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Le Crystal restaurant has long cemented its reputation as one of the city’s best fine dining destinations. Set in an elegant purpose-built hardwood and glass building, a manicured lawn, garden and a quiet gentle bend of the Ping River. Le Crystal serves up haute French fare with a focus on quality. This wonderful restaurant offers a variety of classic French flavours, and an impeccable dining experience fit for all occasions.
The restaurant’s chef, Somchai Yawan, surprised us when he told us that he was self taught. Somchai spent the past 15 years gaining experience in numerous kitchens before taking charge of Le Crystal’s kitchen, where he masters and commands some of the most premium local and international produce to present diners with classical French fare, as well as some innovative dishes.
The baked lobster with black spaghetti lobster sauce, explained Chef Somchai, is the best representation of who he is as a chef. It requires all the techniques and skills he has honed in his decade and a half career to handle the complex Canadian lobster which “has two distinct flavours in one lobster. The lobster claws taste similar to crab meat,” he explained, “while the meat in the body has a texture similar to prawns, but much sweeter to the taste. So I experimented with the meats and decided to use more Mediterranean influences in its flavours, which pairs perfectly with the black pasta.” We stood in the kitchen and watched him toss the sauce in with the pasta, and our mouths watered as enticing aromas enveloped the kitchen.
It was the concentrated lobster sauce, stewed for over four hours, that added the richness in taste and scent. The delectable pieces of lobster were then added to the plate, creating truly an artistic showpiece.
“Cooking the perfect lobster with consistent perfection is something only experience can bring,” said Chef Somchai. “It has to be cooked immediately before serving, it can’t be over or under cooked and there is no set time, just the judgement of the chef. It is then served immediately, so timing is everything.” “I feel that it is an honour that someone wants to taste my food and I must therefore thank them by serving the best.”
Le Crystal
74/2 Patan Road Open daily 5pm – 10pm
Tel. 053 218 059-61, 084 177 6599
Live music jazz band: 7pm – 9pm.
(Except on Sundays)
www.lecrystalrestaurant.com
