1.) Company Seal

2.) Name of the product

3.) This particular label reads “super dry”

4.) Special Ingredients

If there are any other ingredients added (usually sake is just rice, yeast, water and koji [mold spores]) such as malt (tokubetsu), there will be a special symbol here.

5.) Date of Production

In general, sake is best consumed within two to three months of production and within a couple days of it being opened.

6.) Types of sake

There are seemingly endless varieties of sake, but experts tend to break it down into five main types:
Daiginjo (大吟醸) has a seimaibuai (rice milling ratio, see right) of roughly 50%. Usually sweet, aromatic and natural tasting. Recommended for beginners as it’s easy to drink.
Ginjo (吟醸) has a seimaibuai of at least 60% with alcohol added. It’s similar to daiginjo—fruity, light and aromatic.
Junmai (純米) is pure sake—brewed with nothing but rice, water, yeast and koji (mold spores). With its strong, not-so-sweet taste, it’s suitable for hardcore sake fans. The seimaibuai varies but is mostly around 70%. Many bottles here are labeled junmai ginjo, which means pure sake with 60% seimaibuai.
Nama ( 生) is unpasteurized sake with a more intense flavor. It’s fresher and more aromatic but the quality is less stable.
Honjozo (本醸) is sake brewed with seimaibuai of at least 70%, with distilled alcohol added.

7.) Seimaibui (Rice Milling Ratio)

Rice is milled or “polished” before being used in brewing to eliminate fat, protein, and minerals that can inhibit fermentation. The percentage on the bottle represents the amount of the original rice grain that remains after polishing. Generally, the more the rice is polished, the more refined the sake’s flavor—or ­the lower the percentage the better.

8.) Alcohol Content

9.) Drinking Suggestion

The label gives a recommendation on how the sake is best consumed (most ranked from cold to hot): at room temperature, with ice or hot. A recommendation with two circles is advice you really should follow, while one circle is not as highly suggested.

INTERVIEWS

Q&A: Chavayos Rattakul,

Owner of Tenyuu Grand and soon-to-open O’zake

Why do you like sake?
I’ve always loved Japanese food and sake is a big part of that. When I look at the bottle, I love discovering the little heartwarming stories behind each sake brewer.
What differentiates good from bad sake?
Sake is like wine. It all depends on your preferences. But bad sake can be recognized on an immediate level—it will hurt your throat. It shouldn’t be so strong that you can smell the ethanol.
Any bottle you would like to recommend?
Jozen Mizuno Gotoshi. I think it’s very well balanced, a bit sweet, not dry, easy to drink and the aftertaste is a bit fruity.

Q&A: Mukai Yujiro,

Chef at soon-to-open Sen-ryo

What makes for a good sake?
Every part of the brewing process is important. The rice, for instance, shouldn’t be the same as what you eat at the dining table. It’s important that the brewery uses natural water from nearby sources, too. A cheap sake takes only 14 days to ferment while good ones take around 40-50 days, and they’re best made during winter.

Q&A: Bhongsakara Eiam-ong,

Owner of Ogu Ogu

Any bottle you would like to recommend?
President Sake or Hakutsuru Daiginjo. I really love it—fragrant, quite light but with good volume. The aftertaste is amazing, too. But I would advise beginners to start with a very mild sake before moving on to a dry one and then a very dry one.
How do you pair sake with food?
Mainly, meat dishes suit a full-bodied sake, fried dishes go with a flavorful sake like a junmai, while sashimi suits a very light tasting one. Actually, I find sake to be pretty amazing in that it can be paired with any cuisine.

ESSENTAILS

Ogu Ogu
G/F, Park Ventures Ecoplex, 57 Witthayu Rd., 02-108-2255. Open Mon-Thu 11:30am-10pm; Fri-Sun 11:30am-midnight
Sen Ryo
Room RG01, G/F, Nihonmura Mall, 85 Thonglor Soi 13, 081-875-2682 Scheduled to open this month.
Tenyuu
Sathorn Rd. (in front of Soi 8), 02-632-1777. Open Mon-Sun 11:30am-2:30pm, 5:30pm-midnight
O’zake
Thonglor Soi 15, 02-712-7555. Scheduled to open this month.

