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By La-Orng Davies
The Peninsula hotel stands as a symbol of elegance and luxury on
the banks of the Chao Praya River with a view of Bangkok and the
estuary that few other hotels can offer: being located on the north
side. The hotel is known as one of Asia's finest hotels. Does that
mean that they know how to be cool and sophisticated? Perhaps part
of the answer lies in the choice of dining venues, which includes
the very hip Jesters Restaurant and Lounge.
The Peninsula's lobby and hallways set a tone of intimate luxury
with earth tone polished marble floors and walls but as you make
your way down the corridor toward Jesters, lighting and decor subtly
change the ambience from serene luxury to one of exciting contemporary
fusion.
Jesters is split into two levels; upstairs can be booked for large
groups of guests while downstairs has tables dotted around, far
enough apart to provide intimacy at each table.
A party of twelve or more can be seated at the wine bar.
One gets unrestricted view of the Chao Praya and the glow of Bangkok's
busier side of the river as the entire front of the restaurant is
one big window.
The setting is romantic and intimate; the lights are low and candles
on each table give out a warm glow. Smooth jazz funk music fills
the room at just the right volume, making conversation easy.
I was welcomed and shown to my table by waitresses in long black
dresses whose smiles and greetings made me feel like a regular,
well known patron. The exciting names of the dishes was almost too
much to be able to choose, without later wondering how good one
of the other dishes might have been so I was given good advice on
which of the dishes to order and suitable beverages to accompany
them.
Having already indulged in snacks and an appetizer in one of the
hotel's other restaurants; my palate was in need of refreshment
before I took on the main course. My host ordered the best lemon
sorbet I have ever tasted; with its delicate lightness, it was the
perfect way to revitalize my taste buds.
Cocktails are Jester's forte with a huge section of combinations
that again left me scratching my head trying to decide which one
to go for. No problem though, my knowledgeable waitress knew what
I was eating and recommended a Dark Angel, which went down very
well as an accompaniment to the meal. It was a slightly sour and
exotically sweet taste, the flavours complementing each other and
the meal without being overpowering. Although not immediately detectable
in the subtle blend that made my celestial beverage taste like a
snazzy fruit juice, the alcohol content was certainly enough to
feel the positive effects of it.
The most fun part of the meal was admiring and working out how
to hold and drink from the table glasses that hung over the table
with no base. Instead, they were suspended by an erotically curved
steel frame. After trying a few different angles of approach, my
host could see I was in trouble and told me to simply lift the glass
out of the frame.
Dining at Jesters was a totally new and refreshing culinary experience;
dishes on the menu are a fusion of traditional international and
Thai cuisine with a twist of cutting edge experimentation:
For the refined diner, there is delicately cooked goose liver accompanied
by orange marmalade that is a daring combination of richness with
a subtle tang; a generous portion too: certainly filling enough
to cause concern that I would be full before being able to fully
appreciate the rest of the meal.
A traditional Thai coconut milk curry dish, 'Tom Kaa ' has been
expertly modernized by the resident sous chef , Pierr Burgade. Traditionally
served in a bowl with a separate helping of rice, this adaptation
brings the two together on one plate. A bed of rice saturated in
rich coconut milk is tantalizingly decorated with king prawns and
garnish. If the aforementioned liver dish doesn't completely satiate
then this dish's richness will definitely leave you feeling full
with just enough room for a dessert platter and coffee.
Mango is the fruit of choice at Jesters for creating dessert platters.
The assortment of sunny yellow sweets was so nicely presented that
it felt a shame to disturb the artistic arrangement set before me.
A slim cinnamon stick stood in a tall shot glass of mango juice.
Mango jam sat on a delicate bed of pastry and a scoop of mango ice
cream garnished with mint sat invitingly on my oval plate; decorated
with a tapered streak of chocolate sauce across it.
The coffee arrived with a selection of chocolates that were almost
too much to bear after my very filling adventure into newly discovered
culinary fusion but I could not resist the two tone pyramid chocolates
with their swirly dark patterns.
That was it. I was completely full and couldn't move. I wanted
to ask if the hotel had a carry out service but I think they would
have refused when they realized it was me that needed to be carried
out, not more food. On the way out I was presented with a selection
of fine cigars from a wooden humidity box. What better way to end
a perfectly jazzed up evening; wining and dining on the best fusion
food in town.
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