Dining at a mall is not what most people think of when they want a nice meal out (although everyone has their guilty pleasures; BonChon, anyone?). We’re not trying to be snobbish when we say that, it's just that the history of mall dining in Bangkok has, for the most part, been pretty underwhelming. But hold up a second, this isn't always the case. Gaysorn Village, in particular, has its culinary game on point when compared with the other big shopping players. To some, Gaysorn Village is a mere fashion mall, but, by now, folks are starting to understand that it's actually a great stronghold of Bangkok’s culinary gems. Here are the restaurants that are changing those perceptions. 

Ginza Tenharu

Straight outta Tokyo, this tempura specialist offers its deep-fried delicacies around an omakase-style counter. Though the place is quite tiny in size with only twelve seats available per round, you get a chance to see the chefs in action. The enormous Hokkaido scallops, decadently rich Kobe beef and pockets of nori stuffed with creamy sea urchin—jet-propelled from Tsukiji—are fried in sunflower oil and carefully arranged in plates one after another. The price starts at B4,500 while 11 tempura courses are B6,500.  

3/F, Gaysorn Village, 02-270-0014. Open daily on four rounds: 12pm, 1:30pm, 6pm, and 8pm. Advanced booking prefered.

Paste

You might notice by now that most Thai restaurants you’ve spotted so far love hanging on the title of the so-called "Royal Cuisine" (some of which is only Royal in name). At Paste—the decorated Thai restaurant which earned a Michelin star two years in a row—these ancient recipes aren’t just for show. The couple Jason Bailey and Bee Satongun have taken a microscope to old cookbooks from the King Rama V-era and source fresh local ingredients from the countryside. Across its tasting menu (B2,000 for lunch, B3,100 for dinner), expect to see incredible flavor diversity—from slow braised pork belly, infused in coconut cream and served alongside sour plum and pink fish roe, to a smoky Southern yellow curry with red spanner crab.

3/F, Gaysorn Village, 02-656-1003. Open daily 12pm-2pm, 6:30-11pm. Last order at 9:45pm

Umi

Chef Banphot Boonklom along with his crew proves omakase (chef's selection) is not limited to the Japanese alone. Here, they source seasonal ingredients, like fresh salmon roe, monkfish liver, and shinko from Tsukiji’s fish market to craft nigiri sushi and delicate appetizers. The big piece of grilled saltwater eel has a crispy skin and tender meat while the sweet egg cake is packed with prawn eggs to enhance the flavor. The price starts at B2,600 for nine courses during lunch and B4,000 for 12 courses during dinner. The full omakase course (ranging from 16-18 dishes) will set you back B6,800.

1/F Gaysorn Center, 999 Phloen Chit Rd., 089-899-4949. Open daily 12am-2pm; 6pm-11pm

Riedel Wine Bar & Cellar

Wine aficionados might be familiar with this name already—they make the Australian crystal wine glasses of the same name. Everything here is set to amaze you in terms of how upscale it is, like the state-of-the-art wine dispenser that allows for up to 40 open bottles to be stored without oxidizing. Despite how luxurious they look, they also offer 30ml tasting portions (B90). Order some glasses while sampling on their Italian seafood platters like Spanish octopus (B480)—grilled to perfection—served alongside potato and aioli.

2/F Gaysorn Village, 02-656-1133. Open daily 11am-midnight

Nabezo Premium

This Japanese shabu spot has taken your regular hotpot to another plain. Forget those mundane meat varieties you might find on MK, this high-end brand goes all the way to the finest ingredients, served in sets as opposed to all-you-can-eat. Diners can opt for either sukiyaki or shabu shabu soup and a star meat, ranging from kurobuta pork to omi wagyu and highly-praised Taraba king crab. Wash them all down with sake-based cocktails and Japanese wine.

3/F Gaysorn Village, 062-336-8444. Open daily 11am-10pm

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