This March, our friends in the restaurant industry were all gossiping about the same thing. “The Michelin inspectors are in town this week,” they would say, conjuring up images of grumpy Ratatouille-esque food critics slipping quietly into restaurants throughout town. Bangkok has long been enamored with Michelin chefs, despite the French restaurant guide not covering our city. Chefs from Michelin-star restaurants regularly visit Bangkok’s five-star hotels and at least a dozen chefs based here have previously worked at Michelin-star restaurants. Some restaurants, such as Nahm, Yamazato, Sra Bua and D’Sens, are even spinoffs of restaurants in London, Amsterdam, Copenhagen and Montpellier respectively that have held, or still hold at least one Michelin star. But is Bangkok ready for its own Michelin guide? Who here deserves a star—or three? How will we fare compared to Kuala Lumpur and Singapore? Can we even afford this level of dining? And would the guide be relevant given Michelin’s hotly debated track record with Asian cuisines?

THE CHEFS ARE COMING

Michelin did not respond to our emails, so their imminent arrival is just a rumor at this point. But industry insiders believe a guide for Singapore, Bangkok and Kuala Lumpur is in the works with a scheduled release in 2014. Much of this speculation follows the announcement made by PACE Development Corporation Plc that Joel Robuchon, the chef with the most Michelin stars, would open at CUBE, the retail wing of the Mahanakorn building. “Robuchon and Michelin are very tight,” says Oliver Kramny of the Water Library group, whose flagship is located in Grass Thonglor. “When Robuchon arrives in town, Michelin always follows.”

Water Library is betting big on Michelin’s arrival. They have signed up Juan Amador, whose restaurant earned three Michelin stars in Langen, Germany. They plan for the chef to open five restaurants in the region, including two in Bangkok: one-fine dining venue and a more low-key restaurant. “The aim is to get three stars for one place and perhaps one star for the other,” says Kramny. The new Central Embassy mall, set to open this December, is also rumored to be pushing hard for a Michelin-star chef to get on board, if not in the mall, than at least in the adjoining Part Hyatt Hotel due to open in October 2014.

THE BETS ARE ON

Were the Michelin Guide to sweep into town, it would not just be awarding out-of-town talent. Existing restaurants should get stars, too. Speculation is rife as to who would actually get a star, though. Chatree Kachonklin, of La Table de Tee, worked at one-star restaurant Roussillon, in London, and he thinks Ian Kittichai would be a likely candidate. “If a Thai chef got some stars, it would be so exciting,” says Chatree. “It would be a huge encouragement for all Thai chefs in the country.” While he is confident in local chefs’ ability to seek out the best local produce, Chatree is quick to add that cooking it is another matter: “Michelin-starred restaurants also really excel at the cooking technique and art part. And if they come here, it’s a chance for Thai chefs to understand that side of cooking. It’s exhausting but it’s fun.”

The Okura Prestige hotel's Elements restaurant's chef, Cyril Cocconi, who has previous experience working under multi-Michelin-star powerhouse Joel Robuchon is betting on another Thai restaurant, the Metropolitan Hotel's Nahm. Headed by David Thompson, Nahm had a Michelin-star in London, before he relocated the restaurant to Bangkok. "He makes really amazing food," says Cocconi. "And he's able to source all the best produce."

WHAT'S MISSING?

Pressure on finding that good produce will quickly mount, though. Chatree’s daily morning routine is to scour four different markets for his ingredients. “Lots of great local ingredients exist, but most go to the hotels. It’s a who-pays-more-gets-more system,” he explains. Chef Herve Frerard, of Le Beaulieu, who has long been described as one of Bangkok’s most serious contenders for a Michelin star, concurs. “I’m a consultant for the Royal Projects,” says Frerard. “So I get first pick for a lot of things. But honestly, I still have to import a majority of my produce. There's just no consistency here.”

