Ban Nam Kieng Din

Why you need to go: Can’t get a table at Chocolate Ville? Never mind, Ban Nam Kieng Din is a lot more affordable and accessible and has been doing the whole faux European farmhouse décor thing for over 10 years. It also boasts a delightful location on the beautiful Aksa Road. We recommend you book in advance for the spot by the duck pond and enjoy watching the rabbits scamper around the garden.
Eat this: Most of the dishes are made for a Thai palate and offer up hearty portions and honest cooking. Try a Caesar salad (B170), follow up with pork knuckle with sauerkraut (B295) and wash it down with their beers like Weizen, Munchen and Franziskaner (B160 for a pint).
60/1 Uttayan Rd., Taweewattana, 02-441-3837, 02-441-4657. Open Mon-Thu 5-11pm, Fri-Sun 4-11pm

Galley Café

Why you need to go: This small café is big on their food and their service. Located in a cute white house with a terrace and a garden, the place is popular at lunch with the office workers in the area. Homemade cakes and alfresco seating? Sign us up!
Eat this: Salad, steak and pasta classics. But what we always order here is the khao pad gang kiew waan moo (B65) and khao pad kee mao (B65).
14/42 Bangkhunnon, Talingchan, 02-881-3623. Open Thu-Tue 10am-10pm

Crème Brulee

Why you need to go: Located in the owner’s home, this sweet little café ticks all the trendy boxes: girly, Victorian, bucolic. Take an Emily Bronte novel and sit in the garden, which has no shortage of cutesy decorations.
Eat this: Try the seafood soup (B150), duck confit served with gratin dauphinois (B350) and Caribbean salmon (B350).
34/2 in front of Soi Baromrajchonnee 67, Talingchan, 085-998-8819. Open daily 7am-7pm (kitchen 11am-10pm)

MisterPas

Why you need to go: The lovely MisterPas has moved across the river from Phra Athit to this new location on Kanchanpisek Road. Yes, it’s a bit of a hike but it’s worth it if, like us, you miss the taste of their honest but interesting home-cooking and the place’s cozy dining-room-sized ambience. The new home offers a larger space but the simple yet innovative food and décor remain untouched—as does their warm welcome.
Eat this: The pistachio crusted snapper fillet on nero spaghetti (B395) remains a stand- out. Also try the spaghetti with crispy bacon (B250) and the oven-roasted pork fillet with garlic and sage wrapped in bacon with a cranberry sauce (B425).
88/12 Kritsana Village, Kanchanapisek Rd., Bang Kruay, 081-921-1920. Open Tue-Sun noon-11pm

Anya’s Place

Why you need to go: Clean air, and a touch of class—take that Thong Lor! With bean bags, a garden and a raw cement finish, Anya’s Place is probably one of the few restaurants in Thonburi that can actually boast hipster appeal. The big pond full of lotus flowers means it’s also a pretty romantic spot to take a date.
Eat this: Anya’s Place offers some Thai and Western favorites like moo klua gling prik tum (stir-fried pork with chili), namprik makaam (tamarind chili paste) and spaghetti keemao khana moo krob (spaghetti with chili, Chinese kale and crispy pork).
Pinklao-Nakhonchaisri Rd., 02-800-3533-4. www.anyaplace.com. Open Thurs- Tues 11am-10pm.

Silver Kitchen

Why you need to go: You’ll often spot people making the great migration across the Chao Praya for Silver Kitchen’s tasty Chinese food at reasonable prices. As a result, both lunch and dinner are always packed. But we recommend you fight the crowds and go for lunch to experience their dim sum. Also, the next door Ruen Yok (run by the same owners) is another great spot for suki boran, thanks to the sauce made from bean curd.
Eat this: Try pla krapong nueng manao (steamed sea bass in spicy lime sauce)—the fish is fresh and very zesty. Bamee kaa haan (egg noodle with goose legs) is also a must try if you like goose legs and their noodles are cooked perfectly. Wrap things up with some sweet galojee— pleasantly chewy with a nice aroma of sesame in the sugar.
331/36 Ratburana Rd., 02-871-3991-2. Open Mon-Fri 11am-2pm, 5-10pm; Sat-Sun 11am-10pm

