Roaming Thonglor – the Marie Korean Royal Cuisine Restaurant

Welcome to "the Marie"

Last week I discovered in the Home Place, located at the corner of Soi Thonglor and Soi 13, a Korean restaurant that opened a few months ago.  I was intrigued by its tagline that it served Korean Royal Cuisine.  Most people’s definition of Korean food is Korean barbeque and perhaps kimchi and not much beyond that.

According the Marie Korean Royal Cuisine Restaurant website, Chef Marie Park is a master of Korean Cuisine, having mastered its intricacies in taste and presentation over 15 years of experience.

The restuarant prides itself on its use of natural ingredients in the preparation of its menu offerings.  For example, in one particular kimchi dish, I detected a slight sweetness hidden under the big taste twins of  sour  and spicy.  The owner advised me that the hint of sweetness in that kimchi that was the result of some apple being added.  You can’t taste the apple, but you can detect a very subtle “suggestion” of sweetness.  But the style goes beyond naturalness.  There is no reliance on MSG to enhance flavor.  The flavor is in the fresh ingredients and Chef Marie’s mastery of her kitchen.

Quiet music and modern decor

Over the last two days, I’ve tried five different dishes (accompanied by various kimchi) and found each one to be very well prepared and presented.  Although some people don’t think that Korean food is complex, it is.  And  you don’t realize it until you are fortunate enough to eat at a restaurant such as this.   There is a balance of flavors beyond kimchi and spiciness.

The highlight of the dishes for me was a kimchi soup that was a balance between competing tastes of sharp spiciness and lingering sour tone.  When first tasted, one noted the sour, but the lingering taste on the palate was the spiciness.  I also tried the pork and beef bulgogi, the bulgogi sushi and the pork and kimchi set.  Each was masterfully prepared.

I would recommend that you make every effort to visit this restaurant.  You will not be disappointed.

The Marie is located on the ground floor at the very end of the corridor.  Parking is available at the Home Place.  Note that they are open Tuesday – Sunday, 11am to 10pm.  They are closed on Monday.  Bon appetit.