Showing 11 - 20 of 322
Sushi supreme
Guru, Richard Mcleish, Published on 17/10/2014
» While the arrival of another sushi restaurant in Bangkok might elicit groans instead of grins, Sushi Ichi is not your average semi-frozen fish dispenser. The Michelin-starred original incarnation exists in retail mecca Ginza in Tokyo, which conjures images of the famed Sukiyabashi Jiro restaurant of Jiro Dreams of Sushi documentary. Its basement setting is not unlike a Tokyo subway station location — a little unusual for Bangkok but completely normal in the homeland. The cosy dimensions are split into two rooms for 12 and 14 diners, with a narrow corridor connecting the two. The indirect lighting and ample use of hinoki wood (sourced locally) soften voices and light, transporting you seemingly far away from the bustling Ratchaprasong intersection just outside. An indirectly shared experience in the counter-style rooms, present during our lunch visit were well-dressed pairs of locals, execs eating alone and a Japanese couple that seemed right at home.
EP RELEASE
Guru, Richard Mcleish, Published on 24/10/2014
» Welcome to Guru's Gate Crasher, your ultimate guide to finding something fresh to do in this big city.
Gate crasher
Guru, Richard Mcleish, Published on 31/10/2014
» Welcome to Guru’s Gate Crasher, your ultimate guide to finding something fresh to do in this big city.
Small talk
Guru, Richard Mcleish, Published on 31/10/2014
» While the little venue has been gaining a reputation for being a nifty neighbourhood bar, we think its kitchen is worthy of some attention too. It’s the latest chapter of regional proprietor stalwart David Jacobson, who first came to the region in the early 90s to open the pioneering Q Bar in Saigon. The New Yorker is a gracious host, often on hand to decipher the nuances of his cocktail list and jazz collection, with plenty of juicy anecdotes in between for good measure. This latest local pad, Smalls, is just that, quietly occupying a corner on the leafy Suan Phlu (where Chez Pepin formerly stood). It’s three levels of kooky stylings, with DJs and live acts downstairs in the ornate parlour room, a kitchen and balcony on the middle floor and a rooftop upstairs for open-air action amid upholstered chairs and cosy tables. All corners of the adult cubbyhouse have something to offer, in a feast of textures (brick, recycled timber, corrugated iron, padded stairwell) and details (Jim Thompson photo outside, a caged Barbie, ceiling mirrors). The crowd ranges through the week (and night), attracting everyone from locals having knock-off drinks to dining daters to a dedicated bar crowd into the smaller hours.
Gate crasher
Guru, Richard Mcleish, Published on 07/11/2014
» Welcome to Guru’s Gate Crasher, your ultimate guide to finding something fresh to do in this big city.
Peppy Peppina
Guru, Richard Mcleish, Published on 07/11/2014
» These days in Bangkok, it's not just about choosing simply "pizza" for dinner, but what style of pizza you'd prefer. It's a good problem, after all, but we'll have to get used to such discernment. In the latest contender in the pizza race, the team behind Appia has delivered Peppina, a bustling mid-Sukhumvit spread that has somehow become everything from a Sunday evening pizzeria to a Friday night hot spot. It has only been open a few months and it's already full, all the time, so book in advance — something else that will need getting used to in this city. The kitchen dominates the warehouse-style room to good effect, involving you right in the action among the countless food and floor staff buzzing about the place. It's great for big groups (definitely book), and during our early sitting we were flanked by two tables of at least 10, who were easily accommodated. Nooks in the back section (under the stylish wall tiles that spell "Peppina") offer more intimacy for smaller groups. Overall, there's room for 80 or so.
Bangkok's dark underbelly casts a spell
Life, Richard Mcleish, Published on 14/11/2014
» A doctor visiting Bangkok. A beautiful, strange woman. A possible murder. Confusion. Brainwaves. It could be the premise of a slick David Lynch film, but instead it's Dark Bridge Binaural Brainwaves, the impressive debut feature film of Argentine Marcelo von Schwartz. And elevating its interest to the global stage is the use of binaural brainwaves in the soundtrack, putting it at the forefront of the niche "Neurocinema" movement that is gaining attention.
Electro fest
Guru, Richard Mcleish, Published on 03/10/2014
» Plenty of live music again this week in more good signs for the city. Tonight (Oct 3) sees the hosting of the 1st International Live Looping Festival, presented by The Wet Carpet-Studio (fb.com/thewetcarpet). It will go on for both nights of the weekend and involve a showcase of music geeks from around the region who will loop their sounds live. Entry is an easy B100. Venue is Zoo (goo.gl/47zGcD). Open your ears and your minds.
Gate Crasher
Guru, Richard Mcleish, Published on 05/09/2014
» Welcome to Guru’s Gate Crasher, your ultimate guide to finding something fresh to do in this big city.
Gate Crasher
Guru, Richard Mcleish, Published on 12/09/2014
» Welcome to Guru’s Gate Crasher, your ultimate guide to finding something fresh to do in this big city.