Thai Emotion, when the sophistication of Thai cuisine comes to your home
2020 was the year many restaurants reinvented themselves . René Redzepi turned Noma into a successful burger joint for a time. In several European cities appeared giant bubbles converted into spaces with restaurant tables , where security measures against Covid-19 were guaranteed. Hydroalcoholic gels appeared, temperature taking, masks...
And another of the trends that gained the most strength was the delivery . Until the pandemic broke out, at home most of the time, we ordered fast food, pizzas, hamburgers or less caloric dishes such as poké or sushi. With the closure of the restaurants, they had to reinvent themselves. Who said you couldn't enjoy Michelin star food at home? Hundreds were those who adapted and to this day, continue to maintain that food delivery service.
Precisely in this current, is born Thai Emotion . But he doesn't do it alone as a delivery Y take away , but as an entire experience, devised by one of the greatest exponents of Thai gastronomy in the country, Emilio Carcur.
THE ORIGIN OF THAI EMOTION
It was in 1995 when one of the most impressive restaurants in the city opened its doors, the Thai Garden . And he did it hand in hand with this enthusiastic traveller, who fell in love with Thai culture, 25 years ago he decided that Madrid and specifically Calle Jorge Juan , were going to be the place chosen to enter the people of Madrid and all those who visited the city, in the authentic thai cuisine.
The restaurant was changing, from the Salamanca neighborhood to Paseo de la Habana, to Arturo Soria. The successes kept happening, like being classified as the most romantic restaurant in Spain Y one of the best thai in the country . This stage, unfortunately, was closed, but in the future it will surely return.
In an increasingly globalized world, it is not strange to find cuisines from other latitudes. Only in the capital we already have references of Japanese, Italian, Peruvian, Mexican... practically gastronomy from all over the world. But, Does the kitchen always travel well? Emilio laments that "in a culture where anything goes, food tends to be trivialized . Thailand is a reference for travel, its streetfood is wonderful, but there is much more”, he explains.
Nua Sawan by Thai Emotion
Precisely before the pandemic started, he had the idea of opening collection points in Madrid, under the name of Thai away . The first saw the light in Count of Cartagena, 13 , in the neighborhood of El Retiro. “It was like having a space on a beach in Thailand, on a terrace, where you could try simple and rich dishes such as pad thai or thai curry . Next to the terrace, we put a point of take away ”, he explains to us. What day was chosen to open? On March 13, 2020, just one day before the state of alarm was declared in Spain.
“We continue with it as a delivery, trying to take maximum care of the packaging, the security measures... What happened is that when it became so popular - home delivery food - it became trivial again, ”he points out. It was then that, allied with Taste Emotion Company and independent of his previous trajectory, the idea of what was going to be Thai Emotion.
"Within the possibilities that a delivery has, we wanted you to have that option of feeling 'gifted' with a meal," he says. What has changed? Apparently little, but in reality, it is a lot. Inspired by the motto that once set Thai Airways apart from the rest, the royal orchid, the excellence that characterized them, they wanted to create an 'In house Royal Service'.
So Thai Emotion was born as a gastronomic journey back to the roots, to the beauty of Thailand, to the hospitality of the country of smiles, to its refinement , “as if it were a trip from yesteryear, where you carried real suitcases, where you prepared yourself for an experience”, clarifies Carcur.
“I want to get to make beautiful things, there is no more. You can eat some rolls or a kai satee and the price is the same as in other restaurants . The difference is in the detail. what is served and how it is served ”, he shares. Since at the moment we cannot travel there, this is an experience to get closer to the country.
A DELIVERY OF EXPERIENCES: EXCELLENCE BROUGHT DIRECTLY TO YOUR HOME
In a small place in the Eguilaz street, 13 , conceived more as a boutique space, this experience was born just a month ago. “ It is a work point for home service ”, explains Emilio and although it is not a restaurant as such, they will soon offer only one table, private and for a maximum of six people, which will be “like traveling to a house in Thailand, with its service and exquisiteness , where is even the photo of the Kings".