Duangporn "Bo" Songvisava, who worked at Nahm in London, is now chef at Bo.lan (along with her husband, Dylan Jones) and recently won The Veuve Clicquot World's Best Female Chef Award. She thinks standalone restaurants may actually be at an advantage over hotels. "There's fantastic produce here. You just have to order it directly from small producers, and hotels just can't do that, because they order such big volumes."

Quince's Wilfrid Hocquet is another French chef with a star-filled resume that includes time working for Michelin superstar Alain Ducasse and the Pourcel Brothers (chefs of one-star Le Jardin des Sens, in Montpellier). Having recently arrived in Bangkok, Hocquet admits he was struggling to find not just produce, but also staff. "When the going gets rough, staff will just quit. It's very hard to get them to change how they work," he says. The soon-to-open Ku De Ta deployed a full-fledged marketing campaign to hire the 400 staff needed to properly run its restaurants and nightclubs. "To train staff is hard. To retain them is even harder," says Duangporn.

Gaggan Anand, of contemporary Indian restaurant Gaggan, thinks the front of the house will be the biggest challenge. “You’ll see Thai smiles as soon as you get off the plane at the airport, but the biggest disadvantage when the Michelin Guide arrives is probably the language barrier. Still, if Tokyo didn’t get penalized for that, then the Michelin Guide should respect our culture too,” he says.
One other crucial element might also be missing: diners. Imported franchises typically struggle in Bangkok. D’Sens, Zuma or Grossi never attract the kind of crowds you’ll see at Gianni's or Le Beaulieu, both of which are headed by charismatic chefs who know how to work the tables. “In Singapore or Hong Kong, seeing the chef is not that important,” says Water Library's Kramny. “But in Bangkok, the chef has to be there.”

CAN YOU AFFORD IT?

There’s also the question of cost. “To get Joel Robuchon is so expensive. Even if he does get his three stars, you’ll never get your money back. To open a Robuchon restaurant is at least 1.5 million dollars [B45 million]. Half of that goes to Robuchon. Then there's the equipment he expects, the salary of a good head chef... The costs are very, very high,“ says Kramny.

“49 percent of my cost is produce. I’d be fired immediately if I worked in a hotel. The costs of running this restaurant are huge because I love great produce. But people call me expensive or overpriced,” says Beaulieu's Frerard. "I'm lucky to have been here 15 years, and I have a hiso clientele. But you can't charge much more in this town than what I'm charging, which is B2,500 to B3,500 per person for the food alone."

At those prices, can fine dining turn a profit? Not according to Kramny, who says, “Three-star Michelin restaurants aren’t designed to make money. The money comes from merchandising, like books, or engagements for the chef. Usually, the place is subsidized by the hotel or owner somehow. It’s a vanity thing.”

The other big question is whether Bangkokians will even care about Michelin's arrival. Michelin’s first Japan guide was panned by some critics for being out of touch and irrelevant. With so many fantastic tiny eateries in every little back alley of Tokyo, Michelin was accused of missing out on the dining scene outside of the high-end establishments. Celebrity Chef Bobby Chinn adds that Michelin's obession with silverware and sommeliers isn’t what’s hot these days: “If you fast forward to look at what’s going to happen in the food world, it’s moving to the street.”

“No one can compete with our street food,” says Gaggan. But the chef believes Michelin just might be able to tap into that. “I tried a Michelin-starred ramen restaurant in Japan. It was perfect. And I hope that they will understand our khao mun gai shophouses, too, as it’s all about the same dedication.” Will your favorite restaurants—and khao mun gai stalls—get the stars they deserve? Maybe not all. But the red book is bound to move our dining scene forward.

