Dining at Kate’s Place Supper Club is as much a window into the chef’s soul as it is a showcase of Thai culinary heritage. Chef Pikun “Kate” Wangsantia, drawing on her experience in Michelin-starred kitchens and the deep wisdom of her mentor—Hanuman Aspler, an Israeli-born Thai cuisine scholar—creates food that is both emotionally resonant and technically ambitious. Hanuman, known for his anthropological approach to Thai cuisine, has helped shape Kate’s vision: Thai food not as fixed tradition, but as a living, evolving expression of flavor, memory, and place.

On this particular evening, Kate closed her restaurant for our group—a generous gesture that added to the intimacy of the experience. The menu reflected both her playfulness and her reverence for the roots of Thai comfort food, though a few dishes showed signs of overcooking. Still, the overall arc of the meal was impressive.

The small bites set the tone with clever contrasts: sweet potato balls offered a soft crunch, young jackfruit and pork crackling maeng combined earthiness with texture, and the mussel omelet was a nostalgic nod to Thai street food. The standout was the scallop and lychee salad—delicate, bright, and beautifully balanced.

Among the starters, the grilled pork rib with pineapple and turmeric was a flavor bomb—sweet, smoky, and fragrant. The stuffed chicken wing delivered on familiarity, while the XO sauce and crab meat noodle was luxuriously rich, possibly the most indulgent dish of the night.

The mains came family-style and showcased a diversity of regional influences. The grilled river prawn with roasted chili salad was a highlight—fiery and fresh. The short rib in green curry with roti felt slightly overdone, but the curry’s flavor was complex and soulful. The steamed goby in soy sauce was delicate and restrained, providing balance, while the squid with sataw bean sang with herbal brightness. Pork khua kling and Southern-style duck leg curry brought heat and depth, grounded by a surprisingly gentle mushroom clear soup.

Dessert closed on a classic note—mango and sticky rice—elevated by perfectly ripened fruit and just the right salt-sweet contrast in the coconut cream. Garden tea provided a calming final note.

Even with some minor execution hiccups, this was a deeply thoughtful and personal meal—clearly the work of a chef cooking not just with skill, but with purpose. Less