Showing 1 - 10 of 35
Red hot and raring
Guru, Richard Mcleish, Published on 28/11/2014
» With the launch of new tapas-style food bar Hot Rod in Ekamai, Ash Sutton is back and racing. What to do when your bar empire gets pulled out from under you? Start rebuilding, of course. Positioned in the front of the cordial Park Lane precinct, the place is a great pairing with the equally aesthetic AR Sutton & Co Engineers Siam colonial den right behind. Maximising the modest dimensions of the room, Hot Rod’s interior is a jungle-laden tapas bar to sit up at in one of the 12 over-sized swivel chairs and take in the action. Outside is plenty of space for bigger groups and overspill (30+), particularly nice at this time of year, but inside is where you want to be. Sit up at the bar and watch the chef wield the wok as the many staff scurry around the shadowy recesses behind you. The pulsating deep beat soundtrack fuels the futuristic feel further. The crowd is a mix of well-rehearsed Sutton followers, restaurant hoppers and thankful Ekamites.
More is more
Guru, Richard Mcleish, Published on 19/09/2014
» Nestled at the front of Groove upstairs, this hunting lodge-themed restaurant is starting to garner plenty of attention in the area with some pretty stiff eating competition. To pull off the concept, they have gone all out with the decor to good effect, which is fun enough to dispel the mall feel that other venues in the precinct suffer from. It’s easily located by the iconic grizzly bear that towers over the entrance, instantly confirming the hunting tendencies of the place. The expansive premises has enough room for about 80 diners inside, which can stretch to over 100 with the outdoor area. Hang up your rifle on entry as you slink onto a bar stool after a solid morning’s hunting. The crowd is a steady stream of cool kids that all seem to know each other — friends of friends of friends, etc — Bangkok-style.
Gate Crasher
Guru, Richard Mcleish, Published on 19/09/2014
» Welcome to Guru’s Gate Crasher, your ultimate guideto finding something fresh to do in this big city.
Simple sophistications
Guru, Richard Mcleish, Published on 05/09/2014
» Time to eat? After the big successes of Supanniga Eating Room, a follow-up venue was always going to attract a lot of interest. The policy is the same — "the best ingredients we can find from the places we like, cooked the way we like," says co-owner Tatchai Nakapan. While Thong Lor almost sells itself as a dining destination, the big new variable in play at EAT is the mall location, putting the traditional flavours in a challenging new context. It's positioned upstairs at Groove in an irregular-shaped room, which affords it good vantage of the open kitchen as well as natural light from above (something that's missing at other Groove venues). Its modest dimensions mean that much of the prep work (sauces, etc) is still done in Thong Lor, but the cooking is now on show — a luring new element. There's space enough for 40 diners inside, while another 15 can fit out the front where the mall makes more of an impact and the seats are less comfy. Plenty of worker bees from nearby offices were present on the early evening we visited, as well as important-looking Thais and curious tourists from nearby hotels.
Old world, new venue
Guru, Richard Mcleish, Published on 29/08/2014
» With the arrival of two major mall-esque F&B destinations in the city this year — Groove and Central Embassy — it is safe to say that shopping centres have reclaimed some of the F&B traffic. Water Library is an interesting case in point, having gone from shopping mall (Chamchuri) to high-end independence (Thong Lor) and back again (Groove and Central Embassy). So it was always going to be interesting to see what the well-reputed brand had planned. It seems they have headed back to their European roots, not so subtly inferred with the entrance of the venue that is arched by an iconic steel arm reproduction of the Eiffel Tower. The Old World den-like interior is broken up to a lounge-style entrance area, two internal rooms (loosely divided) and a back section (yet to be opened) that will spill onto an outdoor balcony under construction; totalling enough space for around 100 diners on completion. It’s Old World Euro charm in a shiny new shopping mall, and somehow it works — welcome to Bangkok. During our afternoon visit, diners were a mix of pit-stopping shoppers, groups of well-dressed businessmen and the odd stray tourist.
Peek-a-boo
Guru, Richard Mcleish, Published on 08/08/2014
» The team that delivered the ever-popular Hyde & Seek gastro bar on Ruam Rudee in 2010 has dropped the long-awaited follow-up venue in Peek-a-Boo. And, as suggested by the name (which is known as ja-ay in Thai), they are in a particularly playful mood. The interior (courtesy of the fresh-faced 10 x 10 Design Studio) is in fact a forest of trees, three to be exact, with the bar positioned in the biggest trunk. There’s plenty of dark timber and greenery draped around the airy space that extends to two outdoor areas and room for 150 people. Groove as a food district is still finding its feet (and taste buds), and might need to rely more on nearby hotel patronage, but it has loads of potential with its breezy layout and solid spread of options, in what should be perfect for the indecisive who can just opt for Groove and decide the specific cuisine on arrival.
Gate Crasher
Guru, Richard Mcleish, Published on 25/07/2014
» Welcome to Guru’s Gate Crasher, your ultimate guide to finding something fresh to do in this big city.
Namsaah rah-rah
Guru, Richard Mcleish, Published on 04/07/2014
» Once again, Chef Ian Kittichai comes to the fore with a daring and contemporary new outing in Silom. As the country’s highest profile chef, he draws attention with whatever he does, and for good reason. This instalment is no exception, particularly with the calibre of the team on board. Situated in a 100-year-old house in the back of Silom, the restaurant makes full use of the space with its high ceilings, well-proportioned rooms full of traditional Thai colours, and on-point decor in every nook. What’s not to like? There’s even a generously over-sized bar downstairs with one of the city’s better bartenders behind it in Justin Dunne, formerly of Ku De Ta-ness and Bed among other things. It makes that part of the house for drinking, with upstairs for eating in a well-measured division. The only variable might be F&B, so let’s see?
Gate Crasher
Guru, Richard Mcleish, Published on 30/05/2014
» Strange days have indeed found us, but that doesn’t mean we have to stop enjoying ourselves in this fair city. We just need to be a little more creative about it. And while many staple venues have been closing cautiously early, certain others are bending the curfew boundaries, particularly local neighbourhood bars. Just ask around (and jump on Grab Taxi phone app if you need safe passage after hours). Still, some stoic organisers are bravely persisting. The show must go on, right? And while we definitely advise checking online before attending events to see if they are going ahead, here are some curfew-cautious tips for finding some action over the next week.
Gate crasher
Guru, Richard Mcleish, Published on 23/05/2014
» Welcome to Guru’s Gate Crasher, your ultimate guide to finding something fresh to do in this big city.