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Image: Thailand Magazine
LE DU - ASIA'S NUMBER ONE RESTAURANT IN 2023!
The very best Thai ingredients that the season has to offer
Le Du, two syllables that not only stand for one of the best restaurants in Bangkok, no, not of Thailand and Asia either, but of the whole world! Co-owner Chef Tonn and his amazing team at Le Du have made Thai “haute cuisine” popular. It’s not for nothing that Le Du is consistently named in the top very best restaurants in the world. In 2019, Le Du received its first Michelin star and since then they have never lost it. Recently, Le Du was named the No. 1 restaurant in Asia.
Not so long before Le Du was named the #1 restaurant in Asia, we were visited this amazing restaurant in Bangkok. It goes without saying that the food was fantastic, but what we especially remember is the super team that works there. We immediately felt at home and back home in the Netherlands we still like to talk about the pleasant ambiance and unforgettable evening. Next time we’ll just stay until the end so we can have a drink with the Le Du team afterwards. Because Le Du tasted like more, so until next time!
Image: Le Du
Image: Le Du
Image: Michelin Guide Thailand
Where in Bangkok is Le Du located?
The Michelin-starred restaurant Le Du is located in the district called Silom, which is situated between the Chao Phraya River and Lumpini Park. There are a number of highly renowned hotels such as the fabulous The Standard Bangkok, the hip SO/ Bangkok, the luxurious Banyan Tree and the cheaper but good Ibis Styles Silom.
You can reach Le Du easily by public transportation from Bangkok. From the Silom subway stop, you’ll be at the door in just under a twenty-minute walk. From BTS stop Sala Daeng (Sky Train) you can get there on foot in less than fifteen minutes. Even closer is BTS stop BTS Chong Nonsi, take exit 4 and in four minutes walking you have arrived. A visit to Le Du is ideally combined with a visit to Lumpini Park or the King Power Mahanakhon Tower. If you really want to make a culinary day of it, book a cooking class first thing in the morning at the famous Blue Elephant Bangkok Cooking School.
Thailand has three seasons
With a name like Le Du, you would think that this should be a French-oriented restaurant, you would probably think that Le Du must have something of a French meaning. Nope, Le Du is a corruption of the Thai word “ฤดู,” which means something like the season. Le Du reflects the Thai seasons and translates into the changing menu featuring only the best high-quality ingredients and products from Thailand. Needless to say, these are at their supreme best in those specific Thai seasons.
There are three seasons in Thailand, which is why at Le Du the menu is also changed to match the seizon three times a year. Menu changes take place in March, in June and around September/October. The very best ingredients and products of the season are then carefully selected and purchased by Chef Tonn and his professional kitchen staff. Purchasing is based not only on quality, but also on sustainability, minimal environmental impact and fairness.
Image: Le Du
Image: Le Du
Image: Le Du
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The idea behind Le Du
Le Du’s goal is to highlight purely authentic and sustainable Thai ingredients. Of course, Thai cuisine is widely known thanks to the many street food stalls and family restaurants you can find on every street corner. However, the refined and sophisticated Thai cuisine was less known for that. That was until November 2013, Chef Tonn, his partner in crime Khun Tao and their team began to put their heart and soul into the higher end of Thai haute cuisine.
Le Du works exclusively with Thai suppliers and supports local farmers, fishermen and other stakeholders. Le Du represents Thailand’s very best local ingredients and local seasonal produce with modern cooking techniques executed by a team of professionals. Not only in the kitchen, but also in the service, hospitality and more. The result offers high-quality dining with Thai ingredients and products at the very highest level.
Image: Le Du
Image: Le Du
Image: Le Du
Before Le Du opened its doors
Co-owner and chef Thitid ‘Tonn’ Tassanakajon was born in Bangkok, where he also grew up. As a small boy, thanks in part to his grandmother, he was introduced to quality Thai cuisine at an early age. In his student days, he met his business partner Khun Rungroj ‘Tao’ Ingudananda. It was years later that the fiery passion for the flames in the kitchen and the art of hospitality proved the strongest for both young men. Before both visionaries embarked on their Le Du journey, Chef Tonn first left for America and Khun Tao left for Australia to pursue further studies there. Who would have ever thought that these good friends from college days in Bangkok would one day start one of the very best restaurants in the world.
