Benjarong, the multi-awarded and globally-recognised Thai bar and restaurant that originated from Bangkok, will have its soft opening in Davao City on November 1, according to a company statement.
Named after the royal porcelain of Thailand, Benjarong literally means “five colours”, representing the five different tastes – sweet, salty, sour, bitter, and umami or savoury. The bar and restaurant will bring authentic and rich Thai flavours to please even the most discerning of palates, the company said.
“We are very excited to bring the well-loved Benjarong to Davao because it will be the first and only authentic Thai bar and restaurant in the city,” said Christopher Wichlan, General Manager of dusitD2 Davao; Dusit Thani Residence Davao; and The Beach Club at Lubi Plantation Island, managed by Dusit.
“We want our guests to be transported to the dynamic country of Thailand as soon as they set foot inside. From the décor to ambiance and menu, we curated everything so our guests can have a pleasurable and memorable dining experience,” Wichlan added.
Leading the kitchen of Benjarong Davao are Resident Thai Chef Suthin Songmuang and Filipino Chef de Cuisine Jessa Marie Lacerna. With their direction and expertise, Benjarong Davao delivers delectable dishes that are made flavorful from fresh herbs and aromatic spices, according to the press release.
“We are staying true to Benjarong’s roots and keeping all dishes as authentic as possible. The taste would be as close to how Thai people know it [to be],” said Chef Lacerna.
Born in Udon Thani, a city in the northeast of Thailand, Chef Suthin creates dishes that are inspired by his mother’s home cooking.
“My culinary style is based on the Isan region where I grew up. It is characterized by vibrant flavors, fresh herbs, and strong spices. Each dish is comfort food on a plate,” added Chef Songmuang.
Benjarong Davao’s menu was developed around the ingredients available within the region and the restaurant works with local farmers to grow herbs in the highlands of Davao.
To remain close to the original Thai flavors, some ingredients also have to be sourced directly from Thailand.
Benjarong Davao’s Thai signature dishes include Som Tam (authentic Thai papaya salad), Tom Yam Gai (tiger prawn soup with galangal, lemongrass, kaffir lime, and chili), Khao Pad Khai (fried rice with egg, carrot, tomato and spring onions), Pla Sam Ros (deep-fried seabass with three-flavor sauce), Gung Sa Moon Prai (wok-fried tiger prawns with lemongrass, lime leaves, capsicum, chili and garlic), and Khao Niew Ma Muang (mango sticky rice with coconut ice cream). – BusinessNewsAsia.com