Freebird

Time Out Bangkok : Freebird

Alan Barr — Fri, 20 Jan 2017 12:38:11 +0000

A new nest for feasting on Australian flavors

Highly influenced by international flavors but located rather far from the rest of the world, Australia has developed a cuisine that is unique in its own way. “Australian cuisine is a free-thinking kind of cuisine,” says Marcus Boyle, general manager and sommelier of Freebird, the latest hangout spot in bustling Sukhumvit. Backed by owners and co-founders Alan Barr and Benjamin Lee, Chef Dallas Cuddy injects contemporary tweaks into Australian dishes and serve them in a friendly and cozy environment.

Dressed in a modern-country style, Freebird is surrounded by a beautiful herbal garden that injects a peaceful and relaxing vibe that contrasts with the busy main road just a few hundred meters away.

“Australian food has no boundaries. We have developed our own style that’s not based solely on one cuisine,” says Cuddy. “Now, we would like to tell people what Australia is. It’s not just about food or wine but it’s a whole experience: a good laugh, sitting back and relaxing.”

Freebird doesn’t have a large menu. Newcomers can opt for A Taste of Freebird (B1,750), a ten-plate feeding menu (according to the Australians, the term “tasting menu” is reserved for more upscale dining experiences) put together by the chef.

Starters include shaved squid with oyster cream, cucumber juice and seaweed butter (B290) and a lovely duck liver parfait profiterole with truffle honey and macadamia milk (B130 each). Mains provide a wide range of meat and fish dishes such as a tender slow-cooked kurobuta pork collar with pistachio, green olive purée and fennel (B450) and a 600-gram chunk of ocean trout with wakame butter, mussel escabeche and Avruga caviar (B1,600, best for two to three persons).

A couple of scrumptious desserts are must-tries. We recommend the lime leaf posset with whipped coconut, honeydew melon and elderflower (B300), and peach tart with ginger beer sorbet, and dried grape and pumpkin seed crumble (B320). Pair your meal with cocktails or a wide range of wine from both famous and up-and-coming vineyeards such as Stonier, Frankland River and Mark Forbes.

Bangkok Undercover : Freebird

Alan Barr — Fri, 20 Jan 2017 12:35:18 +0000

FREEBIRD BANGKOK RESTAURANT DECEMBER 7, 2016 4.41 ( 27 votes ) FREEBIRD BANGKOK Freebird Bangkok is one of the best new openings on the local dining scene, a restaurant defined as Modern Australian Cuisine and featuring Chef Dallas Cuddy from Melbourne. It also seems to be the trend in Bangkok to open your restaurant in smallest and most hidden street, where logic would assume that no one would ever find you. But social media and google maps now make it easy to find any place, anywhere. Freebird restaurant is superbly designed, set in a classic house sitting in a big neat garden. With plenty of beautiful modern murals and a great use of lighting, Free Bird really created a soft warm and very welcoming atmosphere. It’s quite colourful and set a easy going mood, perfect to share a great romantic dinner or a small group of good friends. The tables are distributed here and there in the house and you can get a glimpse on the open kitchen from any table. Freebird has a tempting menu with a good mix of meats and fish, but you should remember two things I learned from contemporary restaurants. Don’t trust your ‘taste memory’ too much when reading the menu… the way the Chef mixes ingredient creates a whole new palette of tastes. The second thing you should know is that the portions are bigger than they look, so don’t go overboard when ordering like we did. The wine list is impressive but if you are hesitant, the general manager who is also a sommelier will be more than happy to advice you on a bottle or even wines by the glass. Slow roasted citrus brined chicken A special mention should be made about the superb presentation of every single dish, including the beautiful desserts (see photos). Bangkok is evolving fast and the young generation of Chefs clearly understands that it does make a difference when a plate hit the right balance between taste and visual pleasure. We did try hundreds of restaurants around the world but I must say that we were surprised by the delicate balance of presentation. Once everyone got their photo taken, the moment of truth did not disappoint: every single dish tasted as good as it looked, and the meat was perfectly cooked we like to pay a special attention to this detail). Freshly shucked Australian oyster with Shiso dressing (150 B) Mushrrom buckwheat risotto with slow cooked pork (380 B) Tartare of Aged Waguy beef with parmesan custard (375 B) Slow roasted ocean trout with mussel escabeche (750 B) Slow roasted citrus brined chicken (475 B) Duck breast with mushrooms, beet root and mustard seeds (540 B) Desserts are not to be missed: Blackberry ice cream with candied buckwheat (340 B), Poached pear with chocolate polvoron (340 B) and the beautifully crafted Apple tart with ginger beer sorbet (350 B) FREEBIRD RESTAURANT Address: Sukhumvit 47 (28 Alley) Tel: 02 662 4936 Open: 5 pm to 12 am Duck breast with mushrooms, beet root and mustard seeds Tartare of Aged Waguy beef with parmesan custard Freshly shucked Australian oyster with Shiso dressing Mushrrom buckwheat risotto with slow cooked pork Slow roasted ocean trout with mussel escabeche FREEBIRD RESTAURANT LOCATION MAP

