BK Magazine 824

Dating App-ocalypse

WHO’S IN CHARGE?

BK EDITORIAL

Managing Director Dietrich Neu

Managing Editor Tyler Roney

Deputy Editor Choltanutkun Tun-atiruj

Senior Writer Porpor Leelasestaporn

Art Director Wirankan Saiyasombut

GROVE: COCONUTS BRAND STUDIO

Head of Business Development Elizabeth Chua

Senior Brand Editor Julianne Greco

Associate Thai Editor Pakvipa Rimdusit

Branded Content Writer Moe Thet War

Senior Project Manager Sirinart Panyasricharoen

Senior Account Manager Hafiz Rasid

Senior Digital Account Manager Nuttajuk Kittichailuk

Art Director Tan Kar Liang

Production Manager Komkrit Klinkaeo

Senior Graphic Designer Umporn Jiaranai

Senior Business Development Managers Orajira Sukkasem, Piti Rungrojanaluck, Sophia Ong

Business Development Manager Chalida Anuwattanawong

SOIMILK

Editor Noranartta Chaikum

Senior Writers Rujiyatorn Choksiriwan

Publisher, Printer, and Editor Tara Rattanaphas

open door One of Bangkok’s French culinary kings makes his return

new & noted Saladaeng’s Fatboy Sushi V2 brings a whole new vibe to Ekkamai

feature Bangkok’s big list of braised beef spots

clinic at Mahanakhon Cube pushes for beauty diversity

last word A new pop-up bar aims to create a safe space for people to talk about mental health

BY THE NUMBERS

BY THE NUMBERS

Dating App-ocalypse

All the wrong places

44%

Dating apps aren’t going anywhere anytime soon, but that doesn’t mean we’re not sick of them.

Dating apps aren’t going anywhere anytime soon, but that doesn’t mean we’re not sick of them.

43% 41%

in Thailand say they would rather meet someone in person than on an app

73%

of online dating app users in Thailand fabricate information on their profile

YOU SAID WHAT?

“$200 dollars for standing room tickets, in Thailand? Pretty crazy.”

—

Facebook user Gary Danang on BK’s announcement that the Arctic Monkeys will be playing Bangkok in March.

“He is awesome makes me laugh until I pee .”

—

Facebook user Anton Singh on comedian Russell Peters upcoming tour in Bangkok.

“It’s going to be wild but in autotune.”

—

of Thais say they don’t use online dating because they don’t trust strangers online

Source: GMOR survey, Jan 2021

HOT OR NOT

While the world’s richest man (give or take) continues to throw out hissy fits and conspiracies on Twitter, two Tesla EVs became available for reserve in Thailand in December, just weeks before they could hit the road. For years now, Thailand has been offering preferential policies for electric vehicle manufacturers, and the largest plant in Southeast Asia from China’s BYD is set for Rayong this year.

Tinder is Thailand’s #1 dating app 44% of Thais say they use Tinder for “casual dating”

Source: Bangkok Post “Dating sites put love on the line”, Nov 2022

900 cases of online dating related fraud amounting to 200-300 million baht according to Cyber Crime Investigation Division 4

Elections are coming and no one is in the mood for it. This isn’t Chadchart jogging to the rescue in Bangkok, this is Thailand’s favorite coup-maker Prayut vying for two more years in the position after the Supreme Court tried and failed to count to the number 8. What’s his stump speech? That he has never been corrupt. Buckle up, Bangkok.

Facebook user Marvin Aramthip on the announcement that Travis Scott would headline Rolling Loud in Pattaya.

Patpong revamped somewhat during Covid to be a more sex positive place. They’ve been holding court for LGBTQ-forward events such as the Cayenne Peppers parties at places like Black Pagoda, and there are regular forums on history, BDSM, and elements of the sex trade at the Patpong Museum.

Everyone was so glad that international concerts were coming back. Well, since then it’s been a steady stream of Rolling Loud, 808, Jack White, Wonderfruit, and the next big Bangkok bank-breaking act is the Arctic Monkeys with tickets ranging from B4,000-7,000. We’re happy you’re back but maybe play under a bridge or something.

Model BKK

I am not a crook!

Out of concert money

Let’s talk about sex

NIGHTLIFE

Born to be BAD

BK is proud to announce that we’ll be resurrecting our annual nightlife awards—the Bangkok After Dark (BAD) Awards—in March.

That’s right, bar owners, we’ve been sneakily judging your music and cocktails from dark corners this whole time— and you thought we were just drunk. Look forward to a fun event for the BAD Awards 2023 filled with booze, wine, and sour grapes. It’s like Top Tables but everyone will say things they regret.

The BAD Awards began in 2017 and were curtailed for the Covid years. We’ll be letting you know the best drinks, best dive bars, best live music, and everything you need to know for your nights in our beloved Bangkok.

CITY LIVING BK print magazine returns

We know what you’re thinking, you drank something after chasing a woodland creature into its burrow and now you’re a giant. No, BK Magazine is just a little bit smaller. After a short hiatus in 2022, BK has been reborn from its broadsheet roots into the issue you now hold.

Yes, we’re still doing print. Why? Can you kill a mosquito with Time Out? Can you discipline a naughty dog with a Lifestyle Asia Facebook post? No. Bangkok is a real place and you deserve a real magazine.

Enjoy a few new sections (like this one), more pages, and a unique design for a sleek, compact BK reincarnation. We’ll keep doing print as long as you keep reading it.

