The buzz: This new bar in the heart of backpacker central on Rambutri Road is actually run by a former F&B manager of many of Bangkok’s big name hotels from the Renaissance to JW Marriott. Patchrin “Nong” Wannawijit decided to turn her back on her hotel career and follow her dream of running a bar that promises a friendly atmosphere and reasonable prices. 

The décor: Most bars along this charming street follow a similar Bali-inspired theme and the outdoor space of Madame follows that trend with a series of rattan sofa sets. Inside is more refined, though, with a bar and an open kitchen bookending a space that has bamboo walls and is decorated with the owner’s personal collection of batik and Northern paintings, as well as Lanna-style day beds. The décor is updated regularly based on Nong’s travels—she just installed the new colorful batik lamps she got from her hometown in Chiang Mai—and it’s the little details that help it stand out from the crowd in this neighborhood.   

The music: Chill-out tunes ranging from ethnic house to classic 60s pop.
The crowd: Not surprisingly the majority of the crowd is made up of travelers staying in the area, but it is also proving popular with hotel industry people and locals looking for a laidback watering hole.   

The price: The food, too, focuses on original Northern-dishes. Try their khao soy (yellow noodles with northern style chicken curry, B100), kanom jeen nam-ngeo (rice noodles with pork stew, B120), sai auo (pork sausage, B120) and nam prik ong (chili paste with minced pork with cherry tomatoes, B150). Or go for the khantok platter (B150) of appetizers which includes nam prik num, kab moo (crispy pork skin), kaeng hang lae (pork stew), jin-som (Thai salami) and organic vegetables. The drinks follow the northern theme, with their signature cocktails using ma jai dum (a Chiang Mai spirit) as the base; try the Madame Musur (ma jai dum, apple juice, lime juice and sugarcane syrup, B120) or the Musur Mojito (Sangsom, rum, lime juice, sugarcane, syrup and soda, B120) which uses basil instead of mint leaves. Beers range from Leo, Singha, Chang B70-120 and Beerlao (B80).

Why you’ll come back: The atmosphere, friendly service and tasty food and drinks all offer plenty of reasons to head back, while the outdoor space marks it as a good spot to enjoy the breeze this winter. Vasachol Quadri