BK Magazine 806

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Reno-vated How a former GI hotel became a hub for contemporary art Old Siam Explore the history of Bangkok’s shopping hub through the lens Phil ’Er Up Go inside Siam’s basement apothecary-turned-cocktail bar Good Eats Where to eat whether you’re stuck in a mall or on the streets

NO. 806 MAY 28, 2021. www.bkmagazine.com

The Siam Issue

BK MAGAZINE FRIDAY, MAY 14, 2021

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BK MAGAZINE FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 26, 2021

Who's in charge?

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BK EDITORIAL

one day in...

Managing Editor Craig Sauers

Eat, play, and chill like a real dek Siam

Senior Writers Veerabhatr Sriyananda, Alisha Pawa Contributors Megan Leon, Frank Palmgren, Chayanit Itthipongmaetee, Bill Strong, Foto Momo GROVE: COCONUTS MEDIA BRAND STUDIO

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Siam will never die Now you know it for its malls and university. Years ago, you also knew it for its malls and university.

Head of Grove Juhi Bimbhet

From the mid 20th century to the present day, Siam has never really aspired to be anything other than an engine for Bangkok’s souped-up commercialism.

Business Director Dietrich Neu Account Manager Summer Lee Digital Account Manager Nuttajuk Kittichailuk Senior Project Manager Sirinart Panyasricharoen Project Manager Sawanya Chantarakana

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Art Director Vatanya Bongkotkarn Production Supervisor Komkrit Klinkaeo Senior Graphic Designer Umporn Jiaranai

feature

Gallery hop ‘til you drop in Bangkok’s emerging art district

Senior Business Development Manager Orajira Sukkasem Business Development Manager Tassanee Mahamad, Chalida Anuwattanawong, Joseph Toh, Ain Zulkifni, Waranuch Thaneerat Business Development Executives Palita Nueangnit SOIMILK Editor Noranartta Chaikum Senior Writers Rujiyatorn Choksiriwan, Kristiya Chaisri Publisher, Printer, and Editor Tara Rattanaphas ON THE COVER Hand-drawn illustration by Somphon Ratanavaree

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That was really it. Since then, commercial development has continued largely unabated. Siam Square, née Pathum Wan Square, evolved into a hub for teenagers and uni students (and therefore a center for street fashion and culture). The luxury malls grew bigger. Millions now visit them every year. Except for maybe this year, but we digress.

photo essay

These photos trace the history of Siam since the 1960s

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Where to eat on the streets around Chula

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As the city expanded in the early 20th century, the area acquired the name Pathumwan and was gradually built up around palaces and Buddhist sites. In 1917, Chulalongkorn University, an institution intended to raise the bar for the country’s higher education, signaled that the area would be something more than a royal district. Railways and roads were constructed. American renaissance man and former spy Jim Thompson discovered Ban Krua’s weavers and turned a lost art into a silk empire. By the 1960s, the Erawan and Siam Inter-Continental hotels had opened, and Bangkok witnessed the arrival of its first escalator courtesy of the Thai Daimaru store, located where you’ll find CentralWorld today.

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profile

the last word

The folks behind Philtration’s potions

Yuwalee Leenutaphong

The same forces that turned Siam into a commercial center also turned it into a symbol, for some, of everything that’s wrong with Thai society. In 2010, anger against the hand that feeds only the few boiled over as Red Shirts occupied nearby Ratchaprasong and literally set fire to it, a dramatic denouement in one of the darkest periods in recent Thai history. The Siam Theater famously burned to the ground in 2010. Last year, protests likewise stormed the area. Nothing was torched, but you’ll still find splashes of primary-colored paint on police headquarters.

Despite its gravitational pull for protestors when social unrest rises, “Siam will never die,” as one gallery owner told us. The area is like putty—Siam just keeps bouncing back into shape, no matter what happens to it.

This history informs the present, but not always as you think. In these pages, we’ve tried to look past the fastpaced development, and past the periodic turmoil, to focus on Siam’s less obvious strengths: how it’s becoming an art hub, how the owners of historic buildings are keeping their memories alive, how you can eat well on the street in the shadows of towering shopping centers. Happy reading.

