BK magazine 726 February 16, 2018

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BK MAGAZINE NO. 726 FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 16, 2018. www.bkmagazine.com

Where we’ll be eating this Chinese New Year

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VOTE AND WIN!

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TAKE PART AT bkmagazine.com/RCA Voting begins Feb 9, 2018 and ends March 9, 2018. Winners will be contacted by BK staff and announced on BK’s Facebook page.

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page 3 6 cover story

New Year Feasts

What We’ve Learned

4 upfront

10 escapes

Queen Bee

Get Well Soon 14 avenue

16 bites

Go Bold

Dinner on a Dime

18 blends

22 BK Now

Above and Beyond

Greatest Hits

Who's in charge?

Managing Director & Publisher Andrew Hiransomboon Managing Editor Oliver Irvine Digital Director / Deputy Editor Carl Dixon Subeditor Mai Nardone Digital Content Coordinator Nontaya Kumyat Digital Content Assistant Pakchira Bunphol Writers Choltanutkun Tun-atiruj, Kasidit Srivilai Junior Writers Kankanok Wichiantanon, Neon Boonyadhammakul Art Director Vatanya Bongkotkarn Production Supervisor Komkrit Klinkaeo Deputy Art Director Peeraya Sirathanisa Graphic Designers Anunya Chobnitas, Wirankan Saiyasombut Photographer Poonsawat Suttama Video Content Manager Chanon Wongsatayanont Video Designer Saranya Laowtrakul Videographer Nattapol Srisukh Junior Video Editor Pattanagorn Adirekkiat

Where to find us!

The Asia City Media Group

Advertising Director Wanida Akeapichai Sales Managers Tipkritta Chiraporncharas, Orajira Sukkasem Senior Sales Associates Tassanee Mahamad, Nattaya Bovornsettanon, Orakarn Laohakanjanasiri

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Junior Marketing Executive Narabhutr Thaemsiri ASIA CITY STUDIO Managing Editor Dietrich Neu Associate Editor Sureepak Janyapat Senior Project Manager Chayanap Tongdadas Project Coordinator Nutnicha Nuttanakorn Senior Developer Passzarkorn Youthasoontorn Writer-Translator Tripop Leelasestaporn Junior Branded Content Writer Chakariya Cheewatara SOIMILK Editor Nathapong Suppavatee Senior Writer Rujiyatorn Choksiriwan Writer Theerada Moonsiri Brand Manager Onwara Sittirug Sales Associates Prawpraew Pairohg, Kornkanok Sriwaranant

Bangkok Asia City Publishing (Thailand) Ltd. 9/F, Sathorn Nakorn Tower 100 North Sathorn Rd., Silom, Bangrak, Bangkok 10500 Tel: 02-624-9696 Fax: 02-237-5656 Email: bkmagazine@asia-city.co.th

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That Bangkok’s riverside is getting a new cultural museum The historic Talad Noi neighborhood is finally getting the attention it deserves. On top of all the buzzing shop-house bars and galleries drawing newbies to the riverside, we’ve spotted construction on a new museum and community space dedicated to detailing the area’s rich cultural heritage.

The project by the Treasury Department, spread across two buildings and two parks beside Phanu Rangsi pier, is set to launch next year.

That a Thai project just missed out on a top architecture award ArchDaily, the website dedicated to everything architecture, announced its annual Building of the Year Awards, with Thailand’s nominee, The Wine Ayutthaya, losing out to Hanoi’s fish-inspired Koi Cafe in the Hospitality section. It may have been runner-up, but this wine bar still warrants the one-and-a-bit-hour’s drive. Boonserm Premthada’s (Bangkok Project Studio) design takes inspiration from Thailand’s wooden houses to blend with the surrounding greenery and river views, with a plywood and PVC exterior opening up to a space divided by five spiral staircases.

That two iconic American drag queens are coming to town Following the news Thailand’s getting its own version of RuPaul’s Drag Race (now screening on Line TV), two of the American TV series’ stars, Kim Chi and Naomi Smalls (top 3 finalists in season eight), will bring their fierce comedy and lip-syncing show to Bangkok. Tickets for the Mar 9 extravaganza at Kbank Siam Pic-Ganesha are on sale now starting at B1,500 from Thaiticketmajor.

That Thailand’s biggest balloon festival is back After a one-year absence, Thailand International Balloon Festival will return to the skies above Chiang Mai for the 10th time this Mar 2-4. While actual balloon rides are offlimits to the public, organizers are touting a new “night glow” spectacle set to the backdrop of Doi Suthep and music from the the Lanna Orchestra and the Tiger Drum and Opera for dramatic effect. Art workshops, tons of food and a coffee carnival complete the festivities on the ground. Entrance is B300/day.

