Vela Bhirom restaurant at Villa Deva Resort and Hotel, a resort-style hotel in the heart of Bangkok's Sathorn area, with a shady, quiet atmosphere. Thai fine dining, an 8-course menu at 2,200++ baht, excellent value. Grilled eggplant with cilantro salt-fried shrimp (amuse-bouche) opens the palate. Miang kham with crispy fried soft-shell crab. Pomelo salad with tamarind and roasted shrimp paste, bold and full-flavored. Grilled beef ranjuan curry, served in a gourd for a stylish presentation.
A pineapple and salt-chili sorbet cleanses the palate. Steamed venison leg with galangal chili paste is the VelaBhirom signature. Three-color rice wrapped in banana leaf comes with 3 side dishes, finished with pumpkin in syrup and a roselle-and-young-coconut sherbet. The young chef team is led by Chef Jib, a world-competition-level chef. Service was excellent, a genuinely memorable experience.
