TO ERR IS DIVINE
Bo.lan’s new eatery offers Thai cuisine of years gone by
If Bo.lan, one of Bangkok’s most-treasured Thai restaurants since 2009, represents the graceful austerity of Thai culinary, Err might serve as an escape into the politically incorrect world that Thai cuisine Bo.lan’s proprietors, Chef Bo and Chef Dylan, have been looking for.
The word err is a folksy affirmative in the Thai language. Thus, Err, which opened three months ago, is a laid-back joint, offering swanky renditions of what Bo and Dylan call “Thai food we often eat”.
The air-conditioned eatery is set in an old back alley shophouse with interiors reminiscent of a rundown home, complete with a tattered wall, vintage decor and 60s-style enamel tableware.
Dining there might be nonchalant, but never is the kitchen work. When it comes to the matters of cooking philosophy and quality of ingredients, Err takes its cues from Bo.lan. Many dishes look runof-the-mill but showcase exquisite depth of flavour and texture.
Err tries to produce its ingredients, from cured meat, preserved vegetables, sauce and paste to liquor syrup, in-house. Or else uses only well-sourced artisanal ingredients.
In Thai, “skin” and “movie” share the same spelling and pronunciation and is called nang. Thus, Chicken Movie (150 baht) plays on the word pun to refer to fried chicken skin.
This signature delicacy features deep-fried chicken skin with homemade Sriracha sauce. What’s awe-inspiring is that in order to create this super thin, crispy and tasty treat, the entire chicken is neatly skinned to retain the shape of the bird. How they do it is a well-kept secret.
The chicken meat and “all other best bits”, as the chefs call them, are thrown into the chicken green curry (320 baht), which comes with khanom jeen, or Thai-styled fermented rice noodles.
Drenched in the awesome curry prepared with fresh-pounded curry paste and house-squeezed coconut milk were chopped chicken meat and aubergines, feet and giblets included.
The meat, including the neck, came on the bone and exhibited a nice supple texture. Meanwhile the feet, with plumpish skin and springy tendons, were cooked to provide a gelatinously addictive mouthfeel. The heart and gizzard added flavoursome chew.
Next up was stir-fried morning glory with crispy shrimp, shrimp paste and chillies (165 baht), another much-ordered dish. It featured the popular vegetable well-cooked to a nice crunch, while revealing its bright green colour. The restaurant used fine shrimp paste, sourced from an artisanal producer in the South. It lent a nice fragrance and briny flavour without being overly salty.
It’s a good idea to give the peppery affair a break with Siamese pickled pincho (65 baht). The pincho platter presented five skewers of sweet and bracing krathiem dong (pickled garlic) that came without the intimidating strong odour, and thinly sliced chaipo (sweet preserved turnip), which was crunchy.
Also sample naem, or grilled northern-style fermented pork (195 baht). Err’s homemade rendering of cured minced pork came on a skewer in a rectangular shape. It was complemented by finely sliced young ginger, roasted peanuts and fresh cabbage leaves.
My mouth waters just to think of Err’s yum khai dao, or the pungent fried egg salad (95 baht). Instead of being pan-fried, the egg was deep-fried until the albumen was super fluffy and golden brown, while the yolk remained half-cooked and lava-like. Superbly enhancing the egg was a subtle concoction of fine fish sauce, lime juice and coriander, shallots and chillies.
The restaurant also highlights its selection of clay pot fare. My recommendation would be braised minced pork with aubergines, minced dried scallop and dried shrimp on steamed egg custard (185 baht).
Coconut milk ice cream was the only dessert available that day. It wasn’t the house-made version and did not offer a lasting impression. To add more nostalgic fun to the dining experience, the restaurant urges its clients to partake in a number of bygone games.
Diners might be approached by staff to participate in a lucky draw with prizes ranging from free drinks to a discount on the bill.
At noon on the rainy Friday we were there, the restaurant was packed with a mix of casual diners of all ages — from families with children to college students to government diplomats and international tourists.
Thanks to Err’s riverside location, it is easily accessible by boat. Get off at either Tha Tien or Tha Rachini piers and enjoy a 10-minute stroll to the restaurant.