (B280) is Sangsom infused with Thai spices, raspberry syrup, a cushion of egg white and rim with sea salt and chili powder. Wua Gae Gin Yah Aon (B280) is a twist on a Negroni, comes in a clear jug covered with red sak-yant cloth and is accompanied by a small cup of pandan juice.

Why you should come back: The theme is superbly sustained, from decor through food to the finely-tuned cocktails. Where else are you going to find an enchanted forest to dine in? 18 months—clock’s ticking. Wanvida Jiralertpaiboon

 

Venue Details
Address: Wanghinghoi, Petchaburi Rd., Bangkok, Thailand
Phone: 091-979-6226
Website: www.facebook.com/WangHingHoi
Area: Phetburi-Rama 9
Cuisine: Thai
Price Range: BBBB
Open since: December, 2017
Opening hours: daily 6-11pm
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Wanghinghoi