Winners of Bangkok Best Eats
The best of the best of our selection of Bangkok's most noteworthy dishes and restaurants
Best sushi bar: Maru
Best Eats expert panelist chef Ian Kittichai calls unassuming Maru his top pick for "very good custom sushi."
Chef McDang agrees, noting that while there are many great Japanese restaurants in Bangkok, "this one is very personal. Nice and quiet, tucked away, very friendly."
"It's all done traditionally with Japanese style, as the owner is Japanese," says McDang. "He knows that I like things that are unusual and that I have to have an education in the culinary arts of the Japanese culture. 'What do you have, why do you use these ingredients?' He will educate you."
Located in the Japanese enclave of Thong Lor, where Japanese restaurants outnumber Thai restaurants, the 12-year-old Maru is where Japanese executives dine without worrying about the cost.
“So bloody expensive I have to go dutch,” laughs McDang. "But it's worth it; really fresh and inventive. Everything about eating Japanese at Maru is an experience. My palate gets to taste very different things every time I go."
95/5-6 Thong Lor Soi 3, Sukhumvit Soi 55. Tel: +66 (0)2 712 5001. Open daily, 5 p.m.-midnight.
Best Thai noodles: Boat noodles at Provence Cafe
Family-owned Provence Cafe, inside Bangkok's Peninsula Plaza, has a huge menu of satisfying pasta, seafood and meat dishes. But it's the Thai noodle dishes that get local foodies salivating.
When prime ministers and celebrities like TV host Chef McDang are coming to your restaurant specifically for your boat noodles, you know you're doing something right.
The noodles are handmade onsite while all the ingredients are fresh, including the imported beef. But it's the perfectly seasoned broth that really makes this dish a Bangkok standout.
In fact, the owner tells us that its regulars are so addicted to the chef's broth that they know right away if she's on holiday and someone else is working in the kitchen.
Provence now has a branch in Gaysorn Plaza as well, but for the freshest noodles, McDang recommends sticking to the original, in Peninsula Plaza.
Peninsula Plaza, 153 Rajdamri Road. Tel: +66 (0)2 652 1399. Open daily, 10 a.m.-9p.m.
Best Peking duck: Great Shanghai
"Great Shanghai has bland décor and dicey service, but the duck is pure bliss," says Bangkok 101 publisher and Best Eats dining expert Mason Florence. "Succulent meat and crispy skin."
The staff take great pains to make sure there isn't a spot of fat left on the skin when it hits your plate, expertly de-fatting it at your table.
Accompanying the duck slices are thin, non-sticky but soft and moist pancakes and what just might be Thailand's best Peking duck sauce -- homemade hoisin with the perfect balance of sweetness and saltiness.
The huge restaurant features authentic Cantonese cuisine, but the Peking duck is what everyone comes for.
648 Sukhumvit Road soi 24, BTS: Phrompong. Tel: +66 (0)2 258-7042. Open daily for lunch 11 a.m.-2 p.m. and dinner 6-10 p.m.
Best Sunday brunch: Four Seasons Bangkok
It took a while for the concept of Sunday buffet brunch to catch on in Bangkok, simply because “Thais eat mini meals," says Chef McDang. "Brunch is a very Western concept."
But caught on it has, with the Four Seasons edging out some stiff competition to top our list of Best Brunches.
As business owner and Best Eats judge Suki points out, the table service and pure selection gives it the advantage.
You don't have to line up and wait for the chefs to prepare your dishes. Simply leave a card with your table number on it and they'll bring it to you when it's ready.
Just be sure to pace yourself. The granddaddy of Bangkok brunches, the Four Seasons lays out dozens of serving tables that groan beneath the weight of fresh Sydney rock oysters, lobster, Indian, pasta, Middle Eastern kebabs, lamb chops, steak, veal, roast duck, cheeses, sushi and caviar.
And because Sunday calories don't count, the dessert table includes tiramisu and peach creme brulee. Even for a five-star hotel, this brunch is extravagant.
Wash it all down with champagne or mimosas and your Sunday afternoon just got a whole lot more interesting.
Four Seasons Hotel. 455 Rajadamri Road, BTS: Chidlom or Rajdamri. Tel +66 (0)2 253 9195. Brunch from noon-3 p.m., www.fourseasons.com
Best som tam restaurant: Som Tam Nua
It's tough for a business to survive in Siam Square, a hangout haunt for gaggles of fickle Bangkok students.