CITY LIVING

The rich stick together

Soho House Bangkok is set to open early this year and the membership fee is around B112,000 per year for the local house and B169,000 for every location around the world. But cash alone won’t get you in the door. You also have to be referred and have your application approved by a committee.

This is how much rich people go through to play with each other. A World Bank report in October 2022 showed that Thailand had the largest wealth gap in the world gauging a period from 1990 to 2016.

Soho House works in other (more “developed” countries) with a smaller wealth gap, but this feels a bit like they’re rubbing it in. Hang out with us. We promise there’s no paperwork.

Can you answer these 4 weird questions from Thailand’s university admission test?

Yes, these are real questions.

1) During dinner, which is the most important meal for the family, Patcharaporn is arranging the table for her mother, who was born on Friday. Which colors should Patcharaporn use for the tablecloth?

a. Orange b. Pink c. Green d. Blue

2) What should you do when sexual hormones kick in?

a. Invite your friends to play soccer b. Consult with your parents c. Try to sleep d. Hang out with your opposite-sex friend

e. Go to the cinema with your best friend

3) Nid is an attractive girl who loves to go out with boys at night. She made out with some of them and ended up getting pregnant. Which of the following is the reason why several men are attracted to Nid?

a. Nid is beautiful b. Nid has a good personality c. Nid likes to go out at night d. Nid doesn’t reject men

4) What is the least carbon-emitting dish? a. Garlic pepper chicken with rice b. Fried Noodle with Pork c. Salmon Steak d. Seafood sukiyaki

Answers: 1) Blue: Everyone knows Fridays are blue days, duh. 2) Play soccer: Because soccer players are bastions of virtue. 3) Nid is beautiful: Because thirsty exam writers make the world go round. 4) Genuinely no one knows the answer. Even the Thailand country director for Greenpeace didn’t know and said it was an example of how Thai education relies on retention rather than critical thinking.

It was chance—albeit a slim one—for a real relationship. Then came the lockdown; everyone was hungry (and thirsty) for affection. Now that we can go back outside, online dating seems to have soured—hookups, scams, and very bad choices abound. Are we actually expected to go and meet real human people out in the wild? It’s too hot. There are bugs. This can’t be right. So, we’re wondering: What’s next?

Find your type

Valentine’s Day is (seemingly always) just around the corner, and while dating apps are the go-to, here are a few places you can try to meet some like-minded strange irl.

Dating App -ocalypse

● ARTSY, QUIRKY

River City Lots of small art spaces to check out in one visit, so there are more chances to meet the finicky art folk.

Warehouse 30 Not just good for art lovers, but vintage collectors, too.

Arcadia Arcade machines in a small space that will force everyone to talk to each other— and there’s a rooftop space where you can chill and smoke weed.

Jam After a short hiatus, Jam is back as a fun, artsy music at and art dive—as well as regular golden toilet karaoke if you want to pick up with your pipes.

● MUSIC FANS

Speakerbox It’s the best live band dive in the city and there’s plenty of friendly people to strike up a conversation whether to reggaeton or local rock.

Freaking out the Neighbourhood Only proper audiophiles need apply at this hipster hang. If you’ve got vinyl that costs more than your car, this is where you’ll meet your soul mate.

De Commune Whether it’s a live band or DJs, this is where the cool kids go to hang and dance.

POLITICOS AND CONVO STARTERS

Treppenhaus A coffee shop that regularly holds talks and meet-ups for people who are passionate about social and political issues.

Patpong Museum Join one of their museum tours to meet like-minded people who want to learn about the city’s sordid history.

Taopiphop Bar Project The owner of this craft brew spot is literally an MP, so.

Sukhumvit Soi 11 Full of tourists up for borderless fun. Here you can mix convo with dumplings and clubbing.

RCA While a lot of this can be all about the ONS, try your luck.

W District This place is already full of awkward Tinder dates. Other than that it’s international school teachers winding down with a tower of Singha.

SUGAR DADDY/ MOMMA

Bar Yard This is one of the few high-end hotel bars that can actually be fun. Embrace the tiki chic and look for a loner.

Thonglor 10 This is the natural hunting ground of the nouveau riche. Get your designer gear in order.

Thaipioka Another spot for the new (and young) rich with expensive cocktails to boot, this place can be surprisingly thumping on a weekend.

LOVE ELECTRONIC

That glowing rectangle can work for finding love—you just have to do it right.

Jump, 41

I met my now wife on Tinder in 2019 before Covid. Talking to her on Tinder felt like talking to a friend. We shared our experiences and tried to get to know each other better, so meeting her was like meeting a new friend. The first day we met, she was so funny, and still is. When she laughed like crazy, it was the moment I fell in love.

Tip: Don’t rush things. Be mature and ready for love.

Nat, 30

This was in 2016, and he had only been in Thailand to travel for a week. There was no conversation on the app. We matched and I invited him over for a ONS—and now we are getting married. I didn’t have any expectations beyond the ONS, so when we met we were comfortable with each other from the beginning, whatever the topic. It started with him asking me for tips about Bangkok. He felt a bit lonely and scared of the new city and almost went home. I felt bad for him and wanted to be his friend.

Tips: Be yourself and leave your expectations at the door.

