The hype of upscale Thai food owes so much to Bo.lan. When Duangporn “Bo” Songvisava and Dylan Jones (who worked alongside David Thompson at Nahm in London) first opened their restaurant back in 2009 to offer old-school Thai flavors, we didn’t have a clue what they were doing and why we needed to pay that much for a meal our moms can cook. We soon learned however that what Bo and Dylan were trying to do was beyond anything that can be created in a home kitchen. The wife-and-husband team embarked on a culinary journey far beyond everyday Thai fare, traveling back in time to rediscover what Thai food was before everything was altered by modern conveniences. At Bo.lan, the finest ingredients, taken from different sources around the kingdom, deserve more praise than imported produce, and hands are valued more than cooking machines. And this is the reason we pay more: We pay for Bo and Dylan’s passion.
Bo.lan has zero tolerance for course menus and serves the dishes all-together family-style—exactly how Thai food is supposed to be enjoyed. The menu changes on a quarterly basis and incorporates fresh produce taken from sustainable sources across the country, with some herbs grown onsite.
Go full-on with the Bo.lan Balance set, which includes mock turtle curry, an ancient curry that uses pork tendon and egg yolk wrapped in chewy flour to replicate Chinese turtles and their eggs. A relish mixes shrimp paste and coconut cream to bring balance to the dish along with fresh and crunchy local organic greens. The smaller Bo.lan Brief set comes with a colorful salad that’s served with seasonal flowers, prawn and pork, and dressed with refreshing coconut flower vinegar.