It’s February — for some the month of family and tradition, for others the month of love. With so many reasons to celebrate, what better time than now to start scheduling those dinner plans? In a city such as Bangkok that constantly buzzes with new happenings, the question of “where to?” can be difficult to answer, which is why we’ve taken the liberty of doing most of the hard work for you.
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From Italian omakase — yes, it’s now a real thing — to fine-dining on a plane and having tea at the Mad Hatter’s table from Alice in Wonderland, we’ve rounded up the list of places you should be drinking and dining at this month. On the round-up, we see Haoma launch a bespoke weekend lunch menu, along with two upscale restaurant openings and a new rooftop bar in bustling Asoke. Scroll to see which reservations you’ll be making this month!
New Restaurant Opening: Italian Omakase at White Lies
Bangkok’s dynamic nature makes it an exciting playing field for fine-dining enthusiasts and culinary veterans alike. As new places pop up across the city, here’s the latest contender to eye this February. Maurizio Menconi, formerly of The Sukhothai Bangkok hotel, made Italian omakase a very real — and exciting! — concept last month with the opening of Italian fine-dining destination White Lies. Omakase might bring you images of fresh Japanese ingredients and divine tamago bites, but at White Lies, expect the likes of lobster, kobe beef, artisanal cheeses and caviar — all of which are luxurious and sustainable.
The “leave it up to the chef” idea remains, except this time expressed through the best of Italian fine dining. While the plates might have Italian roots, flavours are far from predictable — every bite-sized serving does the ‘White Lies’ monicker justice, from a panna cotta made to look like an egg, to foie gras disguised as chocolate. There’s an impressive wine list by glass or by the bottle, and you can opt for a personalised wine pairing by the in-house sommelier to complement your omakase experience. The restaurant can only hold a little over 20 guests per night, so be sure to book in advance!
THB5,000++ for the Omakase Dinner Menu. Wine pairings come at THB20,000++, THB12,000++, THB8,000++ and THB3,400++ depending on the size of your group (maximum six people). To reserve your seats or find out more, call 06 5319 8877. whiteliesrestaurant.com.
New Bar Opening: 1826 Mixology & Rooftop Bar at Rembrandt Hotel
There’s a new rooftop bar in town. Perched on the 26th floor of Rembrandt Hotel, 1826 Mixology & Rooftop Bar offers creative mixology and fusion bites, along with a pretty good view over Sukhumvit area. Cocktails lean towards the sweet side, so if you’re a fan of all things sugary, this is the spot for you. While all the classic options are there, from martinis to blended premium whisky, it’s in the specialty cocktails that their creativity really shines through.
‘Sawadee Krub’ gives you mekong Thai whisky mixed with raspberry, lemon grass and finally topped off with an extravagant swab of sai mai, while the ‘Maharaja’s Chest’ comes cigar-infused in a real treasure chest. Food is inspired by Rembrandt’s inhouse Mexican, Indian and Italian restaurants — the chicken tikka puff holds a rather sweet spot in our hearts.
Open daily from 5pm-1am, Rembrandt Hotel. To reserve your seats or find out more, call 0 2261 7050. Official Facebook page.
Afternoon Tea: Mad Hatter’s Afternoon Tea Party at 137 Pillars
During a month of love and reverie, what could be better than a good afternoon tea break with those near and dear? Just in time for the dreamy season, 137 Pillars Suites & Residences Bangkok is offering an afternoon tea set themed around Lewis Carroll’s beloved fantasy tale, Alice In Wonderland. Expect a series of whimsical delights — from pink potions labeled ‘Drink Me’ to edible potted plants, while away your afternoons indulging in sweet and savoury bites especially curated with guest chef Penny Jirayuwatana. Tumble down the rabbit hole and claim your spot at the Mad Hatter’s table in Lewis Carroll’s quirky world this Valentine’s at the Bangkok Trading Post Bistro & Deli!
THB1,550++ per person includes a demi bottle of Moët Rosé Impérial Champagne. THB950++ gets you the set itself. The Mad Hatter’s Afternoon Tea set is available from 1 – 5:30pm, on Valentine’s Day February 14. It will also be available during the weekends of February 16 – 17, 23 – 25 and March 2 – 3, at Bangkok Trading Post Bistro & Deli, 137 Pillars Suites & Residences Bangkok. To reserve your seats or find out more, call 0 2079 7000. 137pillarsbangkok.com.
