Gaa: The Absolute Benchmark for Modern Fine Dining in Bangkok

Update 17th July 2026

7 years after my last update, so much has happened, including COVID. Gaa has prevailed and come out of the other side with not 1 but 2 Michelin stars! I recently dined there again here's my take on a bigger, better, more polished Gaa. 

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Update 25th June 2019

Slightly more than half a year after this review, Gaa is now:

• 13th Best Restaurant in Thailand Tatler's Best Restaurants 2019
• 2nd in BK's Top Tables 2019
• 16th on Asia's 50 Best List 2019
• 95th on World's 120 Best List 2019
• 1-Michelin Star rated
• 1 of only 14 eateries to have ever been awarded Stranger in Bangkok's "Wah Lau Eh!" Stamp of Approval

So congratulations the entire team at Gaa, and of course to Garima, the reigning best female chef in Asia. I told you so!

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I love simple food that's not simple.

Too many times, dishes are served in front of me like meticulous assemblies of 10-15 elements, only to taste much less than the sum of its parts. I crave for food that look straightforward yet get my brain juices flowing.

Enter Restaurant Gaa, the brainchild of head chef/part owner Garima Arora. After understanding the origins of the word Gaa (a combination of chef's initials), it's easy to realise that the classy yellow house standing proudly opposite Gaggan is simply an extension of chef Garima herself, and the cuisine, a culmination of her personal journey, which includes a childhood in India, a stint in journalism and a star-studded cooking route through Paris, Dubai and Copenhagen.

Chef Garima Arora

Gaa's food is either simple-looking dishes that taste extraordinary, or peculiar combinations that end up making absolute sense. Chef Garima's craft has reached a kind a maturity that isn't easily found in Bangkok. This spirit is consistent throughout the whole tasting menu, right down to the in-house drinks (eg. the fizzy lychee sake or coffee kombucha). It's also the only restaurant in Bangkok that made 3 reputable chefs text me before they finished their meal to exclaim how great the food was.

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@toprussell, "Pandan oil?" Me, "Pandan goes with coconut in most Thai desserts, but caviar with coconut??" Top, "Well seafood and coconut go together in most curries." So there you go. We figured it out. Royal Project caviar on coconut flesh in coconut water and pandan oil. It makes perfect sense. 😄 #restaurantgaa #royalproject #royalprojectcaviar #caviar #coconut #pandan #coconutcaviar #strangerfirstimpression #strangerinbangkok #bangkokfoodies

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Chef Garima insists on using only ingredients sourced in Thailand, which explains a lot as you glance through her menu (the main course is the single most delicious pork rib you will ever eat, not some air-flown A5 Wagyu beef). When I commented on the presence of obvious Indian elements in most of her dishes, it was clarified that spices were used to lift the flavour of individual dishes when required, not to specifically introduce hints of any particular cuisine. She is not ready to use any words or cuisine to limit what they will put out in the future.

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Come to think of it, a lot of the best dishes at fine-dining restaurants involve liver of some sort. This is one of the genius dishes at @restaurant_gaa, shaved frozen spiced liver on longan and toast, paired with house-made lychee sake created by talented @sjumchai. You know it makes sense. 📸: @kfline #gaa #gaabangkok #bangkokfoodies #lycheesake #toptablesbangkok #finediningbkk #bangkokfoodies #strangerinbangkok

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With the rise in global recognition for Bangkok's fine dining scene, what needs to improve concurrently is the receptiveness of the local palate to different cooking styles. In this aspect, Gaa has set a benchmark in this city when it comes to the gradual education of local diners to modern unbounded cuisine. Chef Garima does not plan to slow down, and Bangkok will be better for it.

Personally, I have visited Gaa twice, devouring basically the same menu (bar 1 dish) both times, and I am happy to report that the 2nd meal was even better than the first. If there's any gripe about Gaa, I just wonder whether I will pay for the meal a 3rd time if the menu remains largely similar. Chef Garima, however, has assured me that many changes are on the way. She just wants to make sure every new dish is perfect before making changes, and not release them for the sake of it.

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Nature is beautiful!! Coming soon on the menu... jackfruit and beef tartare! #restaurantgaa

A post shared by garima arora (@arorgarima) on Sep 26, 2018 at 8:19am PDT

So there is only 1 thing left to do, that is to declare Restaurant Gaa as the first fine-dining restaurant to receive my "Wah Lau Eh!" Stamp of Approval. I thought long and hard about this, and I am super thankful that Chef Garima was actually willing to spend time with this little blogger and receive the cheesy sticker when I reached out.

For her kindness, I gave my stamp, and my first little heart, to Chef Garima.

Truth be told, Gaa deserves stars, not stamps, but whatever happens moving forward, they will always be, to me, one of THE places to eat in Bangkok.

