Get a taste of Thailand in Bintan
Until June 28, guests at Banyan Tree Bintan can treat themselves to a gastronomic experience helmed by Chef Porntip Eumanan at the resort’s signature Saffron Restaurant
For the professional chef of nearly two decades, the most important ingredient in any dish is heart.
That is what Chef Porntip Eumanan hopes diners sampling her Taste of Thailand menu receive from her food.
Until June 28, guests at Banyan Tree Bintan can treat themselves to the week-long Thai gastronomic experience at the Indonesian resort’s signature Saffron Restaurant.
It stars Chef Porntip, the Thai chef de cuisine from Banyan Tree Bangkok, and her carefully curated menu of modern yet authentic Thai cuisine.
“When we cook, my head chef always tells me that we need to put our heart and soul into our dishes. So I hope the guests get to taste that,” she said during a cooking demonstration on June 23 at Banyan Tree Bintan.
For this period only, food aficionados can participate in such sessions inclusive of lunch, hosted by chef Porntip, at IDR400,000++ (S$39) per person.
During our demonstration, she dished out cooking advice while serving up Yum Pla Salmon, a grilled salmon salad with Thai herbs, and Gaeng Kiew Wan Gai, a classic Thai green curry.
“During plating, it’s better to pick up the salmon than just dropping it straight from the pan. You don’t want the oil to make the salad soggy,” advised the cheery Chef Porntip, who gingerly placed cubes of salmon on a bed of pomelo, mint, basil and coriander leaves.
When asked why vegetable stock was used for the green curry instead of water, she shared: “If you add water, it doesn’t add flavour to the curry.”
Guests will be able to bring home a booklet with the ingredients so that they can recreate the recipes at home.
As part of the Taste of Thailand programme, you can choose a candlelit dinner with a four- or six-course menu, and opt for wine pairings.
The six-course menu (IDR1,200,000++ with wine pairing and IDR800,000++ without) allows you to feast on tender slices of beef soaked in a clear, spicy broth, paired with a spring roll.
For dessert, try the smooth and tangy mango creme brulee, paired with mung beans and a sharp but sweet lychee ice cream.
The four-course menu (IDR900,000++ with wine pairing, IDR600,000++ without) features spicy duck salad, Tom Yum Goong, southern Thai-style braised beef Massaman curry and desserts like taro and pandan ice cream.
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