The Hass Bistro

 

The avocado fad to end all avocado fads: The Hass Bistro has a menu dedicated to the creamy green fruit. Try avocado on bread in the vegan avocado toast with fragrant truffle butter (B145) and a croissant with avocado butter (B60). The Avo Burger (B335) really isn’t a burger at all, and we’re not disappointed. It’s decadent yet seemingly healthy, substituting bread for avocado halves and beef for chicken, with layers of lettuce, cheese and red onions. Green goodness extends to dessert, too, in an avocado cheesecake (B250). Wash it all down with a cold pressed juice (B140). 

Sukhumvit Soi 49. See full details here

 

Luka Moto

 

Are you a Thonglorite bored with Roast? Take yourself over to new Luka Moto. The name comes from a well-established brunch spot over on Sathorn, and here they dole out a similar daytime-friendly menu of breakfast burritos (B310, stacked full of porky goodness from Sloane’s and tangy sauces) and smashed avo open-face sandwiches (B240). And if you want to skip on the coffee, they’ll even pour you a punchy bloody Mary (B240) or a Grey Goose-spiked watermelon juice (B260). The Casa Pagoda-leaning furniture is straight out of the original Pan Road branch, while the reason you get to lust over retro-styled big bikes while you wait for your flat white is because of a partnership with BMW—hence the “Moto” name. 

Thonglor Soi 11. See full details here.

 

Mihara Tofuten

 

Gaggan’s back with what he’s calling his “biggest risk” since opening his eponymous restaurant. The four-time winner of Asia’s 50 Best is throwing his weight behind Mihara Tofuten, an omakase restaurant dedicated to tofu made by a family in Fukuoka with generations in the game. Tucked behind Chong Nonsi intersection, the slither of a restaurant takes its styling cues from Mihara Tofu in Fukuoka, with a minimal, L-shaped counter wraping itself around a bustling kitchen. A seat here starts at B3,900 for 16 courses spotlighting the many textures of bean curd—though you can expect more than just tofu in each course. Fresh sea urchin, A5 wagyu and dashi broths made with water imported directly from Japan (one of the restaurant's greatest expenses) further explain why dinner here's worthy of the hype. Backing Gaggan and the Mihara family in their new venture is another Japanese chef, Takeshi "Goh" Fukuyama.  

Narathiwat Ratchanakarin Soi 5. See full details here.

 

Octo Seafood Bar

 

Sukhumvit’s latest seafood specialist comes from the people behind seafood heavyweights Kodang Talay and Happy Fish. The restaurant’s two-story venue spirits diners into something like a sunken ship. If the large porthole windows, wavey floor and undersea murals were not enough to convince you, lurking above the bar is a giant octopus. Flavors span both Thai and European: crabs stir-fried with black peppercorn (B1,900/kg) sea bass with spinach, tomatoes, capers and lemon butter (B330). Much of the seafood gets brought in from the far-flung capitals of good lobster (Canada, B2,200/kg) and king crab (Alaska, B4,900/kg). 

Sukhumvit Soi 24. See full details here

 

Primal Modern Grill

 
Rama 9’s new steakhouse appeals to your base, carnivorous instincts while adding some modern flare. Hidden in the menu are unconventional touches like the beef bacon in the Hail Caesar salad (B220) or the baba ganoush, cacik (a Turkish yogurt dip) and parmesan that come with the herb-crusted rack of lamb (B690). The smoked beef brisket (B590) is rubbed in a spice mix before being cooked sous vide for 48 hours and plated with a trio of all-American sides: coleslaw, onion rings and baked beans. The decor’s divided between contemporary (scrubbed concrete, exposed brick and square-grid windows) and elemental (wood and hanging plants).  
 
Rama 9 Soi 49. See full details here
 

Sangaa Beef Noodles

 

Thonglor nightlife baron Maft Sai, of Zudrangma Records and Studio Lam, has a new daytime gig: Sangaa. Situated smack-bang between those two aforementioned hipster haunts, this down-to-earth beef noodles joint from the DJ and his buddies whips out 50-year-old family recipes from Mahachai, Samut Sakhon. The shop-house (vivid orange walls, hand-painted signs) blares with the sounds of molam and and lukthung, a fittingly retrofied setting for beef noodles with bouncy meatballs (B50-60), braised beef and gravy over rice (B60-70) and specials like Wednesday’s juicy braised beef kaprao. Stewed chicken goes for B60-70. Head there early as they close at 7:30pm (though they do stay open later for some Studio Lam events). 

Sukhumvit Soi 51. See full details here

 

Somtum Der (Thonglor)

 

The Isaan food specialist whose New York outpost had a brief, illustrious affair with a Michelin star, welcomes a second Bangkok branch on Thonglor. Expect all the hallmarks of Somtum Der’s modern-but-warm design at this compact shop-house location: red-framed entrance, red accent wall, craft-inspired bamboo lamps and a row of jarred ingredients flanking the prep area.  For the uninitiated, Somtum Der’s tam sua Sakon Nakhon (B80) and tum pla dook foo (somtam topped with deep fried minced catfish, B90) are winners worldwide, but veterans of the Sala Daeng branch will know to venture deeper into the extensive somtam selection. On the meaty end, the deep-fried chicken (B90) is still served with a lip-smacking jaew sauce. Beyond Leo (B80) and Singha (B90), there's Beer Lao dark (B110) and martinis (B150) of lemongrass- or rosella-infused vodka.

Thonglor Soi 17. See full details here

 

Uma Uma Jin

 

The 60-year-old Fukuoka name with branches in Asoke and Silom adds ramen to the comfort-food lineup in The Common’s food court-like ground floor. Best known for its rich, Hakata-style tonkotsu ramen (B220), Uma Uma also rolls out a large selection of kushiyaki (grilled skewers) like the tori kawa (B60), skewers of delightfully crisp chicken skin, or gyu tan (B85), moreish beef tongue. For a mix of meat and veg, order the Moriwase 2 set (B330), which is perfect for sharing. The hitokuchi gyoza (B80/5pc) are another must-order: perfect bite-size dumplings filled with pork and cabbage. What would skewers be without ice-cold Sapporo beer (B200), highballs (from B160) or a whole bottle of Suntory Kakubin whiskey (B1300) to share with your friends. Sake (try the Masumi Tokusen Honjozo Sake, B600/300ml) comes from the same supplier behind Ekkamai’s Orihara Shoten so you know it’s top quality.

Thonglor Soi 17, See full details here.