BK Magazine 669 December 9, 2016

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it's free!

Three-day weekend!

BK MAGAZINE NO. 669 FRIDAY, DECEMBER 9, 2016. www.bkmagazine.com

...and what we think of them

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page 3 What We’ve Learned

6 cover story

Best of the Year

12 escape

16 avenue

Northern Exposure

Happy Hair

20 bites

22 blends

Truffle Shuffle

Hopping Mad

24 bites

28 BK Now

Dry State

Your Weekend Planned

Who's in charge?

Managing Director Andrew Hiransomboon Editor in Chief / Product Director Grégoire Glachant Managing Editor Oliver Irvine Deputy Editor Carl Dixon Features Associate Monruedee Jansuttipan Staff Writers Natcha Sanguankiattichai, Bonnie Sananvatananont Branded Content Associate Sureepak Janyapat Content Coordinator Nontaya Kumyat Junior Writers Theerada Moonsiri, Earn Saenmuk, Choltanutkun Tun-atiruj Deputy Art Director Vatanya Bongkotkarn Production Supervisor Komkrit Klinkaeo Senior Graphic Designers Chantich Kongchanmitkul, Peeraya Sirathanisa Content Designer Saranya Laowtrakul Junior Graphic Designer Waratchaya Boonket Photographer Chissanupong Narmmoolnark

Where to find us!

The Asia City Media Group

Advertising Director Wanida Akeapichai Sales Managers Tipkritta Chiraporncharas, Orajira Sukkasem, Onwara Sittirug Senior Sales Associates Tassanee Mahamad, Nattaya Bovornsettanon, Orakarn Laohakanjanasiri, Amarit Jinaya Marketing Executive Plaifon Chienvichai

Asia City Media Group Chief Executive Officer Greg Duncan (gduncan@asiacity.net) Director Gretchen Worth (gworth@asia-city.co.th)

Senior Project Manager Chayanap Tongdadas Project Coordinator Nutnicha Nuttanakorn IT Manager Takrit Jitjaroen

Cover by Panita Thiraphapong

Singapore Asia City Publishing Pte. Ltd. Block 211 Henderson Rd. #07-02 Henderson Industrial Park Singapore 159552 Tel: 65-6323-2512 Fax: 65-6323-2779 Email: contact@asia-city.com.sg

BK “Asia City Living” Magazine is edited by Andrew Hiransomboon and published 51 times a year, every Friday of each month by Asia City Publishing (Thailand) Ltd. Copyright ©2016 Asia City Publishing (Thailand) Ltd. The titles “BK Magazine,” “BK ‘Asia City Living’ Magazine” and their associated logos or devices, and the content of BK “Asia City Living” Magazine are the property of Asia City Publishing (Thailand) Ltd. Reproduction in whole or in part without permission is strictly prohibited. Article reprints are available for B50 each. The magazine may not be distributed without the express written consent of Asia City Publishing (Thailand) Ltd. Contact the Advertising Department for ad rates and specifications. All advertising must comply with the Publisher’s terms of business, copies of which are available upon request. Printed by Comform Co.,Ltd. 212 Moo 13 Krungthepkreetha Rd., Saphansoong, Bangkok 10250

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Motel Mist starts screening Dec 15 After being pulled from nationwide screenings in midNovember, straight after its Bangkok premiere, the debut movie of S.E.A. Write award-winning writer Prabda Yoon has now been cleared for screening. Although it remains unclear as to how it lifted its previous ban, the movie is hitting cinemas including Bangkok Screening Room this Dec 15 and remains in its original form with no changes. Safe to say, we’ll be watching it.

IHOP is coming to town Paragon is on fire with its F&B openings right now. Hot on the heels of Clinton Street Baking Company comes another all-American breakfast eatery. The massive IHOP (short for International House of Pancakes) chain is known for its pancakes and other breakfast items served all day with extralong hours and has more than 1,600 locations across the US, Canada and Asia. We’d like to see how the pancakes from these two American specialists compare when they open later this month.

Jamie’s is open We dropped the ball last week, telling you Jamie’s Italian wasn’t open when it had already been in business for two days. Which means it’s just in time to make it into this issue’s roundup of the hottest restaurant to 2016. Flip to page 6 and learn how we think it’ll fare in our next Top Tables guide.

Makkasan won’t be a giant park because the SRT is broke The Finance Ministry has decided Makkasan is just too hot an issue for them, telling the State Railway of Thailand (SRT) to deal with the massive, downtown, jungle-clad 269-rai plot themselves. The SRT needs about 118 billion baht to wipe out its debt and move its on-site facilities somewhere else. That means that, despite promises to preserve some kind of park in there, the SRT will have to include a lot of condos and office buildings, too.

Finance Manager Supaporn Bangmoung Assistant Finance Manager Anchalee Limkhamduang Senior Accountant Maneeya Kanthongdang Administrator Yaovaluck Srisermsri Accountant Manita Bangmoung

Bangkok Asia City Publishing (Thailand) Ltd. 9/F, Sathorn Nakorn Tower 100 North Sathorn Rd., Silom, Bangrak, Bangkok 10500 Tel: 02-624-9696 Fax: 02-237-5656 Email: bkmagazine@asia-city.co.th

A checklist of BK Magazine’s most important discoveries this week

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Thais can carpool, too GrabHitch just launched in Bangkok, making it the carpooling service’s second city after Singapore. Part of the Grab app, it matches riders and drivers headed the same way. Rides are B50, and can be requested from 15 minutes to 7 days in advance. Grab says the Department of Land Transport does not oppose the app, which means Bangkok’s notorious carpooling mafia is a lot less strong than we thought.

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@bkmagazine BK Magazine Friday, December 9, 2016

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upfront HOT OR NOT

Hot: Nostalgia

Not: Now

If you’re too old/out of touch/poor to enjoy music like Snakeships at places like Beam, then head over to Whiteline this Friday. Note Dudesweet will be there, confiscating people’s smartphones and taking them back to a simpler time for his latest bash, Dudesweet Party of 1999. If that’s not enough to convince you, they’ll also have a live band playing Spice Girls. See page 30.

INTERVIEW Sry85

Hennem08

Hot: 5-star hotels

Not: Rama 3

There’s a whole wave of luxe new hotels about to hit Bangkok. While most have chosen sexy, prime downtown locations (Park Hyatt, Phloen Chit; Waldorf Astoria, Ratchadamri; The Edition, Chong Nonsi) London-born hotel group Langham is set to bring a taste of the high life to Rama 3—about four clicks from the nearest BTS station, or anything, for that matter.

Hot: Video

Not: Print

With only a few weeks left to go, 2016 is making sure it will really be remembered as the year print died in Thailand. Amarin Printing (Baan Lae Suan, Praew and many more) just opened its capital to Vadhanabhakdi Co., the company of billionaire Charoen Sirivadhanabhakdi (Chang Beer, Mekhong). That’s a fancy way of saying he’s bailing them out of bankruptcy, although the fresh influx of capital is meant to allow for a pivot to video.

Baan Muang wasn’t so lucky. After 44 years in operation, the daily newspaper has called it quits.

Hot: Butoh

What drove you to make Arpat?

I was fortunate to know leading Thai directors such as Prachya Pinkaew and Jira Malikul through studying film at university. Jira even turned my student film into a big-screen version with Best of Times (2009, GTH). After I had done plenty of work as an assistant director, Prachya, who works with Sahamonkhol films, said I should do a movie of my own and assigned me a ghost movie. I later stumbled on a plot from my junior who told me about the hungry ghosts known as pade in Isaan. He told me that he saw one as a naked woman, which people told him could mean she was experiencing bad karma for having sex with a monk while human.

public what the movie was about. It finally got approval with an 18+ rating after we cleared up all the censorship board’s issues and changed the name from Arbat to Arpat [a less direct form of the same word, meaning to do wrong in the monkhood]. It’s truly an amazing journey from being banned to representing Thailand at the Oscars.

How did you feel when it was banned?

I was really in shock. The opposition from people got stronger every day. We had already self-censored knowing that the religious content was a sensitive issue. I couldn’t do much. We couldn’t even tell the

Monks are often in the news for doing wrong. How do you see the state of Buddhism in Thailand?

The more I researched the movie, the more I felt that we need to separate monks from the Buddha’s teachings. People are more scientific nowadays. We believe things

What did you learn from making the movie?

It made me realize how easily people judge something. You might see a clip of people being beaten and feel sorry for them. But who knows what went on before that.

A three-minute clip is all it takes to form public opinion.

because they’ve been proven correct by science, not by religion. But the Buddhism is a scientific religion.

So I strongly believe that Buddhism is still the main source from which people can draw the answers they need in life.

What do you think of the movie industry in Thailand right now?

Thailand has a good variety of directors who want to create every genre of movie you can think of.

But studios have learned that not all movies are successful. They block filmmakers from making the movies they want to, which drives directors to work hard at promoting their studio-backed projects while suppressing the work they really want to do. Audience should be more open-minded and watch more indie movies, then we would see more variety in the market as studios will invest more budget to independence movie. Interview by Monruedee Jansuttipan

Not: Swing

Butoh’s back! Thanks to the International Butoh Festival Thailand, we once more have an excuse to run pictures of sinewy people in a silver-tinted world of uncomfortable postures—something there’ll be a lot of from now through to Dec 18 at BACC. Swing dancing, meanwhile, takes a back seat till the massive Swing Dancing at Phra Pathom Chedi event, which isn’t till Feb 2017.

THAT’S WHAT SHE SAID

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Kanittha Kwanyu, 30, made headlines late last year when her debut film, Arpat, which tells the story of a young man forced into the monkhood, was banned following the release of its first trailer. A year later, the movie has been handpicked by the Federation of National Film Associations of Thailand to represent the organization at the 89th Academy Awards (Oscars) in Feb 2017.

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by Kathy MacLeod kathymacleod.blogspot.com

BK Magazine Friday, December 9, 2016

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cover story

This year's top restaurant openings… and a sneak preview of who might make it into our Top Tables 2017.*

By BK Editorial

Meruto Sushi

Cocotte

Avra

A huge rotisserie oven imported from France dominates this warm, rusticated space, telling you everything you need to know about Cocotte’s food: simple, on the bone, portioned for sharing and heavy on the meat. Don’t miss the massive tomahawk (B3,500/1.2kg). That’s not to say their vegetable dishes aren’t wonderful too, especially its salad made from Northern Thailand-grown vegetables (B360).

