BANGKOK RESTAURANT

JuaBK Distribution

This Charoenkrung izakaya makes a case for upmarket, hip Japanese bar food.

Nestled deep down a residential Charoenkrung soi, far removed from the Japanese hotbed that is Sukhumvit, this sleek modern izakaya is providing the fuel for many a big night out. To go with the plentiful sake, shochu and umeshu, chef Chet Adkins deals in Japanese-style grilled skewers that showcase both excellent produce and expert preparation.

Places like Jua are the reason why Charoenkrung held the title as “Bangkok’s hippest street” for the better part of 2017. It’s upmarket but wallet-friendly; concise but creative; artsy and effortlessly cool. In other words, it hits a sweet spot that most restaurants miss.

Chef-owner Chet Adkins and his business partner, photographer Jason Lang, produce a blend of flawless grilled skewers and boozy creations that go toe-to-toe with the izakaya heavyweights on Surawong-Silom. Tucked in an old corner lot that used to be an illegal casino (the name, Jua, translates to something like “hit me” in Thai), the restaurant’s creaky metal door, large photo canvases and downstairs terrazzo bar have a look of refined cool, which explains the eclectic mass of expats and Thais who hang out here.

Adkins’ Japanese-style bar grub is a prime example why simplicity is king. Jua’s concise menu charts just half a page. The okra skewers (pillowy, pepper-like greens seasoned lightly with a togarashi spice mix, B70) are crunchy, juicy and not at all slimy. The succulent tiger prawn (smeared with your choice or durian or garlic butter, B240) practically melts out of its shell after sizzling under aromatic longan wood. In fact, you can sum up most of the izakaya menu, from the pork belly (B120) to pumpkin (B70), with the words “juicy” and “tender”—a phrase we repeated often on our last visit.

Even the bits that make Westerners squirm, like chicken heart (B80), are so succulent they might as well be wagyu beef. Straying from the grill still yields great, but less consistent results. The slithery fresh yellow fin poke (B280) is a hit; the slightly dry deviled eggs (B280) a miss. 

But you could delete Jua’s entire food menu and it would still hold up as a respectable booze den. The smooth and tangy Namba Sour (Mars 3&7 blended whiskey, yuzu juice, lemon juice and egg white, B300) almost goes down too easy. As does the Old Fashioned (Rittenhouse rye, Angostura bitters, orange and cherry, B300), but steer clear of the overly sweet Shochu Negroni (B300). The by-the-glass shochu (from B250), umeshu (from B300) and sake (from B180) options deserve a nod too. Like the food menu, it’s a concise, quality list.

Venues with exceptional food, prices, drinks and atmosphere aren’t rare in these parts, but Jua is a standout even by Charoenkrung standards. Corkage B500


This review took place in February 2018 and is based on a visit to the restaurant without the restaurant's knowledge. For more on BK's review policy, click here.

 
Venue Details
Address: Jua, 672/49 Charoenkrung Soi 28, Bangkok, Thailand
Phone: 02-103-6598
Website: www.facebook.com/juabangkok
Area: Riverside, Charoenkrung
Cuisine: Japanese
Price Range: BBB
Open since: October, 2017
Opening hours: Mon-Sat 5-11pm; Sun 5-9pm
Reservation recommended
Report a correction

The Japanese term kushiyaki refers to skewered meats, fish, and fresh vegetables grilled over binchotan, or Japanese charcoal. At JUA we take this idea a few steps further. In addition to classic kushiyaki, our chefs have created a confident menu based around stylish Japanese and Korean interpretations of comfort munchies and 70’s cocktail food. A place to relax, unwind, and enjoy food and drink as they are meant to be enjoyed, in a immaculately-designed space that combines the spirit of Osaka’s backstreets with vibrant energy and laidback soul of Bangkok’s old town.

juabkc1902bkk
bkchampions
https://bookv5.chope.co/booking?rid=juabkc1902bkk&d=22+Mar+2019&t=06%3A00+pm&source=bkchampions
Omakase tasting menu with optional sake pairing
Price: 
1,500++/ person
Date: 
Mar 22 - 29, 2019 05:00PM - 09:00PM
Apr 01 - 07, 2019 05:00PM - 09:00PM
https://bookv5.chope.co/booking?rid=juabkc1902bkk&d=22+Mar+2019&t=06%3A00+pm&source=bkchampions

Omakase tasting menu with optional sake pairing

 

Price: 1,500++/ person

 
Chef Adkins will personally select an omakase (a Japanese dining term meaning “I’ll leave it up to the chef”) for each guest during Top Tables Champions.
The exact courses will depend on the best of what’s fresh on Jua’s menu.
Exclusive complimentary for Citi credit card members
One item of diner's choice (valued at B200) (limit 1 dish/person)

Executive Chef Chet Adkins has more than 30 years of experience in the food and drink industry. Originally from Florida, Chet cut his teeth cooking for crowds of over 30,000 at the Orlando Arena. Since then, Chet has traveled around the globe opening Japanese outlets in Beverly Hills, Sydney, Mexico City, Bangkok, Melbourne and Hong Kong.  Chet is a natural leader in the kitchen, an excellent operations manager and a highly skilled chef specializing in modern japanese cuisine. He is also a professional kitchen designer and regularly consults on hospitality projects around the region.