You may have seen them in fancy restaurants, these degustation (or, in Italian, “degustazione”) menus consisting of five or six dishes (or more), and you may have wondered, “What kind of glutton eats all this food?”

Our kind of glutton, actually. And it’s not (always) as much food as you think. Degustation menus offer “just a taste” of several dishes, which are often matched with wines—or at least that’s the idea behind this invention. In most restaurants that offer tasting menus, the menus are set, and changes are only allowed for people who cannot eat particular foods for health, religious or other imperative reasons.

In some venues there isn’t even a menu, so you won’t know what you’re getting in advance. This is the equivalent of “chef’s choice” sets that are common in upmarket Japanese restaurants, such as Serina. At fashionable eatery Harvey, for example, diners who opt for a tasting menu simply state their budget as well as likes and dislikes, and the kitchen does the rest.

Tasting menus are becoming a more common fixture in Bangkok, although this demand is largely driven by non-Thais. At Le Vendome, most diners who order the degustation menu are tourists. “We get a few Thais ordering the degustation menu, but it’s mostly Japanese and Chinese, from Hong Kong and Singapore,” says Chef Nicholas Joanny.

Obviously it’s easier on the kitchen if everyone in the restaurant is ordering the same dishes. But chefs also like them because it gives them the opportunity to show what their cooking is all about. Some chefs put a lot of thought into their tasting menus, approaching them like works of art. They often include seasonal ingredients—or just what they happen to find at the market that day— and the dishes are usually what they want to cook.

For diners, degustation menus can be a perfect solution for those who can’t (or are too tired to) decide what to order. According to Gianni Favro, they sometimes provide “a way for people who spend all day making decisions to have a full menu without deciding what to choose.” Gourmands love them because they get to try a variety of dishes, which are in many cases so new they haven’t yet made it onto the a la carte menu. On a more practical level, degustation menus allow diners to try dishes they’re just curious about, but not so curious that they’d shell out the full a la carte price for.
Which brings us to what might be the best reason to go degustation: They’re great value. For the price of two or three a la carte dishes you get to try at least five in most tasting menus.

Finally, if you’re feeling adventurous, let the chef know. (Calling ahead is a good idea.) It’s often more fun for him, and certainly for you, if he’s given free reign to make whatever he feels like on that night.

Tasting Around Town

Cy’an manages to sway almost half of its patrons from the traditional entrees to their tasting menu, which changes twice a year. Cy’an’s tasting menu is eight courses strong; the current one features oysters tempura, foie gras and wagyu beef. With an accompanying array of wines it will set you back B4,350, or B2,800 without.

The Metropolitan, 27 South Sathorn Rd., 02-625-3333. Open daily noon-2pm, 6:30-10:30pm.

Ember offers six- and eight-course tasting menus (B1,600-B1,800), which are updated seasonally, showcasing the chef’s focus on modern European cuisine with an Asian flair. Bravo to any chef who has the decadence to combine snowfish, bacon, truffles and butter into one dish—one of the main course options on Ember’s tasting menu.

99/11-12 Lang Suan Balcony, Soi Lang Suan, Ploenchit Rd., 02-652-2086/7. Open Mon-Sat 11:30am-2pm, 6:30-10pm.

Gianni. Modern Italian food is the focus at Gianni. The six-course degustazione menu consists of selections pulled from the special menu, which changes fortnightly (B1,190). The current one includes tasty creations like Venice marinated filets of sardine with grilled white polenta.

34/1 Soi Tonson, Ploenchit Rd., 02-252-1619. Open daily noon-2pm, 6-10:30pm.

Harvey doesn’t yet have regular degustation menus, but they’re more than happy to design one for you on the fly. Just name your price, and tell them what you like, and voila!

129 Thonglor Soi 9, 02-712-9911. Open 11:30am-2:30pm, 6:30-10:30pm.

Le Normandie offers an eight-course tasting menu for people with deep pockets. Luxurious ingredients like slipper lobster, foie gras, fillet of sole and pigeon breast. B4,200 without wine, B7,200 with wine.

The Oriental, 48 Oriental Ave., 02-659-9000. Open Mon-Sat noon-2:30pm, 7-10:30pm; Sun 7-10:30pm.

Serina. Little-known outside of the Japanese community, Serina does teppanyaki downstairs and a la carte upstairs. Designed by Chef Hiroko Matsumura, who flies in three times yearly from Hokkaido to update the menu, the cuisine here is based on traditional recipes but prepared and presented in ultra-modern style. In addition to shabu shabu and steak sets, they offer a more creative tasting menu (though they don’t call it that): Simply name your price (B1,500, B2,000 or B2,500), tell them what you like and they’ll do the rest.

9/26 Soi Jim Thompson, Surawongse Rd., 02-235-8382. Open daily 11:30am-2pm, 5:30-10:30pm.

Le Vendome. French chef Nicolas Joanny’s Michelin star-studded history is evident in his sublime five-course seafood tasting menu (B1,800). One of the many highlights is the John Dory fillet with herbs served with ragout of mussels and Spanish saffron “Barigoule” of purple artichokes and fork-crushed Ratte potato.

267/2 Sukhumvit Soi 31, 02-662-0530. Open Tue-Sat 11:30am-2:30pm, 6:30-10pm; Mon 6:30-10pm.