The Thailand Winter Getaway Series 2020: Koh Kret - small island near Bangkok with a bit of everything

Yeah I know. It's already September 2021. I'm almost a year late.

We can't travel anyway. What does it matter whether such information comes in January or September? I contemplated whether to write this at all, but decided to because my kids look too cute in the pictures =D. Also, winter's coming soon!

This will be a family photo album.

Anyway, during my first 11 years, I've never even really heard of Koh Kret, and I went there for the first time in September 2020 only because I was involved in coming up with an article about it (so if you would like a comprehensive Koh Kret Guide, please see here).

Personally, I feel that Koh Kret has a certain charm that you will usually expect to get further away from Bangkok. It's only an hour's drive + a minute's ferry ride away from most places in Bangkok, yet possesses the old-time energy of rural towns, with a good mix of its own character (eg. pottery, Mon culture) and modern vibes (eg. craft beer brewery, hip new cafe at old rice mill etc.). I love it that most of the stalls are run by folks who have lived on the island for generations, and that there are cool riverside views almost everywhere you go.

Literally a 1-minute ferry ride.

What made this trip special was that it was completely random. I woke up one Sunday morning not expecting the cool weather to visit Bangkok again (having arrived and disappeared a few times over in the past weeks), and was determined to do something completely spontaneous with the family.

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So off we went, with no plans and no expectations, just a day together walking half the island, snapping and eating along the way, in comfy cool weather. 

And island of nostalgia.

It was a first for the kids to visit a 'leaning tower'.

"Leaning Tower" of Koh Kret, Wat Paramaiyikawat.

A first for us to take an old-school family portrait.

Only took us a few minutes to get this precious memory.

A first for them to make their own pottery.

It was also a first for them to follow some free-range chicken and walk accidentally into a stranger's backyard, only to be greeted unexpectedly with warmth by the friendly villager, all on this 3kmx3km island on the Chao Phraya River.

They really had a great time.

I watched a video a few days ago on the current state of Koh Kret following this current Covid wave. As expected, it's not anything like before, when local tourists fill it every weekend. It's a little saddening but we also know that Bangkokians will flock back again once the situation allows. Hang in there, Koh Kret!

This picture makes me think of mooncakes.

 

Follow the Chef: Gabriele Luna, the soulful Italian chef in Bangkok

Update 26/3/2021:

Since 1st February 2021, Chef Gabriele has taken his talents to L'Oliva, a beautiful Abruzzo restaurant in Sukhumvit 36. I personally feel that it's a nice step in his career, as he can share his cooking philosophy to a bigger group of mainly-local diners, and for me, to be able to enjoy his food in an even more comfortable environment. You know where to "follow' him now!

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Foreword: I wanted to describe him as the "hidden pasta granny" in Bangkok, but chickened out in the last second! The soulful Italian chef works too I guess, just not as well😂.

I couldn't allow 2020 to fly by without blessing you guys with a Bangkok-based addition to my "Follow the Chef" series could I? It hadn't been an easy process in my search, but I am proud to write about Chef Gabriele Luna of About Eatery as the latest one on my brilliant (if I may say so myself) list.

Chef Gabriele Luna with his Spaghetti Carbonara

Pasta is something close to my heart. Even though I am not Italian, it's probably the 2nd most-cooked food group in my personal cooking repertoire (after my mum's cuisine), and that is also why not many restaurants (even specialty pasta restaurants) can truly impress me with their pasta dishes, until I was invited to About Eatery last year by dear friend and fellow foodie Rosalind.

In fact, my first impression of Gabriele had nothing to do with pasta. I sat at the kitchen counter at About Eatery watching Chef Gabriele prepare his Locale tasting menu for me, which was quite memorable as I seldom see a chef show passion and attachment to his food in his every demeanour so naturally.

During my subsequent visit though, I tried his signature Strascinati, which convinced me that there is a whole new world of pasta Gabriele knew that I didn't. It's a world Chef Gabriele spent all 36 years of his life understanding, eating, making, cooking, and now, blessing all foodies in Bangkok with.

Strascinati, the first pasta shape Chef Gabriele made as a little boy

I grew up manipulating plasticine, my kids grew up kneading Playdough. Chef Gabriele, on the other hand, had a childhood in his native Basilicata surrounded by real pasta dough. His nonna (grandmother) made and sold hand-made pasta everyday, and by the time he was 6, Chef Gabriele was already making his first pasta shapes sitting under the kitchen counter. His first shape? Strascinati, the exact shape (with his fingerprints and all) he wow-ed me with, and also the dish he chose to showcase during his feature video on Iron Chef Thailand.