Seafood Delights: Scrumptious river prawn dishes at Shangri-La Hotel
Seafood lovers, be sure to book yourselves a seat at Shangri-La Hotel’s Salathip this February. The authentic Thai restaurant is offering a ‘Live River Prawn’ feast, bringing in giant freshwater river prawns from Ayutthaya for a special menu of mouth-watering delights. Especially curated by Thai chef de cuisine Yannavit Theerasomboonkun and his talented team, expect a range of the finest local flavours expressed through three exquisite dishes. The goong mae naam phad char has juicy river prawns stir-fried with Thai chilli peppers and lemon leaves, while the goong mae naam phad prik gue brings out the natural flavours of the prawn with a basic yet flavourful classic stir-fry with chilli and salt. Keep an eye out for a royals’ favourite on the menu — the sang-wa goong mae nam, a dish of spicy river prawn salad served with kaffir lime.
Each dish comes at THB2,200++. The Live River Prawn feast is available from today until June 30, 2019 at Salathip restaurant, Shangri-La Hotel, Bangkok. To reserve your seats or find out more, call 0 2236 7777. shangri-la.com.
Guilty-Pleasure Plates: New hot dogs, burgers and munchies at Beer Belly
Beer Belly has introduced new additions to its menu that’ll keep it a staple on the Thonglor dweller’s favourites list. Having established a reputation for good food and even better beer, the 72 Courtyard beer hall has expanded its menu, bringing in all the classic guilty pleasures from hot dogs and burgers to meatballs, loaded fries and even a sausage platter. The laab hot dog gives you an enticing spin-off of Isaan flavours, with ground roasted rice, chilli powder, mint and jaew mayo. For some international-flavoured fun, go for the tri-color hot dog — a pork sausage stuffed with homemade pickled chillies, shallots and pickled cucumber — or the okonomiyaki-inspired hot dog with wasabi mayo, pickled ginger and topped with bonito flakes.
If you love a good burger, the ultimate American burger will not disappoint, giving you a heavenly combination of mac ‘n’ cheese, crispy bacon and beef patty — the Italian burger, on the other hand, offers the gourmet version with French cheese, balsamic dressing and champignon mushrooms. Beer Belly recommends the crispy cheesy meatballs, while we recommend the cheeseburger loaded fries for the ultimate indulgence — expect a cheeseburger re-interpreted into a loaded fries dish, topped with shallots and cheddar cheese.
THB250 – THB450. Beer Belly, 72 Courtyard, Sukhumvit 55. To reserve your seats or find out more, call 0 2392 7770. 72courtyard.com/beer-belly.
Hyper-local Plates: A bespoke weekend lunch at Haoma
Haoma is now offering a special lunch menu over the weekends, with seasonal, garden-fresh offerings and specially selected meats prepared with flavours from India to Europe and everything in between. Expect 100% Thai ingredients, sourced directly from Haoma’s own urban farm. The key highlight of the special lunch menu is the ‘Flexible Set Menu’ promotion, where guests can choose their own combinations from the three dishes offered in each playfully-labelled section. In ‘Bite Me’, choose between avocado toast with egg and feta, smoked eel with yuzu gel, or cured fish served with crackers, herb jelly, raisins, sashi and ginger.
For your main course in ‘Indulge Me’, tantalising options await, from melon gazpacho to prawn kiang khum lentils with miso, black garlic and spring onions. For ‘That’s It?’, choose between temptations such as butter chicken yoghurt, pickles and naan, grilled fish served with soba and mushrooms or even a duck leg nestled in mango salad, served with sticky rice and cumin curry. Last but not least, for the ‘Got More!’ section, opt for sweet treats ranging from deconstructed oreo cookies to cherry sorbets and more.
THB1,250 for four courses, THB999 for three courses. Haoma restaurant. To reserve your seats or find out more, call 0 2258 4744. haoma.dk.
Unique Gourmet Experience: Fine-dining on a refitted airplane at Na-Oh
If you’re looking for a fine-dining experience not quite like any other, head to Na-Oh. Set inside a refitted airplane — more specifically, the refitted Lockhead L-1011 Trista at Chang Chui — entering the majestic restaurant makes you feel like you’re in a completely different world. Intimate and cosy yet still incredibly fascinating, the name Na-Oh comes from a play on “Noah’s Ark”, and as such, you can find subtle biblic references throughout the menu. Food-wise, expect interesting plates of raw kingfish and quinoa to cow marrow and coffee rum salsa. You also get a choice between ‘Adam’ — australian wagyu, abalone and shitake — or ‘Eve’, which offers scampi, foie gras and tropical vinaigrette.
THB2,500++ for eight courses. THB1,500++ for five courses. Na-Oh Bangkok, Chang Chui. To reserve your seats or find out more, call 0 2007 7070. na-ohbangkok.
