Japanese restaurant Yananiga, set in a hilly, tree-dense countryside near the city of Gifu, is known among well-traveled gastronomes for serving locally sourced game meats, such as wild boar, venison and bear, that are charcoal-grilled to perfection. UK publication The Guardian posited that it may be “the best restaurant in the planet” while the users of Tabelog, Japan’s most popular restaurant rating site, have given the restaurant the highest scores. Japanese tastemakers, including Hello Kitty designer Yuko Yamaguchi, have claimed the establishment as one of their favorite places to dine.
Considering all these, it’s no surprise to learn that securing a seat at the restaurant is not easy. Yanagiya is one of island country’s many ishigen-san okotowari restaurants, meaning you have to be introduced by former diners or get “people in the know” to secure a reservation for you.
“The difficulty of eating at Yanagiya, from its location and its strict reservation rule, has inspired Masashi Yamada [Yanagiya’s manager] to open other outlets, to make the Yanagiya experience more democratic and accessible,” says Ben Na Nakorn, restaurateur and co-owner of Shun.
Opening on the third floor of Donki Mall Thonglor, Shun brings a slice of Yanagiya to Thai diners, offering locally sourced and imported fresh produce that are prepared with a meticulous attention to detail.
While the original outpost in the rural Japanese town emanates a traditional and simplistic charm—diners gather around an irori (flaming hearth) fired up with red charcoal on which a chef grills wild meat—the Bangkok offshoot has more contemporary leanings. A dark and narrow passage leads guests, either to a compact dining room with a circular counter bar, raw concrete walls and a ceiling whose color changes throughout the meal or to a small cocktail bar where a mixologist conjures up fizzy aperitifs.
When it comes to ingredients, Shun keeps it simple rather than exotic. Vegetables are transported from organic farms in Chiang Mai, and chickens are sourced from suppliers that keep them uncaged. Premium proteins like carabinero, foie gras and eel are flown from some of the world’s best sources.
A 17-course menu (B4,800) kicks off with a caviar-topped tuna tartare served in a cornet and spiked with wasabi Chantilly and yuzu. This is followed by a juicy and boldly flavored Tasmanian trout, and carabinero with fat oozing from its head, both grilled just right. Chicken is served in three different courses, each of which features different parts—kata (the part between the wing and breast), kashiwa (thigh) and tebasaki (middle wing with bones intact). All dishes are simply cooked yet taste marvelous. And we can’t stop raving about the skewer of quail eggs, which boasts an indulgent smokiness from oak wood.
The last few courses feature imported proteins including Iberico pork with tare sauce, and heavenly unagi (with just the right balance of meat and fat) served on rice—perhaps the best we’ve tried in Bangkok. Vegetables are not overshadowed, and range from a simple salad to sweet tomato marinated in white wine.
Taking a different approach from other omakase joints, where the meal ends with a traditional Japanese dessert, the sweet ending at Shun takes on a fiery treatment in the form of grilled marshmallow served alongside yuzu and matcha cream. We promise it tastes a whole lot better than its sounds.
According to Ben, exotic meat will be gradually introduced into the menu in the near future. For now, Shun gives more familiar ingredients the perfectly grilled touch they deserve.
