Experience a culinary cabaret like never before at GASTON Bistro & Bar.

With a beret on your head, a showstopping red lip, and a joie de vivre only found on vacation, you walk down the cobbled pathways of the Parisian sidewalk. The mythos surrounding France, and Paris in particular, is legendary. And for good reason, too. Paris is well-known for being a hub of culture and sophistication, from Paris Fashion Week and the Champs-Élysées to the birthplace of the renowned MICHELIN guide and its sheer number of fine dining restaurants. Thankfully, adventurous foodies need not book the next flight heading to Charles de Gaulle Airport to savour France just yet. Grand Hyatt Erawan, right here in Bangkok, brings France to you with GASTON Bistro & Bar. So don’t hang up your beret. Seat yourself at their table, pull out your guidebook, and say, “La carte, s’il vous plaît!”

THE AMBIENCE

As you descend the stairs to the Lower Lobby at Grand Hyatt Erawan, you are greeted with cobblestone floors and the sound of rushing water. Turning the corner leads you to the restaurant’s entrance. GASTON’s exterior is gussied up in hues of red; the colour of wine, of lipstick, and of romance. Stepping into the premises, GASTON keeps up the theme of red and gold accents, though this time under dimmer lighting. At the upper level, seating is centred around a stage, resembling the sunken living room designs of the 1970s. Like this, the bar and bistro takes on the shape of a retro cabaret which plays perfectly into the atmosphere for the live music that plays at GASTON on Tuesdays through Saturdays from 9 PM to 2 AM. The bistro comes alive with the vibrant music on display through the concentrated efforts of the DJ sets and Hype, the live band that blends several genres to keep patrons mingling and dancing the night away. Taking one step down will bring you to a much more open yet intimate seating plan of tables for parties of two or more. I couldn’t help but admire the delicately hand-painted green vines clinging to the pillars. Tilting my gaze upwards, I noticed the dainty mural art. Painted in soft shades of brown, the image depicted a hearth and bustling pantry—a delightful contrast to the sleek jazz club atmosphere and the disco ball winking at every patron in the establishment. At the far end of the dining room was my favourite detail. Propped against a mirrored wall is an old-school blackboard. GASTON, with its warm atmosphere, felt like a hole-in-the-wall French restaurant in Rue Montorgueil.

THE CULINARY SELECTION

Although every writer dreams of a Parisian holiday, I must admit my experience with French food was limited. (Unless you count French fries, of which I am a connoisseur.) The map of cuisine at GASTON began with some delectable appetisers. Would it be a French restaurant if we did not try the escargot? The Escargots à la bourguignonne (THB 720) came in a set of six, served with warm, buttery slices of brioche. I had been forewarned that escargot, though intimidating, was similar in texture to mussels. As I lifted the escargot shell with its special tongs and extracted the meat, I kept this in mind. Baked in herb butter, the escargot was warm, chewy, and utterly delightful. Sailing to familiar and charted waters, we next tried the Carpaccio di sériole (THB 430), thin slices of yellowtail fish with olive oil, tomato, shallot, and herb dressing.

The silky texture of the fish, coupled with the spryness of the dressing, made for an unforgettable dish. Our final appetiser was the Salate de crabe et avocat (THB 390), a piquant sea crab meat and avocado salad. Sufficiently appeased, it was time to move on to the main course. At first glance, the Demi poulet rôti au jus (THB 550) presented as a dish you would find at a family dinner, lovingly made by your grandmother. The roasted half chicken drenched in a light gravy came apart seamlessly under the knife and was familiar at first bite. Comfort cooking that was not a hair out of place at the bistro style of GASTON. The Mussels (THB 590/300 g; THB 890/500 g) came after, served in a stone pot. A seawater delicacy from France, these are available at GASTON until 30 November. No meal is complete without dessert, and the French are famed for theirs. We began with the Tarte tartin (THB 280), a juicy apple sweet-treat with Calvados ice cream. The Crêpes suzette (THB 310) was dripping with sweetness and a rich vanilla taste in each bite. To top it all off was the Tarte soufflée au chocolat (THB 310), an arcane and sinful dark chocolate soufflé tart that demanded seconds… And thirds.

MASALA RECOMMENDS

The showstopper of the night was the Sea bass fillet en papillote (THB 990). A sea bass baked exquisitely in fresh herbs and seasonal vegetables; this is an offering directly from Chef Federico Costanzo’s family lineage. Do not miss this one, especially for the great reveal moment as the parchment is opened tableside.

GASTON BISTRO & BAR AT GRAND HYATT ERAWAN BANGKOK

494 Rajdamri Road, Lumphini, Pathumwan

Opening hours:

Dinner: 6 PM to 2 AM | Tues to Sat

Dinner: 6 PM to 11 PM | Sun

Lunch: 11:30 AM to 2 PM | Sat to Sun

Phone: +66 2 254 1234

Email: BANGH-Gaston@hyatt.com

Facebook: @GastonBistroBangkok

Instagram: @gastonbkk