Bangkok is widely known as being one of the major food capitals of SE Asia. Throughout the years, the city has attracted a diverse population of expats and tourists that have built upon the national food tradition and helped encourage a massive growth of culinary diversity. You can find almost anything.
The major event of our time here was our reservation at Gaggan, the 7th best restaurant in the world and #1 in Asia, on one of our last days in the city. This was an experience we had been talking about and looking forward to for months, so leading up to the big day, we tried to be careful with our food choices and not risk getting sick. Our stomachs had been so sensitive up until this point that we really didn’t want to gamble with local street food. Were we overly cautious, yes, but ultimately it was worth it.
During our 5 days in Bangkok we ate at Greek, Mexican, Sushi, and local Thai food. Everything was incredibly high quality, and it was nice to be able to mix in some Western food with our daily Thai meals. We give the names of each place and a few more details on the food below.
Green Curry
Pad Thai
Now back to Gaggan. We first heard about Chef Gaggan Anand and his restaurant after watching his episode of the Netflix Series “Chef’s Table” (one of our all time favorite shows). We were immediately drawn to his incredible story and to the creativity of his food. This is a man who overcame poverty, failure, and terrible personal loss to go on and create one of the most successful and innovative restaurants in the world! He is a huge inspiration, so having the opportunity to eat here was an unbelievable honor. The premise of Gaggan (the restaurant) is to provide its customers with a modern interpretation of Indian cuisine (the Chef’s homeland), which for two people who have little experience with Indian food, was very exciting.
When we first arrived at Gaggan and gave our names to the host we were met with, “Ohhh you’re very lucky you have the special table tonight”, which immediately got our hearts racing….this was going to be special. We were escorted to a two-person table that was strategically placed right in front of a massive window looking into the kitchen. Mike and I both looked at each other in aw, completely giddy. What an amazing opportunity as a food lover and aspiring chef to get to watch the inner workings of one of the most esteemed kitchens in the world.
Then we were handed the menus, thin slices of paper with emojis that represented each dish. It was so creative and playful, and a true indication of how unique this place was going to be. Unlike other fine dining establishments with this reputation, Gaggan is relaxed and almost casual. Chef Anand wants you to become part of the experience by laughing, talking, and sharing. He wants the atmosphere to match the playfulness of the food, and he completely succeeds. This was by far one of the most fun and enjoyable dinners of our entire lives. In fact, we both agree it was hands down one of the best nights of our lives.
Having a view into the kitchen made it unforgettable because we were able to interact with the chefs. Watching them construct each dish was like watching a well-oiled machine. Each station had its purpose and was manned by an assembly line of efficient and focused chefs. There was no yelling, no chaos, no angry faces, just an overall calm that was filled with purpose and respect. The chefs looked like they were having a good time, and often stopped what they were doing to watch us eat a dish and see our reactions. The back and forth wordless communication between us helped make the meal feel that much more incredible. This wasn’t just food made by faceless people, each dish was lovingly and thoughtfully put together for our enjoyment by the men and woman (literally there was one woman) we could see face to face a few inches away from us.
Off the bat, Mike became friends with the Sommelier, an incredibly nice and fun guy from Slovenia who came over to our table rather frequently to crack jokes and tell stories. They were best buds. At one point we were laughing so ostentatiously that I couldn’t believe where we were… “Are we seriously at one of the best restaurants in the world and having this much fun?” It was incredible to see Mike light up the way he did. From the moment we entered the restaurant he became so overly extroverted that I was shocked! I have never seen him be so laid back and happy. To know that something I love so much can bring so much happiness and enjoyment to the man I love is a truly incredible feeling. I think we both almost cried when we had to leave.
Now, on to the food!
Because the menu is shrouded with mystery (What does the green apple mean, why is there a hot dog emoji??), you have no idea what you’re going to get, all you know is that there are 24 dishes. The dinner is “fast and slow”, which means it starts off with a lightning round and ends with a slower pace. To start you are given 14 bite-sized dishes that are served to you one after another, and each is honestly better than the next. It was all absolutely genius. Gaggan manages to find ways to reinterpret Indian curry into the most unpredictable and delectable ways.
Green Peas Mushroom Roll
Citrus Waffle Corn
Here are a few of the highlights of the lighting round:
Yogurt Explosion- (one of his signature dishes) Gaggan uses molecular gastronomy to create a sphere of Indian yogurt that explodes in your mouth, releasing an intense and refreshing flavor.
Sweet Potato Ice Cream- this dish was so interesting. It was served in a small ice cream cone, the bottom layer was a mango sorbet followed by a nut layer, and a layer of sweet potato mousse on top.
Pickled Khakra- These were amazing mini tacos filled with tuna and wrapped in khakra crackers
Once we came to the “slow” part of the meal, the dishes became heartier (fish steamed in banana leaf, roasted quail, fish curry), and right when you think you can’t possibly fit any more food into your body, they bring out dessert- two courses of really subtle and delicate sweetness to help you end the meal. We then heard the restaurant is also very well known for its cocktails, so of course we had to end the night giving them a try. Mike had one of the best old fashions we’ve ever had, and I had their take on a pina colada, which was incredibly good.
Fish Curry
Strawberry Ghewar
Towards the end of the night we made signals to the chefs in the kitchen to see if we could take a group picture of them from outside the glass. Instead, we got beckoned into the kitchen so that we could become part of the picture. We had the chance to meet the chefs and thank them for an incredible meal. Trust me, there is nothing better after an amazing night of food, than to get the chance to thank every member of the crew that brought you so much joy. We even made it a point to thank the dishwashers for their hard work. Too often we take restaurant food for granted, and forget that each dish was made by people who work incredibly hard to bring you joy through food. Once in a while it’s important to be mindful and grateful of everyone who strives to make your life a little better.
Everything we ate at Gaggan blew us away, and we’re not just saying that because the experience itself was so great, it really was unbelievably delicious. Chef Gaggan opened up our minds to how molecular gastronomy can completely transform ordinary food into a culinary and artistic masterpiece.
Right as we were about to leave, Chef Gaggan Anand walked in and we had the opportunity to speak with him for a bit and get a few pictures. Talk about an epic ending to an already unreal night.
We are eternally grateful to have had the opportunity to eat at such a special place. Gaggan made a lasting impression on us and will be a memory we will cherish for the rest of our lives. Yes, it was that amazing.