Read more at: https://www.bangkokundercover.com/freebird-restaurant-bangkok/

Gourmet Bangkok : Freebird

Alan Barr — Fri, 20 Jan 2017 12:32:32 +0000

Chef Dallas Cuddy, Head Chef, Freebird Bangkok 1

1 Oct, 2016 in Chefs tagged chef dallas cuddy / chef partner dallas cuddy / dallas cuddy / Freebird bangkok / head chef of freebird bangkok / modern Australian cuisine / Skin+Bones Hospitality Grou / sukhumvit 47 / what to eat in Bangkok / where to eat in Bangkok by Chelsea Chan

Thinking about leaving your daytime hassles without hours of a journey away from Bangkok? Freebird is your answer. Located deep into Sukhumvit Soi 47, Freebird is designed and branded as an oasis for city dwellers. Once you are in Freebird‘s tranquil organic garden, you will be overwhelmed by the breathing of trees and beautiful singing of the birds. At Freebird, modern Australian cuisine is served. You may not know what modern Australian cuisine is, but I’m pretty sure if you try the cuisine at Freebird once, you will tattoo ‘modern Australian cuisine’ in your heart. This has already happened to me. Now whoever comments that battered John Dory fillet is Australian food, I’ll definitely introduce him to Freebird. Mr. Dallas Cuddy, Head Chef at Freebird, is a very talented chef. His dishes indeed resembles Australia very closely, reflecting multicultural influences from different parts of the world in terms of ingredients, flavours and cooking techniques. He is especially good at mix-and-matching rare ingredients and playing around contrasting textures and tastes in his dishes. These culinary skills are flawlessly translated as delightful surprises to the palate and the dining experience as a whole.

Who’s Chef Dallas?

When I asked Chef Dallas how he experimented and designed his dishes, he casually replied that he ‘imagined the taste and visualized the dish in his mind’. Most of the time, no process of trials and errors was required. Stunned. At that moment, I thought ‘Wow! You are not just talented! You are a genius, who was born to be a chef!’ What I thought proved to be very true. Once you know how fast Chef Dallas has risen from an apprentice to a chef partner of an international hospital group, you will understand why I call him a genius.

Biography of Chef Dallas

Dallas Cuddy’s culinary career began at the age of 17 when he was drawn to the high energy and atmosphere of the kitchen. During culinary school, Dallas participated in many cooking contests, winning best apprentice in his region multiple times and placing 10th in ‘Australia Apprentice of the Year’ awards. By this stage in his career, Dallas moved to Melbourne, where he landed a job with Chef David Braim at Half Moon Brighton. David was an early mentor who was also writing a weekly food column in The Age newspaper. During this time Dallas would contribute dishes for David to use in his articles.

Feeling the need to expand and challenge himself, Chef Dallas then worked at The Point Restaurant (2 Chef Hats The Age Good Food Guide) under the highly decorated British Chef Ian Curly; Dallas completed his apprenticeship, then was promoted to the position of Sous Chef there in only 18 months. Such accomplishment led to his appointment as the Head Chef of the newly opened Beaumaris Pavilion, during which the restaurant was awarded one Chef’s Hat in its first year under his leadership.

In 2002, Dallas moved to London for two years to gain valuable experience at Michelin-starred restaurants. During his time in London, he worked for 18 months at the one-Michelin-starred restaurant, Nobu Park Lane as the Senior Chef de Partie and later Jnr Sous Chef. The time spent at Nobu changed the way that he approached food. Before returning back to Melbourne, he spent his last 6 months in London as a “stagiaire”, working at the two-Michelin-starred Pied a Terre.

