Rivers aren’t uncommon. Most city’s have at least one. So what on earth, pray tell, is so special about a dinner cruise on Bangkok’s? When it’s dark? These and doubts like them splashed around loudly in my mind as we made our way to the River City pier – the 19:30 embarkation point for Banyan Tree Hotel’s apparently enchanting Apsara Dinner Cruise.
Now, looking back, my concerns seem like pure impertinence, even idiocy. Banyan Tree, never a hotel chain to skimp when it comes to high-end spectacle (go see their stunning Vertigo bar if you don't believe me), has pulled out all the stops for this on-water incarnation. It includes: a vintage-styled rice barge that looks the part and is also less claustrophobic than its competitors; a set menu of upscale and ever-so authentic Thai cuisine; and the natural ebb and flow of unobtrusive five-star service.
It also includes the Chao Phraya, a place as far from the lifeless urban backdrop as you can possibly get. In fact, it’s a total show-off. Thoughtfully aimed floodlights illuminate the eaves and spires of its temples and churches, making them sparkle and smolder as they peek out between dilapidated buildings. Skyscrapers masquerade as urban lighthouses, monolithic steel bridges wave in the distance, and the murky waters beneath perform an endless shimmer… it’s wonderfully atmospheric.
Apsara: a thing of grace and beauty
None of this became obvious, of course, until we boarded and began inching downstream in Banyan Tree’s boat – ‘Apsara’. This name, I’m told, refers to a Thai celestial nymph of untold grace and beauty. How very apt, I thought while wiping my hands clean with the cool welcoming towel. The sleek, noble timber frame hasn’t been sculpted to resemble a sexy mystical being – but it is gorgeous.
Elegant silk lanterns lend romance to the spacious, all-wood dining area. Open-sides framed by cotton drapes, allow unobstructed views of the epic scenery. And a curved wooden roof adorned with indigenous patterns gives shelter from any unhelpful monsoonal downpours. Unlike other, more cramped dinner cruise vessels, a roomy platform at the front and back is ideal for impromptu photo shoots and, my favourite, downing lung-fulls of balmy river air.
Catering to the Senses
The menu is set, but changes every month so that guests can sample Thailand’s bounteous seasonal treats (over 30 people and they switch to a buffet). This month, April, is the hottest on the calender – so we could expect something cool. Nevertheless, we were still surprised when the starter ‘Khao Cher’ rocked up, a seasonal Royal dish comprised of ice-chilled Jasmine rice and a sextet of sweet Thai condiments.
Pearls of sweet fish, wisps of sweet beef, prawns ensconced in a web of batter – each of its elements was a thing of unexpected delicacy, putting all visions of a cliché set menu comprised of green chicken curry followed hotly by mango sticky rice firmly to bed. The leaf-shaped carved mango and guava pieces looked as ornate as the temples beyond – if not quite as impressive.
For mains, a banana leaf parcel was delivered to each of us. Peeling it gleefully open revealed a steaming clump of jasmine, brown and saffron rice. With it came a trio of distinct dishes: stir fried vegetables with scallops and oyster sauce; a dreamy Massaman curry with lamb chunks more tender than a mother’s hug; and a gang of fried River Prawns, each as big as a week-old kitten and much tastier (I'm guessing).
Finally, a trio of desserts ended things on a sugary high, leading us to a delicious denouement. Wild tropical fruits like mangosteen and rose apple, a small cocktail glass of ‘tuptim krop’ (water chestnuts swimming in a sea of sweetened coconut milk and tapioca flower), followed by 'luuk choob' (glazed bean paste), all fired home the point with palate-pleasing precision: this menu is the gastronomic equivalent of its evocatively lit surroundings, undiluted Thai.
Banyan Tree has brought all hands on deck to bring its dinner cruise guests a supreme experience. With anticipatory staff, an adventurous menu that will reignite the passion of even the most disillusioned Thai eater, an impressive wine list and astounding nocturnal scenery, this is one ship we strongly recommend you hop aboard.
Reviewed by Max Crosbie-Jones
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