ESSENTIALS

Gaggan
68/1 Soi Lang Suan, 02-652-1700. Open daily 6-11pm

Elements and Yamazato
The Okura Bangkok, Wireless Rd., 02-687-9000

La Table de Tee
69/5 Soi Sala Daeng, Silom Rd., 02-636-3220. Open Tue-Sun 6:30-10:30pm

Bo.lan
42 Sukhumvit Soi 26, 02-260-2962. Open Tue-Sun 6:30-11pm

Le Beaulieu
G/F, Athenee Office Tower, Wireless Rd., 02-168-8220-3. Open Tue-Sun 11:30am-2:30pm, 6:30-11:30pm

Water Library
The Grass Thonglor 12, 02-714-9292. Open Mon-Sat 6pm-1am. 2/F, Chamchuri Square, Rama 4 Rd., 02-160-5188. Open daily 11:30am-2:30pm, 6-9:30pm

Quince
Sukhumvit Soi 45, 02-662-4478. Open daily 11:30-1am

D'Sens
22/F, Dusit Thani Hotel, 946 Silom Rd., 02-200-9000. Open Mon-Sat 11:30am-2:30pm, 6:30-10pm

Nahm
G/F, Metropolitan, Sathorn Rd., 02-625-3333. Open Mon-Fri noon-2:30pm; daily 7-11pm

Sra Bua
1/F, Siam Kempinski, 991/9 Rama 1 Rd., 02-162-9000. Open daily 11am-2pm, 6-10:30pm

Formalin-tainted Squid

Prakiat Khuntol, Collective Coordinator of Suan Spirit Organization

Prakiat worked in artisan fishing for more than 20 years, helping local people on the Andaman coast set up more sustainable practices—using the right fishing equipment and taking care of the coast. Now he does direct trade with the fishermen and builds awareness of ecological issues through the Thai Green Market (www.thaigreenmarket.com) collective.

“It’s very difficult to know which vendors at the market use formalin to preserve their squid. It makes the squid stiff and white, but it’s still not easy to be sure. If you try asking the vendors where they get their squid from and how, most couldn’t care less.”

What can you do?

If you’re shopping at an organic store, don’t just believe the signage “plod saan (chemical-free)”—the shop owners need to know where the produce comes from and what equipment was used. A lot of squid is illegally caught using trawl nets which have a negative impact on sea life.

Farmed Shrimp

Kritsada Hongrath, co-owner of Sureerath Farm

Running probably the only prawn farm (www.sureerathprawns.com) in Thailand that is certified by the International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movements (IFOAM), Krissada is helping his father to continue their organic farming philosophy in Chantaburi.

“Most shrimps come from industrial farms where many shrimps are packed into one small pond. As overcrowding leads to poor water quality, due to decreased oxygen level, it’s common for aquafarmers to pump in oxygen and to treat the pool with chemicals. Most chemicals don’t harm humans, unless there are certain drugs involved, which could cause cancer in the long-run. And some farms are also harmful to the environment. Even though it’s illegal, in reality, the waste, which is full of chemicals, is still being dumped into nearby natural waterways where it will inevitably affect mangrove forests and sea life.”

What can you do?

The law doesn’t really help with this matter and there’s little demand from consumers. If the law doesn’t change, it will be hard to encourage farmers to uses organic practices. It costs a lot so there needs to be pressure placed on the government or supermarkets by consumers. Organic seafood has a long way to go before it reaches the sort of groundswell of support that organic vegetables garner.

Farmed Fish

Bill Marinelli, chef/owner at The Oyster Bar

Bill Marinelli doesn’t serve farmed seafood in his restaurant The Oyster Bar (395 Narathiwat Ratchanakarin Soi 24, 02-212-4809. Open Tue-Sun 6-11pm; Sun noon-3pm) nor did he at his recently closed The Seafood Bar, proving that where there’s a will, there’s a way for sustainable seafood to gain a foothold.

