Le Du's head chef to open Thai fine dining restaurant in Hong Kong this June

Having nabbed two podium finishes in the Asia's 50 Best Restaurants 2023, chef Thitid "Ton" Tassanakajohn is set to bring his Thai culinary ethos to a city of eager gourmands

Chef Thitid "Ton" Tassanakajohn and Rungroj "Tao" Ingudananda, the co-founders behind Bangkok's award-winning Le Du and Nusara restaurants, stunned the culinary world by taking home first and third places at Asia's 50 Best Restaurants 2023 awards in March. Now, the duo is expanding their culinary empire with the opening of Niras in Hong Kong's K11 Musea, bringing their coveted brand of Thai gastronomy to the city.

The name Niras is derived from an ancient Thai tradition where poets travelled the world, chronicling their journeys through poetry. At Niras, Tassanakajohn compares his cooking to poetry, through which he showcases Thailand's diverse and vibrant cuisine to the world. "As this will be the first time Le Du is travelling overseas, Niras was the perfect name for the restaurant," he explains.

Niras will offer the same menu that earned Le Du its first Michelin star in 2019 and the top position in Asia's 50 Best Restaurants in 2023, capturing the flavours, textures, and aromas of Thai cuisine through the lens of contemporary gastronomy while also incorporating locally sourced seafood in some instances.

Above Banana prawn with seaweed and spicy beetroot (Photo: Handout)

Above Signature river prawn (Photo: Handout)

Above Crab with mushroom and homemade Sriracha (Photo: Handout)

Helming the kitchen is "Mai" Naruemon Ratiphuthilap, who brings with her eight years of cooking and operational experience at Le Du, alongside "Bua" Sarocha Rajatanawin, previously chef de cuisine at the Waldorf Astoria Bangkok. Together, they will bring Tassanakajohn's culinary vision to life in signature Le Du dishes such as crab with mushroom and homemade Sriracha, duck with potato in Massaman curry, and banana prawn with seaweed and spicy beetroot.

The lunch tasting menu offers a concise introduction to the ethos of Niras, while the dinner tasting menu is offered in four- and six-course formats, both of which will change regularly to reflect the availability of seasonal ingredients.

Diners entering Niras for the first time can expect an opulent space featuring green and gold accents, lush foliage and a statement glass chandelier that hangs as the restaurant's centrepiece over a four-sofa seating arrangement. The walls will display evocative canvases depicting Thailand's farms and fields from above in a subtle nod to the ancient Thai tradition of niras, and the restaurant's namesake. Niras is currently slated to open this June, with pre-bookings open from May 25 onwards.

Niras

$ $ $

Shop 704, 7/F, K11 Musea, Victoria Dockside, 18 Salisbury Road, Tsim Sha Tsui, Hong Kong

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Niras Le Du Nusara Thitid Tassanakajohn K11 Musea

Tatler Asia

Le Du's head chef to open Thai fine dining restaurant in Hong Kong this June