Paste (Gaysorn Village)
This Thai restaurant in the luxurious Gaysorn mall gives new life to classic recipes.
The buzz: Rather than spend the last two years basking in Paste's international stardom, chef-owners Bee Satongun and Jason Bailey have been expanding their devoutly authentic approach to southeast Asian cuisine into Laos. Here in Bangkok, their Gaysorn showpiece remains a must-visit ticket for any serious foodie.
The food: Don’t expect molecular or fusion flourishes, as Bailey and Satongun stick to the authentic textures and flavors of Thai cuisine. Across increasingly sophisticated tasting menus, the chefs introduce a plethora of rare herbs and ingredients: from edible hummingbird flowers in your smoky southern yellow curry with red spanner crab, all the way down to salt from Nan province that they say is smoother than sea salt. No longer confined to the history books, these vibrant, complex dishes also manage to offer something new and beautiful.
The place: Minimal creams and a sweeping lattice sculpture make the Paste experience feel equal parts restaurant and five-star spa resort. Planted right amid the malls of Ratchaprasong, Paste's vast windows look out upon Bangkok's answer to Ginza.
Before you book, a few caveats. The place is in a mall (even if it is easy to forget once you’re inside) and a walk through Gaysorn’s corridors is not a fun way to start a meal—neither is an empty dining room. Does it have to do with the prices? Appetizers are mostly B300-390, mains B500-750. The sets are gargantuan but ring in at B950 for lunch (per person, 2 diners minimum) or B1,600/1,900 for dinner (per person, 4 diners minimum). And do note that water comes in the shape of B190-plus-plus bottles of Vittel—French water with Thai food, really? At those prices, the tables’ cheap and chipped laminate deserves mention, as does the absence of the pastry chef on our last visit—not that dessert is included in any of the aforementioned sets. Nitpicking aside, Paste deserves much, much more recognition for its superlative offerings.
This review took place in May 2015 and is based on a visit to the restaurant without the restaurant's knowledge. For more on BK's review policy, click here.
Watch what dinner looks like at Paste:
Address: | Paste (Gaysorn Village), 3/F, Gaysorn Plaza, 999 Phloen Chit Rd., Bangkok, Thailand |
Phone: | 02-656-1003 |
Website: | www.pastebangkok.com |
Area: | Phloen Chit |
Price Range: | BBBBB |
Opening hours: | daily noon-2pm, 6-11pm |
Nearest train | BTS Chit Lom |
Reservation recommended, Parking available | |
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