The buzz: Thonglor, Sathorn, and Old Town are full of some of the city’s best dining finds. But Bangkok is always growing, so outskirts like Bangna are drawing creative talent. Led by executive chefs Nikolaj Lenz and Mel Rujimora, the duo bring their Scandinavian culinary expertise to A Whale, a bistro with a classy-yet-approachable atmosphere featuring dishes that explore fermentation, dry aging techniques, and top shelf local ingredients. 

 

 

The vibe: With its distinct curved walls, customers almost feel as if they’re dining inside the belly of a whale or inside a cruise ship. Deep blue walls and marbled floors add to the maritime atmosphere. As the name suggests, the restaurant hosts up to 140 guests which can be separated into 3 areas. The main dining room opens up to warmly lit sofa booths with eye-catching copper droplet art installations hanging from the ceiling. The restaurant’s mid section contains a semi open kitchen and bar area lined with jars of fermented foods and wine. The last zone is a private room fit for hosting special events. In the future, they are also planning to use that space to host cooking workshops.

 

 

The food: Bringing in European-inspired fare with an Asian touch, their dishes compliment one another and are best ordered to share. Since chef Nikolaj specializes in baking, their bread is made entirely from scratch and baked in a wooden mold. The platter contains three types of bread: Copenhagen sourdough, Filipino brioche, and the delightfully fluffy shokupan. You can dip it with some olive oil, black garlic balsamic, or lather a layer of their addictive fine-textured butter.

 

Open the meal with the Nice tuna salad (B720). Here, A Whale uses the premium Ortiz canned tuna which only packs the fish in chunks, making sure that there’s no flakes thereby preserving its quality. It’s also soaked in olive oil to get that extra silky flavor. The colorful salad is dressed with white anchovy sauce and confit tomatoes. 

 

 

Speaking of tomatoes, don’t miss the Chiang Mai tomato salad (B400) which puts your typical burrata salad to shame. This dish combines multiple types of peeled-skin tomatoes, providing it with a smooth surface area, and the rest is complete with vinaigrette, Stracciatella cheese, and a special pesto made from a blend of ingredients such as spring onion, dill, and sesame. It’s an addictive appetizer and palate cleanser to have throughout the meal.

 

 

Big on their seafood options, we recommend ordering the ceviche paired with pickle jamaican sherry, rose oil, and chili lime for some extra heat. The options for the star cured fish are between a local catch (B450) and the hamachi (B850) imported from Japan. 

 

The dry aged duck breast (B840) is another dish to check out, featuring duck breast selected from Khlong Phai served with beetroot chutney and a combination of plum and mulberry jus to take off the gaminess.

 

 

Pasta lovers will find the bistro’s linguine braised wagyu beef cheek (B680) partly inspired by Chinese stir-fried noodles. In the dish, you’ll also discover appetizing toasted onions, crispy shallots, buckwheat, and portobello mushrooms, lightening it up with some Nordic-style, thinly shaved pickled beetroot. A Whale also favors the red meats that lean more toward the firm and slightly chewy texture rather than melt-in-your-mouth.

 

Their selection of desserts covers a satisfying basque cake to chocolate mousse. But we urge you to go for their rendition of the “Mag-Num” ice cream ( B200). Served on a popsicle stick, the white chocolate cream is coated with milk chocolate ganache, an extra layer of dark chocolate glazing, and some toasted buckwheat. 
 

 

The drinks: The signature cocktails are named after different species of whale, and you can start with a light, fruity, and fizzy option with the Bryde's Whale (B370) and take it up a notch with their Omura’s Whale (B390) which has a recognizable Thai tea aroma but surprises you with yuzu juice and cacao nibs. End the night with a knock out like the Killer Whale (B450), a twist from the classic negroni that contains Thai tea, pink peppercorns, coffee campari and strawberry vermouth—a glass that tastes like a dangerous cup of coffee.

 

 

Why we’d come back: Though it is far from the downtown area, this spot is a lovely playground for innovation. Since most of their dishes are based on housemade ingredients, the menu has to adapt with fluctuating availability. You can expect to see creative twists each visit or check out a different dining area that will make you feel like you’re experiencing an entirely different restaurant.