My reservation was made months in advance to dine at Sühring in Bangkok. Nothing was going to stop me including a case of E. coli which I picked up eating on the backroads of Cambodia. To be clear, I did not get the sickness from one of the few restaurants in Thailand to earn two Michelin stars.
I wasn’t sure what was wrong initially as I scoured the city seeking pink bismuth. Of the many times I’ve been to Thailand, I never sought Pepto Bismol because I usually brought my own for those few and far between distresses of the stomach. Hint: Bring your own! During this two-week stay, I checked no luggage opting to use a carryon bag only. That meant, of course, no liquids. I now know of the tablets, but enough of all that.
Sühring is operated by German twins, Thomas and Mathias Sühring, who “wish to showcase the best of modern German fare inspired by childhood memories and family recipes.”
It is also referred to as Thailand’s most Instagrammed Michelin-starred restaurant. Also, it’s unlike any German food I’ve had in either Germany or the Swiss-German part of Switzerland.
The restaurant looks like a contemporary home tucked away in an oasis of trees in the heart of Bangkok, about a 20-minute drive from Wat Pho. It’s not a stuffy or uncomfortably fancy restaurant, but it feels as if something special awaits. It is actually quite comfortable and everyone from the host to the servers we very kind and accommodating.
I was welcomed, seated and given a menu sealed with a foil embossed Sühring sticker. Just opening the menu felt as if I was about to present (or in this case receive) an award. I ordered the Sühring Erlebnis (short) menu.
Sühring’s butterbeer or Big hands and tiny stein
One of the first items served was a mini-stein of a German butterbeer, a mix of beer and cider vinegar. When I say “mini,” I mean my thumb and forefinger dwarfed the tiny beverage.
Some of the menu items at Sühring Sühring estras Sühring’s chicken salad
Chapter One started with Sühring’s chicken salad. Yes, that green glossy ball is how Sühring makes and presents its chicken salad. I didn’t want to disturb the beautiful plated creation, but I did and it was succulent.
An amuse bouche at Sühring A truffle at Sühring Plated truffle
Then came an amuse bouche of char caviar served neatly on a potato nest, followed by the Berliner, a bite of mushroom truffle.
Eel grün or eel green is the creamy white dish with green dots. It was surprisingly good as I am typically not an eel eater.
Sühring bread and butter Sühring
Sühring puts its special touch on everything including the bread and butter. The bread is made with the Sühring family sourdough fermentation. It’s served along with custom-packaged pickles or gewürzgurken (plucked by what looks like a sort of tuning fork tweezer) and ceramic egg dishes with butter and a Griebenschmalz, a spread made from animal fat/lard, crackling and apple usually.
The sea bass is prepared with chives and capers and served on its own plate. It looks almost like a terrine but does not have that type of mouthfeel.
The main entrée of my lunch menu was the Hungarian duck. It’s aged for seven days and roasted in its entirety stuffed with hay and herbs and finished with full heads of garlic and seared thyme. My server knew I was not feeling 100 percent and warned me that the duck is served quite rare. He even offered to have the chef cook it longer for me. I have often been critical of people who expect special orders in a higher-end or fixed menu restaurant. It is simply not what they do. You eat their specialty of “verpiss dich” to the Hard Rock Café or McDonald’s for a special order.
Nesmuk knives at Sühring My choice Sühring custom Nesmuk knife
Choose your weapon! A set of handmade knives made in Germany, with wooden handles each made from resources of different continents. Not to be boorish, I looked up the maker, Nesmuk, and these knives range in price from hundreds to a couple thousand dollars each. I would guess since people steal things from restaurants, they are very mindful of retrieving these before the customer leaves. The duck knife that I chose is made of Karelian birch burl indigenous to Russia. The knives also come with their own table stands.
The meal was finished with a tasty deconstructed lemon tart. It was light but felt like a real dessert.
The server brought out a small book of what he said is the twin’s grandmother’s handwritten recipes.
Sühring’s süssigkeitenbox A chocolate treat More Sühring sweets
Just when I thought the epicurean adventure was complete, the server brought what appeared to be a jewelry box. It was the Süßigkeiten Box and Omas Eierlikör (candy or dessert box and Grandma’s eggnog).
Sühring kitchen dining bar Sühring kitchen dining area Sühring’s kitchen Private Sühring table
There are private tables, at least one with curtains for an intimate meal and at dinner, guests are allowed to sit in a dining room connected to an open kitchen.
Finally, the bill. The Sühring Erlebnis (short) along with a couple of other extras, tax and service charge cost 5,167 Thai Baht which was around $160 USD. Keeping in mind that I’m just as happy with street food and a curbside curry for 1.50 USD, I thought this treat was well worth it. It would cost more than that to have drinks and an appetizer at a Michelin-starred restaurant in the U.S. or Europe.
I am not a food critic but I know what I like. It may be different for your experience, but the staff here did not treat me like a guy on television or a blogger who could share negative reviews. I was just another customer yet they treated me with kindness, respect and served wonderful food and offered a unique experience. It is not how I eat every evening, but I do recommend giving Sühring a try next time you’re in Bangkok.
