The buzz: Coming to Bangkok last year via Yangon, Rangoon Tea House has been a boon for the South Thonglor crowd, providing diners with high quality dim sum, Burmese signatures, and fusion treats. Now, the spot is elevating its drink game with an upstairs bar dubbed The Reading Room. This space is still in a very soft opening, but BK was keen to have a try. 

 

The vibe: Much of the chill, high-end-but-fun vibes of Rangoon Tea House remain upstairs, but there’s a decidedly darker aesthetic emphasized by jungle green chairs, low light, and a outdoor patio with a tree growing through the deck. Visitors walk in and find themselves greeted by a fully stocked bar that has a little bit of homemade character, and before sundown the deep, the soft accents and smooth wooden interiors are highlighted by large windows facing the street.

 

 

The cocktails: Their newspaper-like menu divides The Reading Room’s cocktails into Signature Tipples, Tokyo Nights, and Vintage Cocktails which put spins on old faves with a touch of Tokyo. The Penicillin (B480) is a very spirit-forward drink, putting that flavor of Lagavulin 16 paired with Dewar’s 12 and wild honey and fresh ginger; it’s a whiskey drink that goes hard but not heavy. The Nitro Paloma (B420) is a mezcal drink that’ll be a big one for the Instagram crowd, featuring a cute presentation from the nitro coffee craze. For something a little more familiar but still a different, the Laddie Sour (B430), as you might have guessed, takes notes from the classic whiskey sour, but, for a little extra kick to the Bruichladdich The Classic Laddie, they go for a dash of absinthe. These are easy cocktails to love and not overly complicated. 

 

 

The food: It’s Rangoon Tea House, after all, so you’ll be tempted to reach for their menu of dishes downstairs, but they’ve got a special bar food menu that goes with the vibe. The Mentaiko Carbonara (B320) is a creamy, hearty dish to put down a base for more cocktails, while the Burrata With Ikura (B720) is a more inventive dish with accompanying truffle oil and gritted sourdough to scoop up the burrata. 

 

Why we’d come back: Frankly, we’ll always go back to Rangoon Tea House. The Reading Room adds a unique, carefully curated cocktail experience to one of the Thonglor’s more interesting restaurants. The upstairs is going to grow with the downstairs, and we’re keen to see where it goes.