FOOD REVIEW: Dusit Thani is Redefining the Thai Experience with Ruen Thai
Instead of spending the weekend contemplating the inevitability of death, my friend and I decided to do what we appreciate most in life: good food. We wanted to experience something authentic, rather than the usual generic choices. We had high hopes for our pick, and it definitely served more than we expected!
I’ve always been a fan of Thai cuisine, mainly because of its lightly-prepared dishes, strong aromatic components, and spicy edge — which is why I braved up and headed to Dusit Thani’s Ruen Thai.
Ruen Thai is most popular for its exotic dishes, but it’s so much more than that. The whole experience is unique on so many levels, right from the moment you step foot into the place. We were led to the restaurant from the hotel’s lobby by a lovely Thai lady, then we were led to more Thai people at the restaurant, and honestly, it doesn’t get any more Thai than that. The decor of the restaurant combined with the the music will get you in the mood for what you’re up to. The whole atmosphere is ideal for a date with your significant other.
It was time for food, and we delved deep and hard into our menus with the help of their waiters. You certainly won’t understand the names unless, of course, you dabbled, quite intensely, in the art of Thai food. Worry not, however, I’ll elaborate every dish.
For appetizers, we ordered “Thung Thong”, AKA crispy fried golden bags stuffed with salmon, dill, potatoes, onions, sweet corn, green beans, that are served with sweet chili sauce. We also got the “Yum Sam Krob,” a shrimp and calamari salad with crispy cashew nuts.
As for the main dishes, I was excited to try one of chef Thongbai’s favorite curries, so I went with “Gaeng Rwang Gai”; a yellow chicken curry with potatoes and tomatoes. My friend picked “Priew Wana Gai” because it doesn’t make sense, hell, it should actually be illegal to go to an Asian restaurant without having sweet and sour chicken.
The panoramic view of the kitchen gives you the chance to see the Thai chefs doing their magic. Witnessing the fire coming out of the frying pan in a majestic Charmander-ish spectacle serves as great entertainment before the food arrives.
The scent of the food alone would give any true foodie endless foodgasms, not to mention the overly-Instagramable look of the plates. Once we started digging in, we were certain that Ruen Thai met our expectations and even surpassed them. The “Thung Thong” may have been a bit oily, but it tasted exceptionally good. The salad, on the other hand, was fresher than anything you’ll ever taste.
Then came the main course, and my anxiety kicked in because I had forgotten to order rice with the chicken curry. To my surprise, the restaurant serves endless complimentary rice with every main dish. Both plates were cooked to perfection; the texture of the chicken was neither chewy nor overcooked. The Thai spices in the curry tasted amazing, and the sweet and sour chicken made a unique fusion of flavors that we’ll never forget.
I would definitely recommend this place to anyone, couples or group outings to be specific. Your friends would love the new Ruen Thai Bar extension that compliments the restaurant experience for some extravagant cocktails.