Kenneth, 32

We matched on Tinder in 2019. We’d talk about our shared interests on our profiles, which led to more conversation about our life experiences, deeper conversations, and a few video calls. It seemed right for me to ask her out and she said yes. I went through a few dates prior meeting her that didn’t fare well, so I was a bit cautious with this date. Later I found out the feeling was mutual. We are now engaged to be married in 2023.

Tips: Be courteous—guys, we’re looking at you—and respect your dating partner’s “no-nos.” Even if it doesn’t work out, you won’t make the dating apps worse than they already are.

●

● HOOK-UP

●

Freaking out the Neighbourhood

Patpong Museum

Thaipioka

River City

● FOODIES

SDC (Small Dinner Club) This fine-dining restaurant will force you to talk to other diners.

Sarnies Sukhumvit People are usually very friendly and chill here and the tables are set very close together. On a weekend, look for romantic music.

Siri House Quince has the food, Jaqueline has the drinks, and inexplicably there’s a ground floor garden pool. Fill your boots.

The Horror

● FETISHISTS

Bar Bar Fetish Club in Patpong Pay B1,000 at the door and all your fantasies could come true.

Playroom Fifty Shades of Greythemed cocktail bar with some naughty S&M decor items like chains and handcuffs.

Bar Dusk A new spot for heavy metal lovers to meet and mingle.

● NATURE LOVERS

Benjakitti Park Bangkok’s favorite new central spot for birdwatching, picnicking, and Instagraming.

Chitbeer A craft beer bar isn’t your normal spot for nature lovers, but it’s on a river island, Koh Kret, and you can spend the day waltzing around the car-free greenery.

Green Lung Grab a bike and cycle Bangkok’s most underrated nature destination all day. Visit the Fighting Fish Museum and, if things go well, you can stay at the Bangkok Tree House.

The world is a weird place to be single and on dating sites— especially for women— but your date could be worse. We asked for online dating horror stories, and, jeez, some of you need to sort yourselves out. All names have been changed for decency’s (and safety’s) sake.

>>

Sarnies

Playroom

Benjakitti Park

ANNIE

I was on tinder and there was this Western guy whose pic was him holding up a long rifle like he was shooting some poor animal. I remember looking at it kinda stunned when my phone rang, and I answered it and my ear accidentally swiped right on the guy! Next thing I know I get a message ‘Oh thank god! A Caucasian!’ I quickly told him it was a mistake and unmatched.

DENTATA

He spent the whole date talking about his bad teeth, going into great detail about how rotten they were because he never brushed them. He went into intimate detail about the dental surgeries he was having, so much detail that I was put off the sushi we were eating. After the date, which I thought was excruciatingly bad, we were outside and he grabbed me and mashed his face against mine, forcing his tongue into my mouth. I was so repulsed, I actually gagged, pushed him away, and literally ran. Then he messaged and called for months trying to get another date.

JOE

Tinder suggests a top ten hot girls each day. One of those girls matched with me. After a few talks she said, ‘Ok, do you want to be my boyfriend?’ Oh my god. When I say this I know I sound like a total fool. What on earth would make a hot, pretty girl like that want to be my girlfriend. So I was lured into the trap. She asked me to purchase some expensive stuff and said we could meet. I purchased a few things for her a few times, and I felt like this was not right. So, I complained and stopped, asking her if we could meet. She stopped talking to me and her Line ID disappeared. I was such a fool.

MADOFF

I went on a date here in Bangkok with a Thai man that was just an MLM pitch. We met on Tinder. I got out of there after 30 mins and gave him fake information for his MLM recruitment form.

GREY

He told me he and his wife were opening up their marriage. He wanted to try out being dominant sexually. I was like, ‘Cool! I’m into it.’ We had absolutely nothing in common but we went back to my apartment anyway. Apparently by ‘try out being dominant’ he meant ‘hit me with a hairbrush and belt buckle.’ Before he left he told me his wife’s only rule had been ‘no sex on the first date.’ I immediately unmatched, but he found me on Facebook and messaged me to ask if I had accidentally unmatched wMINT

I work in media and when I was freshly single I was swiping at work. I came across a vegan fitness dude on Tinder and thought, ‘I need to interview this guy for my column.’ So, I swiped right and started a conversation. He was super flirty and narcissistic, telling me not to fall in love with him. I had to make a decision about my column so I kindly told him that I would save him for another profile cycle due to deadlines. To which he said, ‘Fine! Moving on to the next guy then,’ and proceeded to send me angry texts. I said goodbye and blocked him. Years later he reached out to my magazine pitching himself. He also tried to message me cordially, remembering that we chatted before but clearly not remembering his behavior.

DOROTHY

This one guy very insistently tried to get me to give him a handy during a Wizard of Oz screening. Same guy later took me to his parents house on the other side of Bangkok. I sat awkwardly at the dining table across from his mom while he changed upstairs. I’d met him like a week prior.

ONE OF BANGKOK’S FRENCH CULINARY KINGS MAKES HIS RETURN

Porpor Leelasestaporn

The buzz: Back when it felt like fine-dining restaurants were few and far between in Bangkok, French chef Arnaud Dunand made Le Normandie one of the preeminent high end dining destinations in the city. The chef left his post at the French powerhouse in 2021, and made his long-awaited return with the eponymous Maison Dunand on Sathorn Soi 10. Despite only being open for a few months this year, it has already received a one-star rating in 2023’s Michelin Guide.

FAVORITE DISH

Dunand flexes his creativity with a lobster dish (we’re talking rare blue lobster from Brittany) seared with blueberry sauce and served with creamed celeriac and lobster bisque. Tantalizingly sweet and subtly acidic, you’ll make good use of the bread to wipe the plate clean.