ONE DAY IN…

Siam

Malls aside, Siam has always been a hub for Thailand’s youth. Home to student-run clothing stalls and Thai designer brands, plus all the latest, most-hyped dessert cafes, Siam remains a tourist trap and uni student haunt, but there’s a lot to love if you look beneath the surface. Here’s how to spend a day like a true dek siam in Bangkok’s quintessential hipster district.

By Veerabhatr Sriyananda

MORNING The neighborhood isn’t exactly one for early-risers, but there are a handful of excellent cafes where you can get your day started right. Go for a slow-pour coffee at Gallery Drip Coffee, an iced latte at Lido Cafe by Coffeelism, a bourbon caramel latte at ever-popular Brave Roasters in Siam Discovery (the view of the BTS ain’t bad, either), or cold drip coffee at Pour Over Lab. For actual food and not just espressos, visit art-filled all-daydining hub Chim Chim for loaded breakfast burritos, avocado and lox bagels, or a brunch-appropriate menu that runs the gamut from sandwiches to pizza. Jok Samyan, meanwhile, is a Bangkok congee institution. It opens as early as 5:30am, even. And if you want to bask in the glory of days gone by, visit the Reno Hotel, a former GI haunt on Soi Kasemsan 1 that not only has been renovated (see p15 for more), but also offers a menu full of Thai classics at its cafe.

LUNCH By and large, the area is centered on chain restaurants and shopping malls when it comes to food. If you’re looking for something with a little more character, check out the Chula sois, and Banthat Thong Road in particular. (See p10-11 for great street food and shophouse restaurants here.)

BK MAGAZINE FRIDAY,MAY 28, 2021

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AFTERNOON Despite funding cuts and the ongoing threat of a hostile takeover by the BMA, the Bangkok Art and Culture Center continues to be one of the city’s most important spaces for the promotion of the arts. If you’re spending the day in the neighborhood, you should start here. It isn’t the only art gallery in the area, though. (Flip to p6-7 to read more about Siam’s art-centered evolution.)

If you’re into Olympic sports, National Stadium is your North Star. Thephasadin Stadium boasts a track that’s open to the public in the morning and evening, as well as a football pitch. The greater complex also houses a 50m pool, two other tracks, and an open-to-the-elements, concrete football pitch, where skaters and futsal groups regularly do their thing. It’s good for photo ops, if you’re not coming for fitness. While you’re here, check out the sprawling Stadium One and its 100-plus sports stores and five floors of fitness offerings, spas, and more.

Shopping? The neighborhood’s got that. Look for sneakers at Rompboy, Mustard Sneakers, or Off-White. For something more formal, visit Arcobareno in Stadium One for quality yet affordable loafers, or go to Selvedgework on Siam Square Soi 2 to get some legit custom denim. If you’re not in the market for footwear or jeans, you can pick up home goods at shops like Everyday I Love My Life, the flagship Every Karmakamet store that sells everything from plates, scented candles, and diffusers to, uh, sneakers in its fashion zone.

Fans of Thai designer brands like Leisure Projects and Takara Wong should visit the Absolute Siam Store in Siam Center, or ODS and Ecotopia in Siam Discovery for Thai-made souvenirs, clothing, and home items with an edge. Lido Connect also houses several cool places, like the DVD shop on the ground level that sells cheap hidden gems (assuming you still have a DVD player), and Sculpture Bangkok’s retro photobooth.

While it’s typically overrun with the elephant-panted masses, the Jim Thompson House has lately been hosting some fun events too, like the annual Fruitfull, a food-oriented festival put on by the people behind Wonderfruit.

DINNER Though not on the level of Thonglor or Sathorn, the Siam area is developing into a respectable upscale dining hub. Try the inventive, great-value Thai tasting menus at the Siam@ Siam hotel’s Taan, or go full-on Mediterranean with a mezze platter at the Siam Kempinski’s Alati, fresh pasta at the Grand Hyatt Erawan’s Salvia, or tapas at high-flying Uno Mas, 54 floors up at the Centara Grand at CentralWorld.

