Delicately Sweet

The commonality,however,is that his restaurants aim to provide an experience; attention is thus paid to ambience,especially at the bar. As one struggles through the string curtains at the entrance to Koh,the round dark wooden bar,cosy couches and lounge music tempt you into staying for a drink before (and perhaps after) heading to the dining area. While the predominant gold and dark brown wood at the bar work well,we found the stray strips of purple lighting on the floor a bit garish.

Koh’s menu is extensive and either a modern take on traditional Thai dishes (read: French-style presentation and balanced flavours) or global dishes with a Thai touch to it. Tuna Ceviche was an admirably uniform large sliver with a sharp citrus flavour that was refreshing and intense while the fish was fresh and succulent. Pakchoi-wrapped mushrooms had well-balanced flavours as the lettuce wasn’t bitter and complemented the earthy mushrooms and slightly sweet but rich red pepper coconut sauce well; the pomello and shiitake mushroom was vapid in comparison.

Both our soups were spectacular—the organic vegetable soup was warm,wholesome and the roasted sticky rice dust made for a good thickening agent. The spicy seafood soup was sharp but not overwhelming; it would have been flawless were there more seafood. The famous Chocolate Baby Back Ribs,brought together flavours of chocolate and barbecue sauce,was intriguing,but we aren’t convinced one should mix chocolate with meat.

Our favourite dish was the Chilean sea bass: tender and juicy with a viscous,sweet (yet not sugary) yellow bean glaze. The delicate balance that Kittichai is aiming to achieve erred on the side of sweetness at times,typified by the bean curd with stir-fried broccoli that was disappointing. Green vegetable curry had a sharp spice with a tinge of sweetness,which was compensated by the bitterness of the aubergine. Our desserts were excellent; the jasmine panna cotta was subtle and perfectly cooked,though the flourless valrhona chocolate cake was overshadowed by its accompanying coffee ice-cream.

The common complaint with Koh is going to be that the food has not enough spice,or is rather spice offset by sweetness. While that was true at times,we enjoyed the delicately balanced flavours and will certainly go back for more.

Koh by Ian Kittichai,Intercontinental,Marine Drive. Tel: 022 3987 9999.
Average meal for two Rs 3,800 excluding alcohol