“Most farmed fish is unsustainably grown. For example, it takes three kilos of fish to grow one kilo of farmed salmon. And it’s extremely unhealthy to eat as it’s high in polychlorinated biphenyls, much higher than the US Food and Drug Administration recommends. Farmed salmon also contains antibiotics to keep them healthy and growth hormones to make them grow quickly—we’re not sure how dangerous these are yet as data is still being collected. Due to their diet, the farmed varieties don’t contain the healthy omega-3 fatty acids that wild salmon do, either.”

What can you do?

Stop eating farmed salmon.
The salmon you see on menus everywhere, including buffets, is farmed. No one’s serving wild salmon in Bangkok due to the high prices. If consumers stop ordering salmon, hotels and restaurants will stop buying it and serve fish that is more sustainable and economical.
Ask how the fish was caught.
If the chef or waiter can’t tell you how the fish was caught—order something else.
Stop eating “snowfish.”
“Snowfish” is actually an endangered species also known as Chilean seabass or Patagonian toothfish. The snowfish served here in Thailand is caught illegally, and not regulated by the Thai FDA or the customs department.

Supaksorn Jongsiri

Owner of Baan Ice, grew up in Prachachuen

“When I came back home after school or from playing football, I’d head straight to the kitchen starving and would fry the moo kem (salted pork) my grandma had marinated for me. This was when I started to cook. I did that almost every day, and special days like birthdays simply weren’t complete without this dish. Moo kem is my family’s most homely dish—I wouldn’t swap it for anything. My dad loved it since he was a child, too. And when I went to study in the US for almost 10 years, I had to do it all myself. My friends used to come back to the dorm and fry it all up!”
Somerset Thonglor, Sukhumvit Soi 55, 02-381-6441-2. Open daily 11am-10:30pm

Ayusakorn Arayankoon

Chef at Joe’s Table, grew up in Thonglor

“Khao chae (rice in iced jasmine-scented water served with various side dishes) definitely takes me back to my childhood. I was lucky to grow up at a time when everyone ate khao chae when the weather got hot. My grandma loved to cook and she would use all the flowers she grew herself like jasmine, rose and ilang ilang. When I grew up, my grandma didn’t cook as much because she had grown old, so I decided to do it myself. The dish isn’t very easy to find these days. I use homegrown flowers and make a few changes to the recipe, but there’s still a real taste of my childhood in it.”
2/F, The Promenade, Ram Indra, 02-947-5691. Open daily 10am-10pm

Danilo Aiassa

Chef at L’Ulivo, grew up in Piedmont, Italy

“My grandmom always cooked parsley sauce (parsley,  anchovy, tuna, vinegar and pepper) on Sunday for dipping with boiled beef or boiled chicken. I use it in red and yellow bell peppers filled with tuna and anchovies. That, a young salad and the parsley dip fill me with memories of when I was a child. It also reminds me of my grandfather who had them for breakfast with a glass of red wine.”
43 Naradhiwas Soi 7, 02-677-5756. www.lulivobkk.com. Open Mon-Fri 11:30am-2:30pm, 5:30-10:30pm; Sat 5:30-10:30pm; Sun 11:30am-3pm

Ian Kittichai

Chef at Issaya Siamese Club, grew up in Khlong Toei

“Dishes that stand out in my memory are Thai curries. My mother had a street food cart that I would push around the neighborhood with a dozen different curries she would make every day. Now at Issaya Siamese Club, two of my specialty curries are massaman gae (boneless lamb shank simmered in massaman curry served with ajard [pickled cucumber]) and paneang nuea (grain-fed Australian veal cheek simmered in house-blended spices, coconut milk and kaffir lime leaves). They have their roots from those days even though I have changed the protein and presentation.”
4 Soi Sri Aksorn, Chuaphloeng Rd., 02-672-9040-1. Open daily 11:30am-3pm, 6pm-midnight

Julien Lavigne

Chef at Gossip, grew up in Sedan, France

“During my childhood, I’d go to my grandma’s house in Sicily with my family. The house is in a small traditional village near Catania and was surrounded by a beautiful garden filled with lemon and olive trees. We had so many lemons we didn’t know what to do with them so my grandma taught me how to make preserved lemon according to her secret recipe that was based on a mix of salt, sugar and spices. That’s why today I’m applying this truely ancestral family recipe with chicken, vegetables and herbs which slowly cook in an oven.”
Thonglor Soi 15, 02-185-3093. Open daily 4pm-midnight

