Dinner with a view

Taking the helm of the L’Arome By The Sea kitchen is new executive chef Adrien Delcourt, who has launched the “Vue Sur La Mer” menu. 
Chef Delcourt trained under the Robuchon system and is a trusted protégé of Frederic Anton. The chef earned his first Michelin star in 2019, while at Le Jules Verne, which is atop the Eiffel Tower. This year, the restaurant was awarded two stars.  
The “Vue Sur La Mer”, which is apt for the restaurant that lies on the water’s edge at Kalim Bay in Phuket, is a discovery of the cuisine from the chef, who pays homage to his mentors with the best produce the sea offers. Diners are welcomed with a fresh infusion of hibiscus, which not only opens but also refreshes the palates for what lies ahead.
“The first bite has some Asian influence because while it is easy to make French food, when you’re a chef you have to find the way to use the product and the flavour in the country where you are. So I’ve used peanut sauce and papaya and mint and basil balances with the shizo,” explains chef Delcourt. 
The Tomato confit with basil is reminiscent of a dish made by his mentor (and father-in-law) chef Anton. “I worked for six years with him, so I have a strong background with him. When you work for a long time with a chef like Frederic, you hold some of the same thinking. You’re thinking about the dish, in the same way,” says the chef. 
The menu was specifically chosen for the island he is currently on — Phuket. “We added a lot of seafood dishes, because this is the inspiration from the sea. The Atlantic Langoustine ravioli with foie gras is my signature. It is a continuation of the dish by chef Joel Robuchon with cabbage and truffle. This is my version. It is roasted to keep the flavour of the langoustine and not just boiled. The pasta is atop for texture and the foie gras jus gives the dish a perfect balance. It’s like surf and turf to me, explains the chef. The dish shows off the key elements of chef Delcourt’s culinary pillars: technique, savoir-faire and delicate balance.
The menu celebrates the beauty of the ocean with the net cast wide to select items such as Japanese sea urchin, Norwegian black cod and Kaviari’s oscietra caviar. Although there is a focus on seafood, mains include Roasted pigeon from Klong Pai farm in Khao Yai. The pigeon is cooked two ways, the leg is confit and the breast is served with a little bit of crunchy sage. There are two purées, one is watercress and the other is baby aubergine and a roasted smoked aubergine purée. The sauce is a gastrique of the pigeon jus enhanced with pigeon fat. For the less adventurous, there is Japanese wagyu beef.  
The meal ends with a flourish of dark chocolate ganache made with 55% Varhorna chocolate from France, served with a vanilla ice cream. Visit the restaurant’s website.