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| Kiin |
I have always loved Thai food. It is one of my favourite cuisines, if not THE favourite. I will happily go for Thai food every week if I can. Hubby discovered and took me to Kiin, specializing in Royal Thai cuisine.
We tried the 7-course Tasting Menu and it was divine. It was a nice break from the traditional spicy, punchy flavour of Thai cuisine. Royal Thai is more nuanced and balanced, without overwhelming the senses with one flavour in particular, and in a lavish presentation. All the dishes had a subtle Thai taste--a hint of tamarind, a drop of tom yum. And, it was so creatively presented that it seemed a crime to eat! Fit for royalty!
For amuse-bouche, we had the Khao Tung Na Tang (Crispy Rice Cracker). The ground pork on rice cracker was beautifully presented and wonderfully tasty, setting the tone for the rest of the meal. The rice cracker was airy and the subtle curry was not spicy.
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| Khao Tung Na Tang @Kiin |
Then we had the Chut Arharn Wang (Snack Set), another dish we ate with our hands, which was a trio of
Khanom Jeeb Nok (traditional Thai royal dumpling delicately-shaped as a peacock)--so pretty! The texture was delicate with the dumpling wrapper not being thick or chunky even if there were a lot of meticulously-crafted "feathers" on the peacock. Again, the ground meat was flavourful and not overwhelming. Hints of tamarind pop up now and then.
Kung Sarong (deep fried prawns are wrapped in vermicelli noodles)--again, another pretty one! The vermicelli wrapping the prawn was in a braid and nicely deep fried.
Neua Yang Jim Jaew (marinated, grilled Wagyu)--our favourite among the three! The Wagyu was truly melt-in-your-mouth, with a smoky, grilled taste. The marinade was sweet and tangy. I could eat a full 6-7 ounces of this if I didn't know there were 5 other dishes coming!
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| Chut Arharn Wang @Kiin |
The second appetizer was Yum Tua Plu Pla Muk (Octopus with Wing Bean Salad). The server advised us to mix it all together instead of eating the octopus separately from the salad. The octopus was just grilled and I can see why it will lack flavour if you don't have it along with the wing beans. The salad was a wonderful balance of tart and spice. The chewy octupus along with the crunchy bits of the salad make the whole dish come alive with a mixture of textures!
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| Yum Tua Plu Pla Muk @Kiin |
Hubby and I especially loved the soup, Tom Kha Pla (Hot & Sour Coconut Soup with Fish). The tangy coconut soup had spots of chili oil to give a bit of a kick. The fish was flaky and fresh, and so fun to eat with another mini-fish on top!
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| Tom Kha Pla @Kiin |
The first main dish was Gaeng Massaman Ped (Massaman Curry with Duck Breast). We haven't had duck breast served this way before, like a rare-cooked steak. The Massaman curry gives the duck more flavour, but this was the dish which was just ok, in my opinion. The curry was on the sweet side and added to the duck, a bit too rich for me.
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| Gaeng Massaman Ped @Kiin |
We really enjoyed the second main dish, Gae Yang Nam Prik Ong (Grilled Lamb with Tomato-Chilli Chutney). The vegetables and chutney on the mini shoulder pole was too cute! The grilled lamb was as perfectly done as the wagyu. The delicious marinade brought out the flavours of the lamb chop. I alternated the bites with sticky rice and the chutney, getting a new taste with every mouthful. This dish was oh so good!
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| Gae Yang Nam Prik Ong @Kiin |
Then, our palates were cleansed with the Lychee and Yuzu Sphere, a big popping boba explosion to set us up for dessert.
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| Lychee and Yuzu Sphere @Kiin |
We ended with two desserts. The first was Khanom Sai Sai (Steamed Pandan Coconut Cream), which hubby really liked. The glutinous flour with coconut cream was topped with a pandan sorbet, which was nicely subtle.
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| Khanom Sai Sai@Kiin |
I preferred the second dessert, Khek Toffee Met Mamuang Himmaphan (Magrud Cashew Toffee Cake). This time, they engaged another sense as the infusion gave off such a wonderful aroma of warmth and earthiness. We got a whiff of good things to come with every bite! The crunch from the cashew toffee, chewiness of the cake, the beautiful plant-shaped crackers and the floral, fruity scent, rounded out a most delightful meal for all the senses!
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| Khek Toffee Met Mamuang Himmaphan @Kiin |
Kiin lived up to serving tradition with a contemporary twist. The meticulous and modern presentation was a delight! We enjoyed seeing, tasting, touching, and smelling the well thought-out dishes. Sawasdee ka.
