Podkova Brings a Touch of Russia to Bangkok

Podkova has been getting quite a bit of buzz since it opened it’s doors in Bangkok and it has quite a reputation to live up to. Overall, the restaurant more than delivered in some aspects; but was a bit disappointing in other areas.

Podkova really delivers when it comes to service and venue. The main dining area décor is bold and warm with intricate wall paintings in a red, black and gold color scheme. The restaurant has four levels including a separate bar/lounge area on the 3rd floor. There is also a very chic karaoke room that can be rented for 300Baht per hour and two themed private dining rooms that enable you to have a completely different dining experience each time you visit. The Moroccan/Asian themed dinning room is tastefully appointed with silk pillows, rich fabrics, and a long floor table that allows your group to experience sitting on the floor while dinning. The Vodka Room on the other hand is more formal, decorated in white with an impressive table chandelier taking center stage in the room. It features a full vodka bar and private balcony. The private dinning rooms are free of charge, but you should call ahead to reserve them.

The service at Podkova is superb and the staff is knowledgeable about the menu and spirits offered. The chef is a native of Uzbekistan and the bar has an impressive stock of chilled vodkas (as would be expected) as well as a good selection of wine and spirits. The Vodka with honey was particularly delicious, as it compliments the Russian food and goes down quite easily. The starters were a bit underwhelming, unless you are a big fan of mayonnaise. The Olivie salad (160Baht) with beef, peas, potato, gherkins and mayonnaise was unexpectedly sweet and somewhat bland, but the Zastoiniy salad (160Baht) with ox tongue, mushrooms, gherkins, herbs, and tomatoes was much more flavorful and the tongue was well prepared and made a pleasant statement in the salad. The Marinated Herring (180Baht) was also sampled but the texture of the fish was mealy and it had a pungent taste and smell which suggested that the fish used was not fresh and perhaps had been previously frozen.

The Plov (250Baht) is highly recommended, and was the best dish served. It is a bejeweled fried rice dish of mutton, nuts, fruits and exotic spices. It was spectacular; the mutton was tender and succulent, while the blend of colors, flavors, textures and spices were a delight for the palate as well as the eye. The Steamed Beef Dumplings (240Baht) were also a nice accompaniment to the meal and they were truly elevated to a new level when eaten with the sour cream that they are served with. Unfortunately, the Borsch (the famous Russian cabbage soup) was unavailable to try so it was replaced by the Lagman soup (180Baht) which is a mutton soup with thick homemade noodles, vegetables and a special blend of spices. This was pleasant enough, the meat was tender, the spices were interesting with lots of paprika and a pleasant back heat lending a hint of something slightly spicy. The only downfall was the bread served with the soup, which was very sour and had a strong yeast odor.

Budget conscious diners would be well served to order from the set menu that Podkova features. They have two meal plan options priced at 700Baht per person which include a starter, salad, soup, main dish, dessert, a glass of wine and coffee or tea. Podkova is well worth a visit and is the kind of place that makes you feel like you want to come back again to see what else you can discover. If you feel like a departure from eating the same old thing, then Podkova is a great choice. With its excellent service, and unique mix of private dining options, it is a great place to take a date or hang out with friends.