Khun Rungroj ‘Tao’ Ingudananda
Co-founder Khun Tao is Le Du’s mastermind. Since Le Du Bangkok opened its doors, he cultivated a culture where to this day Le Du is known for its remarkable creations of fine delicacies paired with matching wine selections. Khun Tao’s background was in banking and insurance, but his love for tasty food and fine wine eventually led him down the path to founding Le Du. His expertise lies mainly in the experience of guests and he will never stop to create the right ambiance for his guests.
Are you (like us) fond of Khao Soi, the most famous dish from Chiang Mai. Then visit and taste it at Derby King Restaurant in Bangkok or at Kiti Panit in Chiang Mai. These two restaurants belong to Khun Tao’s family. Long ago, his grandfather brought Khao Soi to Bangkok. The restaurant in Chiang Mai belongs to Khun Tao and his partner, Khun Frederick Mayer. Kiti Panit Chiang Mai offers its guestbn the best of northern Thai cuisine.
Image: Le Du
Image: Le Du
Chef Thitid ‘Tonn’ Tassanakajohn
Chef Tonn to America where he graduated from The Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, New York. In New York, Ton not only graduated, he also earned an MBA in hospitality from Johnson & Wales University.
Soon the Thai star chef had earned a good reputation in America, not only because of his high scores, but also because of his friendly and sociable personality. Not surprisingly, Chef Tonn was immediately asked to join the three-star Michelin-starred restaurant Eleven Madison Park. Other classy restaurants in “the Big Apple” where Chef Tonn developed himself into a master chef include Jean Georges, one of dozens of restaurants by the brainchild Jean Georges himself, and Chef Thomas Allan’s modern The Modern.
In 2013, Chef Tonn returned to Thailand where he soon started Le Du Wine Bar & Restaurant with his good friend Tao. In the following years, Thitid ‘Tonn’ Tassanakajohn opened several well-known restaurants and received numerous awards. Chef Tonn is also regularly featured on Thai television in cooking programs such as Top Chef Thailand and Kitchen War Thailand.
Image: Le Du
The restaurant and ambiance
As we took our seats in Le Du, we noticed that Le Du, with a seating capacity of forty, is not very large and partly because of this, there is a homey and cozy ambiance. The serving staff plays a leading role in this, because despite Le Du being a Michelin-starred restaurant, you immediately feel comfortable and at home.
Upon entering, you pass a large bar and immediately see the kitchen placed behind a large window. That way you still get an open kitchen effect without the sound of the kitchen being disturbing in a small restaurant. On the sides are tables placed with partial seating on leather benches. In terms of design, decoration and interior, Le Du is a neat restaurant, nothing more and nothing less. In our eyes, the focus is on what matters most, pure seasonal, high-quality ingredients from Thailand.
Image: Le Du
Image: Le Du
Team Le Du
Le Du’s experienced team is not only very professional, but also incredibly friendly. During our visit of more than three hours, we met some of the team and next time, we would love to stick around after closing to have a social drink together! The Le Du team consists of staff coming from different countries around Thailand. So we met staff from Myanmar, the Philippines and of course people from all over Thailand. During service, it was immediately clear to us that we were dealing with people with a passion and a shared goal, Thai cuisine and high quality tasty products in any form.
In addition, the team, each and every one, has an unbridled drive to ensure that you, the guest, enjoy the very best hospitality. What also binds the team of Le Du is the close bond between them, the family feeling. Chef Tonn, the manager Khun Rungroj ‘Tao’ Ingudananda, the team are truly a unit. They regularly go out for drinks together after work, and after hard work, time is taken to have fun together. “Work hard, play hard.”
Everyone involved in and around Le Du such as the staff and suppliers have ensured that in April 2023, Le Du was named the very best restaurant in Asia, congratulations to all!
Image: Le Du
Fine dining at the highest level
At Le Du, guests can choose from a four-course menu or a more elaborate six-course menu. Everyone orders the same number of courses; if one chooses the six-course menu, the rest of the guests also get the six-course menu. This allows the kitchen staff and wait staff to tailor the service exactly to the guests at the same table. Our last night in Bangkok of our 2022/2023 trip we wanted to end well, so we unanimously chose the six-course dinner including wine pairing.