NIGHTLIFE Feat Lab is the best option for beer geeks: the bottle shopslash-cafe and bar boasts a good selection of imported craft beers. Though it has barely had a chance to get its feet beneath it, pastel-clad rooftop bar Paradise Lost is still primed to be a welcome addition to the community once life returns to normal, thanks to its inventive drinks and fun playlists. Nearby Philtration, meanwhile, is helping to make the sois by the Saen Saep Canal something of a destination for cocktail drinkers.

Apart from these bars, or Groove at CentralWorld, there isn’t much to experience in the way of nightlife. With Siam Square continuing its evolution from grungry street-style hub to whitewashed commercial center, you need to go a little further to capture the young, creative culture that still underlies everything here. Grab your camera and hoof it around Bun That Thong, the canal, or National Stadium to witness the eclectic energy that has historically drawn Bangkok’s cool kids, the dek siam, and outsiders alike to this neighborhood.

feature | bkk’s new art hub

CREATIVE EVOLUTION From silk center to shopping district to uni student haunt, Siam has seamlessly shed identities time and again over the past 100 years. Now, this ever-adaptive neighborhood is transforming into an art hub, led by new creative spaces and forward-looking business owners. By Craig Sauers and Veerabhatr Sriyananda Few neighborhoods in Bangkok have so freely adapted to their changing environment like Siam.

Like a concrete chameleon, the area has always managed to acclimate to the city’s shifting social, political, and economic conditions. Credit for that might go to nearby Chulalongkorn University, Thailand’s top-ranked higher learning institution, or the area’s high-octane commercialism, manifest in a murderer’s row of luxury shopping malls—power centers on the city’s social grid.

Whatever its source, Siam’s durability has historically given it outsize importance: trends, ideas, and campaigns—even, perhaps, protests— launched here reach more people than they do elsewhere. Now, some are using the neighborhood’s positioning to propel the city’s art scene.

“Many people grew up here. Many shared their first dates here. Siam was always the go-to place for shopping, and for hipsters and students to hang out. Now it’s becoming a creative district, as more and more young Thais are interested in art,” says Salyawate “Liang” Prasertwitayakarn, a co-founder of gallery and creative space Yelo House who has lived in the area for over 20 years.

Since the opening of the Bangkok Art and Culture Center (BACC) in 2008, Siam has gradually morphed into the creative hub Liang references. Now, that evolution is happening faster. Yelo House, installation space Passa, the Saratta art shop in the Reno Hotel, art-driven Chim Chim restaurant at the Siam@Siam, a property that already bills itself as a “design hotel”—a growing number of contemporary art-focused venues give Bangkok residents and visitors new reason to wander around the sois.

“The campaign to build the BACC started 25 years ago. Back then, it was thought that art was hard to understand, so the people behind the campaign insisted the building needed to be situated here, downtown, to be accessible to everyone,” says Luckana Kunavichayanont, director of the BACC. Today, Bangkok’s relationship with art is much more developed, and the creative industries are flourishing.

BK MAGAZINE FRIDAY, MAY 14, 2021

Despite its ongoing development, uni haunt Siam Square still bursts with creative energy. Here, you’ll find students out of uniform and in full peacock form, representing the latest street styles sweeping Bangkok; searching for used cameras at pop-up markets in renovated Lido Connect; or popping into Siam Square One for performances at the KBank Siam Pic-Ganesha Theater.

“We just

want art to be there with everyone

”

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You’ll also spot students mingling with the crowds on the colorful, lily pad-like skywalk between MBK and Siam Discovery, along the graffiti-lined Saen Saep Canal, or inside the BACC, where they swarm both large international exhibitions and student displays.

The interest in art is even influencing Siam’s malls. “MBK has talked with us about collaborating to bring in artists and designers to work on different projects,” Luckana says.

Arguably, the most exciting developments are occurring in the Kasemsan sois, which run along the Saen Saep Canal beside the BACC. The first of the new wave of art spaces to open here, four-year-old Yelo House occupies an old publishing warehouse by the canal on Kasemsan Soi 1, adjacent to Lert’s, a photography studio and film processing lab.