The vibe: Rather than a flashy showpiece venue, Dunand’s new post feels homey and rustic. You won’t find any elaborate chandeliers or gold-colored carpet to create an inflated sense of exuberance. The two-story house is modeled after the typical chalets found Dunand’s hometown in the French Alps. Here, oakwood beams and cave-like stone walls commingle with cabin-in-the wood feels from the lush green garden outside. The venue also sits right next to his more casual French bistro, Alpine, where Dunand forgoes haute cuisine in favor of more personal recipes from his hometown.

The food: Food-wise, Dunand showcases his French culinary prowess and soft personal touch in ways meant to remind you of his hometown. His eight-course experience (B6,900) begins with a smoked eel canape, alongside three amuse bouches: blood sausage with a tangy green apple gel, vol-au-vent (a small pastry filled with mushroom ragu and topped with truffle foam), and trout roe tartlet. Dunand’s signature move—caviar with sea urchin and potato soup—will still woo guests as a rich, salty delicacy. For the main, we tried the fig-smoked Bresse pigeon with sprinklings of cacao nibs and served alongside eggplant millefleurs, buffered by a selection of Alpine cheese, which rolls out on a trolley boasting 10 varieties from Dunand’s hometown.

Why we’d come back: Dunand is nearly a living legend in Bangkok’s fine-dining scene, especially among the old guard. Considering that his new place offers a business lunch menu at B2,600—very reasonable considering the quality on offer here—we’d say Maison Dunand could easily slip into your regular rotation for years to come. Also thanks to the chef’s cafe-slash-bistro right next door, having a taste of legend’s work is easier than ever. Sathorn Soi 10, Silom, Bangkok. 065-639-0515 ●

ANG MORR

6 Soi Sangchai Phrakanong, Khlong Toei Bangkok 10110 Open daily 8am-10pm. Tel. 02-118-3641

Like so much of the modern fare in Bangkok, Ang Morr strives for pretty plating. Our har gow (B450) arrived as crystal prawn dumplings stuffed with truffle paste and molded into three adorable—yet hyper-realistic—goldfish. Despite the deranged eyes on one for our last visit, the dish showed serious design work that deserves recognition. But something was missing: the taste. True, the prawns intermingled with the truffle paste to come off as delectably creamy, but we’ve seen many restaurants pulling this stunt at smaller prices; Shangri-La hotel has it for B120. If you pay this much for dumplings, you need something distinguishing other than the design.

Some items inch closer to the mark but stray from their intended path along the way. Take the fried rice noodles (B520), for example. The medium rare sirloin steak on top was adequate and the portion sufficient, but the issue we had was the noodles: They weren’t evenly fried. Half of them gave off a rough, grainy texture harder than Asian parents are to their kids. The other half was miserably soaked in the sauce and rendered into a soft tofu-like texture.

There’s some appeal in their more straightforward dishes, of course. The cook-shop staple fried pork chop with green peas (B380) was done well. Each slice was tender yet wonderfully crisp on the outside, reminiscent of those at Silom Restaurant—a sentiment meant as a compliment. The spicy tofu salad (B260), which looks and tastes like Japanese Kinu tofu (B35) from supermarket Tops, was topped with crunchy bits of fried salmon, similar to Thai fried catfish. Heaps of herbs and bean sprouts, along with the spicy Thai salad dressing, helped add a refreshing lift to the dish.

The sweet treats here are failed attempts to revitalize classics. The Chinese toffee banana (B280), which was frozen with liquid nitrogen to retain the lusciousness inside while being deep-fried, was nothing special. Blindfolded, the regular kluay tod (fried banana) on the street might taste the same. On the menu, it read that the dish should be prepared tableside, but our waitress didn’t pull her cart to our table during our visit, and we learned later on that she was preparing it by the cashier. The redeeming parts? Perhaps it was the ice cream, the caramelized bits sprinkled on the top, or our guilt that kept us from leaving without finishing.

Ang Morr may have been born out of good intentions. We can see the amount of effort they pour into making this place attractive to younger generations, with its opulent, gilded interior with peony motifs and Instagram-worthy presentations—something you wouldn’t expect to see in regular Chinese cook shops like Silom Restaurant or Foo Mui Kee. But at the end of the day, no restaurant can thrive on glitter alone. ●

BISTRO MONTMARTRE

7/F Ascott Sathorn Bangkok, Sathon Rd., 098-257-9495. Open daily 7am-10:30pm

Set on the seventh floor of the Sathorn Ascott Bangkok, Bistro Montmartre is a restaurant serving modern French and Italian cuisine in a delightful outdoor setting featuring beautiful pavilions. The restaurant’s outdoor dining area overlooking the pool is the perfect place to sit back, relax, and enjoy whatever meal you’re seeking with a lovely view of the city – or you can sit inside where it’s cool and air-conditioned if you need respite from the Bangkok heat! Bistro Montmartre has a comprehensive breakfast buffet serving a generous offering of Western and Asian dishes, along with a comprehensive a la carte meal with delectable sandwich, pasta (check out the tagliatelle ragu!), and other scrumptious options like truffle pizza and khao tom moo throughout the day, and premium dinner entrees like a juicy beef filet, beef tartare, roasted chicken, and rack of lamb. Don’t skip out on dessert – their tiramisu and creme brulee come highly recommended!

