"Langbaan—from the Earl Ninsom kingdom that includes Eem and Yaowarat—takes over Phuket Cafe Wednesday-Sunday (Phuket Cafe is still open then). It’s always the right call for a big night-out dinner when you want to spend a small fortune on modern Thai dishes built to impress. The ever-changing $135, five-course tasting menu will start with a parade of sweet, spicy, and funky one-bite wonders, like their signature Hokkaido scallop, and then move on to plates like a knockout gaeng luang—the soupy curry with roe-topped king salmon wouldn’t be out of place at a highly prestigious restaurant in Bangkok. Even with the recently added seatings, reservations still go fast, so plan ahead. photo credit: Carly Diaz Food Rundown The menu at Langbaan changes periodically, and is typically centered around a theme like Issan or Chinatown. Here’s a peek at the type of food you can expect. photo credit: Carly Diaz Kanom Krok A constant on the menu since the early days, this starter featuring a delicate Hokkaido scallop sauced with lime leaf-infused coconut cream in a crispy rice cup is like the passed party appetizer of your dreams. Yam Pu Nimh You’re not going to find soft-shell crab served with corn, cranberries, frisée, and sorghum in Thailand, but exemplary dishes like this feel Thai at their core when you eat them at Langbaan. It’s more about the wild flavor combinations than the ingredients themselves. Kanon Ta Ko Pastry chef Maya Okada Erickson turns out visually stunning desserts that embrace Thai flavors like roasted coconut mousse dipped in a pandan magic shell, served with taro sponge cake, lime leaf oil, and rice paper. These fanciful creations taste as good as they look, which, at any other place, isn’t always a guarantee." - Krista Garcia