Before Yelo House opened, the soi was better known for its two hotels, LIT and the Reno Hotel, and proximity to the BACC. “My partners and I came to the conclusion that this area really needed a place where different ideas could come together, [so we] built a creative platform offering art, music, performances, and workshops—a mixed-use space for everyone,” Liang says. “There are so many young people in Siam. We saw the need to provide them a place where they could come and be inspired, see things they’ve never seen or thought of before. That’s what really matters to us.”

Other art-focused venues have begun to bridge past and present.

Saratta, for instance, sits inside the Reno Hotel, a former GI haunt built in 1963 that has so far survived the city’s sweeping gentrification. The shop sells limited-edition prints, art supplies, and original pieces, and the hotel regularly hosts artists for events and exhibitions. And the Jim Thompson House, itself a museum for classical Southeast Asian art, has begun to host exciting events like Fruitfull, a communal food festival put on by the folks behind Wonderfruit.

Even the bars and restaurants in the neighborhood go beyond the expected. At Schwedakong Land, Wassapol “Kong” Saengseethong hacks “impossible” meals a schooled chef wouldn’t consider, like mangainspired dinners and ox testicle delicacies. Philtration, meanwhile, highlights the community’s past through cocktails inspired by 19th-century herbal medicines. Then there’s Chim Chim. The ground-floor restaurant at the Siam@Siam is filled with artwork and Jim Thompson prints. As part of its Chim Chim Art Project, the restaurant also displays a selection of multimedia works from Thai and international artists. Its mezzanine hosts workshops led by local artists and artisans, too.

“We need more avenues for new artists,” says Boualem Arezki, creative marketing director at Siam@Siam. “With Chim Chim, we wanted to create a space that shows art is easily approachable. The setting— whether it’s a gallery or a cafe or a restaurant—doesn’t decrease the value of the art. Art is part of every day.”

All these spaces, along with nearby galleries like JWD Art Space and the Chamchuri Art Gallery at Chulalongkorn, speak to the growth of the arts in Thailand as much as the steady development of Siam.

“Ultimately, we want the art to reach the masses,” says Luckana. “We just want art to be there with everyone.”

feature | looking back

SIAM THROUGH THE AGES It’s hard to picture Siam as anything less than spectacle. Digital screens blast ads on malls around the busy BTS intersection. Flash mobs perform in front of fountains. One mall leads to another, which leads to another, which leads to a footbridge that leads to another. This is the place where Michael Jackson once visited, where Thai celebs buy sports cars, where teens and Chula kids shop for art supplies and street fashion or shuffle into cram schools. It’s kind of always been this way—just on a smaller scale. The following photos show Siams evolution over the years, as well as some of its major moments: from the construction of its first mall to the fire that claimed a famous cinema and the commercialism that claimed another. By BK Magazine

Pathumwan Intersection, 1970 (credit Bill Strong via Flickr)

Siam Center before the BTS; top of page, Siam Center when it opened in 1973 (credit Siam Piwat)

BK MAGAZINE FRIDAY, MAY 28, 2021

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The Reno Hotel, 1987 (credit Frank Palmgren)

Site of the Siam Theater after it was burned to the ground during the Red Shirt protests in 2010 (credit Norsez Oh via Flickr)

The renovated Lido Connect in 2019; the cinema was built in 1968 and operated until 2018, when it was converted into a performing arts venue and mixed-use space

Scala, the famed theater built in 1969, was one of Thailand’s last standalone cinemas when it closed in 2020; today, the lot sits vacant (credit: bottom photos, Chayanit Itthipongmaetee; top photo, Foto_Momo) Opened in 1985, MBK today remains a major tourist attraction, as well as prime video advertising space

food & drink | siam street food

WHEN HUNGER STRIKES Jok Samyan

Chulalongkorn has always been a street food mecca, despite receiving arguably less fanfare than other Bangkok destinations. In recent years, Banthat Thong Road, behind Stadium One, has started to boom, with hundreds of vendors offering everything from Thai-Chinese seafood and pork satay to old-school desserts. Here are nine of our favs.

