KuppaCity/Region: Bangkok
Supposedly a former CIA hangout, this cafe restaurant is definitely worth a visit purely for the intrigue. The chic, modern interior serves delicious food that is a healthy sampling of unique Thai and Western fare that'll appeal to anyone wanting a taste of home. Open daily for lunch and dinner.
Address: 39 Sukhumvit Soi 16
Le BanyanCity/Region: Bangkok
This upscale restaurant epitomizes elegance with white clapboard walls adorned with Thai carvings, old photos, and prints of early
Bangkok. The flagship
dish is pressed duck with goose liver, shallots, wine and Armagnac to make the sauce. Other fine choices include a rack of lamb a la Provençal and salmon with lemongrass. Open Monday to Saturday for dinner. Reservations advisable.
Address: 59 Sukhumvit Soi 8
May KaideeCity/Region: Bangkok
A firm favorite in Bangkok's dining scene, May Kaidee is really informal, but serves some of the most mouth-watering food the city has to offer. Known for serving the best massaman curry in
Thailand and an array of dishes, from sweet green curry to good stir-fries and black sticky-rice with mango for dessert, this eatery is a must! Open daily from 7am to 11pm. Cash only.
Address: At the eastern terminus of Banglamphu &
Khao San Road
The Mango TreeCity/Region: Bangkok
This 80-year-old Siamese restaurant house features its very own tropical garden and offers a quiet retreat from Bangkok's chaotic Patpong area. The food may not be authentic, but it's delicious and the diverse menu with choices such as mild, green chicken curry and crispy spring rolls won't leave guests disappointed. Live traditional music and classic Thai decorative touches create a wonderfully charming atmosphere. Open daily for lunch and dinner. Reservations advisable.
Address: 37 Soi Tantawan
Somboon SeafoodCity/Region: Bangkok
This restaurant may not have the best, or indeed any, atmosphere for that matter, but the food is simply delicious and well worth it for those who are willing to make the sacrifice. A popular eatery,
Somboon Seafood is regularly packed with friendly staff and with such a vast menu, guests will find themselves coming back time and again. The restaurant also features a large aquarium full of live seafood such as prawn, fish, lobster and crab. The house specialty, chilli crab curry, comes highly recommended. Open daily from 4pm to 11pm. Credit cards not accepted.
Address: 169/7-11 Surawongse Rd
Cabbages and CondomsCity/Region: Bangkok
This aptly named restaurant helps fund population control, AIDS awareness and a host of rural development programs. Set in a large compound, the two-story restaurant offers guests both indoor and outdoor dining, the latter being decorated with fairy lights creating a wonderfully romantic atmosphere. The kai hor bai teoy (fried boneless chicken wrapped in pandan leaves with a dark sweet soy sauce for dipping) is an exciting dish for the more adventurous palates. Open daily for lunch and dinner, reservations advisable.
Address: 10 Sukhumvit Soi 12
Eat MeCity/Region: Bangkok
This interesting art café-cum-eatery is a great place for culture vultures to stop off for a quick bite. The décor is airy with dark wood, exposed industrial beams and oblique lighting on the walls of the ever-changing exhibition space. Eat Me is a great place for a quiet and intimate meal. Open daily from 3pm to 1am.
Address: Soi Pipat 2
Dosa KingCity/Region: Bangkok
The very popular South Indian aromatic cuisine known as Dosa is a Punjabi dish traditionally eaten with the hands, consisting of a rice and lentil pancake, crepe or tortilla traditionally folded with a potato curry or other savoury filling, and served with a vegetable and lentil broth called sambar.
Dosa King is ideal for a quick and healthy meal for those exploring Sukhumvit. Open daily for lunch and dinner.
Address: 153/7, Sukhumvit Rd, Soi -11/1
Website: www.dosaking.net
SpassoCity/Region: Bangkok
Doubling as a restaurant and a nightclub, Spasso is a well-known and popular spot in Bangkok. The bar is always busy, the restaurant bustles and sometimes there is even live music. The menu is exciting and diverse with carpaccios, wonderful pizzas and other favorite Italian dishes spiced up with a Thai twist. Local bands start at around 9:30pm, and the dancing starts not long after. Open daily for lunch and dinner. Reservations advisable.
Address: 494 Ratchadamri Rd (inside
Grand Hyatt, Erawan)
LemongrassCity/Region: Bangkok
Popular with Westerners and just a short walk from the skytrain, Lemongrass serves some of Bangkok's finest Nouvelle Thai cuisine. Favorites on the menu include pomelo salad and chicken satay. The tom yang kung (a spicy sweet-and-sour prawn soup with ginger shoots) is delicious and comes highly recommended. Open daily for lunch and dinner. Bookings are advisable.
Address: 5/1 Sukhumvit Soi 24
Le Coq d'OrCity/Region: Chiang Mai
Set nostalgically in a colonial house near the Ping River, Le Coq d'Or is both distinguished and ambient, and offers tremendous service. With imported beef, lamb and local fish prepared in French and Belgian styles on the menu, diners won't leave unsatisfied. The foie gras or salmon tartare are popular as a starter, while the chateaubriand and the Norwegian salmon come highly recommended for mains. There is a good selection of wines to accompany the meal.
Address: 11 Soi 2 Koh Klang Rd
The HouseCity/Region: Chiang Mai
The House is elegant and sophisticated, with large draped windows and delicate silk finishes. This restaurant offers a diverse menu of regional flavors accented by classical dishes and grilled delights. The imported steaks and lamb are delicious, as is the local seafood. These can only be followed by one or more of the sumptuous desserts... Dinner can be nicely wrapped up with a drink at the Moorish lounge bar outside.
Address: 199 Moon Muang Rd
AroonCity/Region: Chiang Mai
This Thai garden restaurant serves authentic northern cuisine from an open kitchen, and lets diners take some of their recipes and spices home. Famous for fried insects and frogs, the menu also offers a superb khao sawy with egg noodles and crisp-fried chicken, a sweet and spicy combination with coconut undertones. Their sai ua (
Chiang Mai sausage) is famous and the fried pork rinds are truly decadent.
Address: 45 Kotchasarn Rd
Le Grand LannaCity/Region: Chiang Mai
Le Grand Lanna is fashioned on a
Lanna nobleman's home, constructed entirely of old teak on raised stilts. Aside from it's comfortable dining hall with beautiful Lanna art, there is also sheltered terrace seating outside overlooking the tropical gardens, which are home to exotic birds and butterflies. Flaming torch lighting and traditional music set the scene beautifully for evening meals. Pomelo salad, khao sawy and gaeng hang lan (red pork curry) with sweet mango chutney are favorites on the menu, satisfyingly topped off by homemade lychee or yam ice-cream.
Address: 51/4
Chiang Mai-Sankampaeng Rd
La GondolaCity/Region: Chiang Mai
In Chiang Mai, La Gondola overlooks the tranquil Ping River and is known for its vast glass aviary collection and romantic balcony seating. In true Italian fashion, this restaurant is very lively and serves rather large portions of food. There is a broad menu offering Northern Italian cuisine, including an assortment of delicious pastas and mouth-watering steaks, as well as various specials.
Address: 201/6 Charoenrat Rd
