The buzz: Australian coffee chain The Coffee Club recently opened up its first Bangkok branch. A ubiquitous sight down under, especially in their home state of Queensland, all branches serve up the same specially blended, UTZ-certified coffee from three origins—Colombia, Brazil and India. Food-wise, expect everything from sandwiches to steaks, with some Thai dishes thrown in.
Despite the industrial sounding name and the heavy duty décor, the Burger Factory aims for a human touch with a distinctly artisanal approach, making everything from their buns to their patties from scratch. For the most part that’s a good thing, with some impressive burgers on offer, even if the production line does include the occasional slip up. Situated in a distinctly hip enclave of Ekkamai, opposite the offices of Smallroom Records, the place certainly feels on trend, with its chic industrial décor.
The Buzz: The young men who partnered up to create Burger Factory remind us of the guys behind 4 Garcons—talented professionals with day jobs who take their food very seriously. Even if you’re not burger-obsessed, the menu’s focus is not quite as narrow as the name suggests, with grilled meats and hearty salads on board. In fact, it’s the word “factory” that matters most to them: they make everything from scratch, from their buns to their patties.
The décor: One partner works as a designer for famed architect Bill Bensley. The resulting décor, while following the industrial chic trend, shows personality and elegance. The very masculine use of black metal grates and beams is offset by white couches and candles. Furthermore, the corner location allows for large bay windows on two sides and a tiny terrace.
The food: The chef is the one partner who works here full time. As we mentioned, he’s particularly proud of making his food from scratch, which you’ll witness as the kitchen is open onto the dining room. Kick thing offs with their menu of “share bites” which includes some hearty BBQ ribs (B250) and nibbles like curly fries (B135) and cheese fries (B165). You can even go healthy (without skipping out on the protein) with the grilled lamb salad (B195). As for the namesake burgers, there are a dozen to choose from. Apart from the classics (B215-265), the signature Factory Burger (B290) comes with caramelized onions, sweet onions and a spicy sauce. There is a salmon burger (B300) but most options—mushrooms, chicken, lamb—are otherwise pretty staid.
The drinks: A short but affordable selection of wines (B750-1,150), which can all be ordered by the glass (B160-220), is complemented by some interesting beers like multiple La Trappe variations (B240-270) and Swinckels Volmaakt (B220).
The crowd: Although Burger Factory is in the same complex as Happy Monday, A Day Publishing and Small Room Records, the diners here seem to count fewer hipsters and more young professionals. Gregoire Glachant
The buzz: Clove has taken over the space previously occupied by popular Ekamai drinking spot Sode Samo. The new owners have given the place a fresh look, turning the old house into a bistro bar that serves fusion, Italian and French dishes that they promise go well with wine.
Although Joushitsu have dubbed themselves a “high class Japanese restaurant,” there’s little about the place to back up that lofty claim, except possibly that they’re nestled in Ekkamai. The atmosphere is quite plain and uncomfortably old-fashioned with lots of beige tones, plastic banana trees on the tables and a low-ceiling. As for the menu, the focus is on sushi and sashimi, which the staff say is imported from Hokkaido. But if we believed everything they say, then we would think that the Joushitsu sushi set (B3,500) is the be all and end all of Japanese cuisine.
Situated in a quiet soi, Joushitsu Sushi stakes its claim as a “high class Japanese restaurant” thanks to its imported ingredients. The atmosphere is understated with lots of beige tones and a dominant sushi bar. The recommended dishes never stray far from sushi, so try the Joushitsu sushi set with choice options like engawa (flounder’s fin), scallop and uni (sea urchin). Also, drop by for the lunch sets or some a la carte dishes like unagi don (bowl of rice topped with grilled eel with soy sauce).
Apart from being a stylish furniture and clothing store, Hidden Stuff has the added appeal of being a trendy restaurant. Their funky seating is comprised of beanbag chairs at low tables spread out across the lawn. The menu goes by the concept of ‘mix ‘n match’ with creative dishes like pita namprik ong, penne shoo-shee seafood, and spare-rib tom-klong. An added gimmick is that each item in the menu has a price ending with 2. Corkage B700 for spirits, B300 for wine.
Apart from being a stylish furniture and clothing store, Hidden Stuff has the added appeal of being a trendy restaurant. Their funky seating is comprised of beanbag chairs at low tables spread out across the lawn. The menu goes by the concept of ‘mix ‘n match’ with creative dishes like pita namprik ong, penne shoo-shee seafood, and spare-rib tom-klong. An added gimmick is that each item in the menu has a price ending with 2. Corkage B700 for spirits, B300 for wine.
This spacious two-story restaurant triples as a gallery, bar and furniture shop. Come here for Thai dishes and western fare whipped up to suit the local palate, admire the works of aspiring artists, wind down with after-work cocktails or simply drop by to snag some furniture—mostly retro pieces with a focus on the 50-70s. It might not be fine dining, but the atmosphere is spot-on. Corkage B500.
This spacious two-story restaurant triples as a gallery, bar and furniture shop. Come here for Thai dishes and Western fare whipped up to suit the local palate, admire the works of aspiring artists, wind down with after-work cocktails or drop by to snag some furniture—mostly retro pieces with a focus on the 50-70s. It might not be fine dining, but the atmosphere is spot-on.
The buzz: The folks behind Cosmic Café have revamped and reopened the former Jet bar under a new name Sonic; and the debut party with Dudesweet has already created an indie vibe for the joint.
The décor: A warehouse, bare and raw, with naked bulbs over the bar and metal pipes along the rafters. While the outdoor terrace is all about dining seats, the main room is filled with club-style tables and a couple of colorful sofas that get moved out when the place gets packed with revelers.
The buzz: Fixie bike-lovers bar Pedalicious might have closed last month, but Ekkamai Soi 12 is now welcoming a new homey bar, Escape, which blends Happy Monday’s artistic vibe with Stu-Fe’s musical cred.
Salute is certainly not the first and it won’t be the last restaurant in this city to suffer from trying to do too much and not quite getting any of it right. Even after eating there a couple of times we’re not sure how to describe it. Is it a wine bar, a music venue, a club? It might depend on where you sit. Opt for the pleasant alfresco terrace with its sofa seating and enjoy a glass or two of wine. Head into the nightclub style interior and you’ll find yourself shouting to be heard, even when the live music isn’t playing.
