10 of Bangkok's most buzzed about restaurant openings of 2016
Do they live up to the hype? You decide.
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8 years ago
Bunker
It was the hottest place in town when it opened back in March, and Bunker still feels like the right place to be. The food is fresh, simple, well-executed, original yet devoid of gimmicks. Some of the dishes verge on tapas portions, but the flavors are anything but small: the wagyu beef tartar is spiked with daikon radish and radish sprouts; the cured foie gras torchon paired with candied cashew and chili mango; the smoky plate of fatty wagyu short rib falls from the bone in perfectly glazed, inch-thick slices. The space's craggy concrete lines are also eye-catching, softened by turquoise banquettes and octogonal globes of light.
118/2 Sathorn Soi 12, 092-563-9991. Open Tue-Sun 6pm-1am
Cocotte
Visit Cocotte any night and chances are it’s packed. This brainchild of French chef-partner Jeriko Van Der Wolf highlights hearty protein-heavy meals, led by the likes of a huge tomahawk, pork chops and whole roast chicken. To go with the communal gathering vibe, the restaurant also serves a selection of cold cuts and cheese to go with a solid selection of wine and Champagne. Finish your meal with lemon-mint meringue tart or 70-percent dark chocolate lava with pineapple confit and vanilla ice cream.
G/F, 39 Boulevard, Sukhumvit Soi 39, 092-664-6777. Open daily 11:30am-2:30pm; Sun-Thu 6-10:30pm; Fri-Sat 6-11pm
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Evil Man Blues
Another of the much-hyped arrivals at 72 Courtyard, Evil Man Blues evokes a 1950s American diner, with purple and blue neon lights illuminating a well-polished space. The drinks arguably steal the show, made from carefully selected top-shelf bottles and house-made spirits. We really enjoy Honey Badger (rosemary-washed Bourbon shaken with yellow chartreuse, honey, citrus and ginger). But the food menu is more than exciting enough to get you through the night, starring bar munchies like beer-battered onion rings and hot wings, as well as bigger bites like grilled cheese and burgers.
G/F, 72 Courtyard, 72 Sukhumvit Soi 55 (Thonglor), 02-392-7740. Open daily 6pm-2am
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Freebird
Freebird's chef-partner Dallas Cuddy introduces Bangkok to a new cuisine: modern Australian. This produce-driven mix of Western and Asian cooking methods and ingredients sees shared dishes featuring umami-packed ingredients like seaweed and mushrooms. Expect delicate combinations like organic sea urchin and sea grapes with whipped parmesan on house-made dehydrated flax seed cracker or warm sweet potato and chilled shaved fennel topped with smoked walnut and honey. The slow-roasted ocean trout with wakame butter, caviar and pennyworth is elevated by the accompanying mussel escabeche. Dessert is just as complex—the sweet-and-sour lime leaf posset with whipped coconut cream, honeydew melon, basil seed and elderflower is a real work of art. The place gets bonus points for stunning Dwell magazine-worthy house and garden.
28 Sukhumvit Soi 47, 02-662-4936. Open daily 5:30pm-midnight
Little Bao
Specializing in Chinese buns, the 20-seater Little Bao in Hong Kong is always packed out. Now it's arrived in Bangkok in the form of a retro-style diner to serve up chef May Chow's playful fast food-inspired take on traditional Chinese fare. Set in Thonglor's happening 72 Courtyard community mall, it dishes out serious bao burgers stuffed with fillings like pork belly, crispy Sichuan chicken, fish tempura and shiitake tempeh. Also don’t miss the ice-cream bao, which feature Guss Damn Good’s creamy flavors sandwiched between golden fried buns.
G/F, 72 Courtyard, 72 Sukhumvit Soi 55 (Thonglor), 02-392-6922. Open Tue-Sun 6pm-midnight
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Morimoto
The high-end dining paradise Mahanakhon Cube welcomes another international big name. At this Bangkok outpost, chef Masaharu Morimoto (best known as one of the Iron Chefs America) presents his eponymous chain's playful signature dishes like tuna pizza (crispy tortilla crust with fresh tuna, olives, tomatoes, chili and anchovy aioli) and yellowtail bibimbap (Korean-style mixed rice with vegetables and sauce) along with some new creations, including the Morimoto black pepper shrimp. With its stylish, Zuma-evoking decor—think wood and lots of it—the sizable restaurant spans sushi bar to al fresco area and lounge zone, which definitely stocks up on loads of sake, beer and other booze.
4/F, Mahanakorn Cube, 96 Narathiwat Ratchanakarin Rd., 02-060-9099. Open daily 11:30am-2:30pm; Sun-Wed 6-11pm; Thu-Sat 6pm-1am. BTS Chong Nonsi
Munch
The hype here surrounds arguably the fluffiest souffle pancakes in town. Following the comeback of Mugendai Honten on Thonglor Soi 10, the Mugendai group quickly launched this cafe just downstairs. The blue and white sport stadium-themed venue provides a friendly space for all-day casual dining with Western dishes like mac and cheese with ground Angus beef, grilled chicken salad, seared-tuna pasta and burgers. Aside from those pancakes, fans of Muteki’s desserts may also want to order the croissant and butter pudding with an espresso shot and soft serve.
145 Thonglor Soi 10, 02-381-4711, 087-920-7222. Open daily 10am-10pm
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Shinsen Fish Market
With its open market concept, Shinsen promises imported seafood as fresh as it comes. The large warehouse space boasts more than a passing resemblance to Taipei’s uber-cool Addiction Aquatic Development fish market; front and center are seawater tanks showcasing taraba crab, snow crab, lobster, scallops and sea urchin—all still very much alive. Stepping inside, you can see fresh seafood and meat, which you can have prepared for you on the spot at the sashimi or grill bars. Other supermarket finds include cold cuts, cheese, frozen food, fruits, vegetables, snacks and beverages, while there are also a cafe and shabu shabu place on the second floor.
163/6 Sukhumvit Soi 39, 02-260-6511. Open daily 11am-11pm
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Suhring
In a large, beautiful house on Yen Akart Road, German twin chefs Thomas and Mathias Suhring serve up their exceptional take on modernized German cuisine. German cooking methods like pickling and smoking are combined with modern gastronomic flair in dishes like the refined pork knuckle sandwich topped with Riesling sauerkraut cream and sous-vide Simmental beef, finished on a charcoal grill and served with comforting kasespatzle (German-style pasta cooked with cheese). We particularly like their simple salad of dried, grilled, pickled and raw vegetables. Brotzeit (literally, bread time) culture also plays a large part here, with homemade sourdough and soft pretzel served alongside Oldenburger butter, schmalz (lard), obatzda cheese dip, pickle, Black Forest ham and dry-aged beef.
10 Yen Akat Soi 3, 02-287-1799. Open daily 6pm-midnight
Sushi Masato
While working as head chef at New York's Jewel Bako, Japan-native Masato Shimizu became the youngest chef in NYC ever to win a Michelin star at just 29. Last year, he was at 15 East, his one-Michelin-starred sushi restaurant. This year, he’s here in Bangkok at his minimal, compact omakase-only restaurant that was nearly impossible to get into at the start of the year and still remains a very long wait. Here it’s all about the chef’s selection of fresh ingredients, showcased through his expertise in various techniques from aging and curing to perfect raw presentation.
3/22 Sukhumvit 31 Soi 1, 02-040-0015. Open Tue-Sun 5:30-10pm
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