By BK Magazine

Jeh O

Chan Mai Wang

Jeh O Chula’s legendary high/low restaurant draws hours-long queues for its absurdly popular tom yam packed with instant noodles and fresh seafood. Want to get real weird with it? Try the Mama Oho (B800), a monster bowl teeming with crispy pork, crab leg, plump shrimp, and a bunch of fresh egg yolks.

11 Charan Muang Rd., 081-682-8816.

Open daily 5:30pm-2am

Nai Ouu This khao gaeng stall has been slinging curries for over 50 years, even if it’s forgettable shopfront suggests otherwise.

The selection is massive: green, penang, and massaman curries, fish stir-fried with Chinese celery, fragrant palo (Chinese five-spice curry), and more.

Jeh O

BK MAGAZINE FRIDAY, MAY 28, 2021

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198 Chula Soi 11. Open Mon-Fri 6am7:30pm, Sat 6am-2pm

689 Banthat Thong Rd. Open Tue-Sun 10am-9pm, Mon 10am-2pm

Simple, yet so satisfying, jok is the perfect dish to power up your day. With bouncy, toothsome pork, clean-tasting innards, and perfectly warm rice, no one does it better (for over 60 years, in fact) than Jok Samyan.

The crowds come to this former food cart for Chinese-Thai style desserts centered on humble soybean milk. The desserts come in warm and cold offerings, and you can top them up with all the usual fixings, like grass jelly, gingko nut, and red kidney beans. Don’t miss the namesake bua loy (dumplings in coconut milk).

Jok Samyan

Bua Loy Jae Wun

245 Chula Soi 11, 02-216-4809. Open daily 5-10am and 3:30-9pm

Tung Sui Heng

1700 Banthat Thong Rd., 081-421-3761.

Surprise, surprise: another 50-plus-yearold institution. This spot gets lots of love for its baked claypot goose, and rightly so, but don’t miss the braised duck noodle soup, either.

E. Pochana Delightfully old-school—if you delight in lots of white tile and basic red chairs—E. Pochana delivers beyond the expectations the interiors set with on-point Thai-Chinese seafood. Think generous oyster omelets, plump grilled river prawns, and whole seabass served however you want it.

649 Banthat Thong Rd., 081-993-9766.

Open daily 11:30am-8:30pm

Ming Pochana Long considered the source of some of Bangkok’s best satay, the Samyan street institution moved to Stadium One in recent years, but its pork satay and signature dipping sauce haven’t changed a bit. The skewers are made fresh each day and marinated in a sauce featuring Chinese herbs before hitting the grill hot and fast. The pork liver is also a big hit.

280-282 Chula Soi 15, 02-215-4220, 02-215-4274. Open daily 11am-10pm

Chan Mai Wang

Bua Loy Jae Wun

Meaning “I’m busy,” this shophouse restaurant is precisely that, all thanks to a selection of high-quality seafood—fermented crab roe, blue swimmer crab, steamed tiger prawns, butter-fried scallops, sold by weight and devoured by the masses.

1590 Banthat Thong Rd., 091-576-2861.

Open daily 5:30-11pm

Pheng Kua Kai The Chula area’s kua gai specialist nails the smoky aroma of the dish. Here, they dry-fry the noodles and lightly char them down, plus their pickled squid are chewy without being too chewy and have just the right amount of fishy flavor. Get it with chicken, seafood, or taro.

Chula Soi 18, 081-899-2173.

Open daily 11am-9pm

Ming Pochana

Tung Sui Heng

6 mall restaurants that don’t suck

MEKIKI NO GINJI

NEW AND NOTED

1/F, K Village, Sukhumvit Soi 26, 02-661-3840.

Open daily 11am-9pm.

Straight out of Okinawa in Japan, Mekiki No Ginji is a popular izakaya franchise that’s packed with energy, entertaining, smiling staff and lots of happy shouting. The menu is separated into grilled dishes, soups and seafood. Take the outstanding charcoal-grilled spare ribs with chili sauce and wasabi, which are fragrant and fall off the bone. The sweet tang of the sauce goes great with the fresh wasabi, too.

Some dishes are only available a few days of the week, like the must-try wagyu beef nabe.