Dallas then joined a 1-Hat restaurant Verge in January of 2004 as the Sous Chef and in late November 2004, Dallas was appointed the Head Chef. Dallas became a partner of Verge in 2007 when he also won the ‘Young Chef of the Year’ Award in the Age Good Food Guide and two Chef Hats. In 2010, with his business partners at Verge, a traditional Japanese eating-house Izakaya Den was opened and soon awarded the ‘Best New Restaurant’ in Melbourne.

Moving to Singapore in 2012 to work at The Prime Society, Dallas has advanced his role from the Executive Chef to the Director of Food and Beverage at the Society Group. This role allowed Dallas to further his career by managing all aspects of the business for moving the company forward. In the last two years, he has been nominated for ‘Chef of the Year’ twice and received numerous guest chef opportunities, with the highlight working for the W Hotel in the Maldives and Bali.

In late 2015 Dallas left Singapore and became the Chef Partner of Freebird in Bangkok. Freebird is a restaurant owned by Skin+Bones Hospitality Group, at which Dallas has become the partner and is currently the Group Executive of Asia for all outlets that are owned and operated by the Group. Skin+Bones owns and operates four outlets in Singapore and four in Malaysia, with a newly signed agreement to design and operate a restaurant in Beijing scheduled to open in late 2016.

Watch our dining experience at Freebird:

Bangkok.com : Freebird

Alan Barr — Fri, 20 Jan 2017 12:28:28 +0000

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

Read more at: http://www.bangkok.com/magazine/freebird.htm?cid=ch:OTH:001

Bangkok Best Dining : Freebird

Alan Barr — Fri, 20 Jan 2017 12:19:52 +0000

FOCUS ON DECEMBER 2016

FREEBIRD

REVIEWED BY : MELISSA RICHTER

14 November 2016

REVIEWER’S RATING :

SUMMARY : Freebird, a hidden garden retreat on Sukhumvit, Soi 47 is modern Australian cuisine at its best. Drawing influence from Europe, Asia and Australia, they create an intersection of flavor and texture from around the world.

Ever since they opened their doors in September of 2016, Freebird has made quite an impression on the culinary scene in Bangkok. Modern Australian cuisine is the name of the game, and you can expect immaculate plating, high quality seasonal produce sourced from Asia and around the globe, as well as top notch local ingredients from small farmers and organic food producers. The powerhouse behind the whirlwind success of Freebird is the management team of Executive Chef Dallas Cuddy and General Manager & Sommelier Marcus Boyle who both bring their approachable and warm “Aussie” sensibility to the work place along with a finely honed attention to detail and professionalism to the table. You can expect perfectly executed dishes that are vibrant, irreverent and delightfully unexpected, while catering to the needs of vegans and vegetarians as well as seafood lovers and hard core carnivores. “I believe in food that has clean flavors, is healthy and nutritious and is based on the three fundamentals, the ‘Three T’s’ of taste, texture and temperature. I like food that is vibrant and is served in smaller portions so that you don’t feel weighed down or heavy, but can experience a myriad of subtle umami flavors” shared Chef Dallas.

Rustic yet refined, Freebird has a funky urban bungalow vibe that feels instantly welcoming and comfortable. The venue is a converted house that is divided into five different areas and the bohemian design elements play out with natural wood furnishings, wood beam ceilings and enormous and colorful wall murals of exotic women with full lips and beckoning eyes that draw you in. They boast a relaxing garden, a cocktail bar, a library on the second floor and an open kitchen that allows guests to sit at the counter and delight in the activity and aromas from the kitchen. The service is as good as you will find in a high-end hotel and the wine list is an eclectic mix of international wines, focused on new-wave Australian producers and cool climate European varietals. Their signature cocktails are crafted with top shelf spirits and made with locally inspired ingredients and we recommend starting off with the “Rain Hill” which is a fresh and herbal twist on the classic Martini made with Gin, Amaro, Rosemary, Vermouth, Cucumber and Grapefruit Bitters. The seasonal menu offers their popular nine course “Taste of Freebird” freestyle tasting menu, and an a la carte menu, along with the recent addition of weekend brunch. Highlights from the tasting menu that we tried include the Freshly Shucked Australian Oyster w/ Pickled Onion & Shiso Dressing along with a glass of Si Vintners, White, Margaret River, 2014 from Australia. Another stunning offering is the Organic Sea Urchin w/ Flaxseed Cracker,Parmesan Custard & Sea Grape. Brilliantly innovative, it is the ultimate umami experience. We also enjoyed the delicate and refined Shaved Poached Squid w/ Oyster Cream, Cucumber Juice & Seaweed Butter especially when served with a crisp white Jamsheed La Madame Chard, Chardonnay Yarra Valley, 2015 from Victoria Australia. For pasta you can’t go wrong with the soulful and comforting Roasted Chicken Broth w/ Dumplings, Pea, and Mint & Fresh Ricotta Cavatelli along with white wine such as the Hoch Hollenburger, Grüner Veltliner Kremstal, 2014 from Austria. For a main course opt for the stunning Roasted Ocean Trout 500g w/ Mussel Escabeche. Rich and decadent, this perfectly executed fish dish is a celebration of the ocean in all its glory and is best when paired with a glass of Rabl Grüner Veltliner Kamptal, 2015 from Austria. Meat lovers may prefer the succulent Slow Cooked Kurobuta Pork Collar w/ Roasted Pistachio, Green Olive & Fennel along with a bold red Wynns the Siding Cabernet Sauvignon Coonawarra, 2013 from South Australia. End your meal with the refreshing and clean Lime Leaf Posset w/ Whipped Coconut, Honeydew Melon & Elderflower. Freebird is open daily and reservations are highly recommended.

