Mineoka Tofu (Milky Tofu, Bt90++)
EATING BANGKOK| MISHO JAPANESE RESTAURANT AT GLASSHOUSE AT SINDHORN, WIRELESS ROAD, BANGKOK.
There’s something about good good tofu that can make me go all lengths. Being mostly vegetarian at home, I rely so much on tofu and veggies in my cooking that my heavy-sized meat-eating neighbour used to scorn me as ‘Tofu Girl.’ Yes, that’s practically what she called me and she would complete her act by casting my husband a pity look and laughing it off.
But then, I have nothing to say to that. Vegetarian or not, tofu is just my favourite thing to eat. Fresh, fried, steamed, grilled, you name it. Writing ‘grilled’ for tofu above also made me think of the delicious skewers of tofu satay once served as a must-try item at the Whole Earth restaurant on Langsuan Road long long time ago. P.S. While that Whole Earth restaurant no longer exists, those who want to try this delicacy can always go to their existing branch in Chiang Mai.
Yuba (Soy Milk Skin, Bt150++)
Anyway, let’s make a u-turn. My works recently brought me over quite often to the classic Sindhorn Building on Wireless Road. This is also funny because this building used to be my part-time office when I was reporting financial and stock market news for the Nation newspaper. It is good to be back. The 30-year-old building is having a major facelift along with the big-scale construction by the Crown Property Bureau who owns the land that will transform the entire area of Langsuan and Wireless Road in the next 4-5 years. One of the new transformations that have happened includes Glasshouse at Sindhorn building at the front. Housing three restaurants and a cafe, Glasshouse is designed to mimic and also embrace the lush landscape of the area. After all, the Wireless Road is known for being one of the most beautiful arcades in Bangkok. Lined with ancient flame tress on both sides, the street is always shady and cool and elegant.
Yose Tofu (Homemade Soft Tofu, 150g, Bt120++)
One of Glasshouse’s highlights is Misho – the Japanese restaurant of the three outlets. Run by the chef team behind the popular restaurant called ‘Suikin’ which means ‘master of taste,’ Misho brings Suikin’s delicacies back to life for their fans. Suikin, due to some land changes in Ploenchit area, was no longer there, so they set up Misho to replace it.
Misho’s specialities include homemade tofus, soba noodles and a lot of rice with sashimi specialties. The prices are friendly, especially during lunchtime when they are now offering 20% discount for all their sumptuous and hearty set meals. But then again, all prices are subject to 17% VAT and service surcharges.
Kaisendon (Assorted Sashimi Rice Set, Bt300++)
We were there on different occasions and liked everyone of them. The first time we were there was to celebrate a good friend’s birthday. We ordered their Kaisenson or assorted sushi rice which is Bt300++ and comes with 10 different sashimi, marinaded and piled on top of Japanese rice poppered with nori seaweed, an egg custard, mixed appetizers, a salad and a soup. We found the quantity/quality VS price of this dish just amazing. Piled high in thick cuts, this sashimi on rice is delish, fresh, and with marination, tasty. I also loved their hearty soup (thick and aromatic miso with chunk of salmon cheek and lots of finely julienned spring onions, white parts only.) Their salad was also good quality. Tasty and tangy dressing.
Salmon Don (Salmon Rice Set, Bt400++)
My husband is a big fan of their Salmon Don (Bt400++) set with the big rice bowl filled to the brim with assorted salmon – fatty, fillet and lean (cube cut), and condiments such as pickled and minced garlic, sliced fresh garlic, sweet egg (tamagoyaki). On the tray were also the soup, the salad, the appetizer and the egg custard. A good deal, really, for those with big tummy.
Ten Seiro (Cold Soba with Tempura, Bt240++)
And then, there’re Misho homemade tofu variations. I love them all, but best of all is their Yuba or Soy Milk Skin (Bt150++) that was served in a small palm-sized bowl, topped with salmon roes and a dash of wasabi. The skin was soft and silky and mildly aromatic with the plainness of the skin complimented with bursting flavours from the salmon roes and wasabi.
If you like cow-milk, try their Mineoka Tofu or Milky Tofu (Bt90++). This gooey and a bit chewy tofu is by no means a bean curd like typical tofu variation. In fact, it is all made from milk and cream, hence the name and texture. Eating it is like eating a thick pillow of milk. If you order a plate of this, you will get a small plain slab, cut into 4 equal pieces, served in a pool of light soy sauce and a dash of wasabi. But if you are a regular like us who managed to let the big chef know that this is your favourite item on his menu, try getting a counter seat when he was there and you might, ‘might’ as literal sense, receive a subtle surprise from the kitchen when the chef just prepared for you two his special Mineoka tofu served with super ripe tomato. So, sweet and sour and refreshing. Delicious.
The big chunk of salmon cheek in miso soup served in any lunch set and the milky tofu served with fresh and ripe tomato as a complimentary finale from the chef.
Apart from the tofus, Misho also makes their own soba noodle. The chef once explained to me that the reason they do soba themselves is not because they want to vent out some steam kneading and banging the flour, but because it is definitely impossible to buy a good soba noodle for their customers.
“Soba noodle must be made of buckwheat flour,” the chef explained. “But then again, the proportion of the buckwheat flour to wheat flour is important to the taste and texture. Soba with only 10% buckwheat can still technically be called ‘soba,’ but for us, it is not right. Here, we use 80% buckwheat to 20% of wheat flour.”
So…yes, that’s why their soba has been an acclaimed item for their Japanese patrons. I tried their cold soba with tempura. The noodles were firmer than my usual experience, with a mouthful and tasty texture. But what I like best was their accompanying soy sauce that we dip the noodle in. So fragrant with a bit of sweetness. Just well-balanced taste of everything. Good stuff. And with a plate of mixed tempura, the price is Bt240++.
A plate of mixed tempura.
The airy and sharp ambiance of Misho at Glasshouse at Sindhorn Building, Wireless Road, Bangkok.
Misho at Glasshouse is open everyday. Apart from their daily 20% discount on lunch sets (valid during lunchtime only, but their lunch sets can be ordered also for dinner), they also have special weekend lures. Yes, as an office building to the bone, Sindhorn Building is practically deserted during weekends. But that can also be a good news for those who want to be there and eat good stuff, for you get to sprawl on all the parking spaces as a plus benefit, too. Their weekend promotions include free wine with lunch set (valid during lunchtime only). They also have now a special discount promo with Visa card. For those wishing to receive news from Glasshouse at Sindhorn, they have a Facebook page here, too.
**We always paid about Bt1,000 for two including drinks and everything.
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