COCONUTS HOTSPOT — It is very clear that wine is cool to drink because wine, in the eyes of many, means class. And people love to be classy. This sudden consensus helped drive the wine-bar craze, which left us with more than a few wine-themed restaurants unable to tell their old- from new-world varietals.
The unsustainable big bang of wine bars led to a great collapse, as trend-responsive drinkers defected to the cult of craft beer. Suddenly yesterday’s oenophiles were hoisting distinctive suds.
Yet the truly dedicated, those wine-o’s who haven’t forsaken the grape, sip on at Napa on 26, a fine dining joint oddly situated in the Japanese community mall behind K-Village on Sukhumvit Soi 26.
Although Napa on 26 caters to the wine-loving crowd, what’s more important is how they’ve managed to bring the pretentious culture down to a level where everyone walks out of the place feeling like a sommelier. That accessibility comes thanks to a jovial fellow by the name of Louis, who will guide you through the wine list without making you white-knuckle the arms of your seat while sweat beads at your hairline.
This is an upscale establishment that maintains a toned-down vibe. It’s the kind of place perfect to bring a date. You’ll impress him or her, and the staff won’t make a fool out of you for not knowing if an Alsatian wine is German or French.
Good wine comes at a price, however. A quick glance through the “Collector’s Section” reveals bottles such as a 1982 Chateau Margaux, tipping the scales at THB90,000. Not to fear, a good selection of value-oriented bottles dominate the rest of the menu, such as a Delicato Chardonay, at an attainable THB1,400, or the go-to Kendall Jackson Riesling at THB1,800.
There’s food too, and I suggest eating it. The menu derives from classic French influences, and is split into “from the sea” and “from the land,” removing all the calculus from pairing wines with food. Sea? White. Land? Red.
While a dish such as the braised beef ravioli in mustard-port wine broth (THB390) may sound funny, it proved to be an interesting and fitting use of eccentric flavor combinations. The omnipresent Wagyu beef (THB760) finds its way onto the menu, but oddly it’s not cooked. Instead it’s served tartare with quail egg. Yes, the menu does take on airs of gourmet elitism. If that’s not enough, Napa offers something for the deep-pocketed patrons of the Collector’s Section: the signature Napa’s Surf and Turf, which is possibly Bangkok’s most decadent dish. Comprised of lobster flown in from Boston and served in a champagne ocietra caviar sauce, it is paired with Wagyu beef with goose liver dowsed in truffle port wine sauce, all for THB2,950.
115 Soi Sukhumvit 26, Nihonmachi 2 floor
Nihommachi Village (right behind K-Village)