One of his proud signatures at About Eatery

Even though he spent a few of his younger years studying Computer Science Engineering in University, Gabriele's lived his life with cooking in his blood, learning in professional kitchens and eventually graduating from cooking school and working this way through around 10 restaurants in Italy, ranging from Michelin Star kitchens to high-volume restaurants (4 cooks serving 200 covers every service). A period of note, must definitely be his stint with "King of Carbonara" Luciano Monosilio, one which honed his skill to making the best version of this world-famous dish, one that you must not miss at About Eatery (not the set-lunch version!!).

Maybe the best Spaghetti Carbonara you will ever eat.

Ultimately, his love the culture and people (😄)of Indo-China brought him to Bangkok. Starting off at the recently-closed former Italian food powerhouse L'Opera, Chef Gabriele is now completing his 3rd year as executive chef at About Eatery, a restaurant more known for owner/sommelier Giulio Saverino and his catalogue of hand-picked natural wines. It's also a place that allowed Chef Gabriele to spread his wings and express himself. A place where he can scour Italy for the best ingredients to serve his customers on his intricate cold-cut boards and pasta dishes.

I would like to end off by mentioning a dish he prepared for me that touched my heart deeply. This Trittico Lucano (made of 3 different shapes of hand-made pasta served in a rich ragu and chilli oil) was the same pasta he ate every Sunday from young till he left his hometown at 26. While I chewed on it, I was imagining myself sitting at his family table in Basilicata. It was a moving moment, and an honour to have had the privilege to enjoy. 

Trittico Lucano

Then again, it would be thoroughly unfair to leave the final impression of Chef Gabriele as plainly a pasta expert. Even if his pasta dishes are out of this world, he is an accomplished chef who gives equal love to all the dishes he creates, pasta or not.

Let's just hope he continues to stay in Bangkok, or move to anywhere I may go in the future 😍, as having him around is certainly a huge blessing from the Italian pasta grannies. I will leave you with a video of him making pasta at his dedicated pasta corner at About Eatery.

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"Follow the Chef" is a new blog series where I sit down face to face with chefs and help them tell you what they want to say, in their perspective. My inspiration for this series stems from the fast-changing dining landscape in Bangkok, which is both exciting yet confusing for consumers like us. Do we follow the restaurants, or follow the chefs? I hope I can help you make a better decision.

New Normal 3D2N Family Road Trip to Hua Hin

2020 has been a special year. My wife and kids literally did not step out of our little apartment from March to June, and our usual trips back home to Singapore and Malaysia during summer vacation also wiped out due to the border closures.

That said, we can consider ourselves lucky to be in Amazing Thailand, where the situation is largely under control. It’s the perfect time for us to explore the country we live in and appreciate even more what it has to offer. We made a family road trip to Hua Hin last week, just to squeeze in a final getaway before school reopened.

The kids enjoying the pool view in the morning.

Then again, travelling is a touchy subject  in this climate, as most of us are understandably still focused on keeping our families safe. Thus, instead of listing down my full itinerary, I will share some tips and tricks I learnt from this Hua Hin exercise for you to make a more informed decision should you decide to embark on a trip yourself.

1. Go on weekdays and avoid long weekends.

I understand that some attractions only open during weekends in Hua Hin, but keeping social distancing in mind, I highly-recommend going Thu-Sat or Sun-Tue instead of Fri-Sun.

This way, you not only get to enjoy part of the usual weekend vibe, you also give yourselves a couple of quiet days, likely a less-occupied accommodation, and the choice to avoid crowds.

2. Choose a hotel/resort that gives you a peace of mind.

For me, this has to be the basis of your trip-planning. Through some research and direct communication with the shortlisted accommodation, you should have a feeling whether it has done its due diligence to keep its guests safe.

Thorough sanitization by Amari Hua Hin.

My choice this time was Amari Hua Hin, as I understood how their new Onyx Clean initiative originated from a reaction to the pandemic. Their efforts started from the moment we arrived and their sanitization and crowd-control measures (splitting breakfast crowd to 3 timings, installation of sneeze guards for buffet stations, masked+gloved staff etc.) gave us a lot of assurance.

Sneeze Guards installed for the buffet breakfast.

They have also added many family-oriented activities to their repertoire, like a bigger Kids’ Club, cooking lessons, indoor movie screening and even beach-side boxing sessions, which was really an unforgettable experience. We ended up spending half our trip enjoying ourselves within a well-prepared beachside hotel.

The amazing Muay Thai by the Beach experience.

Pizza-making class for the kids,

3. Choose Nature

Whenever I make a roadtrip in Thailand, I will make sure I give my children a dose of nature, as a contrast to their everyday-life in the bustling city.

Enjoying at Hua Hin beach.

In this time, I feel it’s even more crucial for this, as not only do they get to learn about things they hardly get to see in Bangkok, they also gain access to space and fresh air.

