“Gaa”, which brings new wind to Bangkok’s innovative scene, is the sister restaurant of “Gaggan”.
Indian chef Garima Arora, who honed her skills at Denmark’s “noma” and served as a sous chef at “Gaggan”, has explored the innovative DNA of Gaggan.
Ave. Budget: Dinner course14,700++THB
*Update on December 18, 2020:
After a long period of closure, it appears that the restaurant has opened after relocating.
It is a renovated old house in a modern style.
I am looking forward to Chef Garima Arora’s new venture, including the atmosphere of the restaurant.
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Nordic Cuisine Approach x Gagan’s Challenging Spirit x Trust in Thai Ingredients
In early 2017, a restaurant called “Gaa” was being shared by chefs and other food enthusiasts on social media in Bangkok.
Despite my curiosity, I couldn’t find any articles about it and only knew the name of the restaurant.
I tried searching for information in Japanese and English, but I couldn’t find anything. I did find the official Facebook page, but it had very few posts and I couldn’t tell what kind of food they served.
・The mysterious “Gaa” is the new Restaurant of Asia’s No.1 “Gagan”
In the early days of 2017, a restaurant started being shared by chefs and others in Bangkok on social media.
All I knew was the name of the restaurant, “Gaa”.
I searched for information in Japanese and English, but there were no articles about it and the official Facebook page had very sparse posts, so I didn’t know what kind of food was served.
I decided that it would be faster to visit the restaurant instead of researching more, so I contacted the restaurant through Messenger and went to visit.
On the way, I took a taxi to the restaurant during a hot and sticky season just before the rainy season.
The location was across from “Gaggan” in a renovated colonial-style Western-style building.
Unlike the wooden house of “Gaggan”, this restaurant was renovated from a brick building, giving it a slightly modern atmosphere.
I arrived earlier than planned, so I ordered slowly while flipping through the concept book that was prepared at the table and calming down my sweat.
When I talked to the staff, they told me that the official opening was in April.
That’s why I found the posts on Facebook and other accounts that were created during the trial posting period. That makes sense, I thought, since I couldn’t understand it otherwise.
Short and long 2-course menu
The menu consists of only two courses: 10 dishes (2,000 THB) and 16 dishes (2,600 THB).
According to the staff, there is no difference in volume, but the portions in the 16-dish course are slightly smaller per dish.
There are also wine pairing courses of 4 glasses (1,900 THB) and 5 glasses (2,300 THB).
This time, we chose the 10 dishes + 4 glasses menu.
Let’s introduce the course that started with “Cold Soup” all at once.
‘Chilled Soup of Mango, Pumpkin, Pikles’
The dish starts with a refreshing mango and pumpkin soup with a nice balance of sweetness from the mango and pumpkin and a tangy flavor from the pickles.
The bright yellow color is eye-catching and sets the stage for an exquisite dining experience.
Contrary to expectation, the next dish, liver pâté, comes in a bite-sized portion, not a larger one like in Gaa.
‘Chicken Liver, Longan’
After eating the liver pâté with a unique texture created by flash freezing, it was “corn”.
‘Corn’
The naming is straightforward. In Japan, it would be called “young corn.”
The skin of the corn pops off easily, and the special mayonnaise-type sauce is delicious.
‘Cow Milk Tofu, Grilled Leaves of Mustard and Pakchi Farang’
Crunchy mustard leaves, with a soft and smooth tofu-like texture made from milk.
The mild creaminess of the tofu and the pungent flavor of the mustard create a harmonious balance.
Not sure if it’s appropriate to call it tofu or cheese, but it’s something in between.
“Gaa” with the modernity of New Nordic Cuisine added to the DNA of “Gaggan”
The course continues further.
‘Crayfish, Khakhra’
The next dish is crayfish, with a crunchy texture that is irresistible.
‘Cauliflower, Caramelized Whey, Add on Royal Project Cavier’
The next dish was “Charamelized Cauliflower” with optional caviar.
‘Pork Rib’
From what I have seen so far, the dishes feature ingredients that are brought to life.
The caviar that was on the cauliflower was a domestically produced item produced by the Thai royal family.
Other ingredients such as crab and crayfish, as well as herbs and spices such as cilantro, demonstrate a willingness to actively incorporate Thai food culture.
It is possible to see the influence of New Nordic Cuisine in their trust and approach to local ingredients, and upon inquiry, I learned that Chef Garima Arora has also worked at “noma”.
Her experience at “noma” might have straight-forwardly shown in the presentation of “pork rib”.
Poetic sense everywhere
A moment to catch your breath after the main course has been served.
‘Caramelized Onion Bread, Homemade Butter’
After a break, the main dish was served with a message inside the wrap.
The wrap contained bread with onions and was typographed with a quote from British writer Zadie Smith.
The homemade butter with a soft texture was also unique.
‘Egg Fruit Icecream’
The dessert is soft cream made from eggfruit (canistel).
And for a twist, there’s “koji ganache” mixed with the Indian sweet, “Bakharwadi,” flavored with cinnamon.
And towards the end, the culinary culture of India, which is the roots of Chef Garima Arora, is prominently expressed.
A presence that will lead the future gastronomy scene in Bangkok
There is a saying “Aoi is bluer than indigo, and indigo is bluer than blue.”
When I hear this, I always get confused about who is the master and who is the student, and who is superior.
But when I think about the relationship between the master and the student, the standard I have is Takeshi Gundan.
I remember that Takeshi Kitano always said “If you make me the host, Takai is better than me. If you make me do manzai, Asakusa Kid is better. But I am the only one who can do everything.”
In the previous saying, indigo is the master and blue is the student, but it may be nonsense to think about who is superior.
If I had to say, the master who built something in one generation has a superior overall strength, and the excellent student who came out of it often has more specialized talent.
This “Gaa” also impressively inherited the spirit of the master while slightly shifting the approach in its own way.
In “Gagan,” there are parts that were too grand and had no grip, but there is a feeling that the focus was sharpened.
This may also be due to the fact that my personal tastes and the cuisine that has passed through the New Nordic Cuisine are compatible, but not only “Gagan,” but also the cuisine of Aloma Chef, who embodies the DNA of “Noma,” enters my tongue, stomach, and head sincerely.
Although there were still some aspects that were not yet polished in operations, I think it will become a presence that will definitely lead the Bangkok gastronomy scene in the future, especially after “Gagan” is scheduled to close in 2020 and beyond.
–Information of “GAA” —
Business Hours: Lunch <Sat & Sun only>12:00-14:30, Dinner 17:30-23:00
Holiday: Sun. Lunch on Mon.
Telephone: +66 63 987 4747
Address: 46/1 Sukhumvit 53, Khlong Tan Nuea, Bangkok
Official web
MAP
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