Delish Eats: Niras, Chef Ton Reworks Thai Fine Dining for Hong Kong

Restaurant story: Transplanting the Thai fine dining sensibilities of Bangkok’s award-winning Le Du to the picturesque Tsim Sha Tsui harbourside, Niras is Michelin-star toting Chef Ton’s first Hong Kong-based outpost. The graceful name signifies the ancient tradition of Thai poets travelling the world and sharing their art along the way, not far at all from how Chef Ton plans to share his cuisine with the world.

Chef story: The team is spearheaded by Chef ‘Mai’ Naruemon Ratiphuthilap and Chef ‘Bua’ Sarocha Rajatanawin. The two have been hand-selected by Chef Ton himself. Chef Mai has been a firm part of the foundation at Le Du for nearly a decade now, and Australian-trained Chef Bua leads with years of experience spanning the finest establishments in Bangkok.

What’s the vibe and venue like: Split into three private rooms, a section for duo-diner tables, and banquettes for bigger and more casual groups, Niras’ interiors serve as a stylish backdrop to any occasion.

Variations of seafoam greens with silvery-gilded accents pay homage to the fresh ingredients at the menu’s core. Meanwhile, graffiti-esque artwork retains an edgy sense of kitsch that mirrors the artistic sensibilities of K11 Musea, while adding a quirky touch to the pervasive sleekness and quiet opulence.

How much does it cost: The menu costs HK$1480 per person, plus a 10% service charge. The Signature Grilled Lobster comes at an extra HK$680, with options of a wine pairing for the meal at an additional cost. Alternatively, diners can opt for the four-course ‘Delighted’ version that whittles down the menu by two dishes and goes for HK$1080.

What is the menu about: The foundation of Niras’ menu is carved from the signature dishes Chef Ton created especially for Le Du, paired with the introduction of innovative premium dishes. These dishes utilize seasonal local bounty in harmony with traditional Thai flavours.

What did we order: Oyster with Thai Sichuan Pepper and Northern Spice, Amadai with Thai Kale and Choo Chee Curry, Crab with Mushroom and Homemade Siracha, Signature Grilled Lobster by Le Du, Wagyu with Fennel and Holy Basil, Mango with Sticky Rice, Mango with Sticky Rice and Lemon

(Not pictured): Amuse-bouche, Prawn with Seaweed and Spicy Beetroot, Wagyu with Fennel and Holy Basil, Petit Four

Oyster with Thai Sichuan Pepper and Northern Spice: Saucy and roughly diced, somehow, into precise cubes. Each piece of the Japanese oyster flesh served as a perfect vessel for the coriander cream, spices, and drizzle of red Jinda chilli oil that was mixed in. The tiny whiff of brine that I look forward to as a mollusc lover was brought forward as an end note thanks to the smoky seasoning in the cream sauce.

Amadai with Thai Kale and Choo Chee Curry: Though the official version of the menu calls for the dish to star grouper, the seared amadai had a considerable gentleness to its flesh yet still delivered on crunchy skin, a stunning aroma, and a delectable pairing with the sauce.

Served alongside a crispy kale-topped meatball laid on a green sauce, beside an amber puddle of precious choo chee sauce that was thinner than a curry yet equally as rich in flavour, the amadai brought a sense of balance to the overall picture that led with savoury tones.

Crab with Mushroom and Homemade Siracha: The fluffy Japanese crab took on differing profiles when enjoyed with the tangy homemade siracha (left), the black olive sauce (middle), and crab roe sauce (right).

The siracha was more akin to Suriname yellow sambal in both its colour and vinegary punchiness, while the olive sauce highlighted a particular earthiness that melded wonderfully with the black pepper fried rice. My personal favourite was a mixture between the siracha and crab roe sauce, which enhanced the chalky saltiness of the thick paste and contrasting spicy-sour tinge.

Signature Grilled Lobster by Le Du: A rework of Chef Ton's signature river prawn dish, the star here is instead a grilled Australian lobster that’s served with wispy and lighter-than-air crunchy omelette fritters and a modest serving of stir-fried riceberry rice enriched with the umami of shrimp paste, all the classically Thai components, completing each flavour with sweet pork belly jam on top. It was an instant and much-welcomed callback to one of my favourite dishes growing up – khao khluk kapi (shrimp paste fried rice).

As Chef Bua explains the switch as an experimental decision before the restaurant gets their hands on a steady stream of imported river prawns, it was clear to me that the original crustacean was preferred for its sweetness and ability to char in a way that was yet to be replicated on lobster.

Mango with Sticky Rice and Lemon: If I had a dollar for every time someone perks up and mentions their love for mango sticky rice to me upon finding out my heritage...

Well, this is not the archetypal version of the dish. Using a different set of ingredients and changing its visual presentation, the use of mango is deconstructed into a coulis that plays up the fruit’s sourness to counteract the sweetness that characteristically has potential to overwhelm, while the black sticky rice undergoes a process similar to that used for ‘kalamare’ (a sticky Thai coconut dessert), transforming it into a mochi-like pillow.

What we liked: As someone with a Thai background myself, I found myself endlessly oscillating from a deep-seated familiarity and ‘that’s exactly it!’ moments, to my synapses trying to piece together the dissonance of each bite feeling like a new combination I haven’t fathomed before. The experience was one that gave me another palate through which I could connect to the food of my people.

What we didn’t like: As somebody who shamefully yet shamelessly flaunts an inflated ego when it comes to taking spice, I would have liked there to be a dish that maintained the same sense of balance while still posing a challenge to my spice threshold.

What you should order: The menu comes as a set, though our must-try items include – Oyster with Thai Sichuan Pepper and Northern Spice, Amadai with Thai Kale and Choo Chee Curry, Crab with Mushroom and Homemade Siracha, Signature Grilled Lobster by Le Du, Australian Wagyu with Fennel and Holy Basil, Mango and Sticky Rice with Lemon

Location: NIRAS, Shop 704, 7/F, K11 MUSEA Victoria Dockside, 18 Salisbury Road, Tsim Sha Tsui, Kowloon

Contact details: +852 3905 3022

This food review is based on a complimentary media tasting provided by Niras in exchange for a truthful review and no compensation. The opinions expressed within represent the views of the author.   

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