BK “Asia City Living” Magazine is edited by Andrew Hiransomboon and published 51 times a year, every Friday of each month by Asia City Publishing (Thailand) Ltd. Copyright ©2016 Asia City Publishing (Thailand) Ltd. The titles “BK Magazine,” “BK ‘Asia City Living’ Magazine” and their associated logos or devices, and the content of BK “Asia City Living” Magazine are the property of Asia City Publishing (Thailand) Ltd. Reproduction in whole or in part without permission is strictly prohibited. Article reprints are available for B50 each. The magazine may not be distributed without the express written consent of Asia City Publishing (Thailand) Ltd. Contact the Advertising Department for ad rates and specifications. All advertising must comply with the Publisher’s terms of business, copies of which are available upon request. Printed by Comform Co.,Ltd. 212 Moo 13 Krungthepkreetha Rd., Saphansoong, Bangkok 10250

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@bkmagazine BK Magazine Friday, February 16, 2018

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2/12/18 6:53 PM

upfront HOT OR NOT @ohmyal

Hot: Ham-cheese sandwich chips

Not: Ham-cheese sandwiches

Your eyes are not deceiving you. That right there is a packet of Lay’s in 7-Eleven ham-cheese sandwich flavor—otherwise known as the answer to all your drunken prayers. Just how do you go about making a potato chip “sandwich” flavored? We don’t know. We don’t care. What we do know is that, come 3am this Friday night, two packets of these are about to go down. In our underwear. In bed. @AbbottKingsley

Hot: BNK48

Not: MBK39

Out of the 30 people arrested for holding a pro-democracy rally near MBK shopping center, four have been formally charged. The latest crushing blow to our civil liberties has however been widely overshadowed by a news story that this city actually cares about: the 48-member super-girl-group BNK48 will hold their first ever live concert this Mar 31, and the most expensive tickets are just B2,000. How about that, Harry Styles?

Hot: B140 Singha

Not: B360 Singha

We’ve been on the phone this week calling hotels to find out how much they charge for a beer on the rooftop. Kudos to the swanky Park Hyatt, where it costs just B140 for a bottle of Singha at its Penthouse rooftop bar—a good sign that this city’s hoteliers no longer take us for fools. The Banyan Tree, meanwhile, will still charge you almost three times that amount. You can thank us for the information while sipping on a cold one 36 stories above Phloen Chit.

Hot: Lenders

Not: Borrowers

Here’s a first for BK Magazine—quoting Bible scripture. Surrounded by some weird stuff about lions being outside the window, there’s a line in Proverbs that says, “The borrower is slave to the lender,” and we reckon that’s pretty accurate. Because if the former top cop in the city is taking US$9 million “loans” from an alleged massage parlour kingpin, the chances of this city ever facing up to the thugs is zilch. Now excuse us while we go bang our head against the wall in helpless fury.

THAT’S WHAT SHE SAID

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INTERVIEW Chef Bongkoch ”Bee” Satongun, 41, has been named Asia’s Best Female Chef 2018 as part of the Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants awards. It comes mere months after Paste, chef Bee’s Thai fine-dining restaurant with chef-husband Jason Bailey, was awarded a Michelin star. Known for imbuing traditional Thai cuisine with creativity and personality, Bee creates dishes that are refreshingly unique to locals and foreigners alike. We spoke to her about what it means to be Asia’s best female chef and what the future of Thai cuisine looks like.

Where did you develop your cooking skills?

I started cooking with my mom when I was a little kid. I had to help her for our family’s survival. Then I worked in an office in the F&B industry. When I was 28, I met my partner, Jason, and he trained me to work in a professional kitchen.

What’s it like to be a woman in the F&B industry?

In today’s world, both men and women can do the same job, but in the olden days, all the chefs were female. If you wanted to cook in the palace, you had to be a woman.

Is Paste your first restaurant?

Before Paste, Jason and I opened a restaurant together in Australia called Classical Thai Cravings. It was awarded Best Thai Restaurant by Restaurant and Catering Australia. After that we decided to move here and open Paste.

How has the food at Paste developed since 2013?

We have gone deeper into traditional Thai cuisine, using rare Thai herbs and ingredients. Each ingredient has its own uniqueness and character.

For example, we use salt from Nan province because it’s smoother than sea salt. Our fish sauce is from river fish instead of sea fish.

What inspires your dishes?

All the old Thai cookbooks from King Rama V up until King Rama VII [roughly 1870-1930], when Thai food was at its peak. It was like a sport for women.

When I first started, I didn’t think that Thai food would be this in-depth. It stopped around the King Rama VII era, when Thailand became a democracy and women started going out to work and had less time for cooking.

How do you connect old Thai recipes with modern techniques?

We study deep into the dish, the history of the dish or what its purpose was. Chanthaburi province uses raw durian in their food, and we developed a technique based on that. But it won’t work to bring all the old recipes back because people nowadays have different palates. We have tasted so many other cuisines. Thai cuisine is also more concerned with the sauce, while the meat doesn’t get enough attention. So we use the modern techniques, like sous vide, with our meat.

What is your favorite Thai dish?

Khao kluk kapi [shrimp paste rice with a set of sides] because every little side and ingredient is equally important.

What are your favorite Thai restaurants in Bangkok?

I normally eat at the old restaurants,

like Klang Soi Restaurant in Sukhumvit Soi 49. It’s like eating your grandmother’s food. They also have a few traditional Thai dishes like khanom jeen sao nam [fermented rice noodles with pineapple, coconut milk, ginger and fish balls] and jang ron [old-style fish dumplings].