BK : Freebird Brunch

Alan Barr — Fri, 20 Jan 2017 12:16:30 +0000

New Australian brunch is this weekend’s absolute must-try

Freebird is calling all early birds (but not too early).

By Natcha Sanguankiattichai | Nov 07, 2016

Sukhumvit’s biggest restaurant opening of recent months, Freebird, now wakes up early on the weekend for Australian-style brunch.

From 11am-3pm every Saturday and Sunday, chef Dallas Cuddy draws on Melbourne’s renowned cafe culture create deceptively simple, fresh and flavorful dishes.

Prime examples are the eggs Benedict spruced up with blue swimmer crab, sea grapes and yuzu hollandaise (B420), or the lox bagel with house-smoked trout, lightly grilled avocado, soft boiled egg, ricotta foam, shallot and dill salad (B330).

There are also some dishes from the dinner menu, presented a bit differently, like the baked ocean trout with wakame butter and mussel escabeche (B450) and braised beef short rib bagel with fermented cabbage and truffle sour cream (B425). Our pick is the balanced and flavorful roasted corn salad and chili-lime relish, served with a poached egg, furikake (a Japanese seasoning) and toast (B280).

Wash it all down with Sarnies’ great coffee, smoothies or brunch-friendly cocktails like Mary (tequila or vodka, smoked tomato juice and citrus, B340) and Fuel (dark rum, espresso, condensed milk, chicory and coconut, B360), created by Liam Baer. There’s also a two-hour Champagne deal, which starts at B650 for one glass and goes down to B150 for the fifth glasses. Beyond that, it’s on the house.

28 Sukhumvit Soi 47, 02-662-4936

– See more at: http://bk.asia-city.com/restaurants/news/freebird-brunch#sthash.jUVTh8ie.dpuf

Bk : 10 of Bangkok’s most buzzed about restaurant openings of 2016

Alan Barr — Fri, 20 Jan 2017 12:14:27 +0000

10 of Bangkok’s most buzzed about restaurant openings of 2016

Do they live up to the hype? You decide.

Freebird

Freebird’s chef-partner Dallas Cuddy introduces Bangkok to a new cuisine: modern Australian. This produce-driven mix of Western and Asian cooking methods and ingredients sees shared dishes featuring umami-packed ingredients like seaweed and mushrooms. Expect delicate combinations like organic sea urchin and sea grapes with whipped parmesan on house-made dehydrated flax seed cracker or warm sweet potato and chilled shaved fennel topped with smoked walnut and honey. The slow-roasted ocean trout with wakame butter, caviar and pennyworth is elevated by the accompanying mussel escabeche. Dessert is just as complex—the sweet-and-sour lime leaf posset with whipped coconut cream, honeydew melon, basil seed and elderflower is a real work of art. The place gets bonus points for stunning Dwell magazine-worthy house and garden.

