Royal Revolution
Rama V (pronounced Rama Five) has a history that has lasted over 25 years, which is a feat by itself, especially considering it’s located in one of Southeast Asia’s most cosmopolitan areas, Kuala Lumpur. As a restaurant that started off as the first Thai fine dining restaurant in Klang Valley, the restaurant has since become something of renown.
“At that point of time when we started, the menu angle was to feature Royal Thai cuisine dishes fit for the king, but offered to Malaysians in a premium restaurant,” explains Kelly Loh via email interview. The Marketing Manager at Rhombus Food & Lifestyle has worked with Rama V for years. The menu concept continued till 2009, where the team decided to take a chance and change the menu. Through small, gradual phases, the team introduced new modern Thai fusion dishes in the menu and the process took a year. “Every 2 months, we would have fresh series of Chef’s Specials menu featuring selected modern fusion Thai dishes with suggested Thai cocktail pairing,” explains Ms Loh, the Thai cocktails in question unique to Rama V and made with ingredients native to Thailand. After having done six Chef Specials for a year, which also gave the team time to figure out what worked and what didn’t, the team at Rama V finally included the improved and well-received modern Thai dishes in the à la carte menu, as well as modernise the presentation of the traditional Royal Thai cuisine dishes.
The branding and reinvention of Rama V throughout the years has not stopped, though. “In 2016, we decided to modernise the brand thoroughly,” Ms Loh says. Everything, from food, branding of the restaurant, menu design, staff uniforms, and concept was involved. Renovations for both the interior and exterior of the restaurant were done to reflect this new change. But this was done with great care to make sure it would not alienate old, loyal customers of Rama V.
So how did the team do so? Well, learn more by picking up a copy of the Mar/Apr 2020 issue at Kinokuniya, MPH or Times Bookstores now! Alternatively, you may also view the magazine by subscribing here
