Trendy Thonglor has heaps of good restaurants and bars. The places below are all on the modern Thai tip, see the next post for Japanese food in Thonglor.. You’ll find all the places below and more on my map.
Supanniga Eating Room (Intermediate A), 160/11 ถนน สุขุมวิท 55 Thong Lo 6 Alley, Khlong Toei Nuea, Khet Watthana, www.supannigaeatingroom.com
A hip, popular restaurant serving traditional dishes from all over Thailand. Everything I had was great.
The Appetizer Platter showcases northern flavours like Mieng Yong (shredded pork with peanuts and sweet roasted coconut wrapped in cha plu leaves, and Ma Hor (mince pork stir-fired with garlic and peanuts and served on slices of tangerine), all served with Khaotang Namprik Kakmoo (rice crackers and a chilli pork crackling dip).
The star dish of the menu is considered by many to be the Moo Cha Muang, an Eastern pork stew with Thai herbs and cha muang leaves.
Also the Ka Lum Tod Nam Pla, fried Chinese cabbage with fish sauce, is a powerful umami dish from Trat province in the south-east.
And a mushroom rice with grilled shitake was good too.
Kate’s Mojito, made with dark rum, mint leaves, lime juice and brown sugar is pretty decent.
Everything was excellent. A definite recommend but book well ahead as it’s very popluar.
Soul Food Mahanakorn (Intermediate A), 56/10 ถนน สุขุมวิท 55 ซอย ทองหล่อ Khwaeng Khlong Tan Nuea, Khet Watthana, www.soulfoodmahanakorn.com
Another popular modern place, handy for the Skytrain, with good food and interesting cocktails.
I started with some Southern Thai Lamb Samosas made with Australian lamb, cumin and served in a spring roll wrapper with a mint and yogurt dip on the side.
I really enjoyed the Yam Hua Plee, shredded banana flower grilled chicken and basil, tossed in a sweet and sour coconut dressing.
The Pad Cha Kob, stir-fried frog with chilli paste, herbs and young coconut, was a little challenging but okay. It brought back memories of the first time I ever ate frog, also in Bangkok, back in the 80s.
The Sticky Tamarind Ribs, pork ribs braised in a tamarind barbecue sauce and grilled with caramelised pineapple on the side, are always going to be a crowed pleaser.
The Kanohm Maw Gaeng, peanuts, egg and Thai coconut custard, tasted good but didn’t photograph well.
Another good place I would definitely recommend.
My friend Ian tipped me off about a couple of good cocktail bars along the main drag. My favourite was The Rabbit Hole at 125 Sukhumvit Soi 55 as it has low lighting, a great soundtrack and highly skilled mixologists serving an innovative cocktail list that includes many local ingredients.
Also good is The Iron Fairies at 394 Soi Sukhumvit 55, www.fenixfairy.com which is larger but guests seemed more packed in. They have live music, which isn’t always a good thing.
Both bars were very darkly lit so I’ve not bothered posting photos, but suffice to say the locals know their cocktails.
Thonglor even has its own hipster shopping mall, The Commons…
Roast – The Commons (Intermediate A), 335 ถนน สุขุมวิท Thong Lo 17 Alley, Khlong Toei Nuea, Khet Watthana, www.thecommonsbkk.com
Roast is a third wave cafe on the top floor of The Commons that does great coffee and food. They’re reputed to make the city’s best flat white.
I can also vouch for their juices and smoothies (A).
Also the Pulled Pork Burger in a toasted brioche with red cabbage slaw and house made fries on the side is rather fine (A).
Another good spot for a coffee is Goodfellas Cafe at 1039-1041 Sukhumwit 55, goodfellasthonglo.thailandhotels.site, just by the Skytrain station.
And finally, the antithesis of hipster…
Much as I love tasting new things sometimes all you want is a taste of home. This is particularly true if you haven’t been home for quite a while as was the case with my old friend Lisa and her friend and colleague Jason, two teachers from my neck of the woods in Yorkshire who had been living in Bangkok for a couple of years. They took me out for traditional English Sunday dinner at The Robin Hood www.robinhoodbangkok.com in nearby Phrom Phong.
As we all know, what tastes good is what tastes familiar and after a month away from home, boy did this taste good!
Japanese food in Thonglor next!