Saladaeng’s Fatboy Sushi V2 brings a whole new vibe to Ekkamai

The minimalist 24-seat sushi bar off Soi Saladaeng, Fatboy Sushi, got an upgrade at their new, much bigger home in Ekkamai with a new name: Fatboy Izakaya. They’re offering modern izakaya dishes and a long alcohol list in their two-storey building. You’ll be able to spot the place from miles away with their shining bright lights out of their front glass wall, showcasing the live, party atmosphere. The signature Fatboy Roll (wagyu maki, cream cheese, truffle oil with foie gras on top, B650 / eight pieces) is a can’t-miss, and a must-try beef dish is the simple and traditional gyozas with wagyu beef stuffed inside and served with chili soy dressing (B280).

53/2 Sukhumvit Soi 24, 095-815-583

Bangkok’s first Korean fine dining restaurant turns nostalgia into a new narrative

Despite the sheer avalanche of Korean cuisine in Bangkok, the lack of Korean fine-dining restaurants comes as a bit of a surprise. Now, there’s Juksunchae, the newly-opened Korean haute restaurant in Ruamrudee sitting atop on the fifth floor of Woodberry Common. Born in Korea and growing up in Canada, Chef Henry re-engineers concepts while introducing nuance with his 11-course experience (B4,990) dining experience—think bibimbap featuring a creamy sea urchin custard, caviar, and rice with a white kimchi sauce at the center. Modeled on seasonal ingredients, Juksunchae will rotate their menu 4-6 times a year.

5/F Woodberry Common, Soi Ruamrudee, 098-333-4498

The mind behind Zao takes Isaan food up a notch

Opening in late 2022, Bangkok is finally starting to realize what a treasure they have in the brave ingredients at Zao Larb. The restaurant’s predecessor, Zao, put a whole new twist on how locals view Isaan food, and Zao Larb is taking that standard to a whole new level. This time, Ekkamai’s Isaan food specialist is going big with the nostalgic flavors of unapologetic northeastern classics.

Owner Nutthida “Eve” Palasak’s spot on Thonglor Soi 25 focuses on more adventurous and lesser known dishes—som teen ngua (fermented ox feet) and som suer (fermented beef brisket wrapped in bamboo leaves)—and even raw beef delicacies.

11/7 Thonglor Soi 25, 062-639-1445

Zao Larb

Juksunchae

Fatboy Izakaya

Arnaud Dunand’s new bistro brings the French Alps to Sathorn

After making a grand comeback with his eponymous Maison Dunand , one of Bangkok’s most vaunted French chefs, Arnaud Dunand, has unveiled his bistro spinoff Alpea, sitting atop his grocery store and next to his fine dining establishment. Here, Dunand focuses more on comfort food drawn from his childhood growing up in the French Alps around the Savoie region. The grocery shop downstairs features imported products from modest producers in Savoie, ranging from the upland Tomme de Savoie cheese and dry hazelnut sausage (B245/100g) to the chef’s ready-to-made onion soup.

55 Soi Sueksa Witthaya, Silom, 065-639-0515

Popular Korean egg sandwich shop Eggdrop open at Siam Square One

After teasing Korean egg sandwich fans in July this year, South Korea’s massively popular breakfast spot Eggdrop finally began serving its first fluffy egg sandwich to Bangkok folks at Siam Square One’s ground floor in December. Similar to its store back home, Eggdrop Bangkok sports a typical American diner look with red-and-white color palettes and the use of metallic chrome. The basic Mr. Egg, the soft, fluffy scrambled eggs and Sriracha mayo wrapped in crispy brioche, starts at a surprisingly cheap B89.

Siam Square One, BTS Siam, 081-865-0626

New Yen Akart brunch spot is the new hang for you and your dogs

Inside Shama Yen Akart, newly opened in late 2022, Brunch Paradiso serves big portions of cafe comfort food—with a special welcome for furry friends. The chef lived and worked in Melbourne for a few years, so you’ll get a hint of the Melbourne cafe style here. Fare includes egg dishes like the Paradiso Brekkie (B370) with scrambled eggs, sourdough and brioche, roasted tomatoes, sautéed mushrooms, roasted butternut squash, sausage, thick-cut bacon, some greens, and their very own baked beans that are actually pretty tasty. For a more lunch-vibe dish, grab the spaghetti AOP with Cumberland sausage (B250). Coffee starts at B75.

69 Yen Akat Rd., 02-160-8752. Open daily 7am-4pm ●

ROCKET COFFEE BAR

147, Sathorn Soi 12, 096-791-3192. Open daily 7am-5pm

With its stunning wood counter chrome coffee machines, light woods and hints of blue, this cafe brims with Scandinavian style. Serving up Instagram-worthy drinks, like their Jaffa Cold Brew with dark chocolate and orange, and a short, but sweet, menu of idealized brunch dishes with Nordic Flair, Rocket Coffee Bar boasts one of the best eggs benedicts in Bangkok. Some of the other savory brekkie dishes worth checking out are their steak & eggs, avocado toast, chorizo shakshuka, and their roast beef multigrain focaccia. If you’re looking for something lighter, try their acai bowl or classic muesli! This is a great place to while away a morning—or even an afternoon, if you move on to the wine and cocktail list. Lunch picks include a decadent truffle mac and cheese, dill steam wild salmon, pork cutlet, and hearty chicken supreme. Enjoy watching the crowd, catching up with friends, and planning/recovering from the night before/ahead here.

