There are dinner courses that mark a before and an after in the life of a person. It is easy nowadays to find a Japanese restaurant at a stone’s throw away from any one point in Bangkok, which at times leads us to undervalue the astounding delicacy that is a simple looking meal from the nation of Nippon. But there is one place at the very heart of Bangkok’s centre, tucked up in what at first sight seems an unassuming eighth floor of the Westin Hotel, which holds an ambassadorial role in the representation of the culinary tradition from the Land of the Rising Sun. It goes by the name of Kisso, and the HOT Magazine team had the marvellous honour of being treated to a true spectacle of the palate during the evening we spent there.
As one enters Kisso, up its wide and veering staircase, the realisation that it is hiding something special is apparent. Classically themed, with beautifully sharp yet discrete colours, soothing Japanese music, an open kitchen and aesthetically rounded lamps, it harbours an undeniable class, comforting the guest before he has had any food at all. As one sits down, before the craftily folded serviettes, the utmost trademark notion of Japanese care commences: waitresses with a modern-styled attire hinting a contemporary kimono design, are quick to bring you a hot towel, along with a drinks menu.
We started in no other way than with a classic Asahi beer, which would be a great companion for the meals that came subsequently. The first to arrive was the Japanese Wagyu Shabu-Shabu Salad. Beautifully garnished, it had a flavourful hint of sesame, which accompanied the wholesome combination of the cherry tomatoes and the rockets, which complemented the smokiness of the beef to perfection. With it came the Avocado and Tossed Prawns with Tobiko Mayonnaise, the smooth texture of which was enhanced by the marvelously blended flavour of the smoky prawns and the soft avocado. Mediated by the mayonnaise and the touch of spice, it was a sign of many things to come.
Next came the Salmon Bento Box: A Kisso popular, it took little to find out why. The freshness of the salmon was incomparable. Time and again we are accustomed to semi-fresh or pseudo-prototypes of salmon, and while this settles for standard after some time, it also shows how categorically superior the one at Kisso is. Tender, meaty, aromatic, simple, yet entirely distinct, its different styles are testimony to how premium quality salmon is a meal fit for kings. Variations of it were caviar-topped, infused in a tangy ceviche-like marinade, garnished with lemon or grilled, all of which were impeccable. The sashimi set followed, part of the Kaiseki Menu course, with an assortment of different types of fish and with a quality that astounded taste buds, and they all melted on the palate, with the tuna being the pearl highlight of them all.
We were then treated to a dish of Satsuma Beef and Foie Gras Sushi Rolls, and it wasn’t as delicious as it sounds – it was better. Slightly spicy, intense in flavour, combining hints of salmon and caviar with its distinct meaty flavour of foie gras and a dash of serenity from the wasabi, we were in true awe at this one. The dishes kept coming, and they kept besting themselves at every given chance. The tempura was one to relish, and the Unagi No Sumibi Yaki to Foie Gras Balsamic Teriyaki Sauce was as complex to the palate as it reads, a true delight: beautifully cooked, incredibly tender, sweet, aromatic, with a distinct intensity of the teriyaki sauce and a soft finish, it combined to perfection with the asparagus, and we couldn’t get enough of it. Nor could we keep our chopsticks off the Grilled Snow Fish, which captivated our attention for looking so simple but amassing such a rich flavourful kick. The freshness was, as per protocol, to be duly noted, and the development of its beautiful taste along with its subtle finish was a highlight.
Lastly came the highlight of the night: a searing flat black stone was placed as a table centrepiece, attracting all of our attentions to the middle. As we began accommodating the strips of Wagyu Beef on the sizzling platform, the mere sound made our mouths salivate. A quick double turn of the meat and the meal was ready: it melted on the palate completely effortlessly, whilst it released the grandest of smoky aromas we had known. Tender, juicy, with a full display of quality and a marvellous subtle ending, it reminded us why the Japanese hold this to such esteem.
We capped off with some dessert. The Plum Wine Jelly, the Homemade Green Tea Ice Cream and the Tiramisu Ice Cream were truly a stupendous manner of ending the evening. The first was cleansing, citrusy, with a hint of grape and a refreshing taste of plum, adorned with the most curious of semi-liquid textures. The Green Tea Ice Cream was equally marvellous, intense with an emanating flavour of matcha. But the highlight of this was without a doubt the Tiramisu Ice Cream. With a passionate and wholesome flavour culminating in a splendid coffee taste and a beautifully formed chocolate dough core, it was truly a marvellous way to end an enlightening evening.
Kisso really demonstrated why it holds Bangkok’s Gold Standard when it comes to Japanese food. A meal at this restaurant is an ultimate highlight, no matter what else happens that day.
Kisso Japanese Restaurant
The Westin Grande Sukhumvit Bangkok
259 Sukhumvit Soi 19
Sukhumvit Road
Bangkok