Exclusively for Citi Credit Card members Get 10% discount on food only when spending THB 2,000 or more /sales slip (excluding VAT and service charge)

1 May – 31 Oct ’21

Pizzaiola by Pizza Massilia

Haidilao

Roast

Located in a formerly dark and soulless (okay, it’s still soulless) stretch of CentralWorld’s seventh floor, this Italian outlet from Luca Appino’s pizza empire is a welcome sight. The white and blue decor adds a splash of color to the commercial setting, and the pizzas are generally excellent, although your mileage may vary. On top of that, there’s a range of pastas and Italian starters like fried calamari as well as, strangely, burgers with pizza crust buns. An odd addition to an otherwise consistent menu, they’re thick and juicy and, honestly, not bad at all. 7/F, CentralWorld, 999 Rama I Rd., 062-592-8586

If you love hot pot and don’t mind the egregious queues, cheerles decor, or sealed-to-the-outside-world setting, then this place is for you.

Haidilao earned Asia-wide fame for the outrageous and unusual perks it offered those stuck in its hourslong lines in China and Hong Kong (picture manicures and interactive games). That circles back to the quality of the hot pot here, the fiery red mala broth, the thinly sliced wagyu, the just-right innards, and all the other premium-ish pieces of pigs, cows, and sea creatures you can imagine. 7/F, CentralWorld, 999 Rama I Rd., 02-255-0310, 02255-0311

The brunch pioneers have a handful of branches in malls now, and each aims to transcend their otherwise blasé surroundings. The interiors are generally warm and inviting, and the service as dependable as you could ask for. The food ticks all the boxes, too. On top of the usual brunchy staples, the branch at CentralWorld also offers set lunches with a salad, main, dessert, and drink. Which is nice if you’re in a rush to go back into Zen and stare at the shoe rack for a while or wander around Muji looking at things you won’t buy. 1/F, CentralWorld, 999 Rama I Rd., 082-907-9337

Exclusively for Citi Credit Card members Get complimentary welcome drink and chef’s dessert valued THB 700 for Citi ULTIMA, Citi Prestige, Citi Premier, Citi Royal Orchid Plus Preferred and Select (limit 1 set /card /table /sales slip) 1 Jan - 31 Dec ‘21

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Roast

Pizzaiola by Pizza Massilia

TABLE TALK

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BK MAGAZINE FRIDAY, MAY 28, 2021

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Crab and Claw

TABLE TALK

HIDEYA RAMEN Address: 1651 Sukhumvit Rd, 098-398-3989.

Open daily 11am-10:30 pm (L.O.) Parking: At W-District

Crab and Claw

Table 38

Kam’s Roast

Don your bibs: you don’t want to spill shellfish on your Ferragamo cardigan. This one’s all about New England-style seafood, and unless you have support crew, you’ll have to get your hands dirty by digging, hammering, and cracking into shellfish like whole Maine lobster and buckets of crabs. There are also “cleaner” dishes like lobster rolls and crab linguine if you wimp out.

Perhaps best of all, they say their freshly imported ingredients come from sustainable sources. It’s a bit spendy, but you’re eating in Paragon—even the rad na in the food court is B100. G/F, Siam Paragon, 991 Rama I Rd., 02-610-9713

Fine dining in a mall—why not?

Earlier this year, Andy Yang’s chef’s table concept moved from Sukhumvit Soi 38 to Siam Discovery, one of Siam Piwat’s commercial temples at the Pathumwan intersection, taking over the spot vacated by Jamie Oliver’s Kitchen. It’s a cavernous space, so on top of his pet project, where he offers tasting menus highlighting his inventive Thai fine dining fare, Yang has also opened a colorful Isaan restaurant called Pikun. If you want a taste of his food for less, you can dine there for under B1,000. G/F, Unit 06, Siam Discovery, 083-399-9888

Offering all the Hong Kong classics, now without having to fly to Hong Kong: Kam’s brings the unctuous, chewy, precision-cooked Cantonese specialties you desire to Bangkok. The Wan Chai restaurant has earned a Michelin star seven years running outside of Thailand, so its arrival here is a feather in the cap for CentralWorld. The roast duck is the main attraction, and rightly so, but we’re bigger fans of the char siu (honey-glazed barbecued red pork) and crispy pork belly. Monthly specials like glazed pork spare ribs also hit the spot. Oddly enough, the mall setting kind of works, too.