Exclusively for Citi and UOB Credit Card members

Alpea

Eggdrop

Brunch Paradiso

Chocolate brand Kad Kokoa teams with Chula Uni for better Thai cacao Thai chocolate brand Kad Kokoa has teamed up with the School of Agricultural Resources and the Faculty of Law, both of Chulalongkorn University, to form The Innovation Center of Research and Development of Sustainable Thai Cacao (ISTC). ISTC aims to bring more in-depth knowledge about cacao through developing quality local cacao and related products in a sustainable, traceable, and quality-focused approach for the local and international markets.

Chitlom gets a promising new Indian spot in Jashn Benares and Chowpati have been making quietly brilliant Indian food on Soi 13 for a while now, and the minds behind these two restaurants have brought a new Indian offering, Jashn , to the Intercontinental Hotel in Chitlom just off the BTS. Dishing out Mughlai and Awadhi fare and touting their curries and kebabs, look forward to a full bar and wine menu and live Indian music Friday through Sunday.

Just a few more days to try Gaggan Anand’s menu before the season ends February 14 will be the last day for anyone to try the seasonal menu at Gaggan Anand before the restaurant takes a break until April. Whether from his Netflix Chef’s Table, eccentric menu, or his mercurial personality, Gaggan Anand requires little introduction. It’s no hyperbole to state that this 14-seat event is the go-to fine dining experience for traveling foodies, and the current menu is a can’t mix experience that’s equal parts fine dining, storytelling, and rock and roll.

The ramen shop that makes only 35 bowls a day

Bangkok has welcomed another tonkotsu ramen specialist Tsu Na Gu to the space from Japan Live Kitchen in Ekkamai Soi 6. The venue accommodates eight seats and serves 35 bowls a day. Tsu Na Gu’s ramen boasts a rich, opaque pork bone broth and slices of char-siu pork from Kagoshima Prefecture. Go for the special (B380), featuring three hearty slices of char-siu topped with menma and soft-boiled eggs; the thick, almost al-dentelike noodles pair perfectly with the broth.

Bangkok’s favorite ice cream wizards are now doing soft serve

Guss Damn Good began offering soft serve at EmQuartier in Phrom Phong. Known for their popular artisan flavors and quality natural ingredients, Guss Damn Good has ballooned over the years, with spaces in Thonglor, Sathorn, Central World, and EmQuartier, and soft serve marks a departure from the neatly designed cups and cones. Similarly, last year Guss Damn Good unveiled a new spot at The Commons Saladaeng dedicated to making sundaes. ●

Gaggan Anand

Guss Damn Good

Jashn

Kad Kokoa

10 PLACES TO SINK YOUR TEETH INTO BRAISED BEEF IN BANGKOK

Some foods never go out of style. From trendy Kobe noodles to broth brewed for half a century, BK has been scouring the city for the absolute best braised beef in Bangkok.

Sangaa

The Thonglor nightlife barons of Zudrangman Records and Studio Lam have a daytime gig selling braised beef noodles from a 50-yearold family recipe at Mahachai, Samut Sakhon. Laden with hand-painted signs and lukthung and molam motifs, this shophouse churns out beef noodles with braised beef and gravy over rice. Wednesdays are juicy braised beef kaprao Sukhumvit Soi 51, 062 626 1797, Open Mon-Sat 10.30am-7.30pm

Ten Suns

Though the old Chinatown neighborhood of Woeng Nakorn Kasem seems to have vanished, the legendary beef soup of Chew Nuea Wua Raitamitra is being kept alive thanks to the grandson of the restaurant’s original owner. Inside the revamped shophouse, you can see Chanyanpat Tiveschayun season and braise his beef for 4-5 hours using his grandfather’s recipe. Order a bowl of beef soup with brisket, short plate, and shank (B100), or go for a bowl of each separately (B120-180).

Wisut Kasat, Bang Khun Phrom, Phra Nakhon, 02-282-1853. Open Tue-Sun 10am-4pm

Wattana Panich

This might not be the oldest beef joint, but if we’re talking about the oldest broth in Bangkok, this Ekkamai noodles specialist is by far the winner, using the same soup as when it moved to its current premises almost 50 years ago. The B100 bowls are made from an old family recipe and attract all walks of Bangkok life, from Sukhumvit socialites to taxi drivers and tourists.

336 Ekkamai Soi 18, 02-391-7264. Open daily 10am-8pm

BK PICK Nuea Toon Nang Loeng

Currently run by its third generation, this braised beef noodle shop is almost impossible to get a seat at for lunch hour. Accompanying the five-hour braised beef is a savory broth packed with aroma. Order a side of rice (B6) for your braised beef soup (B60) and soak up the flavor.

11 Nakorn Sawan Soi 2, 02-282-0608. Open Mon-Sat 10am-2:30pm

Nuea Toon Nang Loeng

Sangaa

Ten Suns

NEW Rongklannuer

A crumbling two-storey shophouse tucked away on a quiet Songwat street has found a second life as an indie braised beef spot, Rongklannuea, winning hipsters’ hearts through its hearty bowls of fatty meat. The prices aren’t cheap, but the quality speaks for itself. Try the Emperor braised beef noodle (B250), the most lavish option on offer featuring a medley of braised beef, beef balls, sliced tenderloin, tendon, and beef tongue— all topped with sweet chili oil and crisp garlic. Add patongo dough to wipe up the soup.

