Thomas Jakobi belongs to a new generation of chefs who are prepared to take risks, who understand that fine dining is not just about intense flavours and technical perfection, but also about entertainment – A Theatre for the Senses that takes the stage at Evason Phuket’s Into the Sea restaurant. Thomas Jones goes back for seconds.

Text by Thomas Jones

Into the Sea is a beautiful place to be. Wide open, stylish and airy, it sits on a second floor balcony above the Andaman Sea with an open terrace that allows guests to take in the night sky, the sea breeze and the lapping of the waves below as an accompaniment to culinary magic. A magic they like to call Modern Logical Cuisine, a holistic experience of food, presentation, sensible procurement, good wine, an excellent setting and a more than competent team of staff. It is a sum of all parts and none can be separated out from the other. The food is based on natural flavours with an emphasis on combining dynamic textures, aromas, spices and temperatures with a mix of slow cooking, molecular cookery and dehydration. The restaurant changes its menu to match the seasons so the kitchen doesn’t travel far to obtain ingredients. Sixty percent of the greens are grown in the resort’s organic garden, as are the mushrooms, with most of the other produce being procured locally; fish from Thai waters and beef and lamb from as nearby as possible from countries such as Australia or Japan.

Front of house is the domain of restaurant manager Thomas Singenberger and he runs a tight ship ensuring that his staff are highly trained and can provide guests with an explanation of what they eating, preparation methods and origin of the products. The result is a more intimate, intense and engaging experience than just simply eating dinner. Four different set menus, including a purely vegetarian option, allow for a comprehensive sampling, making it possible to experience the restaurant’s concept in a single sitting. All dishes are served in small portions so you can savour each taste and then move to the next course without overdoing it, while the sommelier will centre each dish with a carefully pared wine. There is a strong Mediterranean flavour to the decor. White stucco columns against dark wooden floors and ceiling beams flow between the al fresco deck and the restaurant’s funky interior of booths, wooden tables and polished concrete floors.

Jakobi has a passion for food, but also a passion for science, by way of molecular gastronomy, He takes diners on a journey to remember, exercising the palate, defying expectations and, occasionally, having fun with unexpected twists and turns along the way. Eggs are cooked at 60 degrees Celsius for 60 minutes, creating a creamy and delicious consistency. A tempura of vegetables and yoghurt ravioli is served on something extremely unique; a heavy, orange-coloured, quartz-like block of Himalayan salt, the size of a house brick. It’s so heavy that it takes concentration to bring it down the stairs from the kitchen. Apart from looking fantastic, the vegetables soak up the salts and add an extra bite, while others, such as the ravioli, chemically react to bring out hidden flavours. Being German, Chef Thomas can’t resist bringing his national cuisine to the plate; he mixes Thai langoustines with mashed potatoes and pork, only four bites though so not to slow anyone down.

Into the Sea’s signature dish, and by far the best, is the lamb, an exercise in difference that clearly defines Jakobi’s slow food concept. Here, slices of 24-hour cooked lamb are placed opposite two slices of poached lamb offering two very distinct tastes. The shoulder is prepared in sous vide for 24 hours and the unracked lamb steak is poached for 15 minutes at 62 degrees Celsius and then quickly pan-fried for colour, keeping the insides juicy and pink. This most gentle cooking method enables the meat to maintain not only all the flavours but also the proteins and minerals in the product. It is like the distinction between a sapphire and a ruby… the same raw ingredient with just a different method of preparation, but both as valuable and desirable as the other.

Only open since August 2010 the restaurant is steadily gaining notoriety through word of mouth alone and is seeing more and more outside guests dropping in for this new and unique experience. Less than 30 minute’s drive from Kata, Surin and Patong there is no excuse for not jumping in a taxi and heading to Into the Sea. Just make sure you tell the driver that it is the name of a restaurant so he knows to stop at the water’s edge.

Into the Sea
Evason Phuket & Bon Island
Phuket, Thailand
Tel: +66 76 381 010
www.sixsenses.com/Evason-Phuket

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