Approaching Issaya in the evening, you will freeze in your tracks as you see a glimpse of a lavish green wall accented interior, and that’s what you can expect from this restaurant: a lavish experience.

With a most welcoming interior, dishes are served with a flourish perfect for a dinner date. This restaurant aims to impress and it has no qualms of showing its objective obviously so.

Issaya means rainy season in Thai, named for the time when the garden in its yard turns green. The chef’s childhood trips to the wet market inspires the menu and he elevates these traditional Thai dishes.

The most impressive dish for my tastebuds was the appetizer. The soft wrapper of the summer roll tears away to reveal a tasty core of sliced chicken and pork sausage.
Appetizer: Poa Pia Issaya (Steamed soft summer roll with spiced chicken, Goon Chiang pork sausage, bean sprouts, Garlic chives and Issaya chili sauce). This dish is amazing.

For main course, I had charcoal-grilled spiced Thai chicken which was served flambé and with a flair only Issaya could muster.
Main: Gai Aob (All natural Sankaburee chicken. “Issaya-spice” rubbed and charcoal grilled.

Finally the dessert which was salty sweet and just heavenly. Mix that rum syrup, fruit, pandan sauce and coconut cream in a spoonful and enjoy.
Dessert: Maekhong Baba (Baba soaked in Thai rum syrup served with coconut whipped cream, fresh fruits and pandan sauce).

Dining there that night was like a heavenly culinary dream, mysterious and surprising. Now maybe next time I’ll bring a date.

Issaya Siamese Club Bangkok

4 Soi Sri Aksorn, Chua Ploeng Road, Sathorn, Bangkok 10120
T: +66 2 672 9040
11.30am-2.30pm, 6-10.30pm

Original article first appeared at Jonathan Ventura Facebook. Jonathan is a fitness model and has contributed this review. All words and photos belong to him. You may contact him via his facebook. His other reviews are catalogued under Jonathan Ventura.