28 Sukhumvit Soi 47, 02-662-4936. Open daily 5:30pm-midnight

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– See more at: http://bk.asia-city.com/restaurants/news/10-bangkoks-most-buzzed-about-restaurant-openings-2016#sthash.KImhc2KZ.dpuf

Bangkok Post : Freebird

Alan Barr — Fri, 20 Jan 2017 12:10:02 +0000

COME FOR THE AMBIENCE, STAY FOR THE FOOD

Funky Freebird’s eclectic offerings delight all the senses

If I were to come up with just three words to describe Freebird, a brand-new restaurant opened a few weeks ago in the Sukhumvit area, “funky”, “diverse” and “umami” would be my choices.

Freebird is the love child of Melbourne-born chef Dallas Cuddy, New York architect Alan Barr and Singapore-based coffee roaster and entrepreneur Benjamin Lee. The 65-seat eatery has victoriously kicked off in Bangkok’s fast-evolving gastronomic scene with its modern Australian cuisine offering amid a swanky, Nordic-accented setting.

Equipped with a lovely little garden and courtyard, the restaurant occupies a residential house that’s been revamped to blend a modern industrial vibe with a sense of home. Spaces are designed and utilised smartly to pay harmonious tribute to originality.

When it comes to the matter of food, executive chef Cuddy said during my recent dinner visit that the closest definition of modern Australian cuisine might be clean and light-texture European fare prepared with high-quality, seasonal ingredients and a touch of Asian influence. His cooking, which reflects his travelling experience, particularly focuses on three elements — taste, temperature and texture.

My two dining companions and I were treated to a complementary platter of bread and house-made butter (one of the most delectable gourmet butter I’ve had in years) followed by the amuse-Bouche of the day upon seating.

For dinner, guests may choose to go à la cart or settle for “a Taste of Freebird”, the multi-course degustation menu designed to take diners on a culinary journey through the chef’s various original creations (roughly, six savoury dishes and two desserts). Price is 1,750 baht per person.

Nothing would kick off an evening more ideally than a gob of freshly-shucked oysters (and of course, a glass of Champagne). Hence perfecting our dinner were Kumamoto oysters with kombu-infused vinegar and green apple bits (150 baht each).

Freebird sets off victoriously in Bangkok’s gastronomic scene for its modern Australian cuisine offering amid a swanky, Nordic-accented setting. photo: photographer

The sumptuous starter was followed by a plate of pastoral-looking flaxseed crackers with rich uni cream, a blend of organic sea urchin and Parmesan cheese, and fresh sea grapes garnish (150 baht) that proved to offer as luxurious a mouthfeel as a first-class culinary did.

Should you be a fan of foie gras and cream pastry, Cuddy’s duck liver parfait profiterole with truffle honey and macadamia milk (130 baht each) promises to delight you in all extents.

But if you’re in for something light, sour and refreshing, I highly recommend that you try shaved squid with oyster cream, cucumber juice and seaweed butter (290 baht). The gummy soft squid, cut thinly to resemble noodle and dressed with butter, was lent a great flavour enhancement by yuzu kosho (Japanese spicy citrus powder), the oyster cream and a dash of fresh herbs.

I found the fresh ricotta cavatelli with roasted and raw beetroot, marjoram and whey (350 baht), which arrived next, a brilliant entrée option. The oblong-shaped pasta made with ricotta cheese yielded a toothsome delight, while giving a light and balancing contrast to the rather heavy pasta and whey sauce (this case it’s a by-product from making ricotta cheese) were an earthy crunch from Chioggia beet and a herbal and citrusy touch from marjoram.

Basically what we were experiencing throughout the first half of the meal was a string of new and exciting flavour profiles that at the same time were very comforting.

Unlike many wannabe-funky chefs whose formulations of tastes tend to confuse rather than console, Cuddy proved his culinary dexterity through well-crafted simplicity that came with a subtlety of taste (umami).

For main course, therefore, you wouldn’t regret having his simply-presented pan-fried ocean trout (1,600 baht for a 600g sharing portion) accompanied by a generous serving of mussel escabeche was a wonderful choice.

A sizeable fillet of the Pacific trout showcased its glossy orangish-pink meat underneath its charred, wakame butter-rubbed skin. In each sumptuous bite the fish provided to my palate lied a combination of a delicate natural taste and comforting textures finished with a smoky charred whiff.

We felt the heavenly fish could have made up a perfect complete dish by itself. That was even without the equally tasty escabeche, featuring New Zealand mussels and onions in a refreshingly sour marinade garnished with Avruga caviar.