Yet this two-floor restaurant has built a solid following on som tam alone -- offering dozens of versions of the famous papaya salad dish.
"Som Tam Nua has got the art of papaya salad nailed, in more varieties than one can imagine. Be prepared to queue up for a table," says Thai 101 publisher Mason Florence.
In business for almost a decade, Som Tam Nua has never lost it charm nor its popularity. With modern décor, the place is always packed full during peak hours.
It is more of an eat-and-run place rather than a chill out spot, serving flavorful Isaan dishes including the popular phad kanomjeen (stir-fried rice noodles) and fried chicken.
392/14 Soi Siam Square 5, Rama 1 Road. Tel +66 (0) 22 51 4880. Open daily, 10:45 a.m.-9.30 p.m.
Best cheap eat: Polo Fried Chicken
"Polo Fried Chicken never fails to impress for its perfectly inexpensive fried chicken, sticky rice and som tam," says Best Eats judge Florence.
The hype may have died down over the past few years but Polo Fried Chicken is still serving up the same fat, juicy fried chicken that made it famous in the first place.
The rest of the menu at this family-owned restaurant is standard northeast Thailand Isaan fare, which means lots of spicy salads. One other standout on the menu is the nam tok gai tod, a spicy, herbal salad made from, you guessed it, fried chicken.
The Formica tables and vinyl flooring aren’t winning Soi Polo Fried Chicken any design awards but then again, prices are so cheap you can’t expect much more.
3 Soi Polo, Wireless Road, Lumpini. Tel: +66 (0) 22 51 2772. Open daily, 10 a.m.-10 p.m.
Best steakhouse: New York Steakhouse
Of all of Bangkok’s steakhouses, the New York Steakhouse is the most iconic and the one that has long set the standard for the competition.
The JW Marriott restaurant mimics its Manhattan namesakes in look, atmosphere and menu -- and sky-high prices.
"Over the years many others -- both high-end hotels and independent grills -- have tried to top them, but the New York Steakhouse is tough to beat for a prime piece of meat," says expert Florence.
It's difficult to recommend a particular cut as they're all just so damn good -- and massive. There's the 16-ounce Australian wagyu prime rib, the 16-ounce New York steak and all those expensive Japanese varieties steak lovers with deep pockets have come to expect in a high-market steakhouse.
Not that you'll have room, but there's a pretty good fresh seafood selection too.
JW Marriott Hotel, Sukhumvit Soi 4. Tel: +66 (0)2 656 9798. Open daily, 6:30 p.m.-11 p.m.
Best Indian restaurant: Rang Mahal
When it comes to high-end Indian food, Rang Mahal hit the top notes with several of our Best Eats judges.
"A not-to-be-missed Indian dish in the city is the slow-cooked lamb leg finished in tandoor at Rang Mahal, long regarded as Bangkok’s best Indian eatery," says Thai 101 publisher Florence.
This classy restaurant on the top floor of the Rembrandt Hotel is an old hit and often frequented by Indian travelers who come to Bangkok from around the globe.
"There are dozens of pleasant, affordable Indian eateries in Bangkok, but this is the place where curry fans can push the boat out," says food critic and Best Eats expert Tim Footman, who agrees with Florence that the lamb is the star of the show. "The highlight is the raan-e-khyber, meltingly tender barbecued lamb, marinated in spiced rum."
But while two Best Eats judges heaped praise on the same dish, the menu is far from small. It's stuffed with a massive variety of tandori dishes, kebabs, soups and pretty much every other Indian specialty out there.
If you're in the mood to try a bit of everything, hit the Rang Mahal's Sunday brunch, from 11 a.m-2:30 p.m.
Rembrandt Hotel, Sukhumvit Soi 18, BTS: Asok. Tel +66 (0)2 261 7100. Open daily for lunch from 11:30 a.m.- 2:30 p.m, dinner from 6:30-11p.m., www.rembrandtbkk.com
Best Teochew restaurant: Somboonlarb
"Known to locals as Sor-bor-lor (SBL), this family-run eatery started in 1954," says Best Eats judge Footman. "It’s added Hong Kong and even Isaan specialties to the menu in recent years, but regular customers ensure the old favorites remain. Check out the steamed crab claws."
