At which restaurant should you spend your year-end bonus?
Special occasions call for a special meal. Here are the Bangkok restaurants definitely worth splashing the cash on.
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7 years ago
Sushi: Ginza Sushi Ichi
Sit back and let the chef decide what to serve you in an omakase meal. Bangkok’s version of the acclaimed Ginza Sushi Ichi in Tokyo arrived in town promising an unmatched dedication to freshness. Each day the restaurant flies ingredients in from Tsukiji Market in Tokyo, even closing when Japanese holidays will delay the next shipment of fresh goods. Sushi lovers, grab a seat and get your Instagram ready for fresh-from-market sushi, and marvel as the chefs prepare each course in front of you. One specialty includes the live Hokkaido hairy crab (starting B5,000 per crab), which is boiled, cleaned and then portioned according to the number of diners in the party. Lunch starts from B1,300-4,000 for about 10-15 items while dinner starts from B4,000-7,000 for about 10-15 items.
LG/F, Erawan Bangkok, 494 Phloen Chit Rd., 02-250-0014
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French: L’Atelier de Joel Robuchon
Make it memorable at one of the biggest names in town. Following the same concept of all L’Atelier branches, this elegant red and black space has diners seated around a large open kitchen, a format more reminiscent of a sushi bar than classic dining a la Francaise. The food remains unmistakably French, though free range quail stuffed with foie gras and potato purée and with all the finesse you'd expect from Joel Robuchon, the chef with the most Michelin stars in the world. It’s even better now as head chef Olivier Limousin told us that they’re trying to make the menu at L’Atelier more healthy—that translates to less butter and cream, more organic produce. B7,500 (7 courses), B5,000 (5 courses)
5/F, Mahanakorn Cube, 96 Narathiwat Ratchanakarin Rd., 02-001-0698. BTS Chong Nonsi
Steak: Il Fumo
This grand old villa reborn as a cocktail lounge and Italian grill restaurant boasts some of Bangkok's most incredible steak and cocktails. Chef-partner Luca Appino (La Bottega di Luca, Pizza Massilia) and head chef Nelson Amorim have rounded up some of Europe’s most prized meats including the star of the show, Rubia Gallega from Spain: B5,400 for a 1kg prime rib. It helps that the bar itself is also a moody temple to well-worn leather and wood paneling. Here, head bartender Pailin “Milk” Sajjanit, recently named Southeast Asia Bartender of the Year at the 2016 Diageo World Class awards, fixes oldies and classic twists befitting the space.
1098/2 Rama 4 Rd., 02-286-8833
Sunday Brunch: Anantara Siam
Treat yourself to an indulgent Sunday spread at Anantara Siam’s renowned brunch. The original “best brunch in Bangkok” delivers the goods, spanning all the hotel’s food outlets in the Parichart Court wing: Aqua, Spice Market Thai restaurant and Madison Grill steakhouse. Food selection covers seafood on ice, sushi, dim sum and Chinese roasts to foie gras dishes, carved meat and live grills. The charcuterie room is also open with a selection of cold cuts and cheese. They also just launched two new Champagne packages: B4,100 gets you free-flow Taittinger N/V Brut Reserve while B9,500 includes free-flow Taittinger Rose and Vintage Brut Champagne on top of wines and other beverages.
Parichart Court, 155 Ratchadamri Rd., 02-126-8866. BTS Ratchadamri
Thai: Paste
Compared to other top-tier names in Thai cuisine, chefs Bongkoch Satongun and Jason Bailey tend to be the underdogs. But their elevated yet authentic Thai dishes have a attracted a staunch crowd of Thai admirers. The chefs dig deep into ancient Thai cookbooks, pulling out recipes and developing them into their own dishes elevated by premium protein and more extensive flavor composition. They make a flavorful Chiang Mai salad with fresh river prawn, inspired by a recipe of M.L. Dtiw Chonlamartpitjarn (1905-1965), which is basically a deconstructed tweak of good old nam prik noom (roasted banana chili paste) in the form of spicy salad. Their version of massaman lamb curry plays with unusual ingredients like shaved coconut apple and raw durian and a curry paste that, as the chef says, combines seven old recipes of massaman into one for good complexity. An average three-course dinner will cost around B2,000-3,000 per person
3/F, Gaysorn Plaza, 999 Phloen Chit Rd., 02-656-1003. BTS Chit Lom
Celebrity Chef: Gaggan
Bangkok’s hottest chef in the world culinary scene is none other than Gaggan Anand, winner of Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants two years in a row. What’s new? In August, Gaggan opened “The Lab,” a 20-million-baht extension of the original villa housing his restaurant but its effects on the menu are only being felt now. One of new toys in the lab allows them to make astronaut food. Why are freeze dried mushrooms better than fresh ones? Because the desiccation process intensifies the flavors. Plus, when dropped into a broth, the mushroom soaks up the broth. Our tip: Make sure you request a seat inside The Lab, at the bar counter. Twenty-two courses will set you back B4,000, though some of are bite-sized, naturally.
68/1 Lang Suan Rd., 02-652-1700
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Chinese: Chef Man
Chef Man has made a big impression on the local dining scene by serving up some of the best dim sum in the city, along with dishes that add interesting Thai touches (and require ordering days in advance). The Peking duck (B1,500, ordered in advanced) comes with slices of ripe mango, and the lava buns (from B110) are arguably the best in town. For a taste of authentic dim sum magic, forego much-hyped recent arrivals like Tim Ho Wan and head to the original Chef Man branch in the Eastin Grand Sathorn Hotel, where the dining room is serviced by a large open kitchen and a veritable army of chefs.
3/F, Eastin Grand Sathorn, Sathorn Rd., 02-212-3741, 02-212-3789
Other branches: Thana City Sports Club, 02-336-0879; Ratchadamri, 02-651-8611.
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Italian: Sensi
This beautiful villa down a quiet soi serves up a fine-dining experience with a refined Italian menu. Touches of creativity include the morel mushrooms and truffle as well as the tomato and mascarpone cheese-stuffed tortelli with Tahitian vanilla-infused olive oil, zucchini and cured pork guanciale. But classics like pan-roasted sea bass and braised wagyu beef remain.
Narathiwat Ratchanakarin 17 Yaek 5, 02-117-1618
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Beer-Pairing: Upstairs at Mikkeller
Bangkok’s craft beer scene is hotter than ever. This fine-dining addition to hipster craft beer bar Mikkeller boasts a “progressive American” menu created by a chef who once worked at Chicago’s three-Michelin-starred Grace Restaurant. What you get is unlike anything else in Bangkok: a nine to ten-course beer-pairing experience. As a result of the limited space available, Upstairs only opens on Friday and Saturday nights, and 3-4 days’ advance reservation is recommended. B3,300 net/person for food only and a B1,300 net extra for beer pairing.
26 Ekkamai Soi 10, 091-713-9034
Michelin Man: Savelberg
Dutch chef Henk Savelberg's eponymous restaurant held a Michelin star in The Hague before moving to Bangkok. His pan-European dishes are prepared using delicate French cooking techniques with minimalist tweaks and creative flavor combinations, such as the lobster with pomelo, caviar and yuzu dressing or the grilled scallops with gaspacho ice cream. Four courses, B3,000; six courses B3,700; eight courses, 4,500.
G/F, Oriental Residence, 110 Wireless Rd., 02-252-8001
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