With Greek owners and a Greek chef, Avra’s promise of authentic flavors delivers in crispy fried appetizers like tigani feta (feta cheese wrapped in crispy rolls, served with honey, sesame and orange, B235) and dolmadakia (grape leaves stuffed with rice and herbs, B315). Not everything is a hit—the spanakotyropita (pastry with spinach and feta, B250) are like hollowed-out spring rolls—but that doesn’t stop mains like moussaka (layered minced beef with eggplant, potato and zucchini, B430) and xtapodi me fava (grilled octopus and caramelized onion on yellow split pea spread, B650) being some of the best in town.

Top Tables prediction: We’ve always felt the place feels too put together by marketing men—a combo of foodie fads and local produce buzzwords—but the nightly crowds tell us we’re against public opinion.

Top Tables prediction: Amazing food but probably too casual for Top Tables. Its low profile also counts against it.

G/F, 39 Boulevard, Sukhumvit Soi 39, 092-664-6777

G/F, Lotus Hotel, Sukhumvit Soi 33, 02-258-2877

Freebird

The wedge-shaped slice of bare-bones industrial chic which used to house Opposite Mess Hall was too good a space to waste on any sub-par operation. Good job then that it went to Daniel Thaiger founders Honey and Mark Falconi, who’ve built on their formidable burger brand with tomahawk steak (B250/100g, pre-order only), spicy merguez sausage (B290) and gorgonzola-topped pork chops (B450).

Don’t worry: burgers are still there too.

Bunker The involvement of Eat Me figures like designer Kelly Wheatley and chef Tim Butler made this the hottest ticket in town earlier in the year. The kitchen, though, is helmed by Arnold Marcella, formerly head of The Elm in New York City and a protege of two-Michelin-star chef Paul Liebrandt.

Small plates of beef tongue and snails (B425) and veal agnolotti pasta (B450) are inventive, powerful amalgamations of flavor, while mains such as the sticky wagyu short rib (B2,300) play the role of comforting stomach fillers. Dining at Bunker isn’t just fashionable; it’s properly good.

Cantina

Top Tables prediction: Great-tasting food, but we doubt burgers, steaks and pork chops have what it takes to crack the panel.

27/1 Sukhumvit Soi 51, 097-052-8861

Top Tables prediction: This was one of the most contentious four stars we’ve ever given out. We have no doubt it’ll make the guide, but maybe not ranking as highly as we first believed.

Freebird

118/2 Sathorn Soi 12, 092-563-9991.

BTS Chong Nonsi

Clandestino Cantina

Avra

Cantina

Ciao Terrazza

Clandestino Cantina

From Soho Hospitality (the group behind Above Eleven, Charcoal and Havana Social) this casual pizza and pasta house stands in a quaint house on the corner of Ari Samphan Soi 3 and focuses on the basics—antipasti, pasta, pizza, cold cuts and, of course, tiramisu (B180). The quality of ingredients shines in dishes like the simple smoked burrata salad (B440), which comprises refreshing buffalo cheese and delicious heirloom tomatoes.

They also make pizza the Neapolitan way, raising the pizza dough for 24 hours. Don’t miss their mascarpone e tartufo pizza (B520).

Italian cuisine courtesy of Le Normandie's original chef (Norbert Kostner), a riverside terrace and the Mandarin Oriental's iconic Author's Lounge in the background make this one of the river's easiest spots to recommend. It's more casual than the other restaurants at Bangkok's oldest hotel (though they'll still shoo you away if you turn up in shorts), dishing out Italian staples like wood-fired pizzas (starting B340) and beef stew with polenta cream and gorgonzola (B610).

Sitting above Revolucion cocktail bar, Clandestino Cantina serves cuisine which takes cues from Italy, France and Spain as well as Latin America. Take the deconstructed Spanish tortilla (fried egg with potatoes, B190), which comes in the form of potato mousse, served in a little jar with sweet onion confit or the scallop salmorejo (pan-fried scallops wrapped in Iberico ham and served in a cold tomato puree, B390).

Top Tables prediction: Solid dishes well worthy of the guide, but we don’t see anything special enough to break Top 30.

4 Ari Samphan Soi 3, 02-278-0250

Crying Thaiger

Top Tables prediction: With the Oriental’s Top Tables chances so wrapped up in Le Normandie, we doubt voters will give this spot much of a look.

Top Tables prediction: Latin places have popped up like mushrooms in the past year.

It'll be tough for this one to stand out.

2/F, Revolucion Cocktail, 50 Sathorn Soi 10, 02-235-4823

This recent power-opening came backed by an all-star cast of Singapore-based restaurateurs.

Their efforts are chic yet relaxed, on-trend yet original, with the wood-dominated, Dwell magazine-worthy space playing host to Aussie-influenced food and coffee. Get the “Taste of Freebird” 10-course tasting (B1,850) for the full experience of things like organic sea urchin and sea grapes with whipped parmesan on a housemade dehydrated flaxseed cracker, and warm sweet potato and chilled shaved fennel topped with smoked walnut and honey. Thanks to cocktails from Liam Baer, the guy behind Evil Man Blues’s menu, the place stands up as a bar, too.

Top Tables prediction: It’s new, it got plenty of buzz and the restaurant community loves what a polished machine it is—all good signs of a strong Top Tables ranking.

28 Sukhumvit Soi 47, 02-662-4936

Mandarin Oriental, 48 Charoenkrung Soi 40, Oriental Ave., 02-659-9000

*What's Top Tables? See page 8.

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BK Magazine Friday, December 9, 2016

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cover story H O W I S TO P TABLES MADE?

Morimoto

BK Magazine’s Top Tables is the most independent and most respected dining guide in Bangkok.

Here’s why.

Meruto Sushi Self-trained Thai chef-patron Kirati Butdeevong takes on the omakase big leagues. At any one time, the place can accommodate only six diners, who get to watch the chef making sushi from the best possible seasonal ingredients, delivered every other day. A meal sets you back B3,500 for 12 items and B5,500 for 15 items, excluding appetizer and dessert.

La Casa Nostra

Top Tables prediction: There’s just too much competition happening in high-end sushi right now. It might break the guide, but we doubt in a high spot.

G/F, Sathorn Gardens, 39 Sathorn Rd., 092-369-7924

Morimoto

Punjab Grill

La Casa Nostra

Islero

Islero The chic terrace at this very upmarket take on a Spanish tapas joint is the place to be spotted with Soi Ruamrudee's in-crowd. A former chef de cuisine at El Bulli had a hand in the menu, which dishes out refined versions of tapas staples like chicken croquettes (B170), grilled octopus tentacles served with beans in Castilian stew (B490), baked fish fillet with potatoes and almonds and the highlight Josper-grilled, Segovian-style suckling pig (B8,400).

Top Tables prediction: The restaurant really has the potential to be in the guide. But now that the buzz is running low, it may need something to boost public image.

Athenee Tower, 63 Wireless Rd., 02-168-8100

Jamie's Italian At the long-awaited Bangkok branch of celeb British chef Jamie Oliver’s restaurant franchise, mains are unambitious but comforting. A 12oz rib-eye steak sets you back B1,450 and comes with wild mushrooms, gremolata (a chopped herb condiment), balsamic onions and chips.

Elsewhere there's burgers (B560), fish stew (B520) and pan-fried fish-of-the-day (B620).

The renovated house on Soi Goethe sits peacefully in grounds that include a cozy outdoor terrace where you can dine outdoors, lounge on a sofa or play a game of petanque. The chef, Nino Scognamillo, takes La Casa Nostra in a comforting direction with creations like grilled Sardinian pecorino cheese with eucalyptus honey and fresh figs (B180), paprika-spiced roasted octopus on potato veloute (B490), and plenty of pasta dishes. Owing to the partnership with Global Vineyards, their wine menu is a peach. Try the 2011 Chateau Gigault Cuvee Viva (B175/75ml, B280/125ml, B1,400/bottle) Top Tables prediction: No question this is one of the hottest spots in town right now. Food is competent but without much wow factor. We’re sure it’ll place, just not super high.

22 Sathorn Soi 1 Yaek 2 (Goethe), 02-287-2402

Little Bao Little Bao Hong Kong was one of the kickstarters of the global Bao trend and still commands queues for chef May Chow’s playful, fast food-inspired take on traditional Chinese fare.

Tucking into the delicious pork belly bao (B260), there’s no doubting Little Bao’s reputation: the succulent braised pork is slathered in hoisin ketchup, sprinkled with shiso leek salad and sesame dressing, and jammed between a soft, fluffy white bun. The cold, smoked eggplant salad (B240), fried cauliflower coated in caramelized fish sauce (B220) and fried caramel icecream bao (B140) are no after-thought either.

Top Tables prediction: Jamie’s offers a pleasing mall-food package, but Top Tables it ain’t.

Top Tables prediction: More a diner than a restaurant, we don’t see the Bao—delicious as they are—being TT material.

G/F, Siam Discovery, Rama 1, 02-255-5222.

BTS Siam

G/F, 72 Courtyard, 72 Sukhumvit Soi 55 (Thonglor), 02-392-6922

In contrast with the more conservative highend Japanese restaurants in town, Iron Chef America’s Masaharu Morimoto adds fun, modern touches that set it apart. There’s a real mix of traditional, fashionable and fusion dishes. You’ll find straight sushi and sashimi (from B1,300) served alongside Sashimi Caesar Salad (B320), playfully “giftwrapped” in a clear plastic sheet, and Morimoto’s Championship burger (B590), which boasts a katsu-style breaded wagyu patty.

Top Tables prediction: Well-executed international franchises are certainly not above the Top Tables’ panel (see Robuchon at no. 1, 2014/15). We expect Morimoto to place.

4/F, Mahanakorn Cube, 96 Narathiwat Ratchanakarin Rd., 02-060-9099.

BTS Chong Nonsi

Muine Though the hipster-cafe decor might set alarm bells ringing, this little Vietnamese operation delivers all the flavor one could hope for in its banh mi packed with liver pate and two types of pork sausage (B185), grilled pork with vermicelli (B180) and a deliciously well-balanced pho (B160). One of the first spaces to open in Sansiri’s ambitious Habito development at On Nut, it’s well worth the trip out of Thonglor.

Top Tables prediction: Another spot doing fine dishes but whose cafe-like credentials just don’t speak of Top Tables.

2/F, Habito, Sukhumvit Soi 77, 092-959-4629

Punjab Grill No ordinary chain, Punjab Grill has a formidable rep on Indian soil, and made it into our sister mag SG’s Top Tables 2015 for the Singapore branch. Modern creations like cones of avocado papdi chaat sit alongside classic kebabs—tiger prawns (B900), chicken tikka (B450) and lamb chops (B900)—flawless biryanis (starting at B320), curries (butter chicken, B450) and a variety of dal. Formidable competition for upstarts like Charcoal and Maya.

Top Tables prediction: Foodies like it and the fact it's in SG's Top Tables plays in its favor.

