Review

Terroir burst onto the Bangkok culinary scene in 2022 with Chef Khattiya “Hao” Songchaiwana offering a fourteen-course tasting menu at his elegant chef counter restaurant. Twelve diners are seated around the open kitchen where chef Hao and his team narrate each course. The culinary philosophy is anchored around the relationship between land, climate, farmers and ingredient quality. Hao and his team source around 90% of their produce from Northern Thailand. While the menu features shellfish and occasional meat, 70% of the journey focuses on premium vegetables turned into flavour-packed dishes. Sommelier Thanawat “Boat” Wongsrisathaporn has curated beverage pairings featuring a mix of the classics, orange wine, and sake, well matched to the cuisine. The global wine list is also worth exploring. Menu highlights include an elegant tartlet of ant larvae, stunning slivers of coral grouper sashimi, and a stellar crab and kabura. A refreshingly sweet tomato dish showcases Fukuoka tomato, grown in Chiang Mai, and to follow, eryngii tempura, the lightest of batters coating moist mushrooms, and accompanied by an intense mushroom tea. Free-range duck with accompaniments is exceptional, and the dessert of Chiang Mai brie ice cream with figs is a finale that wows.