7/F, CentralWorld, 999 Rama I Rd., 081-797-4455

Hideya Ramen is a godsend for those who lamented the closure of Hideya in 2018. This time with a different owner, but the rich and creamy Yokohama-style lekei ramen remains, served in a pork and chicken bone broth with melt-in-your-mouth pork chashu. Veggies can indulge in the spicy “tonkatsu” vegetarian ramen with tofu and a variety of mushrooms. You can customize your bowl’s boldness (tare), oiliness and noodle hardness, as well as choosing between three noodle types.

Exclusively for Citi Credit Card members Get 10% discount on food and non-alcoholic beverages when spending THB 800 or more /sale slip

1 Mar ’21 – 28 Feb ’22

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feature | love potion

Medicinal Mixology Siam’s Philtration is more than just an apothecary-styled bar with a modern twist; it’s a living legacy of famed Thai doctor Moh Mee’s medicinal trade. Fourth-generation descendant Nachapol “Na” Kasemsuwan explains why he chose to reveal his ancestor’s secret dungeon, transform his recipes into cocktails, and share this heritage with the world. By Alisha Pawa

The basement of a century-old house owned by a long-deceased Thai doctor isn’t a likely place to find a cutting-edge cocktail bar. But Philtration isn’t your standard cocktail bar.

Located on Kasemsan Soi 3, the speakeasystyle bar is serving drinks inspired by Boonmee Kasemsuwan, better known as Moh Mee, in an almost dungeon-like chamber. The house, and the basement itself, was built during Rama V’s reign. Parthouse, part-factory, it was designed by the same Italian architects who designed the Ananta Samakhom Throne Hall. In the late 19th century, Moh Mee concocted herbal Chinese medicine in this very basement under lock and key. Later, the chamber was sealed by the family, until fourth-generation descendant Nachapol “Na” Kasemsuwan decided it was time to reveal this century-old secret to the world.

“The story of this house already exists. I’m just helping it resonate louder in the world,” Na says.

Inspired by the secret bars he discovered while studying in the UK, Na saw the potential for this space to bring new energy to Bangkok’s nightlife. Three years after opening a restaurant called Baan Moh Mee within the compound, Philtration was finally born.

The interiors here, many of which were left intact, are all about soft curves, with an elegant east-meets-west vibe. The name Philtration, meanwhile, stems from the term “philtre,” or potion. That thread runs through the whole story of the space, from the history to a cocktail menu that’s based on herbal mixtures, extractions, and fermentation.

“I was thinking of how we could express this knowledge in the modern world. [A speakeasy-style bar] was the right medium to bring the two things together—our tradition of herbal remedies and the trending concept of a hidden cocktail bar,” Na explains.

The two narrative forces combine under the direction of Shavinraj “The Fairy Godfather” Gopinath. He and his team continually play around with herbs and spices used in traditional remedies that are believed to have medicinal properties.

“We have to stay current, finding new ingredients and recipes to keep the menu fresh and playful. Guests always want to see something new and special when they return,” says Gopinath.

Beyond nov el ingred ients, they al so experiment with infusions and fermentation, keeping a tight grip on their flavor profile across an impressive list of 25 signature drinks. The highlights include the Opium Den (B400), which is infused with herbal ingredients that boast anti-inflammatory properties. The Sam Kok (B380), meanwhile, has a base of Saint James rum and rose apple, which, in traditional Thai-Chinese medicine, is said to help with weight loss and reduce the risk of getting Alzheimer’s disease.

Besides the unique setting and drinks, Na hopes to develop some staying power through live music and events that speak to the bar’s unique style. (“It was always part of the plan,” he says.) Last year, Philtration played host to Broadway-themed performances, for example.

“When we first announced it, the tickets sold out in three hours. The second time, tickets were sold out in three minutes,” Na says.

Na plans to hold two to three events per month, with a new set of cocktails and theme each time, once bars can get back to business.

