FOOD TO RELEASE YOUR INNER MATADOR
DELICATELY CRAFTED, HEART-FELT SPANISH CUISINE — AND DON’T MISS OUT ON THE DESSERTS
Islero is not a new name in this column. Even though Bangkok has so many good culinary offerings, with new eateries constantly opening, it is unusual for an establishment to get reviewed twice in a year. This contemporary Spanish restaurant has proved why it deserves to be an exception.
Unfortunately, when Islero first opened at the first quarter of 2016, it drew a blunt and rather unfavourable review from me and I did not hear about it since.
That was until a few months ago when a highbrow foodie friend began to talk about how good the food at Islero was, to which I replied: “I bet they have a new chef otherwise they would not have survived until now.”
The 80-seater, named after Spain’s legendary fighting bull, kicked off with a high profile. It is owned by a group of well-heeled proprietors with a passion for gastronomy. Its cuisine is conceptualised by renowned chef consultant Eduard Bosch, former chef de cuisine of the world-famous, Michelin 3-starred elBulli in Catalonia. And at the first stage, Islero boasted a Spanish head chef.
For the sake of my friend, a few weeks ago saw my first return to the restaurant.
Surprisingly, even upon my first step into its dining room I could sense differences. Although the place looked, as far as I remember, pretty much the same with modern elegance, it didn’t provide the ambience.
Now it’s a vibe you get from a humble, wellliked restaurant. Guests were seen enjoying the amiability by service staff and a new chef. Heading the kitchen is Argentinian chef Emiliano Vignoni Alvarellos.
The list of dishes on the menu seemed similar to those during my previous visit, as were the price tags. Ingredients continue to be 80% imported. But the recipes have been improved upon.
I, as well as my dinner guest, were treated to a complementary amuse bouche. That evening it was a warm succulent prawn, from a small coastal town near Barcelona, seasoned with chilli-prawn bisque sauce and black olive powder.
It was followed by a glorious-to-the-last drop green gazpacho. The cold soup made with green tomato water, avocado and olive oil was complemented with the chef’s signature lobster dish (1,200 baht).
Inspired by favourite recipes of his Spanish grandparents, the dish perfectly showcased cooked and seasoned lobster accompanied by a dollop of caviar and extra crispy sheets of chicken skin that had been baked at a precise temperature for an hour until all the fat was rendered and it became paper-thin and golden brown. The special lobster is available only when in season. Ask the staff for availability.
Connoisseurs of Galician-styled seafood are promised gastronomic contentment from grilled pulpo (490 baht), featuring springily tender chopped octopus tentacles, extra large granja beans and silky layers of pork lard in tasty, collagen-rich pork stock.
The giant octopus isn’t the only oceanic highlight from the Iberian peninsula. Truly worth trying also are Galician scallops (440 baht). The scallops, pan-grilled to exhibit a light brown crust, arrived on a bed of potato purée drenched in a sweet glaze. Helping to create a perfect wellrounded flavour to the seafood were hand-cut Iberico ham, braised radish, saffron foam and a whiff of coffee powder.
Bangkok has, over the last couple of years, had quite a thirst for Spanish crispy suckling pig and several restaurants in the city present it in different styles. Chef Alvarellos’ rendition — crispy suckling pig terrine with carrot purée and apple wedges (540 baht) — though it couldn’t look more simple, was one of the best I’ve had.
One of my most favourite dishes was Sea Bass Going Green (520 baht), which was a panfried fillet of Spanish sea bass with lemon cream in green juice.
The ordinarily-presented dish was another
example that looks can be very deceiving. The fish boasted exceptional quality, while the apple-seethed broth was refreshingly tangy and offered profound depth of taste.
We also sampled another fish dish, bacalao (630 baht), said to be well-liked among expat diners. The dish, which provided a delectable Asian taste profile, featured confit cod fish with slow-cooked quail egg, brittle breadcrumbs, spicy tomato sauce and grilled peppers.
Another dish, guisante con jamon (650 baht), which received high praise that night came in a boring mono-hue but offered an extraordinary combination of textures and taste profiles. It was a jumble of pop-in-the-mouth, pea-like spheres that released a mint jelly filling in the mouth, aromatic and spicy bits of chorizo sausage and deliciously crumbly deep-fried blood jelly.
If lamb is your preferred choice for an entrée, grilled lamb rack and lamb ragout wrapped in spinach leaf, cauliflower purée and veggie cous cous (1,200 baht) is an absolute must-have.
Towards the end of the meal we learned that the chef’s wife Ilianna Karagkiozi, who is a pastry chef, is as exceptional as her man when it comes to kitchen dexterity.
You’ll surely be charmed by her timid smile and sweet delicacies, which are a star turn on their own.
Don’t miss her best-selling Chocolate in Textures (260 baht), an exhibition of rich chocolate cream, stringy ganache, saffron meringue and mint jelly.
Dessert fan or not, do save some room and spare some time for a sweet surprise.
Islero Athenee Tower, ground floor Witthayu Road Call 02-168-8100 Open daily 5pm to midnight Park at Athenee Tower’s car park Most credit cards accepted
OUR BEST COOKING TIP IS PASSION. WHEN YOU AIM TO MAKE YOUR COOKING TODAY BETTER THAN YESTERDAY THEN IT REFLECTS IN YOUR FOOD
Islero’s head chef Emiliano Vignoni Alvarellos and pastry chef Ilianna Karagkiozi