The Bangkok Booze Awards 2014
Craft beer boomed, cocktails got better with age and a whole heap of bars-slash-restaurants opened. Here’s what else we loved (and didn’t love) about drinking in Bangkok in 2014.
9 years ago
BEST NEW BAR BEFORE 10PM
Hot Rod
Heck, you could even have a liquid lunch here, if you wanted. The cocktails are by Chanond Purananda, of Hyde & Seek fame, the food’s by his buddy Peter Pitakwong (Smith) and the décoris by Ashley Sutton (Iron Fairies, Maggie Choo’s). So come early for surprisingly authentic Thai food at the kind of pocket-friendly prices you’d never find in Thonglor.
Room A103, G/F, Park Lane, Sukhumvit Soi 63. Open daily 6pm-midnight. BTS Ekkamai
BEST NEW BAR AFTER 10PM
Studio Lam
We dig the stone tile wall, we dig the wooden louvres, we dig the turquoise floor and massive, block-party-style sound system. But most of all, we dig that this bar manages to stay completely welcoming despite being a magnet for cool people. No, the drinks aren’t the cheapest—B300 for yaa dong-based cocktails? but where else dishes out such a consistently original lineup of musicians and DJs. This is world music without an incense burner or dreadlock in sight.
Sukhumvit Soi 51. Open Tue-Sun 6pm-1am. www.fb.com/studiolambangkok
BEST NEW BAR FOR DRINKING FOOD
Namsaah Bottling Trust
We don’t need much prodding to accept an invitation to drink in a bright pink house from the 1900s. But when they’ve got such great drinks as the Salted Caramel Whiskey Sour (B260) and Sex on the BTS (vodka, peach schnapps, cranberry and orange, B290), then you’d be a downright fool not to go. Plus Namsaah is a serious restaurant. Ian Kittichai’s the chef. The menu of pan-Asian comfort food definitely encourages nibbling. And drinking. And more nibbling. So make sure you order a bowl of shrimp popcorn to go with that cocktail.
401 Silom Soi 7. 02-636-6622. Open daily 5pm-2am. BTS Chong Nonsi
BEST NEW CLUB
Do Not Disturb
A club specializing in electronic music that’s actually good? Such a great idea. While the tunes at Demo and Safe House have been getting weaker and weaker, Do Not Disturb has snuck up as the place where Bangkok’s coolest DJ collectives hang out. There’s drum n’ bass from Zoo Studio, electro-house from CMYK, retro sounds from the Paradise Bangkok Molam International Band, and regular performances by Tul Apartment Khunpa and DJ Pichy. The decor’s pretty nice, too.
Behind Nunglen and Escobar, Ekkamai Soi 7. Open Tue-Sun 8pm-2am. BTS Ekkamai
BEST POP-UP
Craft
The result of a partnership between Beervana and the team behind Whisgars cigar and whiskey bar, this pop-up sells craft beers with 20 labels on tap rotating monthly and 50 bottled varieties. Expect familiar names like Deschutes, Rogue and Anderson Valley, with a particular focus on hoppy, high-alcohol-content IPAs.
16 Sukhumvit Soi 23, 02-661-3220. Opens daily 2pm-12am. BTS Asoke
BEST NEW SECRET BAR THAT ISN’T SECRET AT ALL
U.N.C.L.E.
J. Boroski, Sugar Ray, U.N.C.L.E.—we can barely afford to drink at any of them, but it’s the latter’s mix of chocolate-leather couches and top-draw spirits that most makes us wish we could.
2/F, Lady Brett, 149 Sathorn Soi 12. 02-635-0406. Open Tue-Sun 6pm-1am
BEST NEW BAR TO BE A WOMAN IN
Ku De Ta
Opened back in late 2013, this Balinese/Singaporean bar and restaurant generated big buzz with its B1 million memberships before actually opening. But (broke) ladies, fear not. Head there on the Lipstick Night every Wednesday for free-flow sparkling wine till midnight, or turn up as a group of five before 10pm on Fridays for a free bottle of vodka.
39-40/F, Sathorn Square Complex, 98 Sathorn Rd., 02-108-2000. BTS Chong Nonsi
BEST NEW BAR THAT’S REALLY A RESTAURANT
Vesper
Bottego di Luca is a long-standing favorite of Bangkok’s in-the-know hisos. And we love Luca’s food at Vesper just as much. The cocktails created by London-based consulting team Fluid Movement are equally exciting, especially the barrel-aged list, matured in oak barrels for four weeks for exceptional flavor.