G/F, Radisson Suites, 23/2-3 Sukhumvit Soi 13, 02-645-4952

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TOP TABLE

HOW DOES BK SELECT THE RESTAURANTS IN TOP TABLES?

Step 1: In January, the BK magazine editorial team first creates a shortlist of some 200 restaurants. It includes: • Last year’s Top Tables restaurants • Major openings from the past 12 months • Good reviews from the past 12 months • Select advertisers Step 2: BK selects 45 panelists: • 5 BK food writers and editors • 40 foodies we know to eat out a lot.

Some of them may be involved in restaurants (more on that later).

Step 3: The panelists or judges are given the shortlist of 200 restaurants. For each restaurant, they’re given three options: • Yes, keep it.

• No, cut it.

• I don’t know We then apply a formula to keep only the places with the best Yes:No ratios. Last year, we kept 116 places. That’s all we had space for in the guide.

HOW DO YOU SELECT THE TOP 30?

Each panelist selects their top 10 restaurants. Every restaurant they rank #1 gets 20 points, down to 11 points for a #10 position. (So if a restaurant gets picked in two lists as #10, that’s better than getting picked by only one judge as #1.) We tally all that and we get the Top 30 list.

We always ignore any and all votes cast for venues that panelists' are involved with.

That means that while we respect that Mrs. X is a huge foodie who really knows her stuff, we can’t count her vote for Chez Mrs. X Restaurant.

IS YOUR LIST OF PANELISTS PUBLIC?

No. Some of them don’t want the publicity.

And we don’t particularly want them getting courted by award-savvy PRs. DO ADVERTISERS GET PREFERENTIAL TREATMENT?

Beyond the fact that they’re included in the shortlist, no, they don’t. The panelists vote on the Official Selection and the Top 30 and we keep only the top ranked places.

I HAVE A RESTAURANT. HOW DO I GET IN?

Making great food with excellent service in a beautiful location is a good start. Sadly, it’s not always enough. Also make sure your work gets noticed. Buzz matters.

I WANT TO BE ON THE PANEL

Email your Top 10 to editor@asia-city.co.th and tell us where and how often you eat out.

BK Magazine Friday, December 9, 2016

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cover story The Missing Burro Far from the bustle of Thonglor’s main drag you’ll discover Mexican food so good you’ll want to keep it a secret. From a converted shipping container, the Mexican owners serve standout corn tortilla tacos. The carnitas (braised pork, B280) may be pretty standard Mexican fare, but we love the depth of flavor aided by the mind-blowing sauces made with imported Mexican chilies.

Also don’t miss the comforting chicken enchiladas (B300) and sopecitos (fried lime-soaked ground maize topped with refried beans, meat, cheese, lettuce and tomatoes, B180), too.

LATE ARRIVALS The end of 2015 was packed with amazing restaurants that just missed the voting cut-off for Top Tables 2016. Here are the highlights.

Top Tables prediction: Fond words from many people we’ve spoken to mean this could be 2017’s underdog.

The Missing Burro

145 Thonglor Soi 7, 090-913-2131

Toro This exciting new opening sees an American team lead a kitchen specializing in Barcelona-inspired tapas. The name Toro is already well-established in Boston and New York for bold, contemporary flavors, and here that results in dishes imbued with some local touches, like a hanger steak with caramelized red onion and green curry (B420). The space is every bit the exposed warehouse dream, offset by crisp, contemporary furnishings.

Suhring

80/20

Executive chef Napol Jantraget and Canadian accomplice Andrew Martin use local ingredients and made-from-scratch elements.

Top Tables prediction: A firm foodie favorite which the arrival of chef Martin has taken to even higher standards. We’re saying Top 30.

1052-1054 Charoen Krung Rd., 087-593-1936

Top Tables prediction: Great produce, great space, but the lack of a high-profile chef in the kitchen is going to hurt its ranking. It’s the kind of place people will struggle to recommend.

Sushi Misaki

Saneh Jaan

1/F, 72 Courtyard, 72 Sukhumvit Soi 55 (Thonglor), 02-392-7790

Touche Hombre

Saneh Jaan

Sushi Misaki

Vaulted ceilings, rich vermillion-red accents and dining tables hewn from whole tree trunks create a majestic setting to indulge in refined Thai cuisine drawn from ancient recipes. Local food guru Torroong Jarungidanan, who has published two cookbooks and also writes a regular newpaper column, consulted for the menu, which packs powerfully flavored dishes like gai baan kua bai jan (free-range chicken stir-fried with wild basil, B390) and gaeng ranjuan (shrimp-paste pork soup, B380).

Don’t pay attention and you’ll walk straight past this restaurant’s wooden facade without even noticing it. Shizuoka-born chef Masahiro Misaki (formerly of Nippon Tei) serves only omakase.

Expect both seasonal fish and classic offerings like fresh Ishigeki clam, plum vinegar-marinated iwashi (sardine), and melt-in-your-mouth otoro (fatty tuna) served on flavorful red sushi rice.

Cleanse your palette with Misaki’s custard pudding-like sweet tamago (crisp like a creme brulee on top), before tucking in to the mizu shingen mochi (water mochi). Two seatings per day at B4,000 per person.

This Australian-hailing bar blends Mexican booze, street art and hip-hop tunes into a space that transitions perfectly from dinner into a night out. Along with a dangerously good line of tequila and mezcal (try the Tommy’s margarita, B295), the place also serves some excellent Mexican food. The tacos (from B225/2 pieces) don’t only stand out for the perfectly soft corn tortillas but also fillings that go beyond carnitas and refried beans to the likes of octopus and chorizo (B325). Don’t skip desserts, especially the deconstructed tres leches (“three milk cake,” B195), a cinnamon-dusted horchata ice cream with milk cake and whipped cream.

Top Tables prediction: There’s stiff omakase competition at the pointy end of the guide. This one has its own followers but still lacks the hype of other venues.

Top Tables prediction: It’s fun, it’s busy and it’s full of people who are very likely to be Top Tables panelists. We think Touche Hombre will do well.

Top Tables prediction: This is the biggest Thai opening of the year, thus a solid contender. But with all the strong mainstays like Nahm, Bo.lan and Paste, as well as attention drawn toward something new, it’s not easy to sneak in as a straight-Thai place.

Glasshouse at Sindhorn, 130-132 Wireless Rd., 02-650-9880

Suhring The debut restaurant of twin German chefs Thomas and Mathias Suhring follows their departure from Mezzaluna, the ultra-fine-dining restaurant at LeBua hotel. It was one of the year’s hottest topics among Bangkok’s foodie community partly because they’ve opened in partnership with Gaggan Anand (see Meatlicious, opposite) and partly because the twins have always cooked superb food. At Suhring, the chefs introduce diners to a different perspective of German cuisine that’s not just about hearty chunks of pork knuckle, sausages and sauerkraut. Instead, tasting menus are spread across eight or 12-courses (B1,900-2,500), all served in a beautiful mid-century house.

Top Tables prediction: The question isn’t whether it’ll make the guide but rather how high. We’re predicting big. Top 10 big.

10 Yen Akat Soi 3, Yen Akat Rd., 02-287-1799

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G/F, Rain Hill, Sukhumvit Rd., 02-258-1783

1/F, 72 Courtyard, 72 Sukhumvit Soi 55 (Thonglor), 061-550-6346

Tama Sushi

Wild & Co

Tucked on the mezzanine floor above Boon Tong Kee, chef Seiji Sudo (previously head chef of Ginza Sushi Ichi) serves just six diners per night— meaning waits of up to two months to get in.

He offers the “Sho” sushi style, derived from a family of just five restaurants in Japan. The prettily-plated, delectable courses aren’t limited to a sequence of nigiri but rather switch in items like conch, iwashi roll, grilled mixed rice with hairy crab meat and uni, as well as Seiji's signature sushi soup. An omakase set of about 20 items sets you back B6,500 per person.

The land that used to be pre-game institution Stu-fe now opens with a meaty new concept.

Wild & Co. takes you into the wilderness with both its forest-y interior and carnivorous food, served in two stylish glass houses. Heading the kitchen here, Chatphon Thavornvanit (who’s also behind Munchies sausages) focuses on hefty meat dishes, especially game, rolling out dishes like baked bacon-wrapped rabbit with kidney, liver and greens dressed with rabbit jus (B690) and quail salad (B390), as well as Australian Angus tomahawk (B3,290 for 1.2kg). One glasshouse is dedicated to the bar, which serves classic cocktails and the odd spirit-forward concoction.

Top Tables prediction: Tama started off promising big and still has a two-month wait. With the new omakase style it introduces to Bangkok, we can see the panelists putting it high on the list.

M/F, Piman 49, 46/10 Sukhumvit Soi 49, 091-871-0666

Top Tables prediction: Just opened very recently, the restaurant is already gaining popularity among foodies. We’re positive about it.

31/3 Soi Farm Wattana, Rama 4 Rd., 087-999-9948

MEATLICIOUS

Gaggan Anand drives a beef-heavy menu cooked using only wood and coal. The tomahawk (300B/100g, expect 1.5kg) puts its now ubiquitous competition to shame thanks to a crisp, pepper-encrusted char and a deep red heart.

Top Tables prediction: A shoe-in for the guide.

8 Ekkamai Soi 6, 091-698-6688

SUSHI MASATO

Though full till the end of the year, strike quickly and you could get to try his B4,000, 22-course omakase as early as January.

Top Tables prediction: Like Suhring, it’s a question of where in the Top 10.

3/22 Sukhumvit 31 Soi 1, 02-040-0015

UNO MAS

Alfresco 54th-story views and laidback tapas: Joselito ham, Cochinillo suckling pig and wild porcini mushroom croquettes. Thirsty?

There's 36 wines by the glass.

Top Tables prediction: Everyone who eats here loves it. In. 54/F, Centara Grand at CentralWorld, 999/99 Rama 1 Rd., 02-100-6255. BTS Siam/Chit Lom

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Pai Times

Head back to Mae Hong Son this winter and discover everything new the valley district has to offer. By Monruedee Jansuttipan Pam Bok Waterfall

Puripai Villa

1. An adorable bamboo bridge

7. Shooting games

Meaning “merit bridge” in Thai, the one-year-old Kho Gu Bamboo So Bridge raised walkway was built to connect Pam Bok village with the nearby Huay Khai Khiri House of Priests and spans 815 meters across rice paddy fields. Head there around 7am on full and new moons (Dec 14, 22 and 28) to see villagers gathering on the bridge to make merit with local monks.

The Yunnan Cultural Village has added some new pursuits: shooting guns and bows, both at B50 per time. While you’re there, don’t miss lunch at Yunnan restaurant, especially the braised pork leg with fried Chinese buns, Yunnan salad and rare items like deepfried, sundried goat meat.

