Tucked away on the 31st floor of the tranquil Banyan Tree Macau in Galaxy Macau resort, Saffron has been flying the flag for sophisticated Thai cuisine since its opening in 2011. Despite its magnificently high ceilings, sparkling chandelier varieties, and the elegant musical accompaniment of the traditional khim instrument, the Thai fine dining restaurant is instead defined by its inviting ambience and soulful culinary approach. “We do fine dining, but if you come you’ll notice that there is no pressure on the guests to feel like we are fine dining,” explains Head Chef Suraja “Jan” Ruangnukulkit. “A lot of Saffron fans come with their big families so I want them to still feel like they can enjoy [themselves], but know that the standard is also there.”
House artists hold a traditional Thai khim performance almost every evening
Photo: Courtesy of Galaxy Macau
The restaurant boasts spacious interiors and plenty of natural sunlight
Photo: Courtesy of Galaxy Macau
Galaxy Macau welcomed Chef Jan into her leading role at Saffron in August last year, breathing new life into the Banyan Tree’s beloved Thai restaurant. Growing up Thai-Chinese, Chef Jan was raised with the familial values of love and togetherness being deeply associated with food. “My mom raised us [with the mindset that] food is so important; the plans of our life were mainly about when we will have breakfast, lunch, and dinner,” she says. “I didn’t really grow up with fast food much; when I started going out with friends in high school, I realised that my mom always [invested] a lot of time into food. I never learned that food could be quick, fast. For me it was a gathering time for family— it was about love and sharing.” Despite only learning how to cook Thai food well into her adult years, it is these deep-rooted personal philosophies that have guided Chef Jan’s culinary practices, and continue to shape her identity at Saffron.
Saffron's Wok-fried Assorted Mushroom dish elevates a beloved family recipe
Photo: Courtesy of Galaxy Macau
One of her most notable signatures is an adapted recipe of her mother’s: a fried mushroom dish that speaks to her Thai-Chinese roots. For an unexpectedly layered bite, generous hunks of both shiitake and eryngii mushrooms are wok-fried in a savoury combination of Thai premium brand oyster sauce, soy sauce, and fish sauce. The highlight of the dish is the highly aromatic cha-om, green Thai acacia leaves with a flavour so indescribably unique that Chef Jan insists one won’t know until they try.
The green curry is one of Chef Jan's favourite Saffron signatures
Photo: Courtesy of Galaxy Macau
When it comes to picking a favourite dish, she opts for her green curry, a true labour of love that proved to be a logistic challenge worth overcoming. Using fresh Thai coconut milk from a local stall in Macau and a curry paste formulated with the help of a small family-run factory in Thailand, Saffron’s green curry is unconventionally delicious. Instead of eggplant, Chef Jan refreshes the Thai green curry with crunchy lotus root discs, young coconut meat, and juicy pieces of organic Thai chicken. “The menu has my identity in it,” she says. “I always say that I really don’t have a cooking style, I just make the food that I like. I love having a variety of dishes that when eaten together they sing the same song; you can feel that it comes from the same person, but they are all uniquely their own. A dish that I choose to put out is one that I will be proud of.”
Editor
Alyanna Raissa J. PayosCredit
Lead image: Courtesy of Galaxy Macau
