Chef Pam ventures in to progressive Thai-Chinese cuisine
It’s the talk of the town, in terms of Bangkok fine dining. Despite its pandemic-induced delayed opening, Potong is now open for service, and the bookings show that people are just as eager to enjoy a night of good food and an ambiance that oozes culture and history.
Potong is the progressive Thai-Chinese restaurant owned by chef Pam, whose many accolades include winner of the Asia Youth Hope Cooking contest in 2011 by Les Disciples d’Escoffier, The Young Women of the Year 2012 award from Her World Magazine, judge of Top Chef Thailand, and guest judge for Top Chef Arab World in the Middle East. She is also the fourth generation of a family of traditional Chinese herbal medicine producers whose homestead was right here at the five-storey Sino-Portuguese shophouse in Chinatown which now houses Potong.
The restoration of the old building is a story in itself, but suffice to say that it highlights a juxtaposition of old and new, not least its location smack in the middle of a busy walking street market. The shophouse’s original wooden beams in the Sino Bar on the first floor are exposed, and on the counter are an assortment of kang phu cha fermentation jars of traditional fruits, herbs and sauces.
In the back, thick walls indicate its previous use as a bomb shelter. The second floor is the main dining room for Chef Pam’s Fine Thai-Chinese tasting course, while the third floor, formerly the family dining area, focuses on a shrine and wall murals showing eight tigers. The fourth floor is the Opium Bar, which will be open for service once the alcohol ban is lifted, while the rooftop is great for a private party.
Chef Pam’s tasting menu of 20 creative dishes takes inspiration from her own childhood memories of dishes that she enjoyed. She uses the Five-Element philosophy—Salt, Acid, Spice, Texture, and Maillard Reaction—to infuse qi, the life force, into her creations. Chef Pam’s version of fine dining demands a sense of nostalgia and fun. The use of fingers is often called upon. The finger journey starts the moment you sit down: pluck an “orange” from a potted plant on your table and pop it in your mouth for a surprising burst of delight.
One of Chef Pam’s favorite childhood dishes—corn soup with lashings of ground pepper—is recreated as a trio of brown butter tuille, sunflower truffle vinaigrette and creme caramel corn koji mouse. The skewered duck tongue and mantou bun is far from ordinary, served with a medley of three sauces, as is the wonton soup made of woven bamboo strips.
A favorite was a baby gem lettuce stuffed with salted egg and crab butter and sprayed with a mist of homemade vinegar just before eating. The seafood course differs according to the Catch of the Day, which could be either fish or prawn, served with a side of fermented bok choy lettuce and sea grapes. One of the most photographed dishes had to be the black chicken, served as a complete leg down to the sharp claws. Not for the faint-hearted.
No self-respecting Chinese restaurant would be without roast duck, and Chef Pam’s version is hay-aged for over a week, seasoned with spices and soy sauce. The dish is displayed whole at the table before being sliced and served on a Lazy Susan in traditional Chinese style.
A series of exciting desserts—like the frozen kombucha-vodka cotton candy and black soy ice cream—follows, but nothing prepares you for the petit four finale: the entire Yaowaraj Road and landmarks presented in all its 3D glory before your very eyes. A glowing acrylic lightbox offers six different Chinatown-inspired mouthfuls of creative desserts, from chestnut “ice cream cones and the Potong tiger logo biscuit infused with medicinal herbs to chocolate opium pipes, sesame balls and salted egg salapaos. A fortune cookie sends you on your way home.
Chef Pam’s 20-course tasting Menu at Potong is 4,500++ baht per person. Call 082-979-3950 for reservations and visit restaurantpotong.com for more information.