2. A beautiful waterfall Situated in the same village, Pam Bok Waterfall features a 15-meter-high cascade flanked by a crevasse. Though trekking to the waterfall is short and easy, prepare to get wet as the waterfall’s main attraction can only be reached by wading upstream.

3. Misty mountains

8. New foodie names in the night market Alongside the market’s art and craft offerings, a host of new eateries have opened. Grunge Burger (097-927-9688) pops up every night of the week on Chai Songkram Road walking street, offering burgers, salads and grilled meats. A beef or chicken burger with cheese and bacon costs only B100.

Doi Thong and Doi Miang are on the travel wish-lists of all sunset seekers. You’ll find four guestrooms in the area, powered by electricity from solar cells and costing B500 per night, as well as four-man tents to rent at B400 per night. Traveling to Doi Thong and Doi Miang requires help from the village’s tourism unit (063123-9022, 089-261-8986, www.fb.com/cbt.pambok) as you’ll need a four-wheel-drive vehicle to reach the peak. Rides starting from Pai center cost B300 per person; or you can charter a truck for B2,200.

9. Great Northern food

4. New villas in the valley

Pai’s most-visited temple, Phra That Mae Yen, isn’t just a place of worship anymore. The respectable temple is set to become a prime sunset viewpoint thanks to 280 still-in-construction steps leading to the top. Here, the giant, all-white Phra Buddha Lokuttara Mahamuni stands proud over the dramatic scenery.

The luxurious Puripai Villa (puripaivilla.com) just unveiled three new villas, one three-bedroom villa and two three-bedroom pool villas. The resort sits on a small hill on the outskirts of the town center, allowing you to witness the early morning mist right from your villa’s balcony. Rates start at B8,837 for one bedroom villas, B14,459 for three bedroom villas and B5,700 for deluxe rooms.

5. You can now reach Pai in 30 minutes Traveling from Chiang Mai to Pai is an epic road trip of hundreds of U-bends winding up a mountain. If you don’t have the stomach for that, Kan Air (www.kanairlines.com) now operates a 30-minute flight from Chiang Mai to Pai every day. The price is pocket-friendly too, costing from B1,290-1,990 per flight.

6. Pai’s very own craft beer bar Nightlife institution Jikko Bar has opened little sister Jikko Beer (www.fb.com/JikkoBeer) just a stone’s throw from the original spot, selling both Thai brewed and imported craft beers. They plan to release their own brand of craft beer soon, too.

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If you’re looking for some delicious Northern cuisine, head to the Belle Villa Resort Pai (www.bellevillaresort.com/pai). Though they mainly specialize in central Thai dishes, the menu also has a few Northern highlights like laab kua (spicy pork with herbs, B100), sai oa (northern style sausage, B120) and gaeng hang lay (pork curry with ginger and nuts, B120)—all are amazing.

10. Breathtaking sunsets

Kho Gu So Bamboo Bridge

MUSIC FEST

A Little Norwegian Wood

11. Swim in a warm-water stream Dubbed the “secret hot spring,” Sai Ngam spring in the Lum Nam Pai Wildlife Sanctuary is now being promoted thanks to its warm stream of spring water. The emerald pool is so clear you can see your toes as you bathe in water that remains balmy even when the weather around you is freezing. Find it at Sai Ngam village, about 15 kilometers from the town center. Entrance costs B20.

12. Taste single whole bean coffee Coffee lovers need head to Pai Island Resort (www.paiislandresort.com), whose coffee shop sits beside a stream and uses single-seed beans shaped like peas, as opposed to the more common varieties where two seeds grow pressed together. It is believed peaberries’ shape allows them to be roasted more evenly. Try it for yourself in an espresso or go for something boozy like the coffee Cointreau (B150) and coffee Remy Martin (B180).

Pai’s ultra-indie music fest A Little Norwegian Wood (www.fb.com/alittlenorwegianwood) has scheduled a new date of Jan 27-28 after it was pushed back following the death of the HM King Rama IX. The lineup features indie musicians from Chiang Mai and Pai alongside some international performers. As well as an outdoor music stage, there will be art and craft booths along with plenty of booze, including Chiang Mai have reputed Chujai rice wine. Costing just B100 per ticket, the event takes place at the small Baan Katisod Pai guesthouse (www.fb.com/ baankatisod).

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ESCAPE ROUTES

By Monruedee Jansuttipan

NAKHON RATCHASIMA

Farm Season

It’s the time of the year when Jim Thompson Farm opens itself to the public for a month.

This year’s event, taking place from now till Jan 8, is called“Kak-Ta-Ta! Phrae-E-Pho! Joyful Pakoma,” and takes inspiration from the multifunctional Thai loincloth deeply rooted in Isaan culture. The 600-rai farm is split into five zones, including a pumpkin patch, colorful cosmos flower fields, the “U-Pick” organic vegetable garden, and an art installation from reputed Chiang Mai-based artist Navin Rawanchaikul called the Pakoma wind wheel. You can also attend workshops on indigo tie-dye and how to make pha khao ma (checkered Thai loincloth). Entrance costs B180 for adults and B130 for children on weekdays and B220/B160 on weekends. Prices spike to B280/B180 during the New Year Holiday from Dec 31-Jan 3. Buy your tickets in advance from Thaiticketmajor.com or Jim Thompson shops around Bangkok (goo.gl/HBJmN9).

PHUKET

Peranakan Patong Patong’s newest boutique hotel looks to Phuket Town’s Sino-Portuguese culture to create somewhere elegant and different. Mai House Patong Hill (maihouse. com/patonghill) is an alluring blend of turquoise walls, opium den-style daybeds and dangling steel lanterns. Couples need to splash for the Grand Deluxe Rooms (B5,000 versus the standard Deluxe, B4,000), which feature bathtubs in the bedroom, or go one step further for the Grand Deluxe Jacuzzi room (B6,000), which has its own outdoor Jacuzzi hidden behind a veil of tropical foliage overlooking Patong Beach. More Peranakan culture gets served up in the 19th-century Chinese-style Opium Den bar, as well as the dishes of Kathu Mining Co. restaurant. Check their website to get the two-nights-forthe-price-of-one rates starting from B4,750 for a Deluxe room.

VIETNAM

Grand Tour Explore Saigon with your own personal butler thanks to this new package, Cruising Saigon, from The Riverie Saigon (www.thereveriesaigon.com), a luxury hotel which opened in the city last year.

For US$1,152 (B40,991) per couple, you’ll get a two-hour sunset cruise on the Saigon River complete with picnic hamper containing potato cream soup, smoked duck and egg sandwiches, cherry compote and traditional Vietnamese banh mi. After that, jump on the back of a Vespa for your man servant to take you on a four-hour tour of the city’s street food. Move from Chinatown to the alleys of District 4 before stopping at a coffee house and club for a taste of live Vietnamese music. The three-night package also includes round-trip airport transfers via your choice of a Mercedes-Benz S-class or BMW 7 series.

AIRLINE

Eastern Airlines While Vietjet keeps pumping Thailand with cheap flights, Thai Lion Air (www.lionairthai. com) has quietly launched new routes from Don Muang to Guangzhou and Ho Chi Minh— the latter one even cheaper than Vietjet. Rates in December start at B3,120-3,420 return including 30 kg baggage allowance and snacks while Vietjets costs B3,311-3,539. Unfortunately for the Guangzhou route, flight times are a pain, departing from Bangkok at 10:15pm and arriving in China at 1:40am. Flights cost B3,140 return.

FREE DOWNLOAD! WHERE Hot Spots 2016 covers the hottest new openings in Bangkok, Hua Hin, Phuket, Koh Samui, Krabi and Chiang Mai. Get your free copy today at bkmagazine.com/hotspots2016.

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avenue

CLASSES

Rubbing it In The country’s biggest luxe spa product maker, Harnn, now gives courses on the therapies, techniques and culture of the wellness industry. The Asian Holistic Academy isn’t just for industry pros but anyone who wants to brush up on a little pampering know-how, offering short courses such as the one-day back and shoulder massage training (B4,000) and a three-day traditional Thai massage package (B10,000). Professional courses go on for 80 hours, cost B16,000 and are certified by Thailand’s Ministry of Education.

12M/F, Zen Tower at CentralWorld, Rama 1 Rd., 02-252-5721. BTS Chit Lom/Siam. www.asianholisticacademy.com

NEW SHOP

NEW GYM

SPORT

Bags of Style

Well Trained

Board Room

You no longer have to content yourself with the small Cote&Ciel selection in multi-label stores now that the high-end Parisian accessories brand has launched a flagship store in Bangkok. Inside you’ll find the full range of products from backpacks to satchels and clutches. Known for its functional design, Cote&Ciel’s bags are equipped with compartments to ensure your tablets, laptops, smartphones and valuables are safe and secure—even Apple approves of them. See also special collections in collaboration with great artists around the world, available from time to time. 3/F, Central Embassy, Phloen Chit Rd., 084-411-8840. Open daily 10am-9:30pm. BTS Phloen Chit. www.coteetciel.com

Bangkok’s latest fitness spot is all about classes: mat pilates, pilates reformer, functional training and the Motr, a new form of exercise which combines multiple workouts together. Called Bliss Body and located on Rama 4 Road, its specialties are weight loss, strengthening core muscles and developing lean muscle. You can also use the InBody program to analyze your body composition by measuring muscle and fat masses, and get calculations from your metabolism rate, BMI and body ratio. The class schedule changes every month, so keep an eye on the website. Personal training is also available. Prices start at B500 per group class. 1032/1-5 Rama 4 Rd., 02-677-6889.

Open Mon-Sat 8:30am-8:30pm; Sun 9am-6pm. www.blissbodythailand.com

Bangkok skaters’ go-to local brand, Preduce, has just given its Siam Square store a makeover, gutting the old space to bring in a look of cool brushed concrete and spotlights. Drop by to check out the new collection of decks created with Bangkok street art legend P7. Preduce’s second collaboration with the artist follows on from the most in-demand collection the brand has ever produced (released in 2012). Called Metal, it is available in seven different styles, each showcasing P7’s kaleidoscopic design style and sense of humor. Can’t make it to the store? Preduce also offers free shipping anywhere in Thailand. 218/9 Siam Square Soi 1, 086-045-5784. Open daily noon-8:30pm. BTS Siam. www. preduce.com

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Head Guards The best hair products for color treatment. By Earn Saenmuk

No.3 Hair Perfector, Olaplex, price TBA Color Conserve Shampoo, Aveda, B1,000 Color Conserve Conditioner, Aveda, B1,000

Silk Groom™ Serum, Kiehl’s, B1,000

Restore Mask Treatment, Living Proof, B1,740

Aveda

Dry Shampoo, Percy & Reed, B670

Treatment Oil 100ml, Moroccanoil, B1,780

Scalp & Hair Cleansing Oil, Three, B2,100

Original brush, Tangle Teezer, B850

Wave Spray, Ouai, B1,020

Essentials Aveda, available at Veda Salon and Spa, M/F, Siam Discovery, 02-658-0583. Open daily 10am-10pm. BTS Siam/National Stadium Kiehl’s. M/F, Siam Paragon, 02- 690 -1000. Open daily 10am-10pm. BTS Siam. www. kiehls.co.th Moroccanoil, available at The Lounge, 4/F, EmQuartier, Sukhumvit Rd., 02-003-6172. Open daily 10am-10pm. BTS Phrom Phong

Olaplex, available at major salons nationwide. Call 02-1054335 for list of salons.

