Thailand (Lonely Planet, 13th Edition) - China Williams [121]
Coca Suki (Map; 0 2251 6337; 416/3-8 Th Henri Dunant; dishes 60-200B; 11am-11pm; Skytrain Siam) Immensely popular with Thai families, sù·gêe takes the form of a bubbling hotpot of broth and the raw ingredients to dip therein. Coca is one of the oldest purveyors of the dish, and the Siam Square branch reflects the brand’s efforts to appear more modern. Fans of spice be sure to request the tangy tŏm yam broth.
New Light Coffee House (Map; 0 2251 9592; 426/1-4 Siam Sq; dishes 60-200B; 8am-11.30pm; Skytrain Siam) Travel back in time to 1960s-era Bangkok at this vintage diner popular with students from nearby Chulalongkorn University. Try old-style Western dishes, all of which come accompanied by a soft roll and green salad, or choose from the extensive Thai menu.
Crystal Jade La Mian Xiao Long Bao (Map; 0 2250 7990; Urban Kitchen, Basement, Erawan Bangkok, 494 Th Ploenchit; dishes 120-300B; lunch & dinner; Skytrain Chitlom) The tongue-twistingly long name of this excellent Singaporean chain refers to the restaurant’s signature wheat noodles (la mian) and the famous Shanghainese steamed dumplings (xiao long pao). If you order the hand-pulled noodles, allow the staff to cut them with kitchen shears, otherwise you’ll end up with evidence of your meal on your shirt.
Sukhumvit
This endless ribbon of a road is where to go if you wish to forget you’re in Thailand. From Korean to Middle Eastern, just about every cuisine has an outpost here. We’ve mentioned a few Thai places below, but most domestic eats in this area are more miss than hit, and it’s really the place to indulge in the flavours you left at home.
THAI
Soi 38 Night Market (Map; Soi 38, Th Sukhumvit; dishes 30-60B; 8pm-3am; Skytrain Thong Lo) After a hard night of clubbing, this gathering of basic Thai-Chinese hawker stalls will look like a shimmering oasis. If you’re going sober, stick to the knot of ‘famous’ vendors tucked into an alley on the right-hand side as you enter the street.
Pharani Home Cuisine (Sansab Boat Noodle; Map; 0 2664 4454; Soi Prasanmit/23, Th Sukhumvit; dishes 35-200B; 10am-10pm; Skytrain Asoke, Metro Sukhumvit) This cosy Thai restaurant dabbles in a bit of everything, from ox-tongue stew to rice fried with shrimp paste, but the real reason to come is for the rich, meaty ‘boat noodles’ – so called because they used to be sold from boats plying the klorngs of Ayuthaya.
Thonglee (Map; 0 2258 1983; Soi 20, Th Sukhumvit; dishes 40-70B; 10am-8pm, closed 3rd Sun of the month; Skytrain Asoke, Metro Sukhumvit) One of the few remaining mom-and-pop Thai places on Sukhumvit, this tiny kitchen offers a few dishes you won’t find elsewhere, like mŏo pàt gà·ì (pork fried with shrimp paste), and mèe gròrp (sweet-and-spicy crispy fried noodles).
Face (Map; 0 2713 6048; 29 Soi 38, Th Sukhumvit; dishes 190-680B; 6.30-10pm Mon-Fri, 6.30-11pm Sat & Sun; Skytrain Thong Lo) This handsome dining complex is essentially two very good restaurants in one: Lan Na Thai does some of the best upscale Thai around, while Hazara dabbles in exotic-sounding ‘North Indian frontier cuisine’. To make matters even better, Visage, the cafe/bakery next door, prepares some of the best cakes and chocolates in Bangkok.
Bo.lan (Map; 0 2260 2962; www.bolan.co.th; 42 Soi Rongnarong Phichai Songkhram, Soi 26, Th Sukhumvit; set meal 1500B; lunch & dinner; Skytrain Phrom Phong) Upscale Thai is usually more garnish than flavour, but this chic new restaurant, started up by two former chefs of London’s Michelin-starred Nahm, is the exception. Bo and Dylan (Bo.lan, a play on words that also means ‘ancient’) take a scholarly approach to Thai cuisine, and perfectly executed set meals featuring full-flavoured regional Thai dishes are the results of this tuition.
INTERNATIONAL
Duc de Praslin (Map; 0 2258 3200; ground flFenix