The popular Vintage Asia at JW Marriott, Kolkata can be considered to be a heaven for stylish authentic Asian food and is a perfect ambiance for a great dining experience.

Songkran is the Thai New Year festival celebrated lavishly in Thailand and observed on the same day of the Bengali New Year. The word "Songkran" is borrowed from the Indian Makar Sankranti, the festival of Harvest, making it closer to all our hearts.

We began this delicious Thai tasting journey with a brand new menu designed by Chef Suvit Tongnark, who with 30 years of experience in Thai cuisine presented exotic Thai delicacies crafted with skill and flavour. He is the Thai Specialty Chef from the Phuket Marriott Resort and Spa and has come down especially to host the festival.

We started our tasting experience with a refreshing Lemon grass Colada. We began this feast with their cold salad ‘Yum Gai Krob Samunprai’ consisting of crunchy spicy sesame crusty fried chicken tossed with aromatic Thai herbs. I enjoyed the ‘Thod Mun Goong’ which were the deep fried prawn cakes served with a spicy chili sauce and were really authentically crunchy. One of the specialty dishes to watch out for in this menu for vegetarians is the ‘Satay Tofu’.

My favourite dish with a most stylish presentation was the wok fried pineapple rice which was served in the carved pineapple itself garnished with grilled prawns.

I definitely recommend the whole steamed bekti - ‘Pla Krapong Nueng Ma-Naow’. This was a steamed bekti with a spicy chili, garlic and tangy lime sauce which had the right blend of chili and pungency with an amazing texture to the fish. The wok fried Phuket noodles is definitely worth mentioning and blended well with the wok fried chicken with cashews and dried chili.

The Thai wok fried chili grilled prawns had the right spice level along with the piquant pungency. The vegetable green curry was delightful with a rich coconut and spicy chili flavour with subtle lemongrass notes to satisfy those curry cravings. During the festival, the dishes will be displayed as a part of a special ala carte menu and a special offer on a set menu priced at INR 1999 inclusive of all beverages.

The Fuk Thong Kati’ - warm pumpkin in sweetened coconut milk syrup was the perfect ending for this delectable meal! All in all, full credit to Vintage Asia for a delicious extravagant handcrafted menu, presented with sophisticated culinary expertise…..definitely a Thai extravaganza to remember!

Address:  4A, J.B.S Haldane Avenue, Tangra, Kolkata, West Bengal 700105

Phone: 033 6633 0000.

Dates: Thai New Year Food Festival from 9th – 15th April

Gayatri Kohli – Food Critic/International Food Consultant. Educated at Le Cordon Bleu Paris and West Lake Culinary Institute in California to specialize in International Cuisines. Also, has a BS in Food Science from the US with 25 years in the Food Science & Restaurant Industry. Website – gayatrikohli.com

The popular Vintage Asia at JW Marriott, Kolkata can be considered to be a heaven for stylish authentic Asian food and is a perfect ambiance for a great dining experience.

Songkran is the Thai New Year festival celebrated lavishly in Thailand and observed on the same day of the Be