THE MUST-TRY DISH
Leaving Bangkok without eating at least one pad thai would be a crime, so make a pit stop at Thip Samai, widely considered one of the city’s best vendors hawking the classic. Its smoky, slightly sweet noodles topped with prawns, bean sprouts, crushed peanuts and chilli flakes are what got the place a Bib Gourmand. Expect long queues well before it opens at 5pm.
Thip Samai, 313–315 Maha Chai Road, Khwaeng Samran Rat, Khet Phra Nakhon, Krung Thep Maha Nakhon 10200, Thailand.
(No website)
THE CHEF SHAKING THINGS UP
At hit fusion restaurant 80/20, tattooed chef Napol ‘Joe’ Jantraget experiments with cooking techniques, food pairings and local produce even most Thais have never heard of, such as hom choo, a thin root vegetable, and ka-yang, a cumin-tasting leaf. Paving the way for the rediscovery of even more obscure ingredients, his food laboratory in the south of Thailand is currently in the works.
80/20, 1052–1054 Charoen Krung Road, Bang Rak, Bangkok 10500, Thailand
(fb.com/8020bkk)
THE UPCOMING NEIGHBOURHOOD
In the Old Town the burgeoning arts district of Talat Noi is finally turning into a dining destination, with a slew of new-wave chefs setting up shop in its narrow bylanes. Trailblazer 80/20 led the pack back in 2015, but recent months have seen an explosion of exciting openings such as upscale Japanese-style JUA and 100 Mahaseth for Isaan recipes.
THE BIG SPLURGE
Charging £20 for a crab omelette may seem astronomical in Bangkok, but take one bite of this masterfully crafted khai jeaw poo at Raan Jay Fai and you’ll see it is worth it. Each dish comes loaded with chunks of fresh, juicy crab meat and is made by Auntie Fai (the queen of Thai street food), who works the woks in goggles to protect herself from splashes of hot oil. As Raan Jay Fai is the first and only Thai street-food restaurant to receive a star, expect prices to go up even higher.
Raan Jay Fai, 327 Maha Chai Road, Samran Rat, Phra Nakhon, Bangkok 10200, Thailand
(No website)
THE HARDEST-TO-SCORE TABLE
Even before Gaggan was crowned with two stars in December – not to mention topping Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants list for three years running – getting a table at this progressive Indian spot (pork-vindaloo bites; sea-urchin ice cream) already involved at least a month-long waiting list and a lot of phone calls. With the news that it will close in 2020, this isn’t likely to improve anytime soon.
Gaggan, 68/1 Soi Langsuan, Ploenchit Road Lumpini Khet Pathum Wan, Krung Thep Maha Nakhon 10330, Thailand (eatatgaggan.com)
Now read about the best restaurants in Thonglor, Bangkok.