Bangkok Sea View

Why you need to go: And now, for something completely different. Bangkok Sea View asks you to get on a long-tail boat (just B50 for adults and B20 for kids) from a pier on Rama 2 and go dine in the middle of the Gulf of Thailand, basically on a big platform on stilts. During the 20-min journey to get there, you’ll pass through a mangrove forest and see the lifestyle of people living by (and with) the river. This is bordering on a day-trip but it’s definitely worth it. Reservations recommended.
Eat this: Mostly seafood, obviously. Try the poo talay pad pong karee (sea crab in yellow curry, B550), choo chee gung (stir-fried prawns in red curry sauce, B250) and yam cha kram (seablite spicy salad, B150).
74/3 Thakam, Bangkhuntien, 083-160-6714, 089-613-1340. www.bangkokseaview.com. Open Tue-Sun 11am-9pm (last trip to the restaurant is 7pm)

Mochi

B135 at Masatomi Patisserie
A form of rice dumpling, the mochi at this patisserie are a combination of the chef’s classical French training from the Cordon Bleu and a strong Japanese influence. That means exciting new flavors like chocolate banana and mango alongside more traditional offerings like red bean and green tea. They now also offer a new takeaway kiosk on the 5/F of Emporium.
3/F, The Portico Langsuan, 31 Soi Langsuan, 02-652-1977. BTS Chit Lom

Dangko and Daifuku

B30 and B45 at Vanilla Garden
Dangko and daifuku are traditional Japanese dumplings made from rice flour and stuffed with different fillings (often red bean paste). They might not sound so exciting, but they can actually be delightfully sweet and gooey affairs. Vanilla Garden is a great spot to find out for yourself and both these treats go great with a cup of tea in their cute retro house.
53 Ekkamai Soi 12, 02-381-6120, 02-381-6122. www.vanillaindustry.com

Chou Cream

B35 at Bake a Wish
While the name comes from the French choux à la crème the recipe is derived from the Japanese co-founder’s family. It might be the reason why you’ll spot many Japanese expats dropping by. Bake a Wish offers a wide range of different baked goods but we say plump for the original and popular chou creams, light, sweet and slightly crispy with a lovely soft, fragrantly-sweet cream inside. Their strawberry shortcake (B95) is also a must-try.
The Circle, 39 Ratchapruek Rd., 085-043-7577, 086-055-0992. bakeawish-japanesecake.com

Hokkaido Chocolate

B270 for 15 pieces at Melt Me Chocolate
The Hokkaido chocolate craze started by Royce gets its local counterpart courtesy of Melt Me. Owner Ing (wife of green tea baron Tan Ichitan) went to Japan to study the Hokkaido-style of chocolate making and brought back this recipe, which contains more than 70% Hokkaido dark chocolate. The result is a melt-in your mouth truffle that is so rich in buttery milk it must be kept refrigerated.
Arena Ten, 225/11, Thonglor Soi 10, 02-542-2100.

Honey Toast

B165 at After You
This dessert started getting a buzz in Japan a few years ago and then Bangkokians went truly crazy for it last year. Many claim that After You has the best toast in town and it was mobbed when it opened. Their Shibuya honey toast (B165) comes in various styles—crispy, soft, salty and sweet—but be warned the result is pretty addictive.
2/F, La Villa Ari, Paholyothin Rd., 02-613-0597. www.afteryoudessertcafe.com. BTS Ari

FRESH IMPORT Hokkaido Ice-cream

We’re now being invaded by Japanese dessert franchises instead of udon ones. The latest is a pink dessert café from Japan that has just popped up in Terminal 21 and Paragon. They strongly recommend their ice-cream teppan no. 20, “Twinkle Night Cinderella” (strawberry ice-cream, caramel, cheesecake, strawberry jam and fresh cream), made from 100% Hokkaido milk—and its clearly popular judging by the crowds. B169 for regular. G/F, Siam Paragon, Rama 1 Rd., 02-610-7511. BTS Siam

Hankering for some soothing comfort food? The first road in Bangkok, Charoenkrung, is always crazy busy, but it’s also full of good old Thai food classics­­—particularly between the Silom and Sathorn intersections.