10/15 Convent Rd., 02-235-2777. Open Mon-Fri 11:30am-2:30pm, Sun-Thu 5:30pm-midnight and Fri-Sat 5:30pm-1am. BTS Sala Daeng
BEST TREND WE WANT TO END
Tea Cocktails
How can something that looks so refreshing—the beads of condensation, the pretty little orchid flower garnish—always taste so wrong? We’ll happily see the back of all tea-infused cocktails, especially when there’s milk in the equation, too.
BEST NEW BAR IN A MALL
Minibar Café
We can’t believe how many bars (or bar-slash-restaurants) opened in a mall this year: Hyde & Seek Peek-a-Boo, S’Mores, Minibar Café. They’re all great in their own way, but Minibar Café is the comeback kid. These guys launched both the whole New York style (industrial, white tiles, etc.) and the brunch thing in Bangkok. We think this new space is even cuter than before. Plus the barman is amazing (try Maple Champagne Cocktail containing sparkling wine, maple and pomegranate granita, B290). When the Park Hyatt hotel is finished, Minibar Café will even have its very own terrace with views of the Phloen Chit intersection.
5/F, Central Embassy, 1031 Phloen Chit Rd., 02-160-5610. Open daily 10am-10pm. BTS Pholen Chit
BEST NEW INTERIOR
Tied: J. Boroski Mixology/ A.R. Sutton Engineers Siam
Have we mentioned how much we admire Ashley Sutton’s work? We think he’s at his best when working in cramped spaces, though. Remember the first Iron Fairies? What a trip that was. With J. Boroski, he’s created a little jewelbox of a bar, finished in velvet and dressed with butterflies. Same goes with A.R. Sutton, which is more colonial and perhaps less sexy, but it’s got that
steampunk madness from Iron Fairies, a bit of British flair and an absolutely massive distillery in the front imported from Germany. It’s hard to top that.
A.R. Sutton, G/F, Park Lane Ekkamai, Sukhumvit Soi 63. Open daily 6pm-midnight
BEST COCKTAILS UNDER B250
Opposite Mess Hall
Yeah, you kind of feel guilty just going there for a drink when everyone around you is eating, but who cares when the cocktails are often cheaper than at WTF. Take the negroni: at WTF, B280; at Opposite, B220 (the menu says Aperol but ask for Campari and they’ll charge the same). What’s more, there are enough seats to go around, and they have some impressive creations of their own, like the B210 bourbon pineapple sour (seven-year-old bourbon, clove, pineapple shrub and lime juice).
27/1, Sukhumvit Soi 51. 02-662-6330. Open Tue-Sun 6:30pm-midnight. BTS Thong Lo
More cocktails under B250 here
BEST OUTRAGEOUSLY PRICED COCKTAILS
J. Boroski Mixology
There’s no menu at J. Boroski Mixology, just the promise that if your cocktail is booze-forward—which covers just about any serious drink like a negroni or Old Fashioned—it’s going to cost you over half a grand. But you feel so cool for even knowing about the place (whose address we cannot print for fear of no longer being able to drink there for free) that you don’t dare complain. See, you should have gone to journalism school.
BEST INTERNATIONAL INVASION
Japan
It wasn’t just our sushi restaurants that got a whole lot better this year. All things Japanese and boozy got stepped up a notch. First there was the supercheap (for how good they are) drinks of Sathorn’s new Hanakaruta, then the mellow Sukhumvit whiskey bar Walden put Bangkok’s other rugged-Americana bars to shame. We even rated a Japanese craft beer as the best match with
Thai food. Meanwhile, Japan’s Yamasaki Cherry Oak whiskey was voted the best in the world, and the Okura hotel even brought in Japanese wine.
BEST NEW BEER BAR
Mikkeller
Though pricier than your average brew, there’s no beating a good craft beer, and Mikkeller does some of the best. About 30 regularly rotating taps pump out Brew Dog, 3 Floyds, Beer Geek and plenty more in a laidback and spacious setting with a house-party feel.
26 Ekkamai Soi 10. 02-381-9891. Open daily 5pm-midnight. BTS Ekkamai
BEST COCKTAIL YOU CAN NO LONGER ORDER
Tied: Old Fashioned/Negroni
It pains us to say this of drinks we like so much. But in 2014, we only have ourselves to blame for drinking so many of the things that they’ve both gone the way of the mojito.
