There’s a moment at KHAAN when you realise you’re experiencing more than just another fine dining take on Thai cuisine. For me, it was their rendition of Thailand’s quintessential mango sticky rice dessert – but unlike anything you’d find at a street market. Here, it arrives as the ‘forget husband rice’ – inspired by ‘Khao Leum Pua,’ a traditional black rice so delicious that wives allegedly forgot about their husbands while eating it. Break into it with your fork and watch the centre ooze; it’s the melty texture and intense flavours – the harmonious interplay of sweet black rice, salted coconut, and ripe mango – that makes you momentarily forget your dinner companion exists (sorry, husband) and fully surrender to the culinary experience of KHAAN.
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A Chef In Her Element
Chef Aom (Sujira ‘Aom’ Pongmorn) brings more than just accolades to KHAAN. After earning her Michelin star at Saawaan and being recognised as one of Asia’s Best Female Chefs, she’s chosen to delve deeper into Thailand’s rich gastronomic traditions. At KHAAN, her vision guides diners from humble street eats to the elegance of royal Thai cuisine, creating what she calls ‘the next chapter of Thai cuisine.’
This commitment to showcasing Thailand’s full culinary spectrum is evident in her research-driven kitchen, where traditional preservation methods intersect with modern techniques. Her team regularly travels across the country to source directly from farmers and fishermen, each ingredient telling its own story of place and tradition. The restaurant’s dedication to waste reduction is clear in their whole-product approach, where everything from fish bones to herb stems finds its purpose – most notably in their extensive fermentation programme that, as I soon discovered, becomes something of an obsession.
The Fermentation Obsession
At KHAAN, fermentation goes far beyond technique – it becomes a central storyline that shapes the entire dining experience. Dishes arrive with their own backstory, often accompanied by jars of fermenting ingredients placed right on the table. The Andaman Tiger Prawn is paired with 30-day homemade pickled lime and Hua Hin coconut, the lime amplifying the prawn’s sweetness while fermented Sang Yod rice brings a wine-like depth. Perhaps most unexpected is the 45-day lacto-fermented King Oyster mushroom broth served with Barron Point and Surat Thani oysters – its rich umami intensifying the natural brine of the seafood. These jars highlight not just clever ferments that complement the food, but a genuine dedication to preservation. It felt refreshingly original.
A Culinary Map of Thailand, Reimagined
The experience begins with an artfully arranged sequence of amuse bouche that feels like a map of Thailand told through food. The South comes alive in a perfectly steamed egg with crab yellow curry, capturing the region’s love of spice and seafood, and finished with kaffir lime powder that evokes the intensity of southern markets. Central Thailand is expressed through fermented mung bean noodles with peanut sauce, a nod to the region’s Chinese influence. The North makes its presence felt with a playful deconstruction of Khao Soi – its traditional richness expressed through uni and macadamia nuts. These opening bites set the tone for what’s to come – a menu that draws from Thailand’s diverse food traditions. Each plate feels like a message from a different corner of the country – written in Chef Aom’s unmistakable style.
At KHAAN, familiar Thai dishes take on fresh dimensions while keeping their heart intact. The Rice Paddy Crab, one of Chef Aom’s signatures, transforms this somtum staple into something truly striking. What arrives in the shell is not the whole crab but its essence – creamy crab fat that’s rich and buttery with a heat that builds gradually. Alongside it comes grilled sticky rice enriched with coconut milk, wrapped in banana leaf together with that prized crab fat – an elevated nod to how farmers once grilled these creatures. The fermented Sang Yod rice is equally compelling – fermentation turning this heritage grain into something almost wine-like in flavour, paired with dry-aged turnip and Thai borage – making you question whether you’ve ever really tasted rice before.
A Touch Of Wine
The four-glass wine pairing (1,950 THB++) highlights KHAAN’s skill in showing how wine can harmonise with complex Thai flavours and fermented elements. From our selection, two pairings stood out: the South African Chenin Blanc ‘I Am The Ninja,’ whose honeysuckle notes beautifully lifted the pickled elements of the Andaman Tiger Prawn, and the Château la Grâce Fonrazade Merlot, which brought soothing balance to the heat of the Five Spice curry. These well-judged pairings challenge the old notion that Thai cuisine is difficult to match with wine – proving instead that the right choices can enhance, rather than compete with, even the most intricate spice profiles.
Dynamic Space, Attentive Service
Set across two floors, Chef Aom’s restaurant might be modest in size by Bangkok standards, but it’s exactly this intimacy that makes it memorable. The dining room’s subtle sophistication sets the stage – brass details, red velvet chairs, and warm lighting come together to create a setting that lets the food shine. What I love most is how the well-spaced tables turn what could feel compact into something wonderfully private and comfortable. It’s the kind of place that works its charm whether you’re planning a romantic evening or catching up with your closest friend.
The service reflects this same balance – attentive but never overbearing, with staff who share each dish’s story with genuine enthusiasm and knowledge. This is fine dining that feels special without the formality, sophisticated yet inviting.
Understanding The Future, Respecting The Past
At 3,850 THB++ for the tasting menu (wine pairings at 1,950 THB++ for four glasses, 2,450 THB++ for six), KHAAN isn’t casual dining. However, it’s exactly the kind of place that reminds you why fine dining matters when it’s done right. What strikes me most is how personal it feels; every dish carries Chef Aom’s memories and point of view, yet never feels self-indulgent. When the staff hinted at a new menu coming at the year’s end, it perfectly captured what makes this place special – there’s an energy here, a sense that we’re watching something evolve in real time.
What I came away with is that KHAAN isn’t about reinventing Thai food for the sake of being different. It’s about understanding its soul so deeply that you know exactly how to move it forward. The thoughtful innovation here never overshadows the cuisine’s heritage and heart. And that’s exactly what makes KHAAN not just a great meal, but a restaurant that feels important for Bangkok’s dining scene. I’m already anticipating to my next visit.
KHAAN Thai Fine Dining, 14/3 Soi Somkid, Lumphini, Pathum Wan, 10330 Bangkok, Thailand, 92 441 6547, khaanbkk.com
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