It is pure and genuine, a homegrown labour that presents itself ingeniously. A Suhring meal is worth the experience, decides UpperCrust after a taste right here in Bombay
While one elaborated on the varied platter before us, the other ensured the next dish was simmering just right. ‘Two’ many cooks who only enhance the broth with flavours that reek of their hometown, inspired from their upbringing, wrapped and served to leave an impression. “Hallo, I’m Thomas,” “and I’m Mathias,” is how we encounter the Suhring brothers, the award-winning twins down from Bangkok – where they run their eponymous eatery that stands out from the Thai milieu in the bustling metropolis – to engage us in a pop-up at Taj Mahal Palace, Mumbai. Telling them apart was probably the toughest part of the night, imbibing their fare the easiest.
From Asia’s 13th Best Restaurant on San Pellegrino this year – just 365 days after its establishment – comes this array of modern German, laid out in a 12-course setting with reds and whites to complement. We start off with ‘finger’ foods, typically biergarten, in a platter of soft pretzels to be buttered with Obatzda – a spicy Bavarian cheese dip and the customary ‘prost’ with beer shots. The type of food that is ‘served in the garden with small glasses of beer’ is delightful as are the traditional pork knuckle and mushroom pastry bites. We spot the miniature Suhring fork making its way next with the little paper box titled Curry 36, and we know what we’re in for – Berlin’s street food (where the chefs hail from) of sausages in a light tomato sauce with potato crisps. Duck liver pate on crispy German sweet toast placed atop a flute of Riesling made us pin the dish at the top of the dinner board for it was successful in turning us, the not-so-liver-pate crazed into fans; thanks particularly due to the silky smooth feel of the Riesling soaked pate.
You cannot negate the glorious Spatzel as a top dish, too, the national treat that throws together egg-fried noodles with Allgauer mountain cheese and such copious amounts of black truffle that it is a ‘rich’ enough meal-in-one! What is intriguing is the sharing platter or brotzeit that consists of ham, fish, flavoured butter and dip, pickles and whole grain and sourdough slices of yeast that has been cured for two years by the Suhrings. Oh the flavour and the texture, imparted in every bite. Vegetarians, too, were well attended to with the Ramson Risotto of seasonal sheep’s cheese and asparagus a star main course.
“Ingredients that are important and essential in German cuisine would definitely be bread, but also potato, apple, herbs and of course cabbage, either red or not,” shares Chef Mathias. “There is so much tradition in our food back home and we are privileged to be able to showcase German food in this manner with Suhring.” After working at several Michelin starred restaurants across continents, finally moving to Thailand in 2008, both Thomas and Mathias knew this is what they had to do. Smiles Thomas, “We’ve always been together since we were born,” states Chef Thomas. Our first steps into the culinary world were also made together. It is amazing to run our first restaurant as a team and to support the farmer’s community in Thailand as much as possible by using more and more local products.”
With the frothy dessert of buttermilk, gin and tonic and cucumber down, we depart, still craving a little sweeter note though but pleased with a taste of Bangkok’s German fare in India.
This article was published in UpperCrust Magazine, Oct-Dec 2017; used here with permission from the publisher
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