“A free bird leaps
on the back of the wind
and floats downstream
till the current ends
and dips his wing
in the orange sun rays
and dares to claim the sky.”
Maya Angelou
There are conceptual restaurants in Bangkok that strike you in awe the moment you enter their premises. Some represent a country, some a specific culture. Others embody a much more abstract concept such as, say; freedom. But there’s only one that combines these three to make of it a hub of culinary ideology, stringing poetry into each one of its dishes and presenting to the guest a full understanding of what it represents. This month, HOT Magazine has the pleasure to explore a nation, a tradition and an ideology, all of which emanate from the beauty of a cosy restaurant, tucked away in an unsuspecting corner of Sukhumvit 47.
Freebird was created out of a conceptual framework in awe of Australia, a land that has long embodied the respect of liberty, the love for animals and the passion for food. Located in an old remodelled Thai house, the combination of rustic architecture with classic touches of wooden and metal structures give this contemporary restaurant-aviary a blissful setting. An outdoor garden of lush green and an interior of modernistic pop-art murals provide the ultimate setting.
We were first treated to a delectable aged wine, an Austrian variant of the Merlot along with a rosé of delightful aromas made of thick-skinned grapes. Beautiful finishes and a commanding herbal aroma accompanied the former, whilst a fragrant touch of balanced sweetness defined the sparkling wine.
With it came the Freebird house dips, a combination that would set the standard for dishes to come. Look out of the home-made hummus, arguably the most striking of the three with a citrusy delight complementing the crunchy ciabatta.
A sustainable Indian ocean tuna ceviche followed suit. Thoughtful a choice as they come, it was served in a subtle sesame dressing, filling the mouth with flavour before the avocado balanced the notes of sweetness and spice from the pineapple and the chilli. A fresh starter.
This was coupled with one of the house’s signature dishes: the slow-cooked hen egg which lay hidden beneath a portion of toasted multigrain, combined with mushrooms and sided by two pieces of rice crackers with Australian brie. A beautiful fusion of tastes combining the fresh creaminess from the brie and the mushrooms’ subtle notes combined with the egg. A true coalescence of flavours.
A pasta was to follow suit in the form of spaghettini. Retaining more local flavours, the crab’s combination with the salted fish along with the character of the pecorino cheese made for a fresh and defined essence, balanced by the characteristic taste of the ikura, which provided the gentle finish.
The dish of most preference was without a doubt the hake. A block of impeccably prepared salted hake combined with a zesty touch of lime in a delicious miso butter sauce made of this dish an unparalleled delight. Garnished with cauliflower in three different styles, it melted to the touch of the palate. An evident freshness and delightful aroma were highlighted through a citrusy touch and accompanied by the defining taste of the cauliflower. Definitely a dish we talked about days after being treated to it.
The last of the main dishes was another signature mark of the house: the citrus brined half chicken with a touch of Thai identity. Sided with the iconic nam jim sauce, this slowly and delicately prepared portion of chicken was a delight to the palate. Delectably tasty and incomparably tender, it combined to perfection with the nam jim to give it the most scrumptious of tastes.
To top it all off came a beautifully prepared cheesecake, wearing a crimson-red berry sauce and sporting two large strawberry flavoured caramelised sugar plaques, it lay on a cream cheese base and gathered the most characteristic essences of each to provide a complete dessert experience. A truly telling way to end a masterclass meal.
Boasting consummate quantities of identity in each dish, each adorned with a vivid concept of the restaurant’s ideology, Freebird gifts the guest with much more than a mere dining experience. It combines the significance of Australia’s identity with the richness of Thailand’s charm and projects an essence of liberty in every one of its delectable dishes. A true free bird that leaps and dares to claim the sky.
Freebird Bangkok
28 Sukhumvit Soi 47
Bangkok
+66 2 662 4936