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

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

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. ●