With all this idea well polished, all that remained was to think about what dishes and how they were going to be cooked at Thai Emotion. To materialize the gastronomic proposal, the chef was put in charge Nathakiat Khambunruang, better known as Mark, the unique with certificate to elaborate Royal Thai Cuisine . “This type of cuisine alludes to a way of presenting it or decorating it with care. In reality, no one could enter the palaces and know what was really cooking ”, explains Emilio Carcur to Traveler.es and continues “all those who work for the Royal House in Thailand must have a certification to be able to prepare these dishes. It's like a title Mark is the only chef in Spain who has this credential”.
The Thai Emotion menu is the result of an in-depth study of Thai recipes, the variety of its cuisine, as well as his wealth and excellence . Everything is prepared at the moment and with natural and seasonal products Therefore, whenever possible, they recommend placing orders the day before, so that they can prepare them with the care that their customers deserve.
Thai Emotion tastes, smells and completely evokes the cuisine of Southeast Asia , to those dishes full of magic and exoticism, it tastes spicy (always adaptable to the public), spices... But also smooth and delicate preparations.
Yam Woon Sen from Thai Emotion
They have a whole section of dumplings or dim sum that "they are very laborious to make and have authentic Thai flavors and that is not easily found in the market," Carcur points out. It is the case of Kanom Gib, with shrimp and bacon , the favorites of the queen of Thailand; or the Chor Ladda , a beautiful dough, hydrated with blue orchid water (hence the color) and stuffed with pork and peanuts, among others.
Open mouth with your Kai Satee , the appreciated chicken skewers with peanut sauce, is almost mandatory, as well as trying their Poh Pia spring rolls , stuffed with vegetables and mushrooms. Special attention deserves its section of soups and salads, among which you can enjoy the classic Tom Yam Kung Soup prepared with shrimp tails, coconut milk, kaffir lime, citronella, tamarind and red chilies or refreshing som tam salad , green papaya with lime juice, peanuts, carrot, green beans and cherry tomatoes.
Chor Ladda
You already know that in most Asian countries, instead of eating bread, eat rice . In Thai Emotion you can order, from white rice flavored with jasmine, to others that accompany with vegetables, chicken or prawns. could not miss the classic Pad Thai in three versions, with prawns and vegetables, with battered chicken or with fried tofu as the predominant protein . All three are outrageous.
Whether you know well, or if you are initiated in Thai cuisine, you will know that curries are the basis of their diet. Here they tempt us with almost a dozen preparations, with variants such as those based on red, yellow or green curry, in which you can choose the degree of spiciness, such as Kaeng Kari Kai , with chicken thigh, with potato and coconut milk, the Paneng curry with beef tenderloin or the Chu Chi Pla , which features hake fillets on steamed Asian cabbage leaves.
There are also duck, prawn, chicken breast or Coco Cabane, a tribute to Nooror Steppe, who was the first chef of the legendary Blue Elephant , designed for two people, which is prepared with prawns or green curry beef and is accompanied by coconut meat, bamboo shoots and Thai basil. Most impressive? Served inside the coconut itself and accompanied by steamed white noodles.
There is more, because the main dishes also include typical preparations from the north of Thailand, such as Pad Krapaw Kai , which is minced chicken sautéed in the wok with basil leaves and red chilies, with its perfect point of spiciness, or some Thai Ribs to lick your fingers.
The magnificent sensations continue with their desserts, such as the Mango Sticky Rice , with sticky rice and warm coconut milk, coconut flan or a series of dumplings with sweet filling.
If important is what they sell, also how they do it. As Emilio explained, the experience here is taken to another level. From the containers, which arrive perfectly arranged in a box, that looks more like a gift than a delivery , like the staging, since each order is accompanied by cards that explain what it is and how each of the dishes is prepared.
COMING SOON: IN HOUSE SERVICE
The situation now is complex but his next idea is to be able to train people to prepare a Thai dinner in your home with great detail. East in-house service ', “will offer a unique experience of Asian luxury. As in Thailand, we will bring your food, we will arrange it on the table with discretion and elegance so that, without leaving home, you will be transported to taste the excellence of Thai cuisine with the service Burikan Thuacyai Thungbaan ”, they finish.
Thai Emotion delivery