COCONUTS HOT SPOT — There are more than a few solid Indian restaurants ready to satisfy when those cravings for paneer butter or chicken tikka hit.
But Indian Host, down Soi Sukhumvit 22 past the former Queen’s Park Hotel, has long been my go-to for an indulgent naan and curry smorgasbord. Stopping in during the day, there’s usually less than a handful of guests at once – it’s a peace and quiet I cherish between me and my gulab jamun.
I hadn’t been for a while and realized on a recent visit that this restaurant has lost its well-kept-secret status. Despite being open for nine years, Indian Host recently moved up to the No. 1 spot on TripAdvisor for Indian restaurants in Bangkok. (And bumped again to No. 6 as of today.)
A few months ago, the restaurant’s new general manager did a menu overhaul that’s clearly drawing new attention. So I decided to go and check out the latest fare for myself.
This isn’t an Indian restaurant that dumbs down flavor to satisfy the masses. You’ll find really proper Indian cuisine here. For example in the thirst-quenching lassis, while most Indian restaurants serve a mango version of the traditional yoghurt drink, here you can find it in salty, sweet (both with plain yoghurt) and something called chhach. It was one of the most interesting things I’ve tasted: buttermilk flavored liberally with coriander and a little mint. Apparently, it’s great for indigestion and refreshing on a hot day. To be honest it wasn’t really my thing, but I was certainly glad it was available and could give it a go.
The food menu itself has a lot of bold flavors, including tandoori that’s anything but toned-down. One of my favorite dishes was the burra champ (THB575), tandoori baby lamb chops marinated overnight in the chef’s secret blend of spices. They came piled high on the plate, with little pieces of tin foil still adorning the bones. The tandoori jheenga or marinated prawns were also juicy and tangy.
For those that need a cool-down from the spicy stuff, the malai paneer tikka or cottage cheese in cream cheese and Indian herbs does the trick. For dessert, I had the broken rice pudding cooked with saffron and pistachio – a light final course, textured like tapioca only with finer granules.
But it was the finishing touches that impressed me as always, especially the “platter-to-plate” service. Waiters serve every dish directly onto your plate with a big silver spoon (needless to say, it’s not only a slice of luxury, but Instagram-friendly). After the broken pudding dessert, another plate came with something I had never had before – a tiny wrapper enclosing what looked like a mint. It was actually a cloth, which expanded into a rolled-up napkin when water was delicately poured from a jug.
Chatting up general manager Akshay Prabhakar revealed the little “miracle cloth” was something he’d enjoyed in China, then sourced as a neat detail for Indian Host. He’s only in his 20s, but doing a great job of executing all the restaurant’s bright ideas.I was surprised to hear Indian Host’s new menu also included taking on not just one head chef, but five – all brought over from India, and specializing in either kebab, curry, bread and dessert respectively. The chefs are often in an out of Bangkok, catering events at hotels around Thailand.
Prabhakar’s next plan is to redo the interior, as any visitor would likely agree is overdo. Right now, it’s just a bunch of yellow seats and dull decorations, which don’t do justice to the vibrant presentation of the food.
I’ll be excited to see what’s in store, and in the meantime will be coming back for another authentic Indian feast.
FIND IT:
Indian Host
11:30am – 11:30pm, daily
30 Soi Sukhumvit 22
BTS Phrom Phong
Got it? Now watch the latest from Coconuts TV!
