Thai Garden by Emilio Carcur brings the heart of Thailand to the capital

Talking about Thai Garden inevitably means mentioning the extravagant Emilio Carcur. A lover of Thailand, he began his gastronomic journey in the capital with the first Thai Garden on the exclusive Jorge Juan Street. Later, his projects on Paseo de La Habana and Arturo Soria would follow, and now we can see him fully enjoying himself, as he always does when embarking on a new adventure, in the beautiful location on Añastro Street in the Madrid district of Hortaleza.

Emilio is, as he told me long ago, like a Phoenix and always rises from his ashes to surprise us, even more so with a new project. Enthusiastic, passionate, outrageous… Emilio always charms us with his endless anecdotes. An unsurpassed master of ceremonies who is the central figure of Thai Garden.

Sharing a table with Carcur is always an enriching moment. Listening to him narrate the different stages of his life, always with a touch of humor, gives us a lesson in humility and positivity. Possibly the best legacy Emilio left me when we worked together many years ago was a phrase that, according to him, someone had said, which goes like this: “In the end, everything will be okay. And if it’s not okay, believe me, it’s not the end yet.” Maybe that’s why Emilio continues tirelessly, a fighter full of surprises, now delighting us with his delicious Thai cuisine in this new place that seeks to capture the original essence of the first Thai Garden on Jorge Juan.

On our first visit to Thai Garden By Emilio Carcur, we started enjoying his seductive cocktails, beginning with a Fake Margarita made with Aperol instead of Cointreau and a striking Rambutan Freezen. A cocktail with an intense green color made with lychees, mint, Malibu, and tequila. A very refreshing and digestive drink that warmly welcomed us before we began to savor an appetizing selection of typical Thai starters.

We started with the Poh Pia, delicious spring rolls made in the purest Thai Garden style. Inside, a delicate filling of a select mix of vegetables and mushrooms, which we accompanied with their typical sweet and sour sauce. We continued with the original Thai duck spring rolls, another variety of rolls filled with strips of duck breast seasoned with vegetables, citrus aromas, and Hoisin sauce. They are wrapped in a delicate rice paper which is then fried and accompanied by a rich duck sauce. A tasty creation that led us to the surprising Dumplings Chor Ladda, notable for their fun blue color. They are filled with dehydrated radish and peanut wrapped in tapioca hydrated in blue orchid water, giving them their characteristic color, and are recommended to be accompanied with soy sauce, though we confess we almost liked them more without the sauce because they need no additional seasoning. Delicious!

We also tried the Kung Siam, formidable prawn tails breaded in wheat flour with grated coconut and sesame seeds, recommended to be accompanied by sweet and sour sauce. This was our last starter that led us directly to the main dishes.

We started this part of the meal with the Kaeng Khiao Wan Kung, an irresistible green prawn curry made with coconut milk, Thai basil leaves, green chilies, and aromatic spices that made us savor every last spoonful. A dish we highly recommend trying when visiting Thai Garden.

To delve into the more casual cuisine of Thailand, we ordered an off-menu dish that embodies the essence of Thai street food. A sensational rice prepared with various vegetables and topped with a delicious fried egg that we enjoyed from start to finish before trying the Nua Kratiam, thin beef fillets sautéed with oyster sauce and Phik Thai (fresh green peppercorn clusters). A classic Thai experience that led us to the sweet final moment.

For dessert, we ordered the Khao Niao Mamuang, a traditional Thai sweet of ripe mango with sticky rice bathed in warm coconut milk. Undoubtedly, the perfect ending to our journey to Thailand through our taste buds.

Thai Garden is much more than a restaurant. It’s a philosophy, an escape route, an enchanting gastronomic destination that helps us travel to Southeast Asia through our palate with that magic that only Emilio Carcur knows how to execute.

Long live the Phoenix!