This opening course sets the tone—it takes a humble Thai preparation (cured fish) and elevates it through technique and presentation. The big-eye trevally is cured at the restaurant with specific salt and acid ratios that Chef Black has perfected. The turmeric sauce is reduced until concentrated, creating a coating rather than a sauce. The interplay of raw fish, cured acidity, and warm turmeric creates complexity from simple ingredients.
Tips from diners
This is essentially Thai ceviche—the curing happens at the restaurant, not in advance. Chef Black explains the curing process if you ask.
Massaman is one of Thailand's most complex curries, using spices from Indian, Persian, and Thai traditions. Chef Black's version uses beef that's slow-cooked until tender, infused with curry paste, peanuts, and potatoes. The surprising element is longkong fruit (a small Southeast Asian fruit similar to lychee but with more acidity). The fruit's tartness cuts through the curry's richness, referencing how Thai home cooks pair curries with fresh fruit.
Tips from diners
If longkong fruit is out of season, Chef Black substitutes a different fruit that achieves similar acidity. Ask what's being used—it changes seasonally.
This course demonstrates the sophistication of simple ingredients. The squid is cooked just enough to remain tender—overcooking makes it tough. The young coconut broth is light and slightly sweet, made from coconuts chosen at specific ripeness. Mangosteen (a tropical fruit with segments like citrus) adds tartness and tannin complexity. The combination shows how Thai cuisine achieves balance: richness from coconut, heat from chili, acid from fruit, texture from squid.
Tips from diners
Mangosteen season is May-August. Outside this season, Chef Black uses tart fruits that provide similar acidity. Ask what's substituting if mangosteen isn't available.
Gourami is a freshwater fish prized in Thai cuisine for its delicate, sweet meat. Here it's fried whole until crispy, including the head and fins. The accompanying sauce is Chef Black's house recipe—a balance of lime, fish sauce, and chili. Khao soy is a northern Thai noodle curry (with origins in Burma) that's spiced, tangy, and complex. The fried fish dipped into sauce, eaten alongside khao soy, represents Thai eating culture where courses aren't sequential but simultaneous.
Tips from diners
Don't eat courses sequentially—this course is meant to be mixed. Dip the fish in sauce, eat with noodles. Thai eating is about combinations, not progression.
Toddy palm is a traditional Thai dessert ingredient—the fruit is sweet and slightly fibrous. Chef Black prepares this as a refined course with sticky rice (cooked perfectly to cling without gumminess) and coconut cream. The sweetness is restrained compared to Thai street desserts, allowing the ingredient's natural flavor to shine. This humble dessert concludes the meal by returning to khao gaeng tradition—dessert over sticky rice, a Thai fundamental.
Tips from diners
This isn't a modern dessert—it's a refined version of what Thai people eat every day. The refinement comes from ingredient selection and technique, not reinvention.
Chef 'Black' runs Wana Yook from a charming century-old colonial building on Phaya Thai Road. The concept reimagines khao gaeng (rice topped with curry and side dishes)—Thailand's everyday food structure—as a refined tasting menu. Each course presents a different curry, rice variation, or preparation, exploring how this humble format sustains Thai home cooking and fine dining with equal dignity.
The 12-course tasting menu (or 9-course in some months) is 4,500 THB++. Book 2-3 weeks in advance through TableCheck or directly. Limited seatings per night due to the colonial house's intimate size.
After a welcome drink in the lounge, you move to the kitchen for the first bite (to watch the chef), then into the dining room for the rest. Expect this ritual—it's intentional.
Chef Black is often at the pass and available to discuss dishes. Ask questions about why specific ingredients were chosen. The educational aspect is as important as the food.
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