Sukhumvit Area

55 Pochana

Where hi-so and hipsters alike end up after partying in the area. The popular 55 Pochana sits at the beginning of the soi, with every dish made-to-order. The must-tries are the ped pad kraprao (stir-fried duck and basil) and dok kajon pad kai (stir-fried flowers with egg, B80) which is very flavorful and comes with chewy glass noodles. Be warned, though, service can sometimes be a little gruff. Seafood is another good pick in their super-spicy basics: cockles, oysters, clams, prawns. They have it all.
1087-1093 Sukhumvit Rd., (in front of Soi Thonglor) 02-391-2021. Open daily 5pm-3am

24 Owls by Sometime’s

The folks at Sometime’s (previously in Sukhumvit Soi 71) recently opened this 24-hour café that is sure to soothe any late-night pasta craving you may have. Set in a house with a nice garden, choose from the spaghetti tobiko (B220) or snow fish steak with butter and lemon sauce (B420). You can also nestle into one of their knick-knack-packed corners for a Hitachino craft beer (B190-B240) or two.
39/9 Ekkamai Soi 12, 02-391-4509. Open daily 24 hours.

Angel City Diner

Perfect for Soi 11 revelers on the comedown; roll up your sleeves and tuck into the Angel Burger (patty, blue, cheddar and Swiss cheese, bacon, caramelized onion, mayo, B399) or chili cheese burger (Texas beef chili, jalapeno and cheddar, B349) in the classic 24-hour American diner setting. Other dishes on offer include roast turkey (B349) and reuben sandwiches (B349), as well as wee-hour choices like the breakfast burrito (B299) and corned beef hash (B199).
Sukhumvit Soi 11, 02-651-3313. angelcitydiner.com. Open daily 6pm-7am

Greenhouse

Nothing beats a piping hot bowl of congee after all that booze binging. This 24-hour restaurant serves up a variety of velvety congee (B150). The patongko (deep-fried dough, B65) is the other great draw, giving the experience a crack-of-dawn breakfast feel. Proximity to the BTS can be a huge plus if you are still eating come 5:45am.
The Landmark, 138 Sukhumvit Rd., 02-254-0404 ext. 1405. BTS Nana).

New Srifa 33

This fourth generation mom-and-pop kao tom shop does delicious and greasy hoy jor poo (deep-fried crab dumplings with plum sauce). While you’re waiting, go for their quick and fulfilling muu pad namlieb (fried pork with salted olives, B80) and the ever-dependable pla neung manao (steamed fish with lime sauce, B100).
12/19 Sukhumvit Soi 33, 02-258-2649. Open daily 5pm-4am. www.newsrifa33.com

Rex Hotel

By now, you should be able to navigate all the delicious food stalls on Soi 38 with your eyes closed, but if you’re seeking something a little less street-level, but still crave some comforting khao tom gui (rice porridge with side dishes), try the Rex Hotel. The hotel’s dodgy appearances aside, most of the gub khao (side dishes) here are tasty, particularly the ped palo (braised duck with Chinese herbs, B110) and yam pla salid (spicy salad with fish, B90).
Sukhumvit Rd. (opposite Soi 45), 02-259-0106. Open daily 24 hours.

