1. Bo.lan
42 Sukhumvit Soi 26. 02-260-2962
Trained by David Thompson, Bo and Dylan’s authentic Thai cuisine has definitely not been made redundant by the Michelin-Star chef’s arrival in town. 

2. Indus
71 Sukhumvit Soi 26. 02-258-4900
Some like their Indian food more traditional (Rang Mahal), some more modern (Red), but Indus strikes the perfect balance for our tastebuds.

3. Tenkaichi Yakiton Yakitori Nagiya
Nihonmachi 105 (behind K Village), 115 Sukhumvit Soi 26. 02-258-2790
The portable stoves cooking thick winter broths, the extensive sochu list, the macho kitchen’s loud greetings—what’s not to like here?

4. Sorn-Thong
Between Sukhumvit 24 and 26, on Rama4 Rd. 02-258-0118
Packed every night with families, and the occasional celeb, hungry for their fresh seafood cooked Thai-Chinese style, particulalry the crab dishes.

5. Sugarlust
59/27 Sukhumvit 26, 084-011-4115. Open Mon-Fri 11am-midnight, Sat-Sun 11-1am. www.sugarlustcafe.com
This cute space in a classic 60s Sukhumvit home is filled with plenty of colorful furniture and retro touches. As the name suggests, Sugar Lust serves everything from double chocolate cheese cake and mixed fruit and yogurt muesli with honey to more substantial dishes like, ohk ped gei tuen (steamed duck breast with vegetable) or fried shrimp with Sugar Lust sauce.

B linded by the current K Village frenzy, you may have overlooked the myriad stalls between it and Carrefour. So get off your high horse and pop into these street-side gems.

Across Bangjak Gas Station (entrance of Sukhumvit Soi 26 from Sukhumvit Rd.) is a stall (089-040-2487. Open Tue-Sun 6am-4pm) that does a range of (A) Isaan food from kai yang (B40) to kor moo yang (B50), laab (B40) and nam tok (B40)—and, of course, somtam (B30). Try their popular tam sua Thai pu (B30), which comes with salted crab and khanom jeen (vermicelli noodles) for the same cheap price. It’s not as fishy as it sounds, though the flavors of the salted crab and chili do stand out very strongly.

A few steps up the street on the corner of a small soi is a non air-conditioned noodle restaurant, (B) Rung Rueng (10/1-2 Sukhumvit Soi 26, 02-258-6744. Open Mon-Fri 8:30am-4:30pm), which is a family-run business. They offer only one dish: noodles with pork and fish (B40-50). Their pork broth is rich and flavorful, as are the fixings of liver, intestine, look chin pla (fish balls), minced pork and chicken. (If you’re fresh off the boat, the owner’s daughter speaks English.) Just be warned this place gets packed on weekends. Always the sign of a good retaurant.

After a long trek up the street, past reputable venues like Indus and Bo. Lan, you’ll eventually reach K Village. Right after the soi running between it and Carrefour, the narrow sidewalk becomes crowded with small stalls. One easy way to spot this (C) somtam and kaeng om stall (089-521-8378. Open daily 9:30am-6pm) is to look down: instead of plastic chairs and tables, they provide the customers with mats. Get ready for true street-level dining, watching wheels and heels passing by. Not exactly romantic but definitely different and tasty. They serve barbequed chicken, beef, pork, and fish on a stick (B10-20), hor mok (B20), somtam (B20) and laab (B30). And don’t forget to try their namesake kaeng om (B30), an Isaan soup with a lot of vegetables and meats of your choice.

If you head into the soi between the mall and the hypermarket, you will see another chain of food stalls. Don’t stop until you reach
a busy stall (084-525-8851. Open everyday 7am-3pm) that is directly facing the entrance of K Village Gate A. The stall’s (D) bitter gourd chili paste chicken noodle or kway teo kai mara prik pao (B25-30) is well-known in the area. It is usually surrounded with people and closes by 3pm. If you can get your hands on a bowl, you will know why. It’s a protein rich bowl of chicken: breast, leg, and liver with a very clean flavor and, to spice things up, their signature chili paste. You can also choose to have either boiled or fresh, crunchy mara (bitter gourd) for even more flavor.

