Chiang Rai’s new back-to-nature getaway puts hilltribe cuisine in the spotlight
Wana.Korn launches with a hilltribe-meets-El Bulli culinary collaboration.
Chiang Rai has a new restaurant to lust over, and it looks absolutely amazing.
Open since August, Wana.Korn puts you right in the heart of Chiang Rai’s hills. The restaurant is set within a 200-rai estate located between a forest and river (“wana” and “korn” in the local tongue). Here, resident Tai Yai chef Daeng serves northern Thai, Tai Yai and Akha fare using ingredients plucked from the estate’s organic farm.
In October, Wana.Korn is kicking off a monthly dining series—called “Weekends at Wana.Korn”—with a culinary collaboration featuring Jacobo Astray.
Best known for his work with Broken Eggs, Astray has quite a CV. It even includes El Bulli training. We don’t mean that he interned there for a month, either—Astray worked the line at the legendary Spanish restaurant for more than two years before moving to Thailand to work at Maikhao Dream Resort in Phuket and, later, as a private chef in Bangkok.
On Oct 5 at 6:30pm, the well-traveled Astray is using local Chiang Rai produce to prepare a five-course menu showcasing his modern Spanish-inspired style. That’s being paired with natural and biodynamic wines courtesy of Gramona and Roda.
Starting at 11:30am on Oct 6, Daeng is whipping up Tai Yai dishes featuring forest-foraged and hyperlocal ingredients (meaning, they’re been picked from the farm).
The dinner costs B3,500/person and the lunch is B1,500/person. Want to attend both? They’re going for B4,500/per person. (Those prices are net, for the record.)
Better yet, you can spend the night, because Wana.Korn is located within Canary Natural Resort. Pick from four kinds of rooms, including a Tai Yai-style villa with a terrace overlooking the Korn River (from B3,000/night), a Nordic-style cabin (from B3,000/night), a garden villa (from B4,500/night) and a two-room pool villa (from B8,000/night; accommodates four).
Seating is limited to 20 for both meals. Email [email protected] to book a spot and inquire about rooms.
Credit: Wana.Korn Facebook
Credit: Canary Natural Resort Facebook
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