Seenspace’s Korean fried chicken joint has been packed since it opened. Today, Bonchon Chicken (6/F, CentralWorld, Ratchadamri Rd., 02-185-2361) is taking its crispy drumsticks to CentralWorld. The menu will be a little shorter than the first branch, but the only dish really worth it at Bonchon is the fried chicken anyway, so we’re not too worried.
In our very own mini Singapore, where high-rises are constantly popping up, Colonial Bistro (167/2 Sathorn Soi 7, 02-679-0799) is a rare two-story house. The first floor is home to a café and the second sees more elaborate dining. The menu is Thai cuisine with Western touches, so expect dishes like your spicy fish cake to share its plate with buffalo wings and fried potato skins. Mains range from spaghetti with grilled prawns and sweet basil to stewed chicken with red wine.
Vanilla Crepe Café (F Bld., The Crystal Park, 64/99 Praditmanoontham Rd., 02-515-0944), a part of the Vanilla restaurants brand, boasts the same elegant styling as their other eateries: dark tones, nods to British chic and a retro bistro atmosphere. But this time around, crepes are taking center stage, with some pretty mind-boggling recipes such as wasabi prawn roe crepe, sausage and cheese crepe or chocolate malt crepe.
CLASSICS
Manhattan
Get it at: The Living Room (Sheraton Grande, 250 Sukhumvit Rd., 02-649-8353) for B330
Ingredients: Bourbon, vermouth, bitters
The traditional choice for a Manhattan is rye whiskey, but you’ll be hard pressed to find a legally imported bottle of that in Thailand. (Sadly, lots of good booze is unavailable due to import restrictions, and that goes for top shelf bourbon, too). But with the live jazz, the Manhattan at Living Room does just fine.
Scotch may have been your dad’s drink, but the American South’s bourbon is clearly today’s whiskey of choice, whether straight or in cocktails. Here are some of our favorites and where to get them.
If you missed seeing them last time around (there was a canceled gig), the trippy Australian-Khmer pop band Cambodian Space Project is back in Bangkok on Dec 2, playing an acoustic set at Opposite (Sukhumvit Soi 51). Their set will be followed by 70s tunes by DJ Kandy.
Opposite and WTF will also be serving their new menu item, the Vietnamese sandwich, banh mi, with grilled pork belly.
B200 (1 beer).
See our recent interview with them here.
In addition to savory nibbles and affordable cocktails, the big draw at Extra Virgin has always been the space itself. Which is why we’re a bit sad and suspicious that the Thong Lor area institution is moving from its house and garden to the hip enclave H1 (998 Thonglor Rd., 02-381-8696). The space is more living room-esque, though there is a nice glass front and some outdoor seats.
But wait, there’s more cheese (and other stuff) in store. In celebration of their ninth anniversary, the Franco-Thai Chamber of Commerce is organizing the Bonjour French Fair 2011 (www.bonjour-french-fair.com) at Queen Sirikit National Convention Center on Dec 8-11. Admission is free, and the event will feature assorted French products, especially food and drink from brands like Chateau Meyre and Taittinger.
Finally, a Swiss option that isn’t Chesa! Say hello to mouth-watering The Swiss Choice (Sukhumvit Soi 43, 02-259-0590. Open Mon-Sat 10am-8pm). The deli-cum-restaurant stocks imported cheeses like Gruyére AOC (B165 for 100 grams) and Tete de Moine AOC (B210 for 100 grams). The restaurant (open Mon-Sat at 6pm-10pm) serves decadent Alpine delights like fondue, raclette, or cheese salad.
Witch Pie Factory has recently relocated from Thong Lor Soi 1 to a quiet spot on Sukhumvit Soi 65 (02-391-1311, open 9am-6pm). See our original review at http://tiny.cc/um59n.
The second floor space at K. Village, where Rainbow Roll Sushi was, seems a bit cursed. But perhaps the newest arrival will break the spell with its winning name: Heawen for Burger Devils (02-661-5052). That’s not a typo: it’s a w, not a v. Cute na? They do Thai-inspired burgers like pork massaman (B120), green curry chicken (B110) and beef larb (B150). We are exciting to try.