937 939 Song Wat Rd, 063-830-6335. Tue-Sun 10am-8pm

Heng Chun Seng

This Klong Toey institution has been serving Bangkok’s finest beef broth for decades. The mixed beef hot pot—loaded with chunks of melt-in-your-mouth beef, meatballs, and innards along with a heartwarming broth and fresh morning glory—make this neighborhood hole-in-the-wall a hit with locals of all ages.

133 Sunthorn Kosa Rd., 02-249-2329. Open daily 7am-8pm

Sia Laitiemtan Beef Stews

Arguably the oldest beef joint in Bangkok, Sia Beef Stew has an enduring legacy of 80 years in its arsenal, serving a very affordable bowl of noodles (B70) and kao lao (B90). Those who want something more upscale can order Kobe beef (B110) or go for the large hotpot for B350.

9, 16 Kanchanaphisek Rd, Bang Phai. 085-554-5891. Open daily 8am-5pm

Neua Toon Thanam Sathu Pradit

Originally a tiny near-riverside stall, this Rama 3 beef spot has slowly expanded its empire, opening its permanent spot in a two-storey shophouse along with the other two branches in Nanglinchee and Charoen Nakhon. The original venue is always packed throughout the day, but if you manage to get in, order their PHD hotpot (B280) loaded with the beef of your choice (up to 15 varieties). They also have the smaller version of preschool noodle (B80) and elementary noodles (B100) for single servings.

684 Sathu Pradit Rd., 02-682-0156. Open Mon-Sat 8am-4pm

BK PICK Zhong Zhong Mian

Despite not being a Thai beef noodle joint, Huang Kwang’s Chongqing noodle specialist has some of the best braised beef in town. Fresh and springy noodles in the braised beef (B160) arrive with a month-numbing heady broth that’s almost restorative. The gelatinous chunks of beef need only the smallest effort to chew. Also, be sure to order their duck intestine (B150).

2, 3 Pracha Rat Bamphen Rd, Huai Khwang, 065-9561011, Open daily 10am-9:30pm

BK PICK Fuk Yuan Suki Seafood

They say you can judge how pretentious a restaurant is by the decor. In that case, this Hong Kong spot approaches zero. The venue offers a wide array of authentic Chinese dishes, along with Hong Kong classics. Order the rice clay plot (B250) crowded with velvety strips of beef coating each savory grain. The best part is the crispy layer of rice underneath—so addictive it should probably be illegal.

68 Soi Ratchadaphisek 17, Open daily 5pm-midnight ●

Rongklannuer

Heng Chun Seng

Zhong Zhong Mian

Fuk Yuan Suki Seafood

Sia Laitiemtan Beef Stews

THE NEW KHAO YAI HAS MORE TO OFFER THAN JUST FAMILY VACATIONS

Khao Yai has been a typical go-to for Thai family vacations for decades. It’s less than three hours away and has everything from homey restaurants to wild animals, a place where you can take a big family vacation with the grandparents without breaking the bank. But the new Khao Yai can just be fun.

EAT

Thanks to Khaam, Khao Yai has an answer to the matcha craze with high-quality Japanese tea (from B130) and light pastries. Fans of Thai mango treats can head to The Mango House Farm (Nong Makrut, Pak Chong; open Wed-Sun 9am-5pm) where second generation owners transformed their parents’ 250-rai mango farm into a cafe dedicated to mango treats. Try their torched nam dok mai mango—with a burnt texture reminiscent of creme brulee—topped with thick whipped cream. For lunch, there’s a decent local lunch spot at 505 Kow Hom Potchana Kitchen, that serves the meanest crispy pork salt and chilly (B215).

Make a stop at Issara Estates in Saraburi for Cafe Issara, which offers a B2,000 afternoon tea set picnic on the lawn where they grow the grapes for their wines. The price is for two and includes muscat sorbet, mini cheese platter, and macarons to name a few—plus two glasses of wine.

For something a little more high end, in 2019 Taninthorn “Noom” Chantarawan of the Michelin-starred Chim by Siam Wisdom quietly opened his chef’s table The Gardener placing a focus on Khao Yai’s local ingredients.

DRINK

While Khao Yai has something of a stuffy or family-friendly reputation, it also offers a few drinking and nightlife experiences. The craft beer bar Taproom did a pop-up at Midwinter, and is currently hosting locally-made charcuterie cafe Larder until the end of January 2023.

To get your hands on weed, visit Diip shop by Good Neighbors Farm who wants to go against the THC hype and specifically focus on the medical side of weed—CBD only.

STAY

For stay, you have to check out the hot, new Intercontinental Khao Yai designed by none other than Bangkok’s favorite eccentric designer and starchitect, Bill Bensley. This one has a railway theme where you can actually sleep in a vintage train car refurbished into a luxury cabin with a living room. There are only 19 of these sleeper train type rooms and rates start at B15,000 per night—remember to book these rooms early. If sleeping in a narrow train carriage is not your thing, their standard room type starts at B7,000.

