Baltic Blunos Adds Baltic Flavour to Bangkok

Baltic Blunos was the restaurant I chose to celebrate my beautiful friend’s birthday. The dining scene in Bangkok is getting more and more exciting. Basically, you can find all kinds of cuisines in town. I remember 15 years ago when I started my living in Bangkok, I was rather upset with the choices of food. With the world’s attention on food and beverage, food becomes an inseparable part of life. Chefs and restaurants come under the spotlights on the gourmet stage.

I have not researched before dining at Baltic Blunos. The word ‘Baltic’ casts magic in my thoughts. I must try Baltic cuisine (to be exact, Latvian cuisine) – a cuisine that I could not easily find in Bangkok and Hong Kong. Not to mention it is a fine-dining experience.

Of course, the word ‘Blunos’ also catches my attention. Baltic Blunos is an attribute paid by the celebrity chef Martin Blunos to his Northern European heritage.

At Baltic Blunos, Chef Aleksandrs Nasikailov helms the kitchen. He was the former head chef of Vincent, one of the fine-dining mainstays in the Latvian capital of Riga. Dining at Baltic Blunos means you should always have your phone ready for Instagram/Facebook moments, your meal will definitely keep you very busy with taking photos of the photogenic dishes.

Before indulging in our dinner, I had my favourite gin tonic at the bar.

8-course tasting menu

Amuse-bouche

Be surprised by the amuse-bouche which were artistically presented. The betel leaf-wrapped avocado inside an ice sphere was appealing, putting me in awe when revealing the beautiful bite inside through the act of melting the ice.

Sea Urchin – Somsaa, sapane tree

This dish is created as a memory of the Baltic Sea, a mediterranean sea of the Atlantic Ocean. I especially like the taste of using somsaa with the sea urchin. It’s like a gentle sweet memory sending from the Baltic Sea.

Moon Flower – Thai almond, Tom ka

The nutty flavour from the almond and the tom ka complemented each other, turning this dish a beauty with rounded flavours. I did not waste a nano-drop of it. Thanks for the lovely housemade bread.

Mackerel – Beetroot, horseradish cream

This dish blew me away. A tiny mackerel served in its complete shape but boneless. There was not a single nano-sized bone inside the fish. How much patience did it take to completely bone the fish? My taste buds still have the fond memory of this dish.

Octopus – Fresh wasabi, aioli ants eggs

This octopus was a full taste of the ocean. It was served in the memory of the beautiful Baltic Sea. The tastes of wasabi and ants eggs brought out the freshness of the octopus.

Foie Gras – Birch Sap

Instead of serving a piece of foie gras, foie gras tortellini was served. The taste of these little dumpling was intense. The wrap was so thin that it did not create a starchy mouthfeel.

Scallops – Mottra caviar, Hollandaise sauce

From the land, Chef Aleksandrs brought us back to the Baltic Sea. The hollandaise sauce was just right to give an extra layer of flavour, it did not overpower the scallop and caviar. It was a bite full of fresh ocean.

Black chicken – Jerusalem artichoke, curry sauce

This dish is the highlight of this menu. It was surprising to see a black chicken foot proudly erecting in the middle of the dish. The curry sauce added an irresistible aroma and flavour to the succulent chicken. I love this dish not because of its eye-appealing presentation, but because of its flavour, which still lingers in my memory for weeks.

Pre-dessert

A white lollipop prepared right in front of you by Chef Aleksandrs. It’s a cutie bite that seamlessly transited my palate to some sweet delicacies.

Snow Ball – Sala ice-cream & dragon fruit granite

The sala ice-cream was mildly sweet and sour, which served as a perfect dessert after savouring 7  flavoursome courses. The dragon fruit granite cast a contrasting textures on the palate. It’s a lovely dessert.

Petit Fours

When the lady pushed the chocolate trolley in front of me, I was as excited as a six-year-old girl. ‘What should I choose? There are a lot of choices in the trolley.’ Finally, I picked two pieces of chocolate to end my dinner. If it was lunch, I would have paired my chocolate with a cup of nice espresso.

Where is Baltic Blunos?