The Local

Thai restaurant The Local isn’t offering a whole new menu, but its seasonal dishes are really drawing in the crowds, from hard-to-find dish like yam bai chakram (spicy salad with suaeda leaves, B280) and laab kam mueng (Northern-style spicy salad with herbs, B250) along with some fish like pla nuea on (sheatfish) and pla ma (croaker). Do call and check the specials, as they are rotates pretty often. Its sister restaurant, Naj (42 Convent Rd., 02-632-2811), has also got some new and intriguing dishes featuring new meat in original recipes like kha moo hang lay (pork knuckle in Northern-style curry, B650), which takes a day and a half to prepare, and pla gung makork (spicy salad with shrimps and olive, B280). Keep an eye on their new project, a seafood restaurant called Crab & Claw in Emquatier, which they boast will serve up live seafood cooked in Thai ways.

32/32/1 Sukhumvit Soi 23, 02-664-3360. Open daily 11:30am-2:30pm, 5:30-11:30pm

Maverick Restaurant & Bar

Well known for its emphasis on molecular food, Maverick has just been transformed with the arrival of a new chef, Jerome H.Lagarde, former executive chef at Michelin-starred restaurant Pourcel Brothers and the famous Betty’s Kitchen in Hong Kong, along with four chefs flown in from France and Singapore. It's also introduced a new concept, with more of a French focus incorporating modern cooking techniques. Taste the dover sole with fava beans, bellota ham and beurre meuniere sauce (browned butter, lemon, parsley and thyme, B1,180) then dive into the heavenly pan-fried foie gras with eel, avocado, kabayaki sauce and gomasio (sesame salt, B688). Those coming in a group can share some tapas dishes like compressed watermelon (B198) and spherified olive (B188). Set lunch is also available from B380 for two courses.

G/F, Ocean Tower ll, Asoke Soi 3. 02-665-2772. www.maverickbkk.com. MRT Sukhumvit. Open Mon-Fri 11:30-11pm; Sat-Sun 4-11pm

Sra Bua

The recent visit of Chef Henrik Yde-Andersen, who flies on a monthly basis between Copenhagen and Bangkok, has seen the unveiling of a new tasting menu (B4,900 for 10 courses with wine pairing), which boasts the sort of full flavors that are guaranteed to be a hit among locals, as in the succulent nuea toon pad cha (beef braised in oyster sauce and served with rice). They haven't forsaken their reputation for modern cuisine, though, with dishes like the appetizer satay gai,in which the sauce is served cold, or the frozen red curry with crab. They have also introduced a new lounge area, where you can start your meal with some appetizers matched with a craft beer from Mikkeller made especially for Sra Bua, before you sit down at your table by the lotus pond.

Siam Kempinski Hotel Bangkok, 991/9 Rama 1 Rd., 02-162-9000. BTS Siam. Open daily 12-3pm, 6-midnight