Shaved squid with oyster cream, cucumber juice and seaweed butter. photo: photographer

Slow-cooked kurobuta pork collar with pistachio, green olive purée and fennel (450 baht), which followed, promises to take pork aficionados to culinary cloud nine. The pork, served in thick firm slices, exhibited impressively supple meat that went well with the nutty tangy olive cream and mildly sweet gravy.

Out of four desert choices that day, my most favourite was blackberry ice cream with candied buckwheat, vanilla cream and meringue (320 baht). It lusciously portrayed the fruit in various dimensions and proved an ideal option for diners who prefer a familiarly soothing taste profile of a cheesecake.

My two friends, quite senior and old-school, fell in love with the chef’s innovative take on an old-fashioned Thai sweet, tang Thai nam kathi.

Listed on the menu as lime-leaf posset with whipped coconut, honeydew melon and elderflower (300 baht), the platter basically featured fresh melon pearls complemented by mousse-like coconut cream and coconut flakes, hairy basil seeds and fragrant floral finish.

The last dessert, peach tart with ginger sorbet and pumpkin seed crumble (320 baht), offered a better thrill to the eyes than it did the taste buds, unfortunately. The blame was on the starchy crust of the tart, and not the perfect mouthfeel of the baked peach topping nor the marvellous beer-based sorbet.

Flawlessly complementing our meal was “sommasake” (wordplay integration of sommelier, omakase and sake), of which the restaurant’s Australian manager and wine sommelier, Marcus Boyle, smartly matched a selection of wine, sake and cider, with the food. Prices are 850 baht per person for three courses, 1,500 baht for five courses and 2,000 baht for seven courses.

For cocktail buffs, there’s an impressive variety of signature concoctions to suit different preferences, including non-alcoholic choices. While coffee-addicts can always wrap up the evening with a cup of coffee by Sarnies Cafe, Freebird’s sister joint located at the front of the premises and with its own official opening hours of 8am-5pm.

Service was executed with top-class dexterity and friendly sincerity. Reservations are recommended.

Slow-cooked kurobuta pork collar with pistachio, green olive puree and fennel. photo: Somchai Poomlard

Fresh ricotta cavatelli with roasted and raw beetroot, marjoram and whey. photo: photographer

Freebird

Sukhumvit 47 Call 02-662-4936 Open daily 5.30pm till late Park on the premises Most credit cards accepted

Thailand Tatler : Freebird

Alan Barr — Fri, 20 Jan 2017 12:06:14 +0000

FEATURES

Freebird Soars with Its Modern Australian Cuisine

Freebird is a pretty specimen, but the Modern Australian cooking is what gives it wings

By Max Crosbie-Jones on Jan 12, 2017

Dallas Cuddy strives to source local produce and make everything in-house

There’s a hip feel to Freebird that might initially raise eyebrows among wary Bangkok diners looking for serious cooking over and above eye-catching decor. Evocative graffiti by a Melbourne-based street artist competes for attention with bizarre orb lampshades, reclaimed woods, sprightly garden furniture and wall tiles so appealing you have to fight off the urge to yank out your camera phone. Is this modern house deep inside Sukhumvit Soi 47 one of those restaurants, you wonder to yourself? You know the sort: one that seems to be angling for the esteem of the interior design magazines rather than the foodies?

In a word: no. Despite the input of Greymatters, a Singapore-based company specialising in snazzy restaurant interior design, Freebird owes its street-smart vibe to Melbourne’s café culture and an executive chef who has worked there, Dallas Cuddy. Both take their food seriously. “The idea was to bring a different dynamic to what’s already a very dynamic dining scene,” says the Sydney-born culinary polyglot, whose CV includes a stretch at London’s formerly Michelin-starred Nobu. “In Melbourne, nobody wants starched tablecloths. I guess that term ‘bistronomy’— the serving of great food in a casual environment—fits our concept.”

A dining table looks out on to a mural by Steve Cross

By far the clearest sign that Freebird puts food first—even before the upkeep of its neatly kept garden dotted with bird cages—is its open kitchen. It’s the first thing you see as you totter up the driveway, past pots of lemongrass, dill and butterfly pea, and round to the entrance at the rear of the house. This was a deliberate move. “To have it at the front is a real statement. Instead of being tucked away, it’s a real focal point.”