Ouai, Percy & Reed and Tangle Teezer, available at Sephora stores nationwide Tangle Teezer, available at Sephora stores and major department stores nationwide Three, available at THREE boutiques at Siam Paragon, Zen at CentralWorld, Central Chidlom and Central Ladprao.

Three Best Places to Change Your Hair Color

VEDA SALON AND SPA

PHOENIX SIAM SALON

LUSRICA

Aveda’s latest opening offers a wide range of color, from very dark brown to bright colors like red. The products are natural, which damages your hair less than harsh chemicals. Prices start at B3,200 for full head coloring.

Siam Square-goers all know this place. Not only are their cutting and styling services great, they are known for getting the exact colors the customers want without hurting the hair.

This bright, minimalist space offers a Japanese-style salon experience from cutting and, coloring to deep layer treatment (which turns dry hair soft and smooth). Hair coloring starts at B1,800.

M/F, Siam Discovery, 02-658-0583. Open daily 10am-10pm. BTS Siam/ National Stadium. www.fb.com/vedasalonth

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Siam Square Soi 7, 02-252-2875. Open daily 10:30am-9:30pm. BTS Siam. www.fb.com/Phoenix.siam.salon

141 Sukhumvit Soi 53, 02-009-2616. Open Mon-Fri 9am-5:30pm; SatSun 10am-6:30pm. www.fb.com/lusrica.bkk

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DOWNLOAD BEST EATS 2016 FOR FREE And discover Bangkok's best casual restaurants. bkmagazine.com/besteats

RESTAURANT

Hi Jamie The Italian restaurant chain of Britain's most-celebrity of celebrity chefs, Jamie Oliver, has opened in Bangkok. For those who aren't familiar with the name, Oliver is the personality behind numerous cooking shows and best-selling UK cookbooks. If you've ever eaten at any of Jamie's other branches, you'll recognize Jamie's Italian's menu of antipasti (starting B490 for two), pasta (try the prawn linguine, B300) and pizza (margherita, B310). Mains are unambitious but comforting. A 12oz rib-eye steak sets you back B1,490 and comes with wild mushrooms, gremolata (a chopped herb condiment), balsamic onions and chips.

Elsewhere there's burgers (B560), fish stew (B520) and pan-fried fishof-the-day (B620). G/F, Siam Discovery, Rama 1, 02-255-5222. BTS Siam

ICE CREAM

NEW MENU

WHISKEY

Damn Good Stuff

Art Appreciation

Smooth Finish

Ice-cream pop-up Guss Damn Good has launched a micro-home on Saladaeng Soi 1, downstairs from the recently opened indie cinema Bangkok Screening Room. Called A Guss, the compact space has no tables, only a 45-degree slanted bench on which you’re welcome to half sit, half stand and enjoy flavors (B85/ scoop) like the deliciously milky Don’t Give Up #18 (which represents the batch number of her successful trial), Kuppa espresso (made using Kuppa’s locally roasted coffee) and its milder sister Why Can’t Coffee be White? Taking their cues from Boston’s vibrant ice-cream culture, owners Rarin Tumwattana and Natee Charussuriyong make their craft ice cream using quality natural ingredients. Sala Daeng Soi 1. www.fb.com/ gussdamngood

The new cocktail menu at Vesper is one of the most impressive we’ve seen. Called The Art Book (and styled to mimic Phaidon’s cult publication of the same name), it charts 14 boozy creations each inspired by a famous work of art. Our favorite sees Rene Magritte’s “The Treachery of Images” interpreted as a smoky, potent blend of Moonshine unaged whiskey, Alipus San Baltazar mescal, Carpano Bianco and tonic bitters (B390).

Frida Kahlo’s “Self-Portrait with Necklace of Thorns” is also not to miss, blended into a bitter-sweet mix of Tanqueray, Campari, kombu beer reduction and green Chartreuse. In other news, the restaurant also has a new head chef, Francesco Deiana—don’t miss his Sardinian fregolla of mussels and clams (B490). 10/15 Convent Rd., 02-235-2777. BTS Sala Daeng

Whiskey blenders at Johnnie Walker usually try their best to stick with the brand’s slightly smoky flavor, but in this series— Johnnie Walker Blenders’ Batch—they’ve been allowed to go with whatever they like. Johnnie Walker Blenders’ Batch Red Rye Finish is the first release of the series and takes inspiration from American bourbons and ryes from Kentucky. The result is a whiskey that’s definitely cleared of the rough JW smoky notes, leaving something sweeter and easier to drink. Some might find it a touch flat, but at B899 per 700ml/bottle there’s a lot to like when fixing yourself a Sazerac or an old-fashioned. Available at most supermarkets. Try Villa Markets.

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The Dock

5 great Christmas menus at standalone restaurants Skip the hotels, book early and celebrate the festivity in a homey atmosphere.

The Dock

Seven Spoons

Who says Christmas has to be all about roast turkey? Go for an ultimate symphony of seafood at The Dock. Things start off with seafood overture (fresh sea urchin and its butter) with a glass of French sparkling Chamdeville Blanc de Blancs wine and go on to the fresh scallop carpaccio and fresh beluga caviar. Lobster stars in the form of ravioli with spiced bisque emulsion, while the restaurant captures the family vibe with coulibiac, a type of Russian pie with a monkfish filling and Madagascan vanilla sauce. Cleanse your palate with the ultimate toffee pudding and a glass of Chandon Brut sparkling wine. Dinner costs B2,890 net/person, inclusive of two glasses of sparkling wine. Available from Dec 20-Jan 5, all day.

On top of some special dishes running on the a la carte menu for Christmas and New Year, chef Somkiat Pairojmahakij also rolls out a set menu for Christmas. At B1,200 per person, you’ll enjoy a four-course meal with a cocktail. The menu also has vegetarian-friendly options, with two choices for each course. Expect the likes of razor clams with chorizo, capers and white wine butter sauce and black mountain chicken with Udomsuk stout gravy. Or opt for broccoli quinoa salad, brown butter sweet potato gnocchi and grilled tofu with chimichurri sauce if you’re a vegetarian.

1/F, Maze Thonglor, 148 Sukhumvit Soi 55 (Thonglor), 02-381-5373-4

Bunker Sathorn’s new-American restaurant presents a four-course menu for Christmas at B2,700. Chef Arnie Marcella lets you pick between a couple of dishes for each course. Either go for madai (red sea bream) crudo with mangosteen and red chili or wagyu carpaccio with truffle dashi. Mains feature options of Japanese black cod with celeriac, black truffle and maitake mushroom, or Australian lamb with redcurrant and Swiss Chard.

You can also opt for a wine pairing at B1,300.

118/2 Sathorn Soi 12, 092-563-9991

1881

Freebird

22-24 Chakkaphatdi Phong Rd., 02-629-9214

Freebird Chef Dallas Cuddy presents a set lunch menu over the Christmas weekend (Dec 24-25). For B1,500 per person, you’ll get small plates of starters follwed by mains, side dishes and desserts to share. Promised items include beer and miso-grilled lamb ribs with radish salad, baked ham with pineapple, palm sugar and star anise, roast black Angus beef with garlic pepper crust, roasted and whipped potato with coffee and bacon salt and chocolate rum and raisin pudding with custard. The bar will also create special cocktails derived from festive drinks like mulled wine and eggnog.

Bunker

28 Sukhumvit Soi 47, 02-662-4936

The bar-restaurant lets you go easy with a two-course set menu at only B999. The main attraction is lamb shank served with sauteed vegetables, lamb jus and spaetzle dumpling pasta, while dessert sees caramelized spiced apple with vanilla ice cream. The price includes one Christmas cocktail of your choice.

Continental Sour (bourbon, lemon juice, syrup and port wine, B320), 1881 Rum Pot (rum blend, cherry liqueur, spices and fruits, B350) or Pumpkin Xmas Spritz (pumpkin shrub, vanilla, cinnamon and prosecco, B275).

1881

Groove@CentralWorld, Rama 1 Rd., 061-825-7348, 095-072-7777

Brought to you by The Dock

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TRUFFLES

Good as Gold Alba white truffles are only available for a couple of months every year and sell at auction for thousands of dollars per pound.

Try it at these top Italian restaurants.

By Natcha Sanguankiattichai

Vesper

Sorrento

La Scala Throughout November, La Scala’s new chef David Tamburini presents dishes that highlight the aroma of the rare-find truffle, including mushroom brioche bruschetta with poached egg and Parmigiano cream (B2,800), Piedmont egg tagliolini (B2,900), potato filled tortelli in chicken broth (B2,900), roasted veal chop with Jerusalem artichokes puree and anchovy oil (B4,400) and warm hazelnut genoise and soft mascarpone cheese meringue (B2,600).

Each dish comes with 5g of freshly shaved Alba white truffle, but if that’s still not enough, you can get some extra at B450/g.

The Sukhothai Bangkok, 13/3 Sathorn Rd., 02-344-8888

Biscotti Italian chef Daniele Bettini also created a special menu with 2g of white truffle from Alba on each dish, including beef tartare with quail eggs and crunchy ciabatta bread (B1,300), housemade tagliolino pasta with porcini mushroom and green asparagus (B1,200), roasted halibut with green pea puree and truffle foam (B1,950) and Valrhona chocolate cake with raspberry coulis, truffle almond genoise and truffle dirt (B280). You can also opt for a four-course dinner (with 1g of the truffle on each dish) at B3,600.

G/F, Anantara Siam, 155 Ratchadamri Rd., 02-126-8866

La Bottega In addition to the two restaurants above, chef-proprietor Appino also created some dishes for his eponymous venue. His baked egg with Parmesan cream and truffle sets you back B990 to start with.

You can also get seared Hokkaido scallop with Jerusalem artichoke sauce and truffle at B1,250 before moving on to the angel hair pasta dish with a promised minimum of 3g of truffle (B1,590) or risotto with porcini mushrooms and pumpkin (B1,590). The housemade panna cotta ice cream also features the truffle too (B590).

