It’s all purple but all good at Manna. Located in Siam Paragon, this little monster of a restaurant offers casual Thai cuisine in a very casual dining environment. They’ve got beautifully decorated tables where ceiling-high glass windows give way to a scenic view of the lagoon.

Quickly skimming over the menu, we really didn’t notice anything spectacular about the Thai and fusion food offerings, so we asked the waiters to give us a hand and recommend something out of the ordinary. Answering to the call, the waiters pulled out their three secret weapons that they swore would not let us down. We started with the kanom bueng (crispy turmeric flour with coconut and shrimp filling, B160), but unfortunately, it took a whopping 15 minutes. The panang gai sordsai (stuffed golden chicken wings in sweet peanut sauce, B170) and the khao na gai Sukhothai (chicken in gravy and Chinese sausage on steamed rice with crispy egg, B110) actually made up for the long wait ‘cause both were full of flavor. Although the dishes look like something from a tiny Siam Square restaurant, the aroma and taste are exquisite. Prices are reasonable, too.

After we stuffed ourselves, we headed over to the couch where it would be more conducive to the digestion process. There, we indulged in some light and refreshing fruity cocktails like the Lychee Angel (B180), a perfect mix of rum and lychee juice. If you want something even fruitier try the Yellow Bird (B180), with dark rum, mango and tropical fruit juices.

Before we left, we had a chat with the owner, Khun Him, or Pornsak Rattanamethanon, and got his thoughts about this purple attraction.

What does Manna mean?
Manna means food from the heavens or heavenly food. When you eat here, you’re going to experience one or the other—or perhaps even both!

What makes you different from other Thai restaurants?
We focused on Sukhothai cooking styles. To be honest, most Thai restaurants have either shit food or a shitty atmosphere, so Manna is filling in the gaps and eliminating the shit altogether. Our restaurant serves good food, and we offer great atmosphere by bringing the ambience of good restaurants all along Ratchadamnoen Road.

You’re really confident about your food—why is that?
Our cooking process is exactly the same as in the past: Our ingredients, cooking styles and methods are all true to tradition. We don’t like to rush, that’s why our kanom bueng takes 15 minutes to prepare. That’s because we use grandma’s old pans and her list of ingredients. So these are the original tastes that a lot of people don’t really get anymore. We’re not into fusion, but we’ll use updated ingredients and mesh the old and new traditions together.

What’s with the purple 50’s décor?
Doesn’t it look good? We wanted it to be really different and eye-catching, so that when people ask about a good Thai restaurant, everyone can say, “The purple place.”

Restaurant Details

Get yourself some heavenly Thai food at Manna. Open daily 11am-10:30pm, at G/F, Siam Paragon Shopping Center, 991 Rama I Rd., 02-129-4553/-5. V MC