Speaking from experience, we recommend the six-course meal with wine pairing to everyone! A dinner at Le Du is a unique experience and we are sure that an evening here will stay with you for a long time. Le Du is a Michelin star restaurant and named the best restaurant in Asia for a reason. Le Du is fine dining at the highest level.
Image: Michelin Guide Thailand
Our experience
Actually, we are of the opinion that you should just book a table at Le Du yourself, the menu we got has already passed, but we do want to share with you what we deliciously enjoyed during our visit to Le Du. Therefore, we’ll keep it short and sweet, despite the fact that our hearts are full of it. Le Du is one of the best restaurants in Asia and with a Michelin star for a reason, right?
Amuse-bouche
Rice cracker | Lotus | Jellyfish
First course
Banana Prawn | Seaweeds | Toasted Chili
Image: Thailand Magazine
Image: Le Du
Image: Le Du
Second course
King Mackerel | Avocado | Corn
Third course
Grouper | Seabite | Southern Bean Curry
Fourth course
Crab | Mushroom | Homemade Sriracha
Image: Thailand Magazine
Image: Le Du
Image: Le Du
Signature dish, the river prawn dish as addition
The khao kluk kapi, as this signature river prawn is called, is a true Le Du bestseller and can be ordered in any season. The dish consists of grilled river prawn from the Tapi River located in the Surat Thani province. It’s served with two different black rices from Pai (Mae Hong Son province) and topped with different textures and flavors. A sauce from tom yum kung mixed with prawn head cream is served over the crayfish. We would love a dish like this every week!
Image: Thailand Magazine
Image: Le Du
Fifth course
Thai Wagyu | Leek | Sweet Chili
Sixth course (desert)
Chocolate | Pandan | Green Ice-cream
Price at Le Du
The price for a four-course menu is 3,500++ THB and for the six-course menu 4,500++ THB. If you order the Signature River Prawn as an extra, as we did, that adds 1,200 THB. Prices are subject to a 10% service charge and 7% VAT.
Image: Thailand Magazine
Image: Thailand Magazine
Image: Le Du
Le Du wine pairing
Besides the fact that Chef Tonn and Khun Tao both have a passion for wine, Chef Tonn is also a classified sommelier. If you dine at Le Du, we highly recommend a wine pairing menu. The wines chosen with our menu were exquisite and seemed made for it. When we ordered another glass of a Riesling Kabinett later in the evening we really noticed how well it matched our second course.
A wine package for the four-course menu is 2,000++ THB and for the six-course menu 2,500++ THB. If not taking a wine package, there are plenty of wines to choose from by the glass or bottle. Again, prices are subject to a 10% service charge and 7% VAT.
Image: Thailand Magazine
Image: Thailand Magazine
Image: Thailand Magazine
Fourth course
Soft-Shell Crab with southern rice and cooked with the butterfly pea flower, local crab meat, kale with mashed potato puree and yellow curry puree.
Fifth course
Thai Wagyu with deep-fried noodle stuffing with the northern larb beef, pickled radish, onion and chayote, lettuce gel with Khao Soi curry.
Sixth course
Thai Custard with mango ice cream, sticky rice, coconut powder, mango, melon and charcoal salted coconut puree.
Other restaurants that Chef Tonn ownes
There are a number of other gems we would like to mention. If Le Du is full or you want to know somewhere else, we recommend visiting the restaurants below, among others.
DID YOU KNOW?
In June (2023) the owners of Le Du are opening a new restaurant in Hong Kong, named Niras.
General information Le Du Bangkok
Address: 399/3 Silom 7 Alley, Silom, Bang Rak, Bangkok 10500, Thailand
Address in Thai: 399/3 ซอย สีลม 7 แขวงสีลม เขตบางรัก กรุงเทพมหานคร 10500
Open: From Monday till Saturday from 6 p.m. till 11 p.m.
Phone: +66 (0)92919 9969
Reservation: Online via this link
Website: https://www.ledubkk.com/
NOTE
If you want to be sure of a table, make reservations, as the place can be full. Le Du is one of Thailand’s best restaurants for a reason. It is possible to cancel 72 hours in advance without charge. After this, you will be charged THB 5,000 per person.
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