Terrace 49, Sukhumvit Soi 49, 02-204-1731

Vesper To welcome the white truffle season, Vesper rolls out a special menu comprising dishes like “The Egg & White Truffle,” a deepfried egg served with parmesan cheese cream and Alba white truffle (B790), tagliolini al tartufo (fresh handmade tagliolini pasta served with parmesan cheese, French butter and 2g of white truffle, B890) and risotto with Parmesan cheese and 2g of white truffle (B990). The aromatic mushroom also complements the Australian beef tenderloin (B1,600), served with porcini mushrooms. An additional gram of white truffle is available at B490/g.

10/15 Convent Rd., 02-235-2777

Il Fumo The Italian grillhouse takes its truffle menu seriously, with chef-partner Luca Appino creating dishes with Alba truffle and house sommelier Thanakorn Mankit pairing them with wine from the same Piedmont region. Each dish is served with 2g of the white truffle. Wood charcoal-grilled Hokkaido scallops (B1,400)

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Sensi

get paired with Michele Chiarlo, Gavi Palás, DOCG, 2014 (B1,600) while the sommelier suggests Marchesi di Barolo, Barbaresco Serragrilli, DOCG, 2012 (B3,800) with fresh handmade tagliolini pasta and French Echire butter and Parmigiano Reggiano (B1,250). For Australian wagyu ribeye (B1,890), the suggestion is Barolo Cannubi, DOCG, 2011 (B4,500).

1098/2 Rama 4 Rd., 02-286-8833

Sorrento Lenzi

The restaurant offers to top any dish on the menu with shaved Alba white truffle at B340-390/g depending on the market price (they fly the truffle in twice a week). Of course, you can have it on the restaurant’s star spaghetti cacio e pepe (the cheese and pepper pasta finished in a large Parmesan wheel) at B1,990 or even a hazelnut ice cream (B890).

73 Sathorn Soi 10, 02-234-9933

Enoteca Italiana Sukhumvit’s homely-yet-refined Italian mainstay has a new head chef. Stefano Borra recently arrived in Bangkok after relocating from his native Piedmont, where his restaurant, Ristorante VO, still sits in the Michelin 2016 guide with one star. His white truffle menu introduces to the restaurant a few new specials you can expect to become mainstays, like a beef tartare made from Piedmont’s famously lean fassona beef and topped with a fudgy, slow-cooked egg yolk (B790). There are also simple pleasures like homemade tajarin pasta (another special of Piedmont made with vast quantities of egg yolk) topped with butter and Parmesan cheese (B300), and a risotto of Parmesan cheese (B300). Certified Alba white truffle is charged in addition by the gram at market rates, which range from B350-400.

La Bottega

CHEAT SHEET

White Truffles 101

39 Sukhumvit Soi 27, 02-258-4386

Lenzi At his Tuscan-inspired restaurant, chef Francesco Lenzi rolls out a menu that gives you the choice to shave as much truffle as you wish onto each dish. For appetizers like eggs en cocotte (baked eggs, B1,000/B1,900) and beef tartare with parmesan sabayon cream (B1,800/B2,800) that can be 2g or 5g, while mains like Tuscan ravioli stuffed with pork and beef in a butter and sage emulsion with 36-month Parmesan (B1,900/B3,200) can be topped with 5g or 10g.

Ruamrudee Soi 2, Wireless Rd., 02-001-0116

Sensi The special Alba white truffle menu at Sensi sets you back B3,900 for four courses. You’ll get pan-fried Hokkaido scallops and parmigiano sable followed by a choice of risotto with morel mushroom or tagliatelle. The main dish stars beef cheek with spinach and potatoes, before things finish off with chestnut gianduiotto (chocolate with hazelnut). All items are also available a la carte.

Narathiwat Ratchanakarin 17 Yaek 5, 02-117-1618

Who: Trifola d’Alba Madonna. That’s “Truffle of the White Mother” in Italian. No, it’s not an insult.

How much: Currently selling online for B300 per gram.

That's double what you'd pay for the black ones. (Gold is B1,350/g) Where: Parts of the Piedmont region in Northern Italy When: Sep-Dec, versus Dec-Mar for black truffles, whose heartland is the Perigord region in central France.

Why: Good question. Quality keeps declining. They smell of locker rooms and wet soil. But those aromas are hardwired to something below the belt that's hard to resist.

Also, they're damn rare.

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Three New Beers Now in Bangkok

BARS

On Tap

St. Feuillien

Bangkok’s craft beer bar scene is frothing over. Here are the most notable new openings. By Choltanutkun Tun-atiruj Taproom

Beer Belly

Hair of the Dog Phrom Phong

Easily 72 Courtyard’s most laid-back spot, Beer Belly rolls together East-meets-West drinking snacks like pork wontons (B140) and barbecue ribs (B320), 20 taps of beer and a fratlike party vibe. The beer covers all the familiar names, from Hitachino to Mikkeller, with Asahi going for B260/pint. You can throw more money at the likes of La Chouffe (B420/pint) and L’Olmaia LA5 (B480/pint) or select from bottled Thai craft beers like Chalawan (B180) and Phuket Beer (B180). Bonus points for the free darts, pool and ping pong, as well as nightly live music.

After great success at its first home in Phloen Chit, this asylum-themed bar has opened its second spot in Phrom Phong. It stays true to the original’s mysterious atmosphere, like something from a horror film, offering a huge range of craft beers across two floors. Beers are available both on tap (rotating) and in bottles. Check out Founders KBS Imperial stout (B580/bottle), an impressive 11.2-percent strength brew that’s aged in bourbon barrels, as well as Maisels Hefeweizen (just B190/glass). Tuesday is ladies’ night with 50-percent off all taps for women.

G/F, 72 Courtyard, 72 Sukhumvit Soi 55 (Thonglor), 02-392-7770

593/27 Soi Villa, Sukhumvit Soi 33/1, 02-258-1461. BTS Phrom Phong

Dog Step

Taproom

A quick skip from BTS On Nut, just opposite Tesco on Sukhumvit Soi 50, Dog Step specializes in homemade German sausages.

For B119, you can choose from Frankfurter, paprika, garlic, smoked ham, smoked bratwurst, pepper bratwurst or chili bratwurst, served with pickle, sauerkraut in white wine and garlic bread. The other main draw is the impressive selection of imported beer bottles, starting from B180 for a Stone Head Tire Burning Weizen.

This Sukhumvit Soi 26 bar’s selling point BK PICK! comes in the form of 26 rotating taps pouring premium brews from around the world. That means names like BrewDog, Stone, Coronado, Bear Republic, Hitachino, Flying Dog, EvilTwin, Heretic and Speakeasy starting at B140 for a small glass and finishing at B320 for a pint. Every time a keg finishes (almost every day), you can expect something new to be hooked up to the tap.

Can’t decide? Tasting flights go for B726 (6 glasses) or B1,126 (10 glasses). The kitchen dishes out comforting fare like mac and cheese (B220), while live acoustic bands perform on weekdays and DJs bring the party on the weekend.

The Beacon Place, Sukhumvit Soi 50, 094-695-4619. BTS On Nut

Craft Intersect Located just a couple minutes’ walk from BTS Udomsuk, this pokey little bar is barely big enough for five stools and a narrow counter. The beer selection is huge by comparison, featuring six taps (starting at B200/330ml glass) rotating weekly and over 30 bottles (try the Brewdog Hop Fiction Pale Ale, B290). In keeping with the no-attitude vibes, they’ll also let you bring in outside food.

Sukhumvit Soi 34’s hidden shop-house-turned-bar Bottles of Beer is celebrating the arrival of new bottles from Belgium’s St. Feuillien Brewery, whose four-generation history dates back to 1873. The cool thing about this bar is that if you drink more than six they’ll only charge you retail price—that brings a bottle of St. Feuillien Blonde down from B260 to B200 or Tripple down from B285 to B230. Also available are St. Feuillien Brune (B265 or B230) and Grand Cru (B295 or B250). All takeaway beers are retail price, too.

2/7 Sukhumvit Soi 34, 02-040-0473. BTS Thonglor

Brunch Weasel

From Mikkeller’s limited-edition Beer Geek Breakfast series comes this imperial oatmeal stout brewed using one of the world’s most expensive coffees. Civet or weasel coffee is made fom the droppings of civet cats who eat nothing but the best and ripest coffee berries. The beer is also aged in the barrels of Slyrs—single malt German whiskey. Available at Tasting Room by Mikkeller, B1,000 for a 250ml bottle. www.tastingroombkk.com

51 Sukhumvit Soi 26, 087-460-2626. BTS Phrom Phong

2838 Sukhumvit Rd., 095-248-2838. BTS Udom Suk

CLASS

Back to Brewing School Drinking beer is all very well and good, but how about learning to brew it yourself? Koh Kred’s riverside bar Chit Beer has you covered. Priced at B7,500 for around five people, their brewing course is split across three weekends. The initial sixhour session covers all the theory and hands-on prep work.

The second session, one week later, teaches you how to bottle and package your beer. Then on the third week, swing by and pick up all your beer—around 50 bottles of the stuff. If you just want to learn how to appreciate your beer better, they also hold free weekly classes every Sunday from 3-6pm which teach you how to differentiate between brews.

219/266 Baan Suan Palm, Pakkred, Nonthaburi, 089-799-1123

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Chatri IPA Full Moon Brew Works, the Phuket-based brewer behind Chalawan Pale Ale, has just unveiled Chatri IPA. More intense and full-bodied than its predecessor, with a heftier 5.2-percent ABV, the beer is actually a collaboration with Stockade Brew Co. of Sydney, Australia—as portrayed in the label bearing a muay Thai fighter koala. Find it at inthe-know bars and fullmoonbeer.bentoweb.com for B650/6 bottles. www.fb.com/fullmoonbrewworks

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OPEN DOOR

The Cured Chamber Ham is the new steak at this indulgent yet affordable bistro.

The buzz: Ekkamai’s new high-class den of meat and wine pulls cured meats from their association with starters and nibbles and puts them center stage of 70 percent of its menu.

The decor: The restaurant takes over a ground-floor space in Somerset residences. Walk inside and you’re confronted with a display room of hanging ham hocks and dried meats. Elsewhere it’s all red bricks and stacks of firewood. If you like places like Malt & Salt and the bar at Il Fumo then you’re gonna be happy.

