Tina's Sathorn came on to the Bangkok scene at the start of the year, and the cuisine they’re eyeing—New Orleans-style comfort food—is not a familiar one to Bangkok. Sure, it’s not entirely new. Spots like Bourbon Street have done it in the past, but Tina’s is taking it up a notch. BK visited for lunch rather than dinner to tuck into some of their more accessible dishes. 

 

The space bleeds NOLA, and, like the cuisine, is contemporary and stylish. But, it’s not without soul. Indeed, you’re greeted with a photo of executive chef David Cleland’s mother, the eponymous Tina, at the entrance. The Southern Goddess Salad (B300) hit a refreshing start—featuring baby gem lettuce topped with biscuit croutons, lardons, charred baby corn, and pickled beets—and the real star was the creamy herbal dressing.

 

The biscuits with country gravy (B250) hit all the crumbly Americana notes (if perhaps a trifle dense) and were smothered in a white gravy with Andouille sausage—rich without being overly fatty—that is not your average sawmill gravy. This is a starter you may want to share.  

 

 

The “homemade” feel is palpable. Everything is seemingly made from scratch, even the table’s hot sauce. But a highlight was the shrimp and grits (B630): peeled plump prawns fried with creamy but crispy grits crispy finished off with an intense, sweet sauce. 

 

This is New Orleans, so let’s talk gumbo (B450). It’s hard to impress gumbo vets, but this rich, smoky broth is filled with generous and tender chunks of duck and sausage. The dessert comes with a caveat. We missed out on the beignets, as they were not available during our visit. We know you want beignets. So did we. But, we opted for the Bread Pudding French Toast (B270) featuring brioche bread pudding studded with raisins and sautéed in butter slathered in a caramel sauce. Simple, fragrant, and indulgent. 

 

 

The crawfish boil, which the menu claims is available Fri-Sun, was only available on Sunday brunch. For fans of New Orleans food, it’s a big reason to return. 

 

The food is fairly unique for Bangkok (at least in terms of quality) and the price is right. Spots like this can lean from authenticity straight into gimmick, but, from the decor to your plate, Tina’s is doing it right. And you can bet we'll be going back for dinner.