Shin Daikoku
Daikoku was one of the primary Japanese restaurants in Bangkok starting off 50 years ago in various forms and location. The original restaurant was a traditional Japanese house amid a pond in front set on a 7 rai plot where Abdulrahim Place stands today. A total of 50 Japanese carpenters and all building materials were brought to Bangkok to build the house that had a staff of 25 Japanese hostesses. The original owners were Toyota Motor Company who used the restaurant to entertain their high ranking guests. The word 'Daikoku' is the name of one of the seven Chinese gods, The God of Business.
When they began, life was different with guests arriving at the restaurant invited to take a bath, relax and then change into a cotton Kimono before having dinner.
About 25 years ago the restaurant was acquired by Kenji Tanaka, now President of the Fuji Group who had previously worked in the banking sector in Japan.
Ten years later the lease expired forcing them to move to Sukhumvit Soi 19. Their idea was to dismantle the original house, move it to the new location and reassemble it there, however, the house was so well built that this proved impossible, therefore the new restaurant was built from scratch. As this was a new era for the restaurant, the prefix 'Shin' meaning new in Japanese was added to the name.
There are now two branches of Shin Daikoku in Bangkok. The Sukhumvit branch has a harmoniously balanced interior that is like a maze with an indoor central pond filled with koi carp, a refined very relaxing environment along with rice paper interior walls making it the home away for Bangkok's Japanese expatriate community. Female staff wear cotton yukata, the summer kimono and pad around quietly paying attentive detail to every aspect of the meal. This branch is very popular with traditional Japanese businessmen.
Their second branch on the third floor of The Intercontinental Bangkok is a total contrast; it is very 'Zen' with low lighting. Tables are separated by paper screens, a modern sushi bar is situated at one end with its appeal more towards Western customers. Even though both branches serve exactly the same food, it is the dissimilar environment that is the deciding factor of which customer will go to which branch.
"Our food is real authentic Japanese", says Kenji Tanaka, President of the Fuji Group. "It is Tokyo style which is tastier than the food from Osaka, which is bland. Fresh fish is the key to Japanese cuisine so we acquire the freshest every two to three times a week from The Tokyo Metropolitan Central Wholesale Market, commonly known as Tsukiji fish market. What is available depends on the season, for example broad fish in winter".
"In each of our restaurants we have one Japanese chef in the main kitchen and another at the sushi counter", he adds. "Their role is to be creative and to keep up to date with the latest Japanese culinary trends which currently have gone back to traditional. They are supported by an excellent highly experienced team of Thai chefs, some of whom have been with us for 20 years. Front of house we have two Japanese hostesses in each restaurant, their gracious service matches the quality of food served".
"Our success comes from our consistency, respect for Japanese culinary tradition and exceeding our customers' expectations", he concludes.
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