Review

Jirakaan is housed in a two-storey villa with continental style balconies and is home to early to mid-century Rattanakosin style Thai cuisine. The owners have resurrected lesser seen heirloom recipes, bringing these forgotten yet treasured dishes back to life. Offerings include two keenly priced set menus, providing a journey through authentic Rattanakosin dishes. These include such gems as goong gra buang, or minced shrimp, skillfully wrapped in rice paper and served with piquant and rich shrimp tomalley plum sauce and a stunning khai pa low nuea sam shan, low and slow meltingly soft, stewed beef belly with eggs in a flavour packing brown soup. Another favourite is kaeng rawaeng nuea nong kai, or spicy green chili turmeric curry with braised beef shank. In addition to the Rattanakosin era dishes there are also a multitude of Thai classics, home-comfort and elevated by Chef Pol who ably helms the kitchen. Soups are particularly flavourful with traditional tom yum or tom ra-gum pla, saluki soup with a choice of seabass or goby. There are a number of vegetarian options, and a stand out stir-fry of pad pong karee is as authentic as it gets. Desserts are well executed, including lord chong and thapthim krob. Drinks include freshly squeezed juices, mocktails, bespoke cocktails and beers.