Long Rak Na

Aside of the beach, which is not as crowded these days, we went to  Long Rak Na, a restaurant overseeing a lake in Petchaburi on our way to Hua Hin, and Pran Buri Forest Walk, a spectacular mangrove walk just a short drive away from our hotel. If the weather was more forgiving, we would have gone to the vineyard in the vicinity as well.

Viewing tower of Pran Buri Forest Walk.

4. Hua Hin Favourites

I am happy to announce that many of our favourite attractions at Hua Hin are already open.

Hua Hin Train Station

We went to Hua Hin Night Market, which is open every night and the historical Hua Hin Train Station, which is in normal operation.

Hua Hin Night Market

Our all-time favourite haunt in Hua Hin, Cicada Market is also open every Friday to Sunday. I have to give a special mention to their Cicada Amphitheatre, which gave us a brilliant magic bubble show during our visit, one so intriguing that the audience stayed through to the end in spite of the unrelenting drizzle.

Cicada Amphitheatre

It is also good to know that precautions have been taken at many of these favourites and many vendors/visitors are wearing masks.

Precautions taken at Cicada Market.

5. Your own mentality

I can’t stress this enough.

At the end of the day, how much you enjoy a trip largely depends on your own attitude.

First and foremost, we have to do our part to be responsible for our family and the people around us.

Travelling in the new normal means we have to, at the very least, wear our masks and wash our hands as much as possible.

With sufficient research, we can also make sure we stay in and visit places that have made reasonable precautions.

One other challenge we faced during the trip was the rainy season. We worked our loose schedule around our limitations, even if we are clad in raincoats, holding umbrellas, or plain drenched, happily taking in everything Hua Hin had in store for us.

New Normal Family Portrait!

It was a great trip!

Mae NongNuch (Meechai Shop) - Must-try Desserts in Hua Hin made with heart

If you frequent Hua Hin and love traditional Thai desserts, Mae Nongnuch (Meechai Shop) probably needs no further recommendation. In preparation for our Hua Hin roadtrip, some discussions with foodie pals and online research pointed us there left-right-centre. So no, this is not a post to tell you more about this long-established dessert powerhouse, but to share an unforgettable incident which took place at the shop itself.

Meechai Shop, Raan Michay, Mae NongNuch?

The month of August coincides with the peak of Thailand's rainy season. We were not spared. Scary dark clouds were gathering when we made our way to Meechai Shop. Unaware that it was predominantly a take-away operation, we planned to eat our desserts there before moving on to our next stop. However, once we settled into the sole little round table outside the shop, it literally poured cats and dogs and threatened to destroy my family's experience.

Hand-gel prepared and every shopkeeper masked up.

Knowing the situation, the owner of Meechai rushed out and invited us to eat inside the shop, clearing a table where they were working on for us to enjoy our desserts in comfort. We were so grateful, yet stunned by their sincerity and warmth. This gesture might seem straightfoward, but was one that should never be expected, and one we definitely could not take for granted! They even pulled down the roller shutter closest to us to stop any possible splashing due to strong winds.

Eating in comfort, completely-sheltered from the rain.

So, to their food. Since we had the comfort of dining where most do not have the privilege to on a rainy afternoon where we were stuck for a bit, we could carefully savour the desserts.

Having been in Thailand for a decade, I am not shy to say I've tasted numerous versions of Mango Sticky Rice, including some of the most famous in Bangkok. From my first impression of Mae Nongnuch's version though, I think it's easily up there with the best. For this dish, mango has never been a spot of bother for me as it's more related to cost and sourcing (they use the rare Chok Anan breed btw). It's the sticky rice (khao niao moon) execution that makes or breaks the deal. Mae Nongnuch's version was glistening, every grain soft yet defined, with hints of pandan aroma, and the lightly-salted fresh coconut cream an icing on the cake.

A nice picture taken at the little table outside before we were completely washed out.

Thanks to my good friend Nicholas, I also bought their Khanom Tian, little pyramids of awesomeness. Unlike ones I'd eaten in Bangkok, the ones here had a dark green colour given by Chiukak หญ้า ชิวคัก 鼠壳草，and an intense dark brown bean paste that'd been cooked for hours with pepper and shallots. It's like biting into the best Ang Ku Kueh skin with a surprisingly-delicious savoury spicy 'vegan sambal'.

From the corner of my eye, I found a friendly old lady observing us from a few steps away. An assuring thumbs up brought the most confident smile I'd seen from someone her age. Turned out she is the sister of Mae Nongnuch (who has passed away) and had been cooking with her since the start of the business.

That swagger. She knows her stuff is good.

So if you happen to be in Hua Hin and only have time for dessert at 1 shop, this is where I highly recommend, as I have personally experienced not only their taste, but the heart they pour out for every customer. Search "Raan Michay" on Google Maps and you are laughing.

A cool painting of Mae NongNuch.