Thailand | What It's Like To Eat At Gaggan Anand, One Of The World's 50 Best Restaurants

If you were to ask me what was on my 2024 vision board, you’d see images of London, Portugal, more images of London ( yes, I am obsessed), vineyards, and Mexico City, but definitely not Thailand.

I mean, not even close.

Hear me out. Travel is all about personal preference. I tend to seek out locations that have beautiful landscapes and a variety of cultural attractions, and, of course, there’s usually no shortage of incredible bars and restaurants.

Gaggan Anand | Obligatory Outdoor Photo Or It Didn’t Happen

Little did I know, Thailand checked off every single one of those items and then some. This trip was unlike others I had taken, both professionally and personally. I had roughly two weeks to prepare. For those of you who have been around here for a while, you know that my daily itineraries are often driven by what restaurant and bar reservations I managed to obtain.

The first thought that entered my mind was holy s*&t!

What reservations can I get on such short notice?

As I do, I started pulling up my trusted listicles: World’s 50 Best List, Opinionated About Dining (OAD), and of course, Michelin Guide.

My jaw dropped. I knew my friends who had traveled to Thailand raved about the food, but I had no idea there were that many incredible restaurants and bars. For someone who had roughly 24 hours of free time in Bangkok spread over two days, I knew I needed to make the most of it.

One restaurant that had always been on my radar was the infamous emoji-stacked menu at Gaggan Anand. Admittedly, I wrote it off once he closed his restaurant in 2019 and didn’t think much more of it. I figured I’d shoot my shot when this trip fell in my lap.

After all, what’s the likelihood of a solo diner snagging a reservation at a restaurant that’s consistently been ranked on the World’s 50 Best List and Michelin Guide?

My guess: a snowball’s chance in hell.

The restaurant is open Thursday through Sunday, with two seatings each evening. Did I mention that it only seats 14?

I went to the website and entered my details, and a 9:00 pm reservation was open. Filled with much disbelief, I closed the browser tab, assuming I fat-fingered something and wanted to start over. A brand new browser tab was opened, and I typed in the details again, and it was still there. I remember sending a screenshot to one of my best friends, validating that my eyes weren't playing tricks on me, and indeed they weren't. With little hesitation, I snagged the last spot for Friday evening.

Yet again, the restaurant gods were smiling upon me.

Once I landed in Bangkok, I could think of only two things: a hot shower and dinner at Gaggan.

For those of you who have made it this far and are unfamiliar with Gaggan Anand, let me give you the CliffsNotes guide. Gaggan Anand is nothing less than a culinary superstar and the conductor of the Food Opera at his namesake establishment. He leads patrons through a 22-course multi-sensory journey that engages all five senses. This isn't just a meal satiating your hunger but one that feeds your soul. His approach to progressive Indian cuisine has landed him repeatedly on the World's 50 Best and Asia's 50 Best restaurants.

For those of you who plan on partaking in this experience in the near future, I recommend that you find another post on Blonde Voyage Nashville (trust me, there are many). I want you to be as excited and surprised as I was. If curiosity has the best of you and Thailand is not on the agenda this year, carry on.

Time and Tariff

This transcendental dining experience spans approximately two hours and quite honestly, the time went by so incredibly fast.

I know the price varies, but I paid THB 14,124, just shy of $400.00. This price does include a wine or NA beverage pairing.

One thing to keep in mind is that reservations are fixed and final. There are no refunds or exchanges. I rolled the dice, securing a reservation on the same day as landing in Bangkok. If my flight had been delayed in the least, I would have missed it.

Plan ahead

Gaggan asks that his guests arrive 15 minutes before their reservation time. Given my lack of familiarity with Bangkok, I had NO CLUE how terrible traffic could be. Depending on where you stay, I was less than three kilometers from the restaurant; it could take upwards of an hour. Make sure you order your Grab well in advance or have local currency available and flag down a taxi.

Admittedly, not everyone is a food nerd like me. I had no clue what to expect, and I wanted to make sure that I remembered the meal in its entirety. In addition to the photos and videos I captured on my phone, I took a little notebook with me to remember each dish's details. Gaggan Anand provides a lovely illustrated menu at the end of the experience, but specific details are shared when the dish is presented that aren't necessarily captured elsewhere.

The experience is divided into two acts, with the first act concluding after ten courses and the remaining courses falling in act two.

meeting Gaggan Anand

To limit my reconnaissance, I refrained from reading many reviews on the experience. In fact, I limited my social media stalking, but I noticed that Gaggan was in the midst of service in the days leading up to my visit. I was hopeful that he would make an appearance during my seating, but upon arrival, I found out he had left hours before to head to Japan.

You can’t win them all, right?

How does this compare to other World’s 50 Best and Michelin-rated Restaurants?

Take it from someone who chases Michelin-rated restaurants and strives to check off as many restaurants as possible from the World's 50 Best list: I've had some incredible meals like Alinea and Odette, but I've also had some experiences that leave me saying, "I just dropped $500.00 + on the meal and lost two hours of my life that I will never get back ( Ever, I am looking at you.)"

Dining at Gaggan Anand is like nothing I've ever experienced. I was engaged from the moment I sat down. The staff and the meal truly captivated my attention. The dishes were incredibly delicious, each one surpassing the last. My favorite part of the evening was the music that accompanied the preparation and service of each dish. Eminem, Kayne West, AC/DC, Dua Lipa, Coldplay, Justin Timberlake—it was like they had my playlist on shuffle. I couldn't have asked for a better experience. Anand and his team do a remarkable job balancing theatrical presentation and injecting personality into each dish, all while sharing Gaggan Anand's incredible journey.

If you could do it all again, would you?

Absolutely, yes, without hesitation. However, I would ensure I'm not straight off a 24-hour flight and secure the 5:30 pm reservation. Dining experiences of this caliber are few and far between. If an opportunity presents itself, it's up to me to make the most of it. After all, when will I be in Thailand again? If I've learned anything, change is constant. While I didn't experience the first iteration of Gaggan and the infamous emoji menu, I am incredibly grateful that I had the opportunity to experience the new and improved version. Who knows, the next time I visit, I feel confident the menu and dining experience will look completely different.

If you're on the fence about making a reservation, DO IT. I often tell myself, "I've spent more money on less fulfilling things." This will be the experience of a lifetime.

Thank you for letting me share my extraordinary experience at Gaggan Anand. If you been before or plan on going in the near future, I’d love to hear all about it in the comments below.