BEST NEW WINE SPECIALISTS
Wine Garage
The new import business from one of the partners at Quince has made wine cool by specializing in unique labels (both Old and
New World), unknown grapes and tasting events we’d actually sign up for. See for yourself at the monthly “What’s Your Grape” series at the Hive co-working space (next session is in January).
4 Sukhumvit Soi 45, 02-262-0255, www.winegarage.asia
BEST NEW WINE LIST
Osha
Forget about intimidating regions and grape varietals. Osha’s wine menu is a simple, straightforward listing of all their bottles categorized according to flavor profile. It’s a much more sophisticated (Napa Valley has been doing this for the past ten years) and user-friendly approach. Though, if you have some extra cash to spare, just opt for a bottle of Möet & Chandon, since they have a billion of them on display.
99 Witthayu (Wireless) Rd., 02-256-6555. Open daily 11am-2:30pm and 6pm-midnight
BEST NEW BAR SNACK
Hyde & Seek Peek-a- Boo’s Scotch Eggs
We love anything deep fried, but when that thing is wagyu beef and korabuta pork mixed together and wrapped around stilton cheese, we couldn’t be happier. Just don’t order them if you plan on getting lucky later in the night.
1/F, Groove, CentralWorld, Rama 1 Rd., 02 646-1099. Open daily 11-12:30am. BTS Siam
BEST BOOZY FOOD PAIRING
Le Du
We tried, guys. We really did. We went to all your beer pairing events and sampled your cocktail pairing menus for an extra B1,500 plus plus. Mostly, they suck. We don’t want to down five glasses of fruit juice with our food, unless that fruit juice is fermented grape juice. And on that topic, Le Du remains not only our favorite modern Thai restaurant but has a carefully thought-out wine pairing at a reasonable B1,590 for 5 glasses of wine and selected dishes. If you insist, you can also call for a “special pairing,” which cost the same but offers wine, selected sake and craft beer for more variety.
399/3 Silom Soi 7. 092-919-9969. Open Mon-Sat 6-11pm
BEST EXPANSION
Brew Beers and Ciders
Not just active in bringing heaps of new beers from around the world to town, but also in building a growing empire, owner Chris Foo now has HOBS and Brew o Thonglor, another branch of Brew at Asiatique, Beer Cap in Cosmic Café’s old spot on RCA and even plans to open a place in Siem Reap by early 2015. Of all his places, Beer Cap’s our pick.
Beer Cap, RCA Block C, 21/66, Soi Soonvijai, Rama 9 Rd. 02-641-4544. Open daily 5pm-1am
BEST NEW GALLERY TO DRINK AT
Soy Sauce Factory
2014 saw many of Bangkok’s best parties take place in galleries rather than bars and restaurants. Mind you, it’s harder than ever to make that distinction. This actual former soy sauce factory down in Chinatown launched in February with a jampacked dance party, hosts everything from pop-up dining events to artists’ residencies, and recently opened as a Thai restaurant for lunch and dinner. Thirsty work. It helps that the exhibitions, like the current one from provocative Chinese artist Ren Hang, are pretty special, too.
11/1 Chroenkrung Soi 24. 092-115-8696. Open Tue-Sat noon-11pm. MRT Hua Lamphong
BEST BAR FROM THIS YEAR THAT WON’T GET GOOD TILL NEXT YEAR
Parking Toys Watt
Run by the guy behind one of Bangkok’s live music institutions, Parking Toys Watt brings an alternative scene to Ekkamai, taking over what used to be PlernTa. The seating is effortlessly cool, with an openair Marrakesh-inspired bar sitting alongside retro furnishings. Top marks go to their music, too, which right now focuses on Thai roots, notably molam, luuk thung and Isaan ballads. Take note.
Soonvijai Soi 14
BEST NEW LIVE MUSIC
Soulbar
One of a slew of new openings breathing fresh life into Chinatown, this straightforward but stylish bar does just what you’d hope for. Live soul and funk bands fill the tiny front room every Tue-Sat, often continuing the party after the shutters come down, and the bar serves stiff drinks. It’s the twists that make it most memorable, though, like the bar stools hewed from industrial clutter sourced from around Talad Noi or the surprisingly palatable Summer Beer (mint chocolate kombucha and half a pint of draft beer, B160).
945 Charoenkrung Rd., 095-521-1541. Open Mon-Sat 8am-midnight. BTS Hua Lamphong
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