While most Teochew restaurants are carbon copy versions of their counterparts, SBL's delicious takes on Teochew classics -- particularly its seafood -- put this restaurant just outside of Chinatown at the top of the Thai-Chinese dining list.
The menu is huge, featuring a wide range of dishes like sea asparagus with oyster sauce, grilled mero fish, fried pigeon and stewed goose legs.
Bangkokians also love this place for its over-the-top Chinese decor. Think golden tablecloths, Shanghaiese chandeliers, glittering accents and waiters in traditional Chinese suits.
710-714 Wangburapa Road. Tel: +66 (0)2 225 9079. Open daily, 11 a.m.-midnight.
Best French restaurant: Le Beaulieu
Le Beaulieu just might be one of the best restaurants in the world hosted in a serviced apartment complex. The nondescript location makes its brilliant haute French cuisine seem all the more remarkable as you have to be good to survive in this location.
Chef Herve Frerard, established as one of Bangkok’s best chefs, pulls it off with his flavorful soups, sauces and desserts.
“The food is done with a heart. It’s not stylized," says our expert Chef McDang. "Everything is about this place is fine. The service is great and the food is very rich."
These include seasonal imported grouse and quail, which McDang says are done incredibly well.
Best Eats judge and Thai 101 publisher Florence has his own favorite dish.
"The Maine Lobster baked and slow cooked in vanilla butter sauce and served with artichoke puree and Brussels sprout condiments at Le Beaulieu is a show stopper," he says.
With ingredients sourced from the Thai king’s royal projects and around the world, a Frerard dish is always fresh and elegantly balanced.
"Herve Frerard’s cuisine lets the finest ingredients -- not necessarily the most ostentatious -- do the talking," says food writer Footman. "Bouillabaisse, sole meunière, roast poussin, slow roast lamb, rum baba … Watch and learn, but above all, enjoy."
Ground floor of the Sofitel Residence on Sukhumvit Soi 19, BTS: Asoke. Tel +66 (0)2 204 2004. Open daily, 11:30 a.m.-10:30 p.m., www.mercure.com
Best burger bar: Hyde & Seek
"Hyde & Seek's 'Yankee Burger' is made with Wagyu beef and a fresh baked bun," says our Best Eats expert Chef Ian of his favorite city burger.
It wins the top prize on our list for managing to turn this U.S. classic into a gourmet feast. Made of 6oz of beef and topped with Roquefort cheese, caramelized shallots and paired with a bucket of shoestring fries, burgers in Bangkok don't get fancier than this. Diners even get a knife to aid in their enjoyment.
But it isn't a case of style over substance. This massive burger is as all great burgers should be -- juicy and satisfying with just the right amount of grease.
As a testament to Hyde & Seek's commitment to burger excellency, the dimly lit gastro bar also has a special Burger Tuesday night featuring 10 different burgers and, best of all, 99 baht beers.
65/1 Athenee Residence, Soi Ruamrudee Wireless Road, Lumpini. Tel: +66 (0) 2168 5152. Open daily, 11-1 a.m. (kitchen closes at midnight.)
Best pasta: Palazzo's linguine all’aragosta di scoglio
"All of Davide Spighi’s pasta dishes are better than the Bangkok norm, but his linguine all’aragosta di scoglio is a thing of magnificence, pungent with garlic and chunks of perfectly cooked rock lobster," says food critic Footman.
The homemade pasta is cooked to al dente perfection, a feature of all of Chef Spighi's dishes.
And even though palazzo is Italian for "palace," this ambassador-house-turned-restaurant serves home-style Italian fare in a warm, easygoing atmosphere.
Diners can be overwhelmed by choice -- there are up to 100 Italian favorites here, from antipasto to pizza.
335 Thonglor Soi 17. Tel: +66 (0)2 712 9900. Open daily for lunch 11:30 a.m.-2.30 p.m. and dinner 6-10:30 p.m.
Best dessert: Carrot cake at Coffee Beans by Dao
"Coffee Beans by Dao does the perfect carrot cake …just like grandma used to make," says judge Florence.
A suprising choice in a city full of sweet, rich treats made with the world's finest imported ingredients.
But the thing with carrot cake is that even though it's an incredibly simple and common dessert, it's easy to screw up. Coffee Beans has this classic mastered, right down to the marzipan carrot on top.
