20 Jan Bangkok.com : Freebird
Freebird Restaurant Bangkok Modern, High-End Restaurant In Sukhumvit ADD TO TRIP!20 Freebird Bangkok is part of the new breed of restaurants in the capital that focuses on inventive, high-level cuisine, but presented in a casual, lively atmosphere. Gone are crisp white table cloths and silver service (there are plenty of high-end hotels doing that already, anyway), and in their place is graffiti on the walls, abstract ceiling lights and funky tunes on the stereo. In the kitchen, all the culinary tricks are put to good use, but there’s no overly pretentious use of smoke or foam. Located in a converted house on Sukhumvit 47 (between Phrom Phong and Thonglor), Freebird is an exciting blend of modern Australian cuisine, fresh local Asian ingredients, expertly paired wines and cocktails, and high quality coffee. It is the creation of four superstars from the dining and design world in Singapore – celebrated designer, Alan Barr, Ben Lee from Sarnies, Dallas Cuddy from Prime Society and Marcus Boyle from celebrated restaurant The Tippling Club. In fact, Marcus recently left the restaurant, but it’s yet more proof that Bangkok’s dining scene is sitting firmly at the top table nowadays. Most Booked HOTELSRating Amari Watergate Bangkok 4.2/ 5 Banyan Tree Bangkok 4.5/ 5 Chatrium Residence Sathon 4.3/ 5 Dusit Thani Bangkok 4.3/ 5 Eastin Grand Hotel Sathorn 4.6/ 5 The Sukhothai Bangkok 4.6/ 5 Grande Centre Point Hotel Terminal 21 4.4/ 5 lebua at State Tower 4.5/ 5 Shangri-La Hotel, Bangkok 4.7/ 5 Siam Kempinski Hotel Bangkok 4.7/ 5 Most Booked TOURS Ayutthaya Ancient Capital Tour with River Cruise Banyan Tree’s Apsara Dinner Cruise Bridge on the River Kwai & Historic Railway Tour Thonburi Klongs & Grand Palace Morning Excursion Floating Markets Cycling & Boat Tour Private Grand Palace, Emerald Buddha & Reclining Buddha Morning Tour Siam Niramit Dinner Show Calypso Bangkok Cabaret Show Safari World & Marine Park Full-Day Tour With Buffet Lunch Muay Thai Live Performance The house itself is major selling point at Freebird The team have kept the dimensions of a home in tact, and injected some real modern charm into the place – it comes as no surprise that Barr’s interior design firm has an office on the 2nd floor. There are several different seating options available, including a bar-top with views into the open kitchen, and a long communal table which can be booked for large groups or shared with other diners for a sociable meal with other diners. You can even sit outside overlooking the garden, where vegetables and herbs are grown and the gardener’s birds are kept. The variety and inventiveness of the dishes at Freebird will impress even seasoned diners. Ingredients come from handpicked suppliers in Hua Hin and some premium delicacies from back in Australia, and the freshness really shines through. You can choose a la carte, but for first-time diners we suggest the 10-course tasting menu for 1,850 baht. The menu is just one page, but each dish has been painstakingly created. For example, wild sea urchin laid out on a mixed seed cracker. Creamy, salty and brimming with earthy flavours; tastes of the ocean and the forest (150 baht for two crackers). For adventurous diners, definitely choose the duck liver pate in a choux pastry (150 baht). It fools your mind into thinking you’re eating a chocolate éclair, so when you bite into the cold, smooth and rich pate it’s one of those surprising misconceptions that food critics love. The combination of light and heavy textures is enhanced by the addition of truffle and macadamia. Highly recommended is the pork collar dish, which is left to marinate in soy sauce before being slow-cooked sous vide for a cut of meat that is equally succulent and lean. Served with a pistachio paste, olive and fennel leaves, with mixed vegetables on the side, it’s a pick of the meaty mains. There’s not a strip of fat on the meat but it still melts in your mouth (495 baht). The mains are a fairly even split between meat and fish, but if you prefer your surf to your turf then the large fillet of ocean trout, cooked rare over a crispy skin, is typical of great Aussie cuisine and served with a bowl of cool, rich Spanish-style pickles simmered in jus from mussels (750/1750 baht). Desserts are more on the fruity, piquant side of the scale; served as abstract constructions on the plate, with just the right amount of richness and interesting textures of crumble and smooth ice cream. The blackberry ice cream with crumbly, candied buckwheat and meringue (340 baht) has been a big hit with diners and it seems most diners want to post it on social media before digging in. The quirky cocktails are interesting, perhaps not among the best in town, but still add another dimension to the restaurant. Ultimately, Freebird is a fun place to dine in Bangkok, which is suitable for a leisurely brunch, a quick meal, or to go all out with a 10-course tasting menu. They have also started doing exclusive wine events with Australian labels and paired dishes – look out for more information on their Facebook page. Freebird Restaurant Bangkok Opening Hours: 17:30 - 24:00 daily (Weekend brunch: 11:00 - 15:00) Location: 28 Sukhumvit Soi 47 (between Phomr Phong and Thonglor) BTS: Phrom Phong Tel: +66 (0)2 662 4936 Website: https://www.facebook.com/freebirdbkk/ Hide Map
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