Ari Area

Jay Liab

Spot the red plastic chairs near Phyathai Hospital and you’ve found Jay Liab, the street-side stall renowned for its seafood, especially its yam poo dong (fermented raw crab in spicy salad, B300). It’s sour and spicy, with incredibly fresh crab—despite the light fermentation process.
Next to Phyathai Hospital, Phaholyothin Rd., 02-619-8639. Open daily 6pm-3am

Lao Lao

This Chinese institution has been an Ari mainstay for more than 30 years now. Not only do we love its opening times, but the dishes here are very well-prepared. The classic atmosphere—big round tables and lots of noise from chatty patrons and TV—add to the signature dishes like nam liab moo sub pla kem (stir-fried pork with Chinese olives, B100), yam poo kai dong (fermented raw crab in spicy salad, B230) and all the wonderfully crisp and fresh stir-fried vegetables.
Phaholyonthin Rd., 086-6268614, 02-271-2256, 02-271-4260. BTS Ari. Open daily 4pm-4am

Silom Area

25 Degrees

Swanky US chain 25 Degrees specializes in burgers. But to be honest, what we really like about the place are the desserts—pancakes, toast and waffles served with a bowl of fruit to balance things. All are worth the calories and prices (B140-B250), just make sure you have company as portions are huge. Seat yourself amid the upscale diner setting and order one of their delectable adults-only spiked shakes (B250) while you’re at it.
G/F, Pullman G Hotel, 188 Silom Rd., 02-238-1991. Open daily 24 hours.

Too Fast to Sleep

If you have too much alcohol in your blood, head to Too Fast to Sleep, another 24-hour café, for a wake-up call in the form of a steaming cup of coffee. The cute library-like place serves coffee from B80 and cake from B120.
Rama 4 Rd., 086-577-8989. MRT Sam Yan. Open daily 24 hrs.

Hong Teong Long

Hong Teong Long is a small hole-in-the-wall that does seriously impressive food. The menu is packed with Cantonese favorites, namely dumplings, mien (Chinese noodles) and stir-fried selections. We highly recommend the mien with super tender beef (B60) and the salapao (Chinese buns, B100) which burst in your mouth with just the right saltiness, sweetness and spiciness for a post-drinking feed.
Surawong Rd., 02-235-9075. Open daily 11-4am

Ramentei

Make friends with the masses of salarymen who frequent this Japanese favorite. The reason they (and you) are all here is because Ramentei’s katsu curry (B320) is among the best in town—the pork’s perfectly battered and tender throughout, while the curry is rich and flavorful. If your stomach’s a bit tender after a big night, do note that portions are absolutely massive.
23/8-9 Soi Thaniya, Silom Rd.,  02-234-8082. Open daily 11-2am

Souvlaki Greek Grill

If Silom is your district of debauchery, Souvlaki offers a welcome change from Burger King. The menu features a no-frills souvlaki sandwich (B55-95, depending on the meat) or more elaborate Greek classics, like moussaka (layered minced meat casserole with bechamel sauce, B350).
Soi 4, Silom Rd., 02-632-9967-8. BTS Sala Daeng. Open Mon-Sat 11am-2am

SIAM

Marina HK

Take shelter in this Hong Kong style tea house when even the late night joints have thrown you out, and you’re down to your last few satang. Eighty percent of the menu is under B100, and ninety-eight percent under B200. The menu ranges from congee (B38) to bbq pork ribs (B88 for medium) and Isaan treats.
21/1-6, Siam Square Soi 1, Rama 1 Rd., 02-251-1968. BTS Siam. Open 24 hrs.

Old Town Area

Iam Pochana

Considering all the street food on Yaowarat Road, Iam Pochana might be a little far-flung, but it’s still a great ping-yang (BBQ) place to go after midnight. With good food at great prices, Iam Pochana has been going strong for over 60 years. The beef (B170) is tender and delicious, plus the seafood dipping sauce is super tasty.
215/2-3 Soi 22 Kalakada 1, Maitreejitr Rd., 02-225-0582. Open daily 4pm-4am

Jay Fai

At B300-plus a dish, prices might not be what you’re used to paying for street food, but taste Jay Fai’s rad na (noodles with gravy sauce, B380) and you’ll understand why people keep coming back at all hours. The dish truly is a killer combination of seafood with crispy noodles prepared three ways.
327 Mahachai Rd., 02-223-9384. Open Mon-Sat 3pm-2am

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