From now until 3 July, Charoenkrung progressive-thinking dining room 80/20 (0 2639 1135), which has been praised for giving Thai ingredients a modern upgrade, is collaborating with like-minded chefs from around Thailand such as Weerawat Triyasenawat of Samuay and Sons in Udon Thani, Phanuphon Bulsuwan of Blackitch in Chiang Mai, Chalermpon Rohitratana of the old-town exotic den Rarb, and Montep Kamolsilp of Siam @ Siam hotel, to deliver innovative Isaan flavor that promises to blow your mind during the Isan Week.
Forget northeastern clichés like somtam or grilled chicken with jaew sauce, and expect exotic and foraged wild regional ingredients given creative kicks such as roasted duck flavored with larb seasoning, served on the bed of sauce made from sour eggplant (ma-euk) and tamarind, as well as the rack of lamb covered with cha-plu leaf powder and elevated by Isaan-style “gaeng-aom” sauce made from dill and fermented beef sauce.
We particularly love the pieces of unlaid eggs (puang kai), that’s been braised until tender and doused in the spicy-and-sour broth injected with tamarind and topped with foam made of bird eye’s chili.
80/20’s Japanese in-house pastry chef Saki Hoshino will specially create an ice-cream made of khao mak (fermented rice) and a pop-rice meringue treat with grilled wild beehives, mangosteen and Chan berry sauce.
