Aqua

However they might wish it to be otherwise, travelers will always be governed by the seasons. Even those of us who saunter through life in the tropics, where only two seasons prevail, find that the coming of rain forestalls much of a journey, and even the searing heat of the warmer months can likewise prove inhospitable.

When wanderers find themselves in Thailand then, they may wish to step inside for a while, oblivious to the movements of the months. One such place where the weary are able to put up their feet is Bangkok’s Four Seasons Hotel, where they can observe the passing of time at their leisure. 

While Thailand itself may be limited to the seasons of sun and storm allotted the tropical countries, the hotel’s gathering of restaurants certainly does not restrict itself to these alone, and it is in these places that you will find the variety of cuisine that the Four Seasons is known for. It is also here that you may go on a culinary journey across climates, dining on the bits and pieces of the dishes of different weathers without waiting for several turns of the moon.

Savoring the Summer

The season of sun is where refreshment and light dishes are appreciated in its more languid days and Aqua, a bar located at the ground floor, suits the beginning of our journey most aptly. Well known for its cocktails, snacks, and stylized ice cream presentations, this is an ideal location to start our dine-around, sipping beverages amidst the koi-filled ponds of the open-air Parichart Courtyard. Cocktails, which by their very nature stimulate the appetite, prepare the palate for the meals to come and the tranquil atmosphere of Aqua does much to soothe the exhaustion of travel. Particularly admirable is the retractable garden canopy that Aqua employs in case of heavy rains or intense sunlight, making it available for any time of day or, perhaps more accurately, any season.

Far more Oriental in nature is our second location, Shintaro, a Japanese restaurant a short walk away from the courtyard into the hall, where guests can sample exceptional sushi creations. Its name is taken to mean “new visions” in the Japanese language and it is this ideal that the restaurant follows in its cooking. Some of the more interesting dishes to stimulate the palate are their UFO Wheel (tuna, salmon, sea bass, amberjack, and cucumber with fresh sesame) and Foie Gras Tropical Sushi (foie gras and mango rolls with black sesame), which has a unified texture despite its composite taste.

Leaving Autumn

Fall, which heralds the coming of the colder months, visits a mildly somber mood on travelers, who see in the season an approaching end to their days on the road. Quite naturally, the best way to remedy this is to celebrate in earnest, and Biscotti best exemplifies this. Right across Shintaro, the Four Seasons’ Italian restaurant serves a range of fare that includes readily identifiable dishes of pizza, pasta, and seafood, and its open kitchen and generally light mood makes it a more casual, contemporary setting.

As the third restaurant in our dine-around, it falls upon us to warm the appetite in preparation for the main course and Biscotti achieves this task admirably. Common favorite appetizers in Biscotti are the Trio Salmon (Tartar, smoked, grilled) and the Rocket Salad (with artichokes, dried and cherry tomatoes, olives, and shaved Parmesan).

The Winds of Winter

The coming of winter implies a scarcity of warmth and a marked limit to the available fare, but this is precisely why, for our main course, we must do the exact opposite and trace our steps back to Parichart Courtyard where, Madison, with its cozy interiors and modern appearance, offers hearty, filling meals. It is here where some of the rarer dishes can be found, including a lengthy selection lamb, black angus beef, duck, and Wagyu (a kind of beef taken from grain-fed cows that exhibit remarkably tender properties). Designed by New-York-based architect Tony Chi, the restaurant lies somewhere between the overly casual and the rigidly formal.

Much in the way that winter draws the year to a close, the arrival of dessert similarly ends our trip. Decorated with earthenware, ornamental sacks, and bottles of spices, The Spice Market offers a location that resembles a storehouse, and keeps its guests in comfort throughout the cold. The dishes are remarkable in their simplicity but exhibit otherwise complex tastes, using the five elements of Thai cooking – spicy, sour, bitter, sweet, and salty. Famed for its range of Thai food even among locals, it is also known for its desserts, and guests might try their Tubtim Krob (ruby water chestnuts with jackfruit, coco jelly, and coconut milk) or Bualoi Nga Dam (rice dumpling stuffed with black sesame seed in ginger and brown sugar syrup), a warm, tangy dish that has an intricate set of flavors.

The Coming of Spring

Spring is a time of bounty and beginnings, and the enjoyment of its coming is not lost to The Four Seasons. While our tour across the seasons may have ended, there is no reason to leave the path entirely and the choice to celebrate the lifting of the mists is certainly available. Should your stay encompass the weekend, the hotel holds its Sunday Brunch buffet, where Madison, Spice Market and Aqua serve selections comprised of their specialties. Fresh seafood, imported steaks, grilled dishes, and naturally, food from Thailand, China, the US, and several other countries feature largely in the gathering.

It is very unlikely that one can exhaust the possibilities of the seasons, and, with the options given us, we need not visit them in any form of linear manner. The variety that the Four Seasons offers is an enticing prospect, making even the most ardent of travelers think twice about setting off for the road again.