Edward Carter's TRAVELS: BKK's Hottest New Restaurant

Bangkok, October 2004

The hottest new restaurant in BKK (Bangkok) is D’Sens at the top of the Dusit Thani hotel at the entrance of Silom. It stars 3-star Michelin, twin chefs J & L Pourcel. (The last time I looked, there were less than 20 Michelin 3-Star restaurants in the world.)

The Pourcels’ most famous other restaurant is Le Jardin des Sens in Montpelier, France, along with other establishments in Montpellier, Avignon, Paris, Tokyo, and the soon to be opened W’Sens in London.

The restaurant here is on the 22nd floor of a, frankly, previously rather dowdy hotel. D’Sens bring a whole new ambiance to the place with 3300 square meters of leather upholstery, 130,000 handcrafted Parisian beads for the walls of the foyer, 1800 fish in 20-foot long tanks on either side of the bar, and shimmering curtain material, also from France. Add Paul Smith-designed carpeting and a 20-foot acrylic wall with embedded rose petals at the reception, and you have a uniquely sophisticated spot.

Silver velvet bar banquettes.jpg

How’s the food? Terrific! I had roast pigeon, flown in from Paris (not on its own) that was almost as good as the pheasant Lord Montague prepared for me at Beaulieu a couple of years ago. Light, tender, and flavorsome with a curry and almond pastilla, brochette of giblets, cacao scented jus, and seven-sided vegetables, of course.

My partner had roasted turbot filet served on a bed of parsley-stuffed pig’s trotter, with citrus-flavored jus with condiments. He liked it a lot.

Our Thai waiter had gone to France a year ago to polish his French to land his job. It’s this kind of dedication that one expects at one of the top restaurants in Asia.

What’s the catch? How deep is your wallet? This place is costly for Thailand. Expect to pay 9000 baht (US$230) for two with a modest bottle of wine.

D’Sens
at The Dusit Thani
946 Rama IV Road
Bangkok 10500, Thailand
T: +66 (0) 2200 9000 x 2499
F: +66 (0) 2236 6400
E: dibdsens@dusit.com
www.dusit.com

(back to Edward's List of The Best of BKK)

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