We knew exactly where to kick off our taste trek. Joke Prince (1391 Charoenkrung Rd., across from Robinson Bangrak, 02-234-9407. Open daily 6am-12pm and 5-9pm) serves up traditional bowls of piping-hot rice porridge (B30) that are full-bodied with a natural, smoky flavor. Just a bowl of this yumminess is reason enough to trek out there.

Love the famous khao mun kai at Pratunam, well there’s a small no-name shophouse right that will cure that craving (Charoenkrung Rd., next to Wat Suthiwararam, 081-817-5803. Open daily 5pm-10pm). We recommend the nuea nong (chicken leg meat, B30), which couldn't get any juicier than this. The accompanying sauce is full of flavor and the rice is perfectly cooked and not too greasy.

Starving to death? Then try noodle stall Hia Aoun (Charoenkrung Rd., next to Assumption College, 089-476-2241. Open daily 8am-6pm), aka Hia Sum. Hia Sum offers a huge bowl of noodles (B30-B50), loaded with tasty meatballs. And don’t forget to try their spring rolls, as well.

Prajak Ped Yang’s (1415 Charoenkrung Rd., 02-234-3755, 083-910-1444. Open daily 8am-8:30pm. www.prachakrestaurant.com) reputation precedes it, as you can tell from the myriad newspaper and magazine reviews plastered on the wall. The ped yang (grilled duck, B60-B100 for a plate) is very tender and flavorful, while their bamee (noodles with grilled duck, B45) comes with a nice texture and a slight smell of fresh egg. Don't forget to try the shrimp wonton (B35), too: big chunks of shrimp stuffed inside a light dough.

Just a few steps from Prajak is Yun Wo Yun (1443 Charoenkrung Rd., 02-234-8178. Open daily 8am-9:30pm). Pull up a chair here and try one of their many kinds of Chinese herbal drinks (B6 for a glass) like jab lieng, chrysanthemum tea or tiger herbal. Whether the health benefits they tout are actually true or not, we think it's fun to try some bitter drinks made using recipes that have been passed on for more than 80 years.

Now, let’s get back to some noodles. Jao Long (1450 Charoenkrung Rd., 02-234-7499. Open daily 7am-9pm), inside a shophouse, dishes out bowls of noodles with fishballs (B30), which are always reliable. The fishballs, made from pla insee (Spanish mackerel) are chewy and consistently fresh.

Otherwise, try Jae Lee (1387 Charoenkrung Rd., 02-234-2791. Open daily 7:30am-9:30pm, except every second and fourth Sunday of the month) across the road, which offers similar dishes (B30) and also packs a crowd at lunch. Their fishballs are homemade, too, so it’s all a matter of personal taste when deciding which establishment is better.

Eat, drink and, of course, snack: Jae Noi (in front of Soi Sriwiang. Open Tue-Sun 9am-7pm) sells deep fried slices of bananas, sweet potatoes and taros at her small stall. Take a friend with you because there is usually a fairly long queue for her treats, but trust us, it is worth the wait. The fried bananas and coconut (B20 for a bag) are the perfect combination of outer crispiness and a very tender inside.

We end our trek with one of Thailand’s most famous desserts: mango and sticky rice. This legendary treat can also be found at Boonsub (1478 across from Top Charoen Optical, 02-234-4086. Open daily 8am-6:30pm), which has been popular and well-known for more than 70 years. The mango (its price depends on the market, khao niew is B140 for a kg) is available only in the summer, but you can always try other desserts, such as khao niew sangkaya (sticky rice topped with Thai custard, B25).