Another stall that is a hit with the locals is the (E) Khao Man Kai stall (088-365-4964. Open everyday 6am-3pm) with blue tables, just a few stalls down from the bitter gourd. Like other khao man kai stores, they offer a choice of steamed chicken (B25-30), fried chicken (B30) or both (B30-40) on rice. The moist steamed chicken is so soft and tender that you hardly even have to chew. On the other hand, the fried chicken brings are crispy and crunchy, without being greasy. Both make for a perfect combination, and will leave you with plenty of energy to tackle a shopping spree at K Village with all that money you just saved by eating on a dime.

“This film quickly moves to the top of the list of ‘Most Purposeless Use of 3D’ beating out The Last Airbender and Clash of the Titans with ease.” Jeff Bayer, The Scorecard Review

“Just another Wes Craven kills kids running around in the woods movie.” Joshua Tyler, CinemaBlend.com

“The highlight of the film, in fact, is a freaky bird costume...that actually vomits and defecates upon its audience. It’d be nice to think the director were self-aware enough to recognize the obvious parallel.” Luke Y. Thompson, E! Online

“It’s good, theoretically at least, to have Craven back. But why come back for this?” Keith Phipps, AV Club

“So utterly awful that it should have been renamed My Time to Waste.” Brian Salisbury, Hollywood.com

Are shop houses endangered?
You’re the first one I hear worrying about their survival. The urban fabric in Bangkok is a result of its regulations and shop houses offer some of the least restrictions—hence their popularity. If you build a mall, you have to deal with certain regulations, you have to have parking. If you have a plot of land and no space for parking, you can just build a shop house. That’s why they’re all over Thailand. It’s the simplest and cheapest option.

But people now live in condos and shop in malls. Aren’t shop houses more charming?
Sure, I like the idea of shop houses. It’s the Bangkok of 30-40 years ago. You do business on the ground floor, live on the second floor. Now, people live in a condo on top and the commercial space is at its foot, but it’s the same thing, really. Only it has spawned horizontally. But I like the idea of mixed-use spaces in the city. It’s crucial.

Any chance for the shop house model to be revived?
I don’t think anyone is actively trying to preserve it but it’s true that it’s dying in some areas, mostly because you can’t park there, such as around the flower market. But as the master plan for public transport in Bangkok is implemented, I think people will start to walk on the streets again. And with the introduction of mass transit and more walking, shop houses will return. It’s happening in Thong Lor because people can park and it’s close to the main transport system.

What’s the main issue with shop houses, from an architectural standpoint?
I mentioned parking but the first issue with a shop house is light. Shop houses are designed to be built side by side, so it’s not very healthy. They can go really deep and you have to deal with that, either with artificial or natural light. The other issue is fire exits. But actually, the whole point of the shop house is that it’s a blank canvas. It gives you a lot of flexibility.

Read tips on how to decorate a shophouse from Ekkapong Tritrong,  Head of the Faculty of Decorative Arts, Silpakorn University

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What inspired you to write Tok Taeng Teuk Thaew Hai Na Yoo, about redecorating shop houses?
Many people live in shop houses and it’s quite a cramped space. I wanted to explore better ways for living in this type of building. Nowadays, shop houses can also be the face of a town or city if they have a distinctive look. Just look at the colonial style shop houses in Bangrak.

Why are shop houses so popular?
You can’t do business in a standalone house. Shop houses are much more multipurpose.

What are the three top rules when thinking of renovating a shop house?
First, the design must allow for good air circulation and plenty of natural light. Second, get a qualified engineer to check out the shop house’s structure tosee what condition it is in. Finally, consider
your neighbors. Make sure you don’t upset them.

Phuket Town: New Old Fashion                

All about shophouses: a Q&A with celebrated architect Duangrit Bunnag