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Published on February 24, 2008

Even though it's been open only one year, ThaiPaz has changed its name to FabCuisine and enlarged its menu - "but we're still offering a sophisticated, low-key place where people can relax and enjoy the ambience," says partner Emy Mekel.

Even though the restaurant is small - it seats only around 25 - it nevertheless maintains a feeling of spaciousness and elegance to accommodate the mix of guests. At any one time, you'll see at one table some young thirtysomething Thai businessmen discussing their business day. At another, local expats have treating overseas visitors to some of FabCuisine's specialities. At still another, a solitary diner is curled up with a glass of wine and a newspaper.

Just last week, the wine and tapas bar accomplished its transformation, emphasising its move towards full-course meals.

"We're still offering lots of tapas," says Mekel, "but now we also have dishes to satisfy hungry diners."

On the wine menu are some very good prices for some very good wines. By the glass, the house wine is Bt150.

While not extensive, the new menu covers all bases, with indications of what is to come, as Mekel adds other dishes. Still on the menu are sections offering hot and cold tapas, such as carpaccio of Australian been tenderloin (Bt130) and avocado and shrimp salad (Bt125).

"Along with fresh ingredients, what's most important is the presentation," says Mekel, who has carefully "designed" each plate. That avocado and shrimp salad is a case in point. It's lovely. The salad ingredients are arranged on crispy wonton sheets like a mini-skyscraper, and topped with a ginger-grapefruit dressing.

The section on warm and hot tapas offers dishes that are almost meals in themselves but created for sharing with friends, such as the dramatic river prawn noodle roll (Bt150). You can also order satay and kebabs, (Bt80-Bt100) and a very lovely massaman with Australian lamb (Bt110).

In addition to salads, the new menu offers a pasta section, your choice of spaghetti, penne or fettuccini along with your choice of sauce (Bt175-Bt225).

Mekel, who's been busy sampling the latest offerings, has managed to remain very fit and still add a number of sweets to the menu, which he calls "Sweet Endings". Do try the panna cotta (Bt75) - and coming soon - the warm chocolate cake.

You should drop by FabCuisine from time to time. Slated for later this year is an entire upgrading of the little soi. Soon it will have a residence and guesthouse, a lifestyle centre, and a hair salon, which will specialise in hair-loss prevention.

On Saladaeng Soi 3, you'll be able to eat whatever you wish and as maintain a healthful lifestyle, too.

Laurie Rosenthal

The Nation