Michelin Guide 2019 Expands Outside of Bangkok
Bangkok (Thailand) – November 16, 2018 (travelindex.com) – Michelin released the Michelin Guide Bangkok, Phuket and Phang-Nga 2019, the second edition of the Michelin Guide in Thailand, and the first to cover new territories outside Bangkok: Phuket, Phang-Nga, and Bangkok’s surrounding provinces (Nonthaburi, Pathum Thani, Nakhon Pathom, Samut Sakhon, and Samut Prakan). In this latest edition, 217 dining and 67 lodging establishments are featured – with a total of four two star restaurants, of which one is a new addition; and 23 one star establishments, of which 10 are new additions.
Speaking about the 2019 selection, Gwendal Poullennec, International Director of Michelin Guides, said: “This year’s selection highlights the diversity of culinary experiences, both within and outside of Bangkok. We have also seen the blooming trend of the degustation menu, whereby chefs carefully design a complete experience for diners.”
In the 2019 edition, all of the two-star restaurants from the previous selection – Gaggan, Le Normandie, and Mezzaluna – retain their awards. The only addition, moving from one star to two, is Sühring, where chef brothers, Mathias and Thomas Sühring, offer unique and contemporary European dishes using their very own style of modern German cooking.
Of the 23 one-star establishments in this latest edition, Le Du and Gaa are the only two restaurants that progress from the ‘Plate’ – a designation given to restaurants for a good meal with fresh ingredients and capable preparation – to earn one star, while eight are new entries. Among these new entries, five are located in Central Bangkok: Canvas, a restaurant where art meets food and every dish looks like a masterpiece, driven by premium local produce and a variety of techniques; Methavalai Sorndaeng, where the food has kept loyal customers coming back for more than 60 years, with its blast of flavours and refined complexity; R-Haan, a restaurant offering authentic Thai dishes, both regional and Royal Thai cuisine, using ingredients from all over the country; Saawan, where a set 10-course authentic Thai cuisine menu is the only option, using locally-sourced seasonal ingredients to craft creative and well-executed dishes that provide a truly special journey through Thai flavours, culture and art; and Sorn, a restaurant with a focus on long lost recipes and the art of Southern Thai cuisine, using ingredients sustainably sourced from a trusted network of farmers and fishermen, as well as refined and sophisticated cooking techniques.
While the other two one-star restaurants are located within Bangkok’s vicinity: Ruean Panya (in Samut Sakhon province), a family-run restaurant recognised as a hidden gem with an amazing combination of food and art, where the owner chef’s attention to detail and the complexity of flavours make every dish worth the wait; and Suan Thip (in Nonthaburi province), a restaurant amidst a lush garden of trees and small ponds, where its refined cuisine is inspired by royal recipes. There is one restaurant in Phuket awarded one star: PRU, a sophisticated restaurant, tucked inside a luxury resort, offering delicate and neatly presented dishes created using many ingredients sourced from its own 96 hectare organic farm – even the butter is made in-house with milk sourced from Krabi.
In addition, three restaurants previously with one star – namely Elements, Nahm, and Saneh Jaan – have retained their awards, despite having new chefs at the helm.
The complete selection of the Michelin Guide Bangkok, Phuket and Phang-Nga 2019 will be available in a bilingual digital edition (Thai and English) on the website and a print version, available at leading bookstores for 650 Baht.
The 2019 selection at a glance:
• 4 two-star restaurants (1 new)
• 23 one-star restaurants (10 new)
• 72 Bib Gourmand restaurants (42 new)
About Michelin
Michelin, the leading tire company, is dedicated to enhancing its clients’ mobility, sustainably; designing and distributing the most suitable tires, services and solutions for its clients’ needs; providing digital services, maps and guides to help enrich trips and travels and make them unique experiences; and developing high-technology materials that serve the mobility industry. Headquartered in Clermont-Ferrand, France, Michelin is present in 171 countries, has more than 114,000 employees and operates 70 production facilities in 17 countries which together produced around 190 million tires in 2017.