Bangkok restaurant REVIEW:
Red Sun by Tawandang
Phone: 02-658-0821/2
Red Sun by Tawandang, 7/F, Siam Discovery, Siam Square Rd., Bangkok, Thailand

Area:

Siam

Nearest Train:

BTS National Stadium

Opening Hours:

daily 11:30am-midnight

Price Range:

BB

Cuisine:

International, Thai
Live music, Parking available
Share this article

You’ve probably been to Tawandang, but this branch has none of the original’s barn house kitsch. Instead, it fits into Duangrit Bunnag’s redesign of Siam Discovery’s top floors, with undulating wood and narrow light tubes hanging from the ceiling. The area closest to the live band playing Thai pop is a bit too open, with its rows of tables faintly food court-esque (you are in a mall, after all). But climb a couple of steps and the platform surrounding the bar offers views of Phaya Thai through expansive bay windows. The food and beer, on the other hand, borrow directly from the original Tawandang. The microbrews (weissen, dunkel and lager) come at a reasonable B95, 130 or 260 (0.3cl, 0.5 and 1 liter, respectively); and despite a shorter menu, Tawandang faves like the deep-fried pork knuckle served with spicy sauce (B380) have made the cut. The food seems to be designed to wash down your beer—or is it the other way around? It’s all slightly uninspired but the accompanying sauces are suitably tangy and fiery, the produce fresh and the portions generous. So while the sauerkraut and mashed potatoes with the aforementioned pork knuckles were served cold on our last visit (and the sauerkraut overly acidic), you can’t really complain about the giant chunk of pig that’s been roasted to a perfect crisp. Pork ribs (B280) are too tough, too bland and, oddly, they’re cut laterally, as if about to be dropped in tom saep. But dip them in the accompanying jaew sauce and you’ll soon order another pint. The Thai side of the menu is fairly satisfying, too, with more well-balanced sauces. In fact, our only complaint with their laab talay (spicy seafood salad, B180) is that they don’t serve sticky rice. Service has the kind of seasoned diligence that has all but disappeared from Bangkok’s most recent openings. Maybe that’s because Red Sun, unlike Siam Discovery’s other sixth and seventh floor venues, is always pretty busy. Sure, it’s the kind of older, family crowd you don’t see at trendy bistros, but it’s not a bad crowd to follow for solid, pocket-friendly food that everyone can agree on.Corkage B300 for spirits and B200 for wines.

10
 
 
Show Nearby:

Related Articles

Tawandang Brewhouse's Latest Spin-Off: Red Sun Tawandang
The well-known Tawandang Brewhouse is heading to the mall with its new spin-off in the center of town, Red Sun Tawandang (7/F, Siam Discovery, 02-658-0821), which comes with a more modern look, city views and lower prices than its parent…
If seclusion is what you seek, look no further than Kozi, since it seems to be nearly always perfectly empty—and by that we mean zero diners—despite its prime location in the ever-bustling Siam Square. But what depressed us more than…
This first Bangkok branch of Japanese chain Sushi Cyu, tucked away on the 3/F of All Seasons Place (the second is in Thonglor), may look a little dark and gloomy with its dated décor. But its yakiniku zone is often…
The small restaurant and bar does not lack in taste or personality and despite a few mishaps, we’d go back. Owned by actress Sikrintarn and situated in Bangkok’s not-so-glamorous movie studio ghetto, the café sees celebs munching away on their…
Kinnaree
43 Sukhumvit Soi 8, 02-256-0328 Making our way through food stalls, hippie couture stands and nightclubs lining the streets around Nana, we are pleasantly surprised by what we find tucked away in a far corner of Soi 8. Although advertised by…