L’Appart is a modern and charming French restaurant atop the brand-new Sofitel Sukhumvit Bangkok hotel. The restaurant design is based on a Haussmann-style apartment (Haussmann buildings are also referred to as pierre de taille or cut stone) with beautiful decorative finishes, wooden floors, and fireplaces. There are several rooms, just like an apartment, including a library, a living room, a kitchen and dining room. The restaurant feels like a place you would call home.
Sofitel Sukhumvit Executive Chef Aurelien Poirot has worked in Paris, Brussels, Amsterdam and now, Bangkok. He has cooked at some of the most acclaimed hotels and restaurants around the world including, The Grand Amsterdam, Sofitel Brussels, 3 Michelin Star rated Le Meurice under chef Yannick Alleno, 2 Michelin Star Lasserre, 3 Michelin Star Taillevent, and several Alain Ducasse restaurants including Il Cortile.
Jeremy Tourret serves as Executive Sous Chef at L’Appart and was in the kitchen during both of my visits this month. His kitchen, which is visible to diners, is pristine. The kitchen is decorated in black and reds and is quite welcoming – like a kitchen should be.
The attention to detail at L’Appart is inspired. From the décor – cook books on shelves in the kitchen, dish towels in a cabinet in the dining room, stunning lamps and sculptures – to the presentation of food, no detail is left to chance.
During our first visit, we sat in the living room and had a nice view of the kitchen. On our second visit, we sat at the chef’s table in the kitchen and it was an amazing experience.
The menu at L’Appart, created by chef Tourret, changes about every two-weeks. According to General Manager Christian Schlegel, who we met during our second visit, Tourret cooks food that inspires him – food that he loves.
His love of food, and his talent for creating masterpieces is evident in every dish he presents.
Prior to joining L’Appart, Tourret ran the kitchen in the Sofitel Silom Bangkok and the Park Hyatt Daubi.
During our visits we were able to taste some amazing dishes. On my first visit, I started with the blue crab raviol, lobster bisque, fresh herb salad and combawa oil (an essential oil). The ravioli were amazingly delicious and the presentation was beautiful. It was a great way to start the meal. My main course was the chicken breast with black truffles, pumpkin puree, parmesan foam and poultry juice. The chicken was so moist and cooked perfectly. The flavors of the black truffles were delicious and the pumpkin puree was good too. I loved the chicken. I finished the night off with a home-made Oreo Cheesecake that was very good. I loved everything I had that night.
On our second visit we tried a few more items that we shared at our chefs table. We started with the cod fish carpaccio and fresh herb salad. I was unable to taste this one because it had tomato in it (I’m allergic). But my friend loved it. We had the snail raviol which were to die for. The snails had been flown in from France and the flavor in the dish was simply out of this world. I could have ordered a second one if there wasn’t so much food coming our way. We also had the pan fried veal liver deglase sherry vinegare with young cress and crispy speck. The veal liver was so good and the flavors mixed so well. I loved the sherry vinaigrette on the dish.
After the starters, I had the lobster cooked in lemongrass butter served with oyster and potato mousseline and my friend had the steamed salmon fillet served with ginger, lemongrass and kaffir lime. Both of the main dishes were good, but the lobster really stole the show. The presentation was spectacular and it tasted even better.
We ended the evening with several desserts that we shared. All of the desserts are home-made and we tried the mango cake – which was a little too sweet for me, a triple chocolate cake which was amazing. It was not overly sweet and had great texture.
After dessert, we were presented with homemade marsh-mellows and candies which were very good and a great way to end the evening.
The meals were so exceptional that I would return to L’Appart anytime I’m in Bangkok and would highly recommend the restaurant to others. The experience is exceptional and the food is incredible. You can’t go wrong with L’Appart.