The InterContinental Pattaya Resort is just two hours from Bangkok by car and two hours away from Hua Hin by ferry. The resort has many restaurants including Infiniti. Infiniti is an Al fresco style restaurant with spectacular ocean views. Cuisine here is international and modern utilizing their wood fired oven and char grill.
Infiniti was also the setting for a very special dinner held on Friday evening June 21st. The InterContinental’s Director of Food & Beverage, Mr. Phinyo Thanbunphairach, along with their Executive Chef Khun Sumit Potiket, partnered with Sukij M.Thipatima, Director & Master Brewer of Phuket’s Full Moon Brewworks to present a Summer Craft Beer Dinner.
What makes Full Moon Brewworks special is that they combine traditional beer-making techniques with the Thai art of culinary and local ingredients. Brewing with malts, hops & yeast, all from the world’s leading sources, they blend in local herbs, spices and fruits to deliver a distinctive new definition of Thai beer.
The evening was to start at 6pm but was delayed a bit because there was just too much sun on the outdoor terrace, a terrible problem to have although it did lead to a stunning sunset over the Gulf of Thailand. Once everyone was seated, introductions were made and then the gastronomical event began.
First out from Chef Sumit’s Kitchen was Alaskan king crab & sweet corn panna cotta, Bussaba Ex-Weisse jelly, dill-cream cheese, salmon roe and a pistachio cracker. This course was paired with Full Moon’s Bussaba Ex-Weisse Hefe- Weizen. A Hefe-Weizen is a classic German wheat beer, however Full Moon’s Thai take on it adds notes of ripe tropical fruits giving it an easy to drink appeal.
The second course was pan-seared foie gras & duck breast with braised red cabbage, orange, apple and grand manriner-orange reduction, all paired with a Chalawan Pale Ale. The pale ale style is American and had notes of lychee, citrus & floral which gave it a bold & smooth flavor. This was followed by a cinnamon-rum & orange sherbet to cleanse the palate.
The next arrival was a braised Australian angus short rib in Chatri Ipa & Thai herbs, a roasted marinated lamb loin with garlic, kaffir lime leaves, crispy barley rice coriander crust and a Mediterranean couscous salad, paired with a Chatri Ipa. The Chatri Ipa is classified as a Session IPA which is an intensely hoppy beer with a lower alcohol level. Full Moon’s version adds a taste of grapefruit & herbs which they define as being “chewy & spicy”.
A cheese platter followed with oven-baked brie, gorgonzola with berries & apple compote, walnuts and roasted jasmine-honey, paired with Full Moon’s Andaman Dark Ale. Categorized as a British Bitter, the beer is characterized by fruitiness, light to medium body and an accent on hop aromas more than hop bitters. Full Moon’s take on it adds hints of caramel & floral giving it a mild and refreshing taste.
There was still one more course to go which pleased my desire for sweet. Chef Sumit and his team presented a caramel pecan blondies cake accompanied with passion & mango ice cream. A very satisfying conclusion to a truly enjoyable evening.
Full Moon’s Master Brewer, Khun Sukij, or just “M” as he is known to his friends, developed a taste for Craft Beers during his university days in the U.S. State of North Carolina. After returning to Thailand he was very happy to meet a friend’s father who was brewing his own beer. In short order M was creating his own craft beer which led to Full Moon Brewworks emerging as an artisan beer brewer in 2010, locating in Phuket.
Full Moon Brewworks Beer is available in hundreds of luxury resorts and hotels along with fine dining, and independent restaurants.