In the meanwhile, they’ve found other ways to keep busy. In March, they launched Dr. Phil, a brand of cold brew teas made with medicinal herbs. The selection includes drinks like Oolong Till Better (B100), infused with Uthai Moh Mee, an herbal blend said to help improve blood circulation and benefit the heart, and Rice Tea Meet You (B100). They are currently working on liquor-spiked jams, too.

“We aren’t doing this for ourselves but for our staff who have invested their hard work to make Philtration successful. Without them, it wouldn’t have been possible,” says Na. “We are currently in the R&D phase of finding our new identity,” adds Gopinath, a subtle nod to the scientific experimentation that runs through this historic space.

the last word | blast from the past

How the old-school Reno Hotel turned into a modern art hub

Reno Hotel has been revamped into an art hub now, too. Tell us about that.

In addition to the design, we’ve introduced two new art spaces within the hotel. There’s Saratta [an art space and store selling limited-edition prints and artwork], and we joined hands with the Neighborhood Specialty Store, which houses art supplies and paintings from local and foreign artists.

We also welcome artists all year and will soon be hosting a collaboration with Bangkok Design Week along with Patamon Nisabodee, the founder of Saratta, and local artist Tuna Dunn. It’s an experimental comic installation

by Dunn called tête-à-tête.

What changed and what remained the same after the renovation?

We’ve renovated it to resonate with younger crowds, but the fond memories of the hotel and its 58-year-old structure remain. We wanted to preserve the charm from the ’60s to give it a vintage feel. For example, the staircase still has the original railing.

What’s Saratta all about?

It’s a small space selling pieces from artists like The Archivist, Nutdao, Pamda Bure, Haptic Editions, Pelagan, Vallada Vintage, Pryn Parfum, Kong Kiat, and many others. The artwork here will rotate based on the mood and tone of the season. We want to ensure that customers will always get to see new art each time they visit.

Established in 1963, the Reno Hotel was once the stomping grounds of American GIs and other foreign guests visiting the fast-growing Siam area. The old hotel just got a fresh coat of paint, transforming it into an art-focused boutique. Owner Yuwalee Leenutaphong sheds light on the new direction for the long-standing hotel. By Alisha Pawa

You also added a cafe in Reno Espresso Bar. Tell us about that.

When we were deciding on the concept, a coffee shop was an essential part of the plan, because cafe culture in Bangkok is growing. We’ve carefully selected our coffee beans from Doi Saket in Chiang Mai. The beans won first prize in the washed process category from the Thailand Coffee Fest 2020. But we’ve tried to make prices affordable, too.

R

eno Hotel has a rich history. Could you tell us about its backstory?

The hotel has been operating for over 58 years in Kasemsan Soi 1. Back in the day, it was a quiet soi with only two hotels, and we owned both—Reno Hotel and LIT (formerly the Star Hotel). We renovated the LIT about a decade ago, and after that we felt it was time for Reno Hotel to be renovated, too, so we did that in 2018. Everything in this alley, from the lifestyle to the people, was evolving, so we felt we needed to evolve as well.

When and why did you start renting rooms as studio space for shooting?

This was the result of the crisis last year when the pandemic hit. Most of our customers tend to be foreigners. Despite offering promotional discounts, we weren’t getting many bookings, so we decided to rent rooms as studios for photography. Now, a lot of brands are approaching us to rent our space, because we have good light and composition here. And as a result, more people know about Reno Hotel now.

I was born in the ’60s and have seen Bangkok develop into a vibrant city. I’ve also witnessed the transformation of old, quiet Siam into a fashion capital and lifestyle hub that attracts people from around the world. Our hotel is a reflection of that change.

What’s the future plan?

We think that if our hotel is able to attract more visitors, the soi will also get more attention. We want to work with all the other local businesses here to bring Kasemsan Soi 1 into the limelight as an art hub.

What was your concept for the renovations?

We believe art should be accessible to everyone, so we decided to infuse the whole hotel with art. The architecture was designed in a way that lets light enter throughout the day, making it an ideal backdrop for photography. And we kept everything minimal in the hotel. From the furniture to color selection, every piece here has been designed carefully [to achieve that].

Kannikar Court

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BK MAGAZINE FRIDAY, DECEMBER 18, 2020

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