Cali's Grill 23

Here’s another new flavor for Bangkok’s evolving palate. Tucked amid the pubs and massage parlors on Asoke’s Sukhumvit Soi 23, the cozy single-unit shop-house that is Cali’s Grill 23 may be hard to spot but the little wooden terrace will tell you it’s the place. Ecuadorian owner Mauricio Zurita presents his native cuisine, using some imported ingredients and spices like achiote, in staples like llapingachos (cheese-stuffed potato pancakes, B135), empanadas (B155/3 pieces) and ceviche (B220). Main dishes include sudado de pollo (chicken stew, B225) served with achiote-infused yellow rice, as well as Zurita’s take on the hamburger with Ecuadorian flavors (B220). Don’t miss the delicious tres leche cake (B100), too.

Farmfactory (Sathorn)

Having made its debut in Bangkok at the end of last year, the Phuket-hailing salad joint we love for its generous portions of crispy veggies now has a second location. The new Farmfactory at Sathorn Square provides the same fresh salad options in a bigger, trendier space, starting from as early as 8am. Pick from one of the pre-designed choices (from B135), which you can customize, or make your own bowl from scratch (starting B119). Try the Magic Bowl (B155 for regular size) which mixes greens with red onion, pepper, spicy quinoa, sundried tomato, black olives, almond slices, roast chicken and Italian dressing. Fresh cold-pressed juices are also available at B125. 

G/F, Sathorn Square, Narathiwat Ratchanakarin Rd., 093-279-2796. BTS Chong Nonsi

Kiki Made

This Asian fusion restaurant takes over the daytime hours of Dark Bar’s all-white sister party venue Lightroom. Korean chef-owner Miki Kim drew on her home-cooking background and well-traveled past to start Kiki Made as a pop-up stall at events like Wonderfruit and Made by Legacy. Her offerings include hearty bowls of Soboro chicken nachos (Japanese-style stir-fried chicken with tomato salsa, yogurt and Thai-style seafood sauce, B250), house-cured kimchi pork rice (B250) and the vego-friendly Korean eggplant rice (B250). Enjoy with blended juices, tea and hard apple cider.

2/F, Ekamai Mall, Ekkamai Soi 10

Kinkao

The people behind top Bangkok restaurants like Naj, The Local and Crab and Claw have ventured a bit out of town to open this more casual Thai eatery that doesn't compromise on quality and flavors. Sourcing the best possible ingredients from all over the country, as well as making as many things possible from scratch, the owners draw on family recipes, as well as some rare ancient cookbook finds. Highlights span Southern-style yellow curry with coconut shoot (B250), crab curry (B380) and stewed pork belly (B290) as well as the flavorful pla tapian tom kem (B380), a family recipe in which they simmer java barb for 15 hours until you can actually chew all the bones. Other fish dishes depend on the daily catch from the Andaman Sea, such as pla sam rod (deep-fried fish with sweet and sour sauce) and deep-fried fish with tamarind sauce (both B380). 

Read our full profile.

G/F, Central Eastville, Praditmanoontham Rd., 02-553-6185

Morimoto

Best known as one of the Iron Chefs America, Masaharu Morimoto specializes in harmonizing Western and Japanese ingredients. He first opened his eponymous restaurant chain in Philadelphia after training in Hiroshima, Japan, and New York's Nobu. Since then, he has opened branches across the US, as well as Japan, Mumbai, New Delhi and now Bangkok. Here, you’ll find straight sushi and sashimi (from B1,300) served alongside Sashimi Caesar Salad (B320), playfully “giftwrapped” in a clear plastic sheet, hamachi tacos (B290) and Morimoto’s Championship burger (B590), which boasts a katsu-style breaded wagyu patty, pickles, tartare and barbecue sauce. Another of Morimoto’s signature cross-cultural dishes is the tuna pizza (B390), a crispy tortilla crust topped with fresh tuna, olives, tomatoes, chili and anchovy aioli. French chef Arnaud Drouville heads the Bangkok kitchen, introducing some exclusive dishes, like the roasted lobster epice (B1,200), their take on pad Thai featuring a whole lobster.   

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4/F, Mahanakorn Cube, 96 Narathiwat Ratchanakarin Rd., 02-060-9099. BTS Chong Nonsi

Muine

A spin-off the longstanding Vie Halong restaurant, cool and contemporary Muine spotlights Vietnamese street food. The various styles of banh mi (Vietnamese sandwich) span classic cold cuts (liver pate, Vietnamese pork sausage and Chinese pork sausage, B185) and charcoal-grilled pork shoulder blade (B185) to newer creations like crispy omelet with Sriracha dressing (B145) and Oyster Po’ Boy (B200). They also serve other staples like pho (B160), spring rolls (B125) and grilled pork with vermicelli (B180) alongside rarer items like Vietnamese curry (B200). Don’t miss their Vietnamese-style drip coffee (B165).

Read our full profile.

2/F, Habito, Sukhumvit Soi 77, 092-959-4629. BTS On Nut

Sushi Misaki

If you don’t pay enough attention, you’ll walk straight past the wooden facade without noticing it hides a Japanese restaurant. Sushi Misaki is equally minimal inside, with only one sushi counter and 10 attached seats. Behind the counter, Shizuoka-born chef Masahiro Misaki (formerly of Nippon Tei) serves an omakase (chef’s selection) meal of about 20 items, including appetizers, 12 nigiri sushi selections, a sushi roll, tamago, miso soup and a dessert. The chef makes his sushi edomae style, meaning the fish has been through a process of aging, curing or fermenting before being put together with either of white- or red-vinegar sushi rice. Expect both seasonal fish and classic offerings like fresh Ishigeki clam, plum vinegar-marinated iwashi (sardine), melt-in-your-mouth otoro (fatty tuna) served on flavorful red sushi rice, as well as the chef's signature toro-taku (chopped tuna and pickled radish) roll. You'll then cleanse your palate with the custard pudding-like sweet tamago, which is crisp like a brulee crisp on top, and end the meal with mizu shingen mochi (water mochi). Two seatings per day at B4,000 per person.

G/F, Rain Hill, Sukhumvit Rd., 02-258-1783. BTS Phrom Phong

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