Using just the right balance of carrots, spices and cream cheese frosting, it might not be the most popular dish on Coffee Beans by Dao's menu, but it's certainly a fine indicator of the quality of desserts available there.
In fact Best Eats judge Yuki also pegs Coffee Beans by Dao as her favorite place to get a sugar fix. She initially refused to pick just one, saying "they're all good," but when pushed admits her personal favorite is the coffee bean cake, followed by the baby bloom cake.
20/12-15 Ruamrudee Vilage. Soi Ruam Rudee. Tel: +66 (0)2 254 7780. Open daily, 11 a.m.-11 p.m.
Best gourmet restaurant: Le Normandie
“There are other expensive, top-class restaurants in Bangkok, but for luxury coupled with seamless insouciance, the Oriental’s legendary flagship, Le Normandie, takes the prize," says writer and expert panelist Footman.
Le Normandie's world-class haute French cuisine is created by head chef Carlos Gaudencio, who came from Paris's legendary Le Grand Vefour restaurant in 2005.
A-list Thais never miss Le Normandie's seasonal wine dinners. The set lunch menu is a friendlier choice for the Bangkok bourgeoisie.
Le Normandie's wine list is justly famous -- it's the city's most impressive -- with rare bottles including Thailand's only bottle of 1976 Domaine Romanee-Conti, listed at 330,000 baht.
Complemented by a stunning view of Chao Phraya River, this is Bangkok's most sophisticated dining experience, down to the elegant décor and impeccable service.
Mandarin Oriental Bangkok, Soi Oriental. Tel: +66 (0)2-659 9000. Open daily for lunch, noon-2:30 p.m. and dinner, 7-10:30 p.m. Closed for lunch every Sunday., www.mandarinoriental.com
Best new restaurant: The Seafood Bar
Not willing to settle with the success of just one restaurant, noted seafood importer and Oyster Bar owner Billy Marinelli recently opened a new place.
The Seafood Bar is a bigger version of his first baby, featuring even more fresh seafood from around the world.
"The Seafood Bar is a perfect Western-style alternative in Bangkok for utterly fresh seafood and shellfish, both raw and cooked," says Best Eats judge Florence. "Billy Marinelli has been importing fresh seafood to Asia for over 20 years, and now has a shopfront at the Seafood Bar to showcase his products. Don’t miss their tasting tiers."
Expert panelist Footman has his own advice: “Marinelli’s latest venture offers delicious grilled and pasta options, but your best bet is to plow through the seafood platter, which is groaning with the best oysters, crab, clams and anything else that looks good off the boats. The Sunday all-you-can-eat lunch is especially good value.”
The Seafood Bar has won the hearts of expats from the U.S. East Coast, as it serves delicious Atlantic offerings such as live Maine lobster and creamy New England clam chowder.
Unlike many high-end restaurants in Bangkok, The Seafood Bar doesn't drown the flavors of its seafood with unnecessary sauces or peculiar combinations. Dishes are kept blessedly simple.
41 Somerset Lake Point, Sukhumvit 16, Sukhumvit Road. Tel: +66 (0)2 663 8863. Open daily, 6-11 p.m. (Closes at 10 p.m. on Sunday.) Open for lunch, noon-3 p.m on weekends.
Bangkok's best burrito: La Monita
La Monita, which opened last year, is a taqueria focused squarely on authentic, casual Mexican dishes. The burritos are made with 10-inch tortillas, stuffed with beans, cheese, rice, guacamole, sour cream, fresh salsa and a choice of chicken, fish, pork or beef.
"The food here is authentic and reminds me of when I am in Southern California eating great burritos," says restaurant consultant and TV host chef Ian Kittichai.
The burritos, which average around 200 baht, can be tailored to your tastes with your own choice of meat and toppings.
La Monita also serves margaritas, Corona and the interesting Mexican hangover killer, the michelada (beer mixed with lime juice and hot sauce and served in a slated glass).
"With decent Mexican food being among the hardest cuisines to find in Asia, this tiny taqueria is a welcome addition to the local scene," says expert panelist Florence. "The decor, food presentation and service is nothing to write home about, but the quality and taste of the food is taken very seriously."
Mahatun Plaza, BTS: Ploen Chit. Tel: +66 (0)2 650 9581. Open Monday-Saturday, 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.
http://www.cnngo.com/
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