Turning four with the fantastic four

The Landmark Hotelâ??s famed Rib Room and Bar celebrates its birthday with a gourmet dinner set

The rooftop restaurant Rib Room and Bar, or RR&B as itâ??s known for short, on the 31st floor of Landmark Hotel is celebrating its fourth anniversary with four fascinating new dishes made from four fantastic ingredients: Oscietra Iranian black label caviar, Brittany blue lobster, Matsuzaka beef and Southwest of France foie gras.

You can have these four superior dishes either in a dinner set for Bt4,000++ or order each dish individually throughout this month.

RR&B is a steakhouse-style restaurant thatâ??s the reincarnation of the hotelâ??s famed Rib Room. Bt80 million spent breathing new and exciting life into the chic but elegant space, which is predominantly decorated in Ferrari red. As you arrive on the top floor, the focal point is the bar with its illuminated floortoceiling counters displaying vodka and gin bottles, where you can warm up for the evening ahead with snacks and aperitifs. There are also separate wine cellars for red and white wines.

The restaurantâ??s pride is the Bt16-million open kitchen that stands right at the centre. Guests can gaze at the culinary teams led by French executive chef Sylvain Royer as they prepare the finest foods in a truly magnificent workplace equipped with a spit roast oven, a woodfired oven and charcoal grills that use only mangrove charcoal to produce longer burning and less smoke. There is no frozen meat and seafood here as guests will be able to see from themselves thanks to a glasswrapped chill room that keeps meats at two degree Celsius.

The set menu for the fourth anniversary dinner starts at the Bar with a plate of canapes featuring crunchy frog leg, magnum foie gras and marinated Hokkaido scallop. The frog leg is coated with breadcrumbs and deepfried making it a crunchy morsel while the stick of terrine foie gras is encrusted with an assortments of nuts. The Hokkaido scallop is famous for its firm and sweet flesh when served raw and for this dish, itâ??s just marinated with olive oil and lemon.

Then itâ??s time to enjoy the fantastic four dishes. The first to arrive is Oscietra Iranian black label caviar, which tops a rounded mould of chopped scallop, Brittany oysters and granny smith apples with a gelatine glaze of carrot on the bottom. All tastes complement each other well, making the dish the delightful starter. Itâ??s priced at Bt1,200 on the a la carte menu.

Next up is panseared salt butter Brittany blue lobster and trumpet mushroom topped with whipped espuma cream in red wine sauce (Bt950 for a single dish). A pesto sauce is served on a side. The blue lobster from the deep sea has a rich, sweet flavour and its flesh is firmer and more chewy than lobsters netted in shallower waters.

Then itâ??s the fascinating dish called the Southwest of France foie gras duo (Bt950). The bottom is panseared foie gras with Cabernet Sauvignon grape sauce and on top is a crispy beignet of foie gras coated with breadcrumbs before being deep-fried. The beignet is also topped with edible gold leaves and served with four poached grapes on the side. The pan-seared foie gras is rich and buttery while the beignet pops and melts in the mouth giving off a delectable taste. Foie gras lovers should not miss this dish.

Tomato basil sherbet cleanses the palate before the main course â?" Matsuzaka beef sirloin (Bt2,500) â?" is served. Decorated like a piece of art, the white plate is painted with a strong brush stroke of red obtained from the reduction of beetroot.

The grilled Matsuzaka sirloin is topped with a bed of crispy polenta and vegetable confits of baby carrots, asparagus and black truffles. Itâ??s served with tarragon bearnaise sauce but the firm beef is delicious in itself for its silky marbling rich and tender but firm texture that almost melts in your mouth.

For dessert, you get what they call 2010 molecular black forest (Bt350). The rich and moist chocolate cake topped with whipped cream is served next to sweet liquor scented foam. On the side is raspberry sorbet topped with raspberry foam and a spoon of raspberry jelly. The richness of cake and the slightly sour raspberry go well together.

Apart from the four special dishes on offer during this month of celebration, RR&B also has many signature dishes that make the place worth visit. A dish worth trying is millionaire salad (Bt1,490), featuring steamed blue lobster and pan-seared foie gras on top of mousse of avocado and asparagus. Itâ??s served with salmon roe on the side and balsamic dressing.

Beef aficionados should try Australian 400-daygrain-fed tenderloin (Bt2,100 for 250 gm). There are more than 10 sauces on offer together with a wide choice of side orders. If youâ??re not a beef aficionado, then try Japanese seabass Suzuki (Bt1,500) thatâ??s panseared with asparagus in red wine sauce.

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RR&B is open for dinner from 6 to 11pm Monday to Thursday and on Sunday and until midnight on Friday and Saturday. Call (02) 254 0404 ext 7777 or visit www.LandmarkBangkok.com.

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