Cuddy and his team of Thai staff turn out Modern Australian cooking, which he says is “basically Western cooking with Asian influence,” and his food is as unbound by culinary convention as that definition implies. Having said this, there’s a surefootedness and lucidness to his beautifully-plated dishes that shine through from the first bite (puffed tapioca with fish roe and citrus zest) until the last (a deconstructed Snickers bar). Umami-rich flavours play big, as do unusual purees, fermented ingredients and exciting contrasts.

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Hamachi with blue crab, tarragon and crab salad

Angel hair pasta with crab, prawn bisque, chili mustard butter and cured roe

Organic sea urchin with flaxseed cracker, parmesan custard and sea grapes

“I tend to work off the three Ts: taste, texture and temperature,” says Cuddy, bringing out two flaxseed crackers topped with sea urchin, parmesan cream and sea grape—one of several opening salvos in the nine-course A Taste of Freebird tasting menu he’s prepared for us. Later there are fresh profiteroles with duck liver parfait and truffle honey and then sumptuous angel hair pasta with crab meat and a not-too-rich prawn bisque. Sometimes it’s the sides that surprise us most, such as the dazzling tarragon, crab and corn salad that accompanies the slab of marinated Hamachi fish, or the gazpacho and fresh ricotta salad that arrives with the slow-cooked Kurobuta pork.

Having moved here from Singapore, where most things are imported, Cuddy is reveling in the ease of access to top-notch ingredients. “It’s great to be able to go to a wet market here, take a picture of something and say to my supplier ‘What’s this? Can you get me this?’” We can expect his menu to evolve quickly, he adds. “Normally we’ll change two or three dishes every five or six weeks. It’s a process of refinement. I get bored quickly and it keeps the kitchen staff on their toes.”

Pair this work ethic with a New World wine list, a menu of equally well thought-out cocktails and an imminent coffee-shop booth and the message is clear—Freebird, for all its funky plumage, is not built on good looks alone.

Freebird, 28 Sukhumvit Soi 47, Bangkok 10110; tel: 0-2662-4936; freebirdbkk.com

Tags: Freebird, Australian Cuisine

Soimilk : New Bangkok Restaurant October 2016

admin — Fri, 30 Sep 2016 10:05:05 +0000

Freebird

แนะนำคาเฟ่กุ๊กกิ๊กมาก็เยอะแล้ว ขอปิดท้ายด้วยร้านอาหารจริงจังกันสักหน่อยแล้วกันนะ Freebird คือร้านอาหารสไตล์ออสเตรเลีย ผลงานของเหล่าสหายอย่าง Alan Barr เจ้าของสตูดิโอออกแบบ Greymatters, Benjamin Lee เจ้าของกาแฟแบรนด์ Sarnies, Marcus Boyle ไวน์ซอมเมอร์ลิเยร์มากประสบการณ์ และ Dallas Cuddy เชฟชาวออสซี่

อาหารสไตล์ออสเตรเลียของที่นี่ใช้วัตถุดิบและปรุงแบบผสมผสานทั้งตะวันตกและเอเชีย รังสรรค์ออกมาให้ได้รสอูมามิ ถ้าใครไปครั้งแรกเราขอแนะนำชุด A Taste of Freebird (1,750 บาท) ที่มีอาหารและของหวานประมาณ 8-10 จานให้ลิ้มลองกันจนแน่นพุง อาทิ Organic Sea Urchin with Flaxseed Cracker, Parmesan and Sea Grapes ไข่หอยเม่นนุ่มๆ เสิร์ฟบทแคร็กเกอร์พร้อมพาร์เมซานชีสและสาหร่ายพวงองุ่น และ Oyster with Kombu Infused Vinegar and Apple หอยนางรมสดหมักน้ำส้มสายชูและแอปเปิ้ล

ส่วนเครื่องดื่มนั้นมีทั้งไวน์ชั้นดีจากทั่วโลก ถ้ายังงงๆ ไม่รู้จะดื่มอะไรดีก็ให้ซอมเมอร์ลิเยร์แนะนำได้เลย นอกจากนี้ยังมีสาเก เบียร์ ไซเดอร์ ค็อกเทล ม็อกเทล กาแฟ ชา และสมูทตี้ จะสายแอลหรือโนแอลก็แฮปปี้กันถ้วนหน้า

28 สุขุมวิท 47 เวลาทำการ ทุกวัน 17:30-00:00 น. โทร. 02-662-4936 BTS พร้อมพงษ์

Source : soimilk.com