The food: Well-preserved meats are the undoubted stars here, be it the highly-prized Spanish Iberico ham, Italian San Daniele ham, speck (pork belly), chorizo or salami (B520/980 for a plat-

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ter of all). They also appear in dishes like pancetta-wrapped, pan-fried tiger prawns (B410) served with spicy tomato sauce, and rigatoni Iberico ham (B440). While most of the cured meats need to be imported, there’s a pork sausage the chef makes in house, featured in dishes like gorgonzola risotto (B380). The rest of the menu sticks to Western comfort food, from soup and sandwiches to pasta and meaty main dishes. Think wagyu beef burger (B480), spaghetti carbonara (B300), char-grilled lamb cutlets (B1,300) and pan-fried Atlantic cod fillet (B580).

mate chocolate smoothie, B150). Signatures cocktails are all priced at B280, including The Ultimate Cherry (St. Remy VSOP, cherry brandy, guava juice and cherry).

Why you should care: Does it have a wow factor? Not really.

But the food is produce-driven, the place feels indulgent, and you can eat and drink here really well on 2K. Natcha Sanguankiattichai

G/F, Somerset Ekkamai, 22 Ekkamai Soi 2, 02-381-4381. Open daily 11:30am-11pm BTS Ekkamai www.fb.com/ thecuredchamber

The drinks: On top of wine (from B290), there’s also a big list of juices and smoothie creations (try the monster frappe ulti-

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Warm Welcome

Empty Tasty

A Little Campsite

NEW AND NOTED

Layer upon Layer The cute, teeny-tiny white house on Sukhumvit Soi 33 that used to be Fat Beagle is now home to a new cafe that's all about cake. Warm Welcome (19/5 Sukhumvit Soi 33, 092916-6951. Open daily 8am-6pm. www.fb.com/warmwelcomebakeryandcafe) whips up rich layer cakes with delightful combinations like vanilla, caramel and walnut and carrot prune cake (both B95). They also offer homemade lemonade (B85) and espresso-based coffee (from B60).

Good or Bad? The owner of Gu Roti Chachak (which recently moved from Ari to Saphan Kwai) has now brought soft serve culture to Ari. From a compact, black-and-white space, Empty Tasty (Ari Soi 1, 086-696-2405. Open daily 11:30am-8:30pm. www.fb.com/emptytasty) caters its ice cream to both sinful and health-conscious tastes, with rotating flavors of milk-

based and yogurt-based ice cream on offer. The main attraction is the unlikely nutella and foi thong combo (B139)—a surprisingly delicious. Don’t miss the tart frozen yogurt, either. A plain cup starts at B55 (roughly 180g).

Happy Campers Cutely-decorated in navy, pastel yellow and white, A Little Campsite (1036/10 Sukhumvit Soi 42/1, 098-263-6898.

Open daily 11am-8pm. www.fb.com/alittlecampsiteicecream) ice-cream cafe makes its ice cream in 26 flavors from from organic milk and eggs. Don't miss the eponymous marshmallow and dark chocolate chip flavor, or charcoal, hazelnut and Thai tea (B55/scoop). Make yours an icecream sandwich with two soft cookies for B165. The cafe also offers fizzy soda drinks and coffee. Natcha Sanguankiattichai

TABLE TALK

Wine Connection Bistro Unit 1238-1239 1st Fl., 39 M.6 Bangna-Trat Rd., 02105-1769 The wine-and-dine specialist takes its cues from French bistro culture at this outlet to offer casual Gallic-inspired decor and food to match. The perfect place to chill with your friends, this bistro offers a full range of European comfort dishes, from salads, pasta and pizzas to main courses of fish and American and Australian steaks. Wash it all down with a range of affordable wine. 21 other outlets across Bangkok.

Exclusively for Citi credit cardmembers.

Get a complimentary pasta dish valued up to B220 when spending B1,000 or more/sales slip (Today - 28 Feb 17)

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bites FOOD REVIEWS

Charm HHHH 124 Sathorn Soi 12, 02-102-1961. Open daily Mon-Fri noon-2pm, 5pm-1am; Sat-Sun noon-1am. BB

Amid the constantly improving Sathorn Soi 10-12, right next door to the buzzing new-American restaurant Bunker, sits this contemporary Thai eatery. On our last visit, at half past nine on a Thursday night, we filled the last table available downstairs. Even the outdoor seats in front of the place were all taken. What looks like a casual Thai restaurant from the outside actually feels more like a bar. A local live band plays Thai ‘90s pop tunes, while big group tables make just as much noise. But these aren’t university kids downing Johnnie Walker; rather a young-professional Sathorn crowd drinking wine and tucking into a menu

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that spans drinking snacks to serious curries and chili pastes. Overall, flavors are decent. The crispy-fried shredded duck breast (B280) makes a nice nibble thanks to its saltiness and crispy-onthe-outside tender meat. We especially like the stir-fried crab meat with chili (B420), which sees punchy lumps of flesh well complemented with the use of garlic, shallots and other herbs and spices. As you’d expect from a contemporary Thai place, they also offer a few Western dishes as well as Thai-inspired fusion pasta and pizza. As good as it sounds, skip the underwhelming pad kaprao pizza (B360) and go with the green curry pizza (B320) instead, which works surprisingly well with the thin crust and cheese thanks to the creaminess of the curry. We’re told things are different at Charm when you don’t show up on a Thursday night (Sun-Wed there’s no live band), in which case we can see why some might choose it over Supanniga just around the corner.

Prices are similar but here you have stronger flavors and a younger, more easy-going look. Though dishes don’t compete with the delicacy of something like Supanniga’s stir-fried cabbage with fish sauce.

Annapurna HHHH Indian. 50-48/6 Pan Rd, 02 365 2211. Open daily 9am-10pm. B

Tucked behind Wat Kaek on Pan Road, Annapurna does for curries and chapati what nearby Tamilnadu does for Southern dosa—a no-nonsense space serving cheap, simple yet wellexecuted dishes. Don’t let the oncewhite wallpaper and its signs of rising damp put you off from stepping inside what is actually a perfectly friendly and efficient restaurant, its service staff (and other customers) happy to walk you through the menu. Though the list of dishes is long and ticks tourist staples from chicken tikka masala (B180) to garlic naan (B50), a look around the dining room will tell you that thali sets—India’s steel canteen trays of varied curries, veg dishes,

breads and pickles—are the order of the day. These cost just B140 (vegetarian) or B200 (non-veg) and come with one curry, tadka dal (stewed lentils), a vegetable side (on our last visit, okra masala), plain yogurt, rice, two chapati and a papadum (both types of flatbread). Dig into the nonvegetarian thali’s chicken masala (B150 a la carte) and you won’t de disappointed. Its rich, thick gravy packs huge flavor, with a well-salted taste and nicely stewed meat that falls from the bone. The dal is equally satisfying, a big step above more watery style of nearby competition like Tamilnadu and Akshaya. Ditto with the onion bhaji (B60), which are perfectly fried (golden crisp outside yet with a fluffy dough beneath) and uncompromisingly spiced. The aloo mattur (potato and pea masala, B50) is forgettable and the chapati are tired, but you can do worse.

And while the drinks menu doesn’t have any alcohol, tables of guys toting their own bottles of 100 Pipers prove management’s not too fussy about keeping things T-total. If that’s not your thing, finish with a masala chai for B20.

Ratings PPPP Forget it PPPP Only if you’re in the neighborhood PPPP A pleasant dining experience PPPP Not to be missed BK pays for its meal and does not call ahead or sit with the chef.

Price guide B BB BBB BBBB

Under B500 B500-900 B900-1,500 B1,500 and up Price per person, including one drink, appetizer, main course, dessert, charges and tax.

Symbols

H F E G

Reservations recommended

Parking available

Dress requirements Live music

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now SUN All Your Friends The alias of British electro dup Oliver Lee and James Carter drops by Thonglor’s laser-strewn night spot, Beam (72 Courtyard, 1/F, 72 Sukhumvit Soi 55 (Thonglor). 02-3927750) on Dec 11. Snakeships made their name doing remixes for artists like Banks and The Weeknd before finding fame alone with the single “All My Friends” (ft. Tinashe and Chance the Rapper).

SUN Pussy Galore Culture Collective Theater (Charoenkrung Soi 70) holds a boutique-style black box performance of Eve Ensler’s The Vagina Monologues, an episodic compilation of poetry and short stories discussing female genitalia to evoke issues of misogyny and female oppression worldwide. Performances are held in English and Thai through Dec 18, with each performance featuring a different cast. For the full schedule, visit www.culture-collective.com

FRI On the Lam After taking the international stage by storm at Glastonbury Festival, Paradise Bangkok Molam International Band holds a soft launch of its brand new album, Planet Lam, this Dec 9 at Thonglor’s yadong and world music bar, Studio Lam (Sukhumvit Soi 51). They’ll be supported with music from DJs Maft Sai and Dangdut Bange.

THU Station to Station In his latest exhibition dubbed “Platform 10”, Thai-Indian street photographer Rammy Narula presents his collection of photos captured on a single platform at Hua Lamphong station over a period of six months during the same time of the day. Running Dec 14-Feb 14 2017 at S Gallery (Sofitel Bangkok Sukhumvit, 189 Sukhumvit Rd.) the photos have also been published

by New Yorks' publishing house Peanut Press, and will launched at the exhibition.

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FRI High on RAC The Grammy-nominated indie-electronic DJ, RAC, best known for his remixes of rock, electronica and dance tracks by various artists, takes over Future Factory (32 Foundation, Phahol Yothin Rd.) for one night only this Dec 9. Expect to hear some of his top tracks including "Back of the Car," "Let Go" and "Cheap Sunglasses".

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now THEATER

NIGHTLIFE

THE INTERNATIONAL BUTOH FESTIVAL THAILAND

DUDESWEET: PARTY OF 1999

Phones and digital cameras are confiscated at the door of this authentic '90s alternative rock, grunge, rave, techno, hip-hop, r 'n' b and d 'n' b party. Guests don't get their digital posessions back till the end of the night. Film cameras allowed. Dec 16, 8pm. Whiteline, Silom Soi 8, 087-061-1117. B400600. BTS Chong Nonsi.

The Japan Foundation, BACC, Butoh Co-Op Thailand and B-Floor Theatre present the 11th edution of this very physical and often surreal theater and dance festival, under the theme "Evolution/Revolution". Six international artists who will take to the stage for three different programs, alongside a series of individual workshops. Dec 9-18, 7pm. Bangkok Art and Culture Centre (BACC), 939 Rama 1 Rd., 02-214-6630-8. 600. BTS National Stadium.

P. GRANT AT VOGUE LOUNGE Miguel Campbell

SUNN PRES. MIGUEL CAMPBELL

MY JAM III WITH DJ NERD DUDE

The British DJ and Hot Creations label owner famous for his single "Something Special" comes to RCA with support from Australian ATMA and more. Free jerk chicken BBQ and buy-1-get-1-free beer special from 8-10pm. Dec 9, 8pm. Live RCA Bangkok, RCA, Rama 9 Rd., 098974-6974. B350-550.

The Bangkok DJ brings R&B, hip-hop, soul, funk and swingbeat to the dancefloor of the cinema/bar venue.

Dec 9, 9pm. Cinema Wine House, 59/61 Samsen Rd., 096-465- 6526, 083-554-0170. Free.

The internationally known DJ who has performed at a private party

by Madonna takes over the dancefloor at Sathorn's chic rooftop bar.

Dec 16, 9pm. Vogue Lounge, 6/F, Mahanakhon Cube, Narathiwat Ratchanakarin Rd., 02-001-0697.

Free. BTS Chong Nonsi.

LIVE MUSIC

ART

EVERYTHING IS ANYTHING AND NOTHING

Using copper, hemp and the dust of recycled paper, artist Rudee Tancharoen explores the themes of existence and non-existence in a series of abstract sculptures. Through Dec 30, 6pm.

ATTA Gallery, Room 1109, OP Garden, 36 Charoenkrung Rd., 02-238-6422.

PERIPHERY

Emerging photographer Pongsakorn Tantiwattanapong presents a study of development and change around Bangkok's urban and rural spaces. Dec 2-30, 6pm. Soy Sauce Factory, 11/1 Charoenkrung Soi 24, 061-835-6824.

Chladni Chandi

Yellow Fang

classical THE ROYAL CELEBRATION CONCERT

Silpakorn University Faculty of Music presents the local orchestra Feroci Philharmonic Winds. Dec 9, 8pm. Thailand Cultural Centre, Ratchadaphisek Rd. MRT Thailand Cultural Centre. Free.

HM THE KING'S BIRTHDAY CELEBRATION

The Thailand Philharmonic Orchestra performs HM the King's compositions with Athipat Athisiriyuenyong, a young horn soloist. Conducted by Polish guest conductor Darius Mikulsk. Tickets on the door. Dec 9-10, 6pm. Prince Mahidol Hall, Mahidol University (Salaya Campus), 25/25 Buddhamonthon Sai 4 Rd. B100-500.

SPANISH TRYPTIQUE

The Thailand Philharmonic Orchestra and Alfonso Scarano present Ravel's Spanish influences with a trio of works, joined by a Czech violin soloist, Ivan Zenaty. Tickets on the door. Dec 16-17, 4pm. Prince Mahidol Hall, Mahidol University (Salaya Campus), 25/25 Buddhamonthon Sai 4 Rd. B100-500.

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Tabasco

gigs DAS FLUFF, CUT THE CRAB & PURP

Two post-punk synthesiser bands, one Thai the other from Berlin, are joined by new local indie band Purp. Tickets on the door. Dec 9, 8pm. Jam, 41 Charoen Rat Soi 1, 0835451-833. B150. BTS Surasak.

THE LAST LIGHT

PLATFORM 10

Virunan Chiddaycha presents a solo exhibition of landscape shots capturing spaces that HM King Bhumibol Adulyadej developed as part of his Royal Projects initiative. The series not only captures the stunning landscapes at sunset, but also how the Royal Projects have affected people in the area. Dec 8-25, 6pm. Hof Art Space, W District, Sukhumvit Soi 69-71, 662 711 1251, 089 926 2196. BTS Phra Khanong

Thai-Indian street photographer Rammy Narula presents his collection of photos captured on a single platform at Hua Lamphong station over a period of six months during the same time of the day. The photos have also been published by New Yorks' publishing house Peanut Press, and will launched at the exhibition. Dec 14-Feb 14 2017, 6pm.

S Gallery, Sofitel Bangkok Sukhumvit, 189 Sukhumvit Rd., 093-582-6588. BTS Asok

THE LEGEND OF ROCK

Long-running legendary rock bands Kaleidoscope, The Olarn Project and The Sun team up to take over one of Bangkok's coolest gig venues. Dec 15, 9pm. Parking Toys' Watt, Soi Sun Wichai 14. B350 (includes one drink).

CHLADNI CHANDI

The band which combines psychedelic and stoner rock with Indian classical instruments returns to live performing after a year-long break. Dec 16, 8pm. Studio Lam, Sukhumvit Soi 51, 02-261-6661. B200. BTS Thong Lo. FULL SHOW TABASCO, YELLOW FANG, DE FLAMINGO

Three Bangkok local bands with standout indie sounds team up for a fun, friendly, intimate gig with their fans.

Limited to 300 tickets. Dec 17, 7pm. Play Yard by Studio Bar, Lad Phrao Soi 8, 081-173-3616, 085-146-8017, 086866-8869. B250.

SIRIMONGKOL EXHIBITION

WINTER BLOSSOMS

Artist Pomme Chan presents her latest artworks inspired by the 12 animals of the Chinese zodiac: large scale drawings on canvas, drawings on paper, illustrations on ceramic and a unique acrylic spirit house designed in collaboration with interior designer Pruitsatorn Sakulthai. Dec 10-Feb 12, 2017, 5pm. The Jam Factory, 41/1-41/2 Charoen Nakorn Rd., 02-861-0950. Si Phraya Pier.

German-Thai fashion photographer Benya Hegenbarth presents a collection of coming-of-age images inspired by the years of portfolio-building every fashion industry creative must go through. Dec 15-30, 6pm. Quince, Sukhumvit Soi 45, 02-662-4478. BTS Phrom Phong

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Giant pizza at Volti ristorante & bar

FREE a pitcher of beer for every order!!

Shangri-La Hotel, Bangkok Tel: 0 2236 7777 Email: restaurants.slbk@shangri-la.com shangrilabkk

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now FILM

SALES & FAIRS

Opening (Dec 8)

Urban Camp Flea Market

Artbox Chatuchak

Cheeze Market

THE COMMONS BLOCK PARTY

URBAN CAMP FLEA MARKET

The community mall hosts its annual block party featuring food booths from special guests like Guss Damn Good, Dolly Churro, Chimp Tim and Chandon Thailand alongside outdoor film screenings, live music, community art and carnival games. Dec 10, 4pm. The Commons, 335 Thonglor Soi 17, 089-152-2677. Free.

Over 50 brands gather for this new flea market selling retro furniture, classic cars, motorcycles and vintage clothing from within tents set up with urban, grungy vibes. On top of the shopping, expect plenty of food, drinks and live music throughout the three-day event. Dec 16-18, 6pm. Acman Ekkamai, between Ekkamai Soi 13 and 15, 02-3810012.

CHEEZE MARKET

ARTBOX CHATUCHAK

The popular market returns with a weekday excuse to shop, promising trending brands, secondhand and vintage items and handmade goods. There are also plenty of food stalls. Dec 12-15, 4pm.

CentralWorld, 4/4, Ratchadamri Rd., 02-635-1111.

BTS Chit Lom.

The pop up market brings over 100 trendy food stalls, over 150 stalls selling clothes at affordable prices, 20 stalls selling home decor and 50 stalls selling DIY products. They'll be set up in container boxes alongside live music.Every Fri-Sun until April next year. Through Apr 30 2017, 12pm. Chatuchak Park, 3 Kamphaeng Phet Rd. MRT Chatuchak Park

SPECIAL SCREENING This Dec 14-18, The International Organization for Migration and the UN Migration Agency celebrates International Migrants Day (Dec 18) with the first ever Global Migration Film Festival, five days of cinema dedicated to the contributions made by migrant communities across the world. The selected films include La Salada (Argentina), Kakuma – The Invisible City (Kenya), Guido Models (Argentina) and La Visa Loca (Phillipines).

All screenings are free. For the full schedule, visit bkksr.com Bangkok Screening Room, Saladaeng Soi 1, 090906-3888. BTS Sala Daeng

COME AND FIND ME (USA)

LIGHT BETWEEN OCEANS (USA)

Drama. When his girlfriend suddenly goes missing, David (Aaron Paul) must track down her whereabouts after he realizes she’s not who she said she was.

Drama/Romance. A lighthouse keeper and his wife adopt an infant girl adrift at sea, only to be faced with a moral dilemma years later when they discover her true parentage.

UNDERWORLD: BLOOD WARS (USA)

HARRY BENSON: SHOOT FIRST (USA)

Action/Horror. A vampire slayer (Kate Bekinsale) and her allies (Theo James and Charles Dance) must stop the war between the Lycans and the Vampires by making the ultimate sacrifice.

Documentary. A look into the life of the renowned photographer who rose to fame alongside The Beatles, capturing the band’s most famous and intimate portraits.

Upcoming (Dec 15) OFFICE CHRISTMAS PARTY (USA)

THE BEAUTIFUL FANTASTIC (UK)

Comedy. In the hope of impressing a big potential client, a branch manager decides to throw an epic Christmas party.

Comedy. A reclusive young woman (Jessica Brown Findlay) who dreams of becoming a children’s author, finds an unlikely mentor in her rich, bad-tempered neighbor.

COLLATERAL BEAUTY (USA)

Drama. In the process of coping with his daughter’s death, a successful New York advertising executive (Will Smith) decides to write public letters dedicated to love, time and death.

ROGUE ONE: A STAR WARS STORY (USA)

Action/Adventure. A group of unlikely heroes joins forces on a mission to steal the plans to the Death Star, the Empire’s ultimate weapon of destruction.

KIDNAP (USA)

Action/Drama. After her son is kidnapped, a frantic single mother (Halle Berry) goes on a mission to rescue him.

Wicked Snow specializes in bingsu, Korea’s softest ground snowflakes, in two flavors—milk and chocolate—you can enjoy all year long.

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BK Magazine Friday, December 9, 2016

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Aside from the original red bean, soybean and green tea flavors, you can top your bingsu with mango, berry and choco. And don’t forget our teok-toast with three kinds of delicious toppings.

Let’s check in our Wicked Snow-Korean Dessert Café at I’m Park and Baan Rachakru.

I’m Park Chula

BaanRachakru

353 I’m Park Chula Building Soi Chulasoi5 Patumwan Bangkok. 0982753896

33 BaanRatchaKru PhaholYothin 5 Phayathai Bangkok.

0982753897

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BK MAGAZINE FRIDAY, December 9, 2016

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ITS HEART BEATS STRONGER THAN EVER. SO WILL YOURS.

THE ALL-NEW MILWAUKEE-EIGHT™ ENGINE

Ride farther, harder and longer, and get more out of every mile. This is the heart of our 2017 touring line, built with more torque and passing power.* FEEL THE DIFFERENCE – SCHEDULE A TEST RIDE TODAY AT H-D.ASIA/TOURING *Compared with original equipment 2016 Touring models. ©2016 H-D or its Affiliates. H-D, Harley, Harley-Davidson and the Bar & Shield Logo are among the trademarks of H-D U.S.A., LLC.

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