I sat next to David Thompson at an event once, not knowing who he was and we hit it off. He’s an Australian chef who fell in love with Thai cuisine almost by accident. While traveling through Thailand in the 1980s, he was captivated by the country’s vibrant street food, intricate flavours, and rich culinary traditions. Determined to master the art of Thai cooking, he immersed himself in old cookbooks, learned from local chefs, and even studied historic texts on royal Thai cuisine.

He opened Darley Street Thai in Sydney in the early 1990s, followed by the acclaimed Sailors Thai. But his true breakthrough came with Nahm in London, which in 2001 became the first Thai restaurant ever awarded a Michelin star.

After years of celebrating Thailand’s culinary heritage, Thompson opened ‘Aksorn’ in Bangkok in 2020, a restaurant that delves deeper into Thailand’s gastronomic past.

Located in a stunning mid-century building,’ Aksorn’ (meaning “alphabet” in Thai) draws inspiration from rare mid-20th-century Thai cookbooks, recreating forgotten dishes with meticulous authenticity. Many of the recipes are harvested from “Funeral Books”, written to celebrate the loss of a loved one, often including their favourite recipes. It won a Michelin Star in 2021 which it retains.

Finding ourselves in Bangkok we felt compelled to try Thompson’s cuisine first hand. The menu changes seasonally, featuring dishes like ‘gaeng tai pla’ (a pungent southern curry) and ‘pla salat priew wan’ (sour-sweet fish salad), all made with hyper-local ingredients. Unlike his previous high-end ventures, ‘Aksorn’ has a more intimate, scholarly approach, reflecting Thompson’s passion for preserving Thailand’s culinary legacy.

You might be surprised to learn that not one of the dishes delivered on this fixed menu was what you would call ‘hot’, the focus more firmly rooted in the combination of herbs, textures and aromas. The menu takes you through some 11 plates of exquisitely composed recipes. There is a wine pairing option, but we opted for a bottle of Granmonte Heritage 2022 from Thailand, its winemaker previously having worked in Australia. It’s 90% syrah 10% viognier (much like a Côte Rôtie) and represents well how local wines are finding their voice.

First up was minced prawn, which is wrapped in a pretty egg lattice like a net. Served cold, it is almost creamy.

With the pork cheek dish, you wrap it in a bitter leaf combined with pungent herbs and banana blossom. The pork is served warm and comes with those miniature garlic cloves that Thailand excels in, cured to remove their huff, along with cured ginger, the perfect counterpoint. Coriander adds umami and the pork is spicy and delicious.
Main courses all arrive at the same time. The duck is juicy and tender in a slightly sour, mild and aromatic sauce, while the crab, so delicate, is more like a white fish than crustacean.

Coconut ash pudding was a stand-out, the result of stirring coconut cream, a little like caramel, over an extended period with sticky flour and rice flour until it becomes a glutinous, dark, sweet, unctuous delight.

SUMMARY:
Thompson’s journey, from an Australian chef fascinated by Thai street food to a guardian of its culinary history, proves that the most remarkable flavours often come from respect, research, and relentless curiosity. Next time you travel to Bangkok do also consider travelling back in time – at ‘Aksorn’.

The whole meal came to £270 for two including tax and service.
Aksorn is at 1266 Charoenkrung Rd, Bang Rak, Bangkok, 10500 Thailand – Aksorn
Opening times: Mon – Sun : 6pm – 10pm