The property is located on an over-100-rai compound and comes with a 1.2-kilometer-long lake filled with fish, swans, and a very dense forest—an ecosystem that took 12 years to create. For food, they offer French, Poirot; and Thai, Somying. Try their grilled pork neck red curry (B450) and you’ll forget about the best panang you’ve had in your life. The main bar is Papillon which serves champagne-based cocktails (B420-590). ●

Choltanutkun Tun-atiruj and Porpor Leelasestaporn

Intercontinental Khao Yai

SHOPPING

New aesthetic clinic at Mahanakhon Cube pushes for beauty diversity

If you’re worn out with beauty clinics upselling you treatments and products or trying to tell you what you need to do with your face or body in order to look “beautiful” based on their standards, check out the new Solne. The dermatologists offer custom services based on your needs and wants via a 45-minute consultation session (included in the treatment fees). Pico laser treatments start at B7,500 and Botox starts at B10,000 for 100 units.

3/F, 96 Mahanakhon Cube, 02-077-8684

SHOPPING

SHOPPING

Hey, sneakerheads, Nike’s largest store is open at Central World

After opening its previous flagship store at Siam Center in 2019, the sportswear giant opened a brand-new shop at Central World, boasting its largest space in Thailand yet and coinciding with the 40th anniversary of Air Force 1s. Taking over the old space from Mango on the second floor of Central World, the store—spanning over 1,030 sqm—is the first to include a maternity collection and skateboarders can also expect to see limited edition Nike Skateboards.

2/F, CentralWorld.

Local boutique jewelry brand Matara opens its third store at Gaysorn Village

Founded in 2014 by three friends, Matara’s Gaysorn Village branch makes their third location in Bangkok after Central Embassy and Peninsula Bangkok. The new store offers a consultation area for fitting and advice, and a personal shopping experience can also be provided. Customers are able to get designs personalized in two weeks. A pair of mini caviar-style earrings made of freshwater pearls come in five different colors starting at B1,890—accessible for younger, fashion-oriented collectors.

2/F Gaysorn Centre, Gaysorn, Village Bangkok, 065-924-6559

SHOPPING

A new website where you can buy art by emerging artists

Contemporary art gallery 333 Gallery has just launched a new website, 333gallery.com, to support the local art scene even further. On the website, you can attend a virtual 3D gallery of their exhibitions, making local art more easily accessible. On top of that, the website makes it possible for art collectors worldwide—with their no-minimum free shipping—to buy art by both Thai and international artists. Artists can sell their works by signing up for the website and verifying their identity.

A NEW POP-UP BAR AIMS TO CREATE A SAFE SPACE FOR PEOPLE TO TALK ABOUT MENTAL HEALTH

Sad Bar is a pop-up bar around Bangkok selling drinks and donating proceeds to psychiatric hospitals in Thailand. The first pop-up took place at Ari hostel The Yard, and the money was donated to the Loei Ratchanakharin Psychiatric Hospital. BK speaks to Paron “Nile” Sujitjorn, 35, who suffers from anxiety and panic disorders, about how he came up with the idea for this project and why it’s ok to not be ok. Keep tuned into the Instagram @sadbarrr for the next pop up in February.

Tell us about yourself.

I work as a copywriter at a tech company as a full-time job. I started seeing a psychiatrist when I was in university when I experienced a sort of panic attack—I was shaking, my heart was racing. After not having spoken to my parents for six or seven years due to some family issues, I had to tell them and then they took me to see a psychiatrist for the first time. Later on, I learned that I had an anxiety and panic disorder.

Can you tell us about your Sad Bar project?

It’s a pop-up bar, and the plan now is to rotate in various different fairs and locations around Bangkok, but I’ve been on the constant lookout for a permanent location to set it up properly. I want to create a comfortable space for people to talk about mental health without any judgments or pressure on anyone to start seeing a psychiatrist or therapist. If one day they decide they want to start seeing one, whether or not inspired by the conversations at Sad Bar, then that’s a good start. The drinks are also named after different mental illnesses with a short write-up about it, like the Gin Tonic is the Gin Panic.

And you donate money to different psychiatry hospitals?

Yes, on the first pop-up, we donated to Loei Ratchanakharin Psychiatric Hospital. I chose this hospital after consulting with my psychiatrist because I learned this hospital is really in need of support. There are only five psychiatrists in total, and they have to take care of 200-500 patients per day.

You’re also behind the You Are Not Alone Instagram account, correct?

Yes, I created it about a year ago. Back then I had some problems with my close friends

and felt very alone, like I had no one at all and during that time. I kept getting panic attacks and I didn’t have anyone I could reach out to. One night, the panic attack was so terrible, I wasn’t trying to kill myself or anything, but it was bad, I was alone and I just thought that if I never woke up again I wouldn’t regret anything. I survived that night and realized that it didn’t matter how much I kept saying that I like being alone; when I really had no one, it’s not a pleasant feeling at all. So I created this Instagram page to remind other people who might be going through the same journey that they are not alone.

Has it been difficult for you to receive support?

Two or three years ago, the waiting list to see a psychiatrist at a private hospital was around two to three weeks. In the past year, the waiting list is now one to two months. It means that more people are taking care of their mental well-being compared to 10 years ago. Back in the day, people would think you were a lunatic if you saw a psychiatrist. Of course there is still room for improvement, but things are better than before.

How have the people around you been reacting since you’ve been speaking up about mental health?

Most people are very supportive. I’m quite open to talk about my mental health and usually the one to start the conversation about it. I’ve learned that once I start, the other people around me will feel more comfortable to speak about their journey. It’s just that no one wants to start. Sometimes people are just waiting to be asked. If you open up your heart to other people, they will open up to you. ●

This article contains content about mental illness some readers may find disturbing.

Choltanutkun Tun-atiruj