What do you hope to see for the future of Thai cuisine?

I feel that more and more Thai chefs, as well as Western chefs, want to cook Thai food. Because of that passion, Thai cuisine is growing.

Any advice for aspiring chefs?

When you modernize traditional cuisine, try to study it deeply. Now, people just look at the surface, and when you do that the cuisine loses its soul.

What’s next for you?

We have to try to keep our consistency. After the award, people will come in with more expectations.

Looking back, what have you learned from being a chef?

When we first opened in Sukhumvit Soi 49, we were empty for almost three months. We would turn on some music and still nobody would come, but we just kept going. So, just keep going. Choltanutkun Tun-atiruj and Megan Leon

by Kathy MacLeod (IG: @kathy_macleod)

BK Magazine Friday, February 16, 2018

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ADVERTORIAL

4 reasons why you should be excited about Bangkok’s latest food festival Pop-Up Restaurants The first ever Mad Face Food Week kicks off from Mar 2-4 (Fri-Sun, 3-11pm) at Sermsuk Warehouse, Pepsi Pier (BTS Saphan Taksin), and promises to be a refreshingly fun, edgy and gimmick-free gathering of foodies and Bangkok’s best culinary minds—at a time when most food festivals have more drab PR speil than substance. Here’s a few reasons why you should get excited:

Who doesn’t like a friendly rivalry? Over the course of the festival, two culinary all-star teams will curate special pop-up food experiences— complete with new dishes, entertaining concepts and chill beats to match. Here’s the teams:

Big Boys of Downtown Jarrett Wrisley (Appia, Peppina and Soul Food) and Paolo Vitaletti (Appia and Peppina) team up to recreate their highly anticipated “Appia Guest List” dinners, where they’ll be joined by a group of chefs challenged to cook out of their comfort zone and under wacky, impromptu concepts and conditions. The identities of the collaborating chefs will be kept a secret until the event starts, but the team’s tagline is “where chefs make a mess,” so you are in for one hell of a night.

Old Town Revivalists Joe Jantraget (80/20), Van Rohitratana (Rarb), Noom Triyasenawat (Samuay & Sons) and Black Bulsuwan (Blackitch) are part of the recent F*cking Chefs collective, one of the most innovative, edgy and informed cooking groups we’ve seen in some time. They’re teaming up with Charlie Boonyavinij of Uncle Ree’s Farm to create a daily-rotating menu featuring everything from Isaan food to whole spit-roast animals and a nine-course “no waste” eating extravaganza.

Crazy Food Stalls

This isn’t your normal street food fare, either. Some of the biggest names in Bangkok’s culinary scene will take over the Mad Face marketplace—names like 100 Mahaseth, Ba Hao and La Monita—offering laser-focused menus featuring a handful of all-original dishes created solely for the festival. Stalls are set up for socializing, with neighboring vendors coming together to create different ad-hoc “zones,” complete with their own music, look and vibe.

Screening Rooms & Private Dinners

During the day, head to Mad Face’s Screening Room area to kick back and soak up some food-related documentaries, short films and video excerpts (from 3-6pm each day). At 7pm, the space turns into a private dining area home to three special dinners hosted by some of Bangkok’s most innovative food figures. Catch Joke Pairoj of 7 Spoons on Friday Mar 2 (hosted by Chang), Top Russell from Freebird on Saturday Mar 3 (hosted by Made By Legacy) and Garima Arora from Gaa on Sunday Mar 4 (hosted by BK Magazine).

Awesome Music Line-Ups

A good mix of local and international acts promises the keep the atmosphere at Mad Face fresh and exciting all weekend long. Live bands and DJs set the tone for long, leisurely afternoons (and nights) of eating, drinking, dancing and more eating. The two pop-up restaurants are playing a part here, too. The Big Boys of Downtown will be cooking and grooving to a mix of jazz, hip hop, funk, house and old-school rock tunes, while the Old Town Revivalists kitchen will kick it to blues, reggae, dub sounds and some Studio Lam selections.

Mad Face Food Week 2018 Where: Sermsuk Warehouse, Pepsi Pier (BTS Saphan Taksin) When: Mar 2-4, Fri-Sun (3pm - 11pm) Entry: B100, includes one drink (free if you are under 18)

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cover story

for Every Budget

Gong xi fa cai! From old shop-house classics to fine-dining feasts, here are our favorite Chinese restaurants in town. By Kankanok Wichiantanon, designed by Anunya Chobnitas

Old school SAN YOD

YEE LAO TANG JUA LEE

Why it’s awesome: Loosely translated as “very good,” Sanyod lives up to its name with the stickiest, eggiest, most garlic-flecked and moreish noodles in town (B200). Eat them with a bounty of crispy pork, red pork and roast duck.

Why it’s awesome: Operating for more than 60 years, this secondgeneration restaurant continues to serve hearty Chinese food. The kitchen is renowned for being generous with meats and toppings.

On the menu, you’ll find braised pork belly on a bed of pickled cabbage (B200), fried shrimp-stuffed tofu skin (B120), oyