If you know your Som Tam from your Thord Mun Pla Krai, then head to Swissotel Kolkata Neotia Vista for a lavish spread of all things Thai. With Thai chef Pongpeth Boriphat from Swissotel Le Concorde, Bangkok, as guest chef at Cafe Swiss, the spread is as authentic as it gets.

Begin your meal with Tom Yum Goong, better known as the spicy hot and sour soup found in almost every Chinese takeaway worth its salt. The variation in this case is the ‘goong’ in Tom Yum Goong, which means hot and sour prawn soup with lemongrass. Chef Boriphat has a mellow take on spices and those who like some heat on their palate will find it quite mild. The Swissotel GM Marco Saxer recommends it as “an excellent hangover cure”!

A milder soup, also one of Saxer’s favourites, is Tom Kha Talay, a spicy seafood soup with coconut milk. For starters, dig into Thai fish cakes or Thord Mun Pla Krai. The salad spread is yummy too, with Som Tam Malakor (raw papaya salad), Yum Nuea (spicy beef salad) and the deliciously moist Yum Pol La Mai Gub Goong, a fresh fruit salad with prawns (picture by Sayantan Ghosh).

For the main course, try classics like Gai Phad Med Ma Moung (fried chicken with chilli and cashew nuts), Phad Pak Rum Mirt (stir-fried vegetables with oyster sauce) or the delicious Moo Phad Prink King (stir-fried pork belly with long bean and red curry). Team that with either steamed rice or flat noodle preparations like Kuay Teow Tung Tang. For dessert, the chef recommends Tub Tim Krob (water chestnuts in syrup with crushed ice).

The Thai dinner buffet is on at Cafe Swiss till July 8 and is priced at Rs 1,500 per person (plus taxes). Chef Boriphat will also conduct a cooking workshop at 11am on July 4, priced at Rs 1,250 (plus taxes).

What: The Mango Festival 2012.

Where: 6 Ballygunge Place (Ballygunge and Salt Lake).

Till: July 8 (lunch and dinner).

On the menu: Celebrate the king of fruits with an elaborate a la carte spread that includes traditional Bengali fare like Aam Achari Murgi (chicken cooked in pickled mango), Kancha Aam Diye Jali Kebab, Tok Dal, Aam Shorshe Begun (eggplant with mango and mustard) as well as experimental dishes like Kacha Aam Aar Chhanar Chop (raw mango and cottage cheese cutlets). The dessert section is a delightful spread of Aam Doi, Mango Phirni, Aam Malai Kheer and Aam Sandesh. Enjoy!

Pocket pinch: A meal for two will come for Rs 650 (plus taxes).