The City of Angels has a habit of making routine feel impossible – but even here, it’s easy to fall back into the same rotation of reliable tables. Fortunately, Bangkok’s best new plates offer plenty of reasons to switch things up.
Read on for a new Talat Noi dining room, historical Thai recipes, omakase-grade hand rolls, Italian seafood and inventive burritos worth crossing the city for.
Read More: Sakkwa Turns Familiar Thai Dishes Into Something Extraordinary
Sakkwa
One of Bangkok’s most exciting new openings occupies the fourth floor of a Talat Noi shophouse in Old Town. Here, former Le Du co-founder Worathon ‘Tae’ Udomchalotorn applies contemporary techniques to Thai cuisine in a casual à la carte format, drawing inspiration from the dishes he grew up eating. The menu features southern-style khao yum served as crisp tartlets, marinated tiger prawns presented in kaffir lime shells, smoked duck sausage accompanied by the duck’s head, and superb dry-aged duck shaped by the familiar flavours of ped palo. Pair the meal with one of Thailand’s notable craft rice wines, then finish with pineapple ice cream and its clever final surprise. Inventive yet approachable, Sakkwa gives diners plenty of reasons to come back.
Sakkwa, 4/F, 839 Charoen Krung Road, Talat Noi, Samphanthawong, Bangkok 10100, Thailand, +66 63 926 6575, Instagram: @sakkwa.bkk
Aksorn
Aksorn’s latest tasting menu returns to thoroughly researched recipes that warrant renewed attention. It begins with three snacks: rose apple with toasted shrimp paste, chicken with coconut, and deep-fried white shrimp with bai lep khrut. Regional dishes come next, including a Chumphon recipe Chef David Thompson has kept for more than two decades – salted kingfish fried in coconut cream with vegetables and five-spice eggs. Grilled chicken with sweet fish sauce, sour orange curry with redtail catfish and an aromatic langsaat salad complete the savoury courses. For dessert, Ancestor Kanom traces its origins to the reign of King Rama V. Together, the dishes continue Aksorn’s detailed exploration of Thailand’s historic recipes and regional cooking traditions.
Aksorn, Central: The Original Store, 1266 Charoen Krung Road, Bang Rak, Bangkok, 10500, Thailand, +66 02 116 8662, www.aksornbkk.com
Embassy Room La Marina
Fresh from receiving Two Forks from Italy’s Gambero Rosso guide, Embassy Room La Marina at Park Hyatt Bangkok is celebrating with a new à la carte menu from Genoa-born Chef Alessio Banchero and an updated IL PRANZO set lunch. The latest dishes stay close to the restaurant’s coastal Italian roots, favouring quality ingredients and refined cooking. New additions range from chargrilled octopus with spicy ’nduja and stracciatella to Maine lobster ravioli with cuttlefish ink sauce, seafood-rich Risotto allo Scoglio, truffle risotto topped with freshly shaved truffle, and pan-seared sole in white wine and lemon sauce. Available on weekdays for THB฿980, IL PRANZO remains one of Bangkok’s better-value Italian lunches. The rotating selection may feature octopus carpaccio, truffle mozzarella, spinach and ricotta agnolotti, grilled Luganega sausage or saffron pumpkin risotto, followed by a light sorbet or an optional upgrade to the restaurant’s tiramisu.
Embassy Room La Marina, Park Hyatt Bangkok, Central Embassy, 88 Wireless Road, Lumphini, Pathum Wan, Bangkok 10330, Thailand, +66 02-011-7431, www.hyatt.com
Ruenton
One of Bangkok’s longest-running restaurants has introduced an all-you-can-eat dim sum menu priced at THB฿1,488. Served daily at Ruenton inside Montien Hotel Surawong Bangkok, the selection covers Cantonese favourites such as har gow, siu mai, fluffy Chinese buns, crispy taro puffs, shrimp spring rolls and pan-fried turnip cake, all prepared to order. The meal extends to fish maw and chicken soup, Cantonese-style fried noodles, Yeung Chow fried rice and Montien’s famous Hainanese chicken rice. Traditional desserts complete the spread, from mango pudding and sesame dumplings in ginger tea to chilled grass jelly with longan. Available for lunch and dinner, the menu gives diners ample time to work their way through Ruenton’s Cantonese classics.
Ruenton, Montien Hotel Surawong Bangkok, 54 Surawong Road, Si Phraya, Bang Rak, Bangkok 10500, Thailand, +66 02 233 7060, www.montienbangkok.com
Molino
Molino’s expanded burrito menu draws from the fast-food favourites and hearty dishes Chef Lenny Nigro loved growing up, with tortillas rolled fresh in-house and accompaniments prepared by the kitchen. The Carnitas Crunch takes its cues from the Taco Bell Crunchwrap, packing slow-cooked pork carnitas, queso, pickled jalapeños, slaw and crispy tortilla chips inside a flour tortilla rolled daily. That idea continues with the Cubano, turning the classic sandwich into a burrito stuffed with carnitas, ham, Swiss cheese, pickles, mustard and mayo. Next, the California-style Cali Carne borrows from a loaded burger with ground beef, avocado, sour cream, pico de gallo and French fries. For a smaller bite, grilled jalapeños come filled with cream cheese, bacon and pineapple pastor jam – a lighter variation on jalapeño poppers. Molino’s own Tajín completes the order, combining Mexican and Thai dried chillies with dried citrus for a smoky, citrus-driven heat.
Molino, 21/4 Sukhumvit 11 Aly, Khlong Toei Nuea, Watthana, Bangkok 10110, Thailand, +66 02 077 8260, Instagram: @molinobangkok
Sushi Zo
Sushi Zo enters Bangkok’s growing hand roll scene with Chef Masafumi Hiyoshi in charge, following a career that has taken him from Hotel Okura Tokyo to Mido Omakase in Bangkok. Premium seafood is wrapped in nori roasted to order, bringing the quality of an omakase counter to a more casual format. The selection changes regularly, with highlights including creamy uni, sweet shiro ebi with kuruma ebi, generous portions of Hokkaido crab, and anago paired with unagi. Backed by Sushi Zo’s established omakase expertise, the hand roll menu gives the restaurant a clear advantage among the city’s rising number of specialists.
Sushi Zo, 63 Witthayu Road, Lumphini, Pathum Wan, Bangkok 10330, Thailand, +66 091 757 2222, Instagram: @sushizobangkok
