Contemporary Thai Cuisine @ Bolan

I’ve been wanting to visit Bolan after reading about it on Reader’s Digest a few months back. focuses. We made a reservation a week in advance to ensure we had a seat when we arrived and were definitely lucky to do so as the Restaurant was fully booked.

Bolan offers an ala Carte for people that are familiar with Thai Cuisine or regulars of the restaurant and a “Bolan Balance” Tasting Menu which features a Thai Salad, Chilli Relish, Stir-Fried Dish, Curry and Soup based on the Chef's recommendations.

Despite Eric’s weak stomach we chose their Tasting Menu but made a few changes over certain dishes that were deemed too spicy.


Lemongrass Water

We were given a welcome drink of Lemongrass Water upon seated. The Lemongrass Water was mildly sweet and very refreshing.


Ya dong grachai dum served with sour fruits

Starting from the far back, is a blend of Thai Whiskey and Herbs, Pandanus Juice and Sour Fruits. The Thai Whiskey was actually quite smooth probably from the herbs. The burning sensation was then toned down with the Pandanus Juice. The Sour Fruits were really sour when eaten alone but when dipped with some salt and chili flakes it wasn't as strong.


Bolan Amuse Bouche (From the right Crispy Crepe with Chicken Meat, Mint Salad with Thai Mackeral, Pork with Fried Garlic and Mango, Fermented Rice Noodles and Prawn Mango Salad)


The Mint Salad was just fabulous. The Fish Sauce Dressing was well balanced and went so well with the Mackeral and Mint. The Fermented Rice Noodles was another favorite! It contained Pineapple Chunks, which was neither sour nor sweet. The flavors and textures were just so nicely balanced!


Pad gung sai sator gratiam dong lae cha-om (Stir-fried prawn with sator bean pickled garlic and acacia leaves)

This was another excellent dish. The Prawns were stir-fried with Mung Bean Noodles and Egg. One could definitely taste the flavor of the egg permeate into the other ingredients. The flavor reminded me of Thai Style Claypot Prawns with Mung Bean Noodles except it was without any gravy.


Gaeng hung lay moo bab Chiang rai (Northern pork rib and belly curry with Hunglea)

The Curry did not contain any Coconut Milk but was still quite thick. The Pork Ribs were very tender and flavorful but was very spicy because of the absence of Coconut Milk.


Yum chakram sai Gung mae naam Ayutthaya (Salad of Samut Songhram samphire and grilled Ayuthaya river prawns)

This was delicious. The River Prawns were grilled just right and the Salad had a nice amount of heat.


Lon gung jom naem duay kai fuu buu (Preserved fresh water prawn simmered in fresh coconut cream with lemongrass, white turmeric and chili served with deep-fried crispy egg and hand-picked crab meat)


My favorite dish of the night! The Turmeric Cream Coconut Concoction was creamy and smooth and went so well with the ultra crispy but light egg! When eating the Crispy Egg, Velvety Smooth Gravy and the soft texture of Blanched Vegetables it was so good!


Dtom klong bai makam sai pla grob (Spicy soup infused with smoked fish and young tamarind leaves)

The soup was quite spicy. It was less sour than Tom Yam Soup and had a mild smoky flavor from the fish. I loved the combination of Shallots, Lemongrass and Chillis all of which accentuated the flavor of the Soup.


Bo.lan pre-dessert (Mango with Sticky Rice)

The best I've had. The Mango was sweet and went so well with the Sticky Rice which just had the right amount of stickiness and was very moist from the Coconut Cream. What I loved was the yellow crispy bits which gave a nice contrast in texture.


Bo.lan dessert du jour (Water Chestnut and Jackfruit in Jasmine Syrup w/Crispy Wafer)

A refreshing dessert. The Water Chestnuts had the right amount of crunch and the Jackfruit was very fragrant. The Jasmine Syrup had a very fragrant and smoky flavor that wasn't too sweet.


Petit fours


This was the biggest platter of Petit fours I've ever had! It was basically a Thai Dessert Sampler. Favorites of mine included the Egg White Meringue, Caramel Nut Cluster, Pandanus Layer Jelly and the Guava and Rose Apple which was great with the Chili-Sugar Crystals.

I truly enjoyed the Dining Experience at Bolan. I loved the chef's use of creativity for their First Two Courses and Petit Fours but kept it traditionally Thai with the serving of all the Main Dishes at once to be eaten with rice.


Food: 4.7/5
Service: 4.7/5
Ambiance: 4.8/5
Price: $$$$$ (Approximately USD $65 per person)

Contact Information
Contact Information:
Address: 42 Soi Pichai Ronnarong Songkram Sukhumvit 26 Klongteoy Bangkok 10110
Tel. +66 (2) 260-2962

Map:

View Larger Map