Signature Restaurant: A Gourmet Garden Featuring ‘Floral Cuisine’ – Prestige Online

Combining the natural beauty of flowers with the best of French cuisine, Signature Restaurant easily ranks as one of the most romantic venues in town. Prestige stops to taste chef Thierry Drapeau’s intoxicating “floral cuisine”

A gourmet garden of earthly delights at Signature Restaurant

In the past, when you found a restaurant that ticked all the boxes, you almost wanted to keep it a secret, telling only a select few to make sure the place never got overrun by the common people. These days, however, we shout it from the rooftops when a fabulous new fine dining restaurant pops up on the horizon, if only to make sure that in these trying times it simply stays in business.

Luxurious interior offers comfortable seating and views of the cityscape

As for Signature Restaurant, the French gourmet address on the 11th floor of VIE Hotel Bangkok, MGallery, it’s time for the fanfare to begin, because this little over a year old gastronomic gem has flown too long just under the city’s foodie radar (although it was listed in the 2022 issue of the Michelin Guide Thailand). The man in charge here is chef Thierry Drapeau, who honed his craft in some of the best kitchens in France and eventually opened Logis de la Chabotterie, his own restaurant in Saint-Sulpice-le-Verdon – which has been awarded two Michelin stars for nine consecutive years (from 2010).

In France, Chef Thierry Drapeau’s Logis de la Chabotterie restaurant has been awarded 2 Michelin stars for 9 consecutive years

It was here that he began to champion his intriguing philosophy of ‘country cooking’, which he has now brought with him to Thailand, having decided to put down roots in Bangkok. His culinary approach is based on finding the best local ingredients and expressing terroir – a sense of place – while delivering light, crisp and highly concentrated flavors. And although his dishes contain products imported mainly from France, Thailand’s wealth of edible flowers and herbs also play an important role. In fact, virtually every dish on her inventive menus features an edible flower, which is why her creations have been dubbed “floral cuisine.”

The restaurant’s current “Flower Bouquet: Discovery of Black Summer Truffle” menu comes in five or eight courses (THB 3,750++ / 4,100++), and things kick off as customers are briefly seated in the elegant Art Deco restaurant. stylish seating area. Here they are invited to enjoy a glass of champagne and a trio of truly breathtaking canapés. First, a large carrot lies in a bed of greenery, and the holes cut into it contain for each guest a delicate carrot cone, filled with carrot mouse and a garnish of herring caviar.

Colorful canapes to start

Alongside this, colorful purple cabbage leaves form the backdrop for a pair of ultra-light macarons, deliciously filled with bacon mousse and Iberian ham. Finally, a welcome glass of frothy jasmine tea, adorned with a single flower petal, is the third and final warning that the evening ahead will be full of tantalizing surprises.

For the dinner itself, the guests are then led to their respective tables, and it is here, at the bend of this L-shaped restaurant, that the large open kitchen of chef Thierry is finally revealed. Flanked on both sides by a theatrical curtain, it becomes the stage on which he and his skilled kitchen team will perform from now on.

Potato cappuccino, with fresh bread and butter served on the side

The show begins with a serving of “Potato Cappuccino”, a creamy potato swirl flavored with black summer truffles and topped with potato sprouts. Also detectable, but not listed on the menu, is a distinct aroma of pork, which the waiter reveals is Vendée pork – a specialty of the Vendée region of the Loire Valley (where Nantes, the home of chief’s childhood). Several delicate garlic chive blossoms add an extra touch to this dish, the first of a succession of edible blossoms to come.

Scallops from Normandy, prepared with plenty of fresh fennel

The beautifully tender Normandy scallop is next to arrive, having been marinated overnight, steamed for two hours and fried in butter. Served with capers, plenty of herbs and fresh fennel, and topped with a lemony, peppery sauce a la minute, this dish is simply superb. The accompanying flower here is the rosy red dianthus (or “tropical butterfly”), while the accompanying wine – from the highly recommended premium wine pairing (THB 3,200++) – is a Bret Brothers Macon-Villages 2017. Cuvée ‘Terroirs Du Maconnais’ – a wonderfully complex Chardonnay blend.

Aquitaine caviar from France, served on smoked mackerel, with butter and cream

The wine pairing then turns red – a 2016 Thibault Liger-Belair Les Deux Terres Bourgogne, Gamay-Pinot Noir blend with hints of cherry – while the way is cleared for Aquitaine caviar from France served on smoked mackerel, with butter and cream, which is garnished at the table with a spoonful of smoked celery foam. The artful plating here is enhanced by the use of bright blue petals from the boragealso known as starflower.

Toothfish fillet served with caramelized onion emulsion, Jerusalem artichoke jelly and onion mousse sauce

Seafood remains the star attraction of the first main course – aptly titled Le Mer – which sees a wonderfully tender toothfish fillet served with a caramelised onion emulsion, Jerusalem artichoke jelly and onion mousse sauce. A few begonia petals, which I have to admit I couldn’t make out among all the other amazing flavors (including the ginger) that chef Thierry managed to incorporate so seamlessly into this dish, add a hint of red.

Goat – cheese dish – served with apple and raisin chutney and freshly ground nutmeg

At this point, the five- and eight-course tasting menus diverge briefly, with the larger meal including a second main course of French duck with foie gras in a Burgundian sauce, a pleasantly tangy cheese course – gooey goat cheese served with chutney apples with raisins and fresh ground nutmeg – and a refreshment freshness pre-dessert.

The perfect romantic date spot

When it comes time for the main dessert finale, the main lady on both menus is Chiang Mai Grand Cru chocolate served in a four-layered tower – chocolate crumble, chocolate mousse, chocolate mousse and chocolate grenache – accompanied by a scoop of foam mint sorbet and a drizzle of mint jelly with coriander. The flower this time, and the last of the evening, is a simple purple thought (thought), which compensates the plate with great taste.

Chiang Mai Grand Cru chocolate served in a four-layer tower

A lot of thought has gone into making these mini-masterpieces, as has the creation of the restaurant itself. The room is spacious, but the dining room itself is limited to around 30 guests, ensuring an intimate experience for all. The soft, natural earth tones and shades that dominate the interior’s color palette pair well with the large exposed wooden table tops and white linen tablecloths on the small tables. The lighting has also been carefully considered, creating a warm ambiance while providing adequate lighting at the tables (for those all-important IG moments). To top it off, floor-to-ceiling windows overlook Bangkok’s shimmering skyline, making the Signature one of the city’s most romantic venues.

Final dessert of good artisanal goodness

As I ponder these and other thoughts, our server arrives with the first dessert reminder – a pair of white chocolate candies resembling miniature fruits. The first are tiny oranges, attached to a small tree, while the others are bite-sized bright green apples resting on a cushion of flowers frozen in ice (which this time aren’t meant to be eaten). ).

Oversized chocolate egg, filled with edible treats, presented in a loosely woven bird’s nest

Finally, the curtain call begins and we are presented with an oversized chocolate egg laid in a loosely woven bird’s nest. I am instructed to then hold the egg about two feet above the table and drop it, causing it to break and spill its chocolatey contents in all directions. It’s a fun ending to a dinner that was delicious and delicious in equal measure.

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