Bo.lan, Bangkok

Located in Bangkok’s trendy Sukhumvit district, is Bo.lan, a Thai restaurant like no other. Started by couple Dungaporn ”Bo” Songvisava and Dylan Jones – the name of the restaurant comes from the amalgamation of Duangporn’s nickname “Bo” and the second syllable of her husband’s first name (lan) – the eight year old restaurant has achieved rave reviews including a listing on  S.Pellegrino & Acqua Panna Asia’s 50 Best Restaurant.

 

Bo.lan is part of a movement which aims to bring back the authenticity in Thai cuisine. The restaurant’s name is almost similar in sound to the Thai word “Boran” which means vintage, ancient or traditional and despite the contemporary spin of its dishes, the restaurant is able to maintain the authentic “Thainess” which it so prides itself upon.

You might wonder how authentically Thai can a restaurant co-founded by a “farang” (Thai term for a person of European ancestry) be?  Chef Dylan, who hails from Australia, speaks fluent Thai and was already an accomplished Thai chef before setting up Bo.lan. So passionate is he and his wife about Thai cuisine that they even host their own weekly cooking show on Thai TV.

Patrons to Bo.lan are impressed upon its attention to authenticity the moment they arrive. Housed in an old Thai building, the design and décor of the stylish, low-lit restaurant interior takes inspiration from a traditional Thai house. Once inside, guests are warmly greeted and served by Bo.lan’s service staff in a manner of hospitality which the Thais are renowned for.

The restaurant’s menu changes every few months depending on the availability of seasonal ingredients. To maintain the food’s authentic Thai flavour, the chefs’ ensure that only fresh, premium local ingredients are used. Items on the menu includes otherwise rare Thai dishes such as Meang Maprang, an appetizer which is a heavenly concoction of plum mango, toasted coconut, lime, ginger, tiny dried shrimp, and sweet sauce.

All this authenticity does come at a price and the set menu for lunch will typically set you back by around 1200 Thai Baht (USD 34). That will give you a fairly sumptuous meal of a salad, soup, stir fry, curry and dessert (served with a choice of brown or jasmine rice). If you’re looking for a cheap Thai meal, this restaurant is definitely not for you. Authenticity also means that some of the dishes may be a tad too spicy especially if you’re unfamiliar with Thai cuisine.

For those of us who have experienced watered down and adulterated Thai food in our cities and think that’s all that Thai cuisine has to offer, then the restaurant is a definitely must visit. If you’re intending to have a meal there the next time you’re in Bangkok, do note that the restaurant can be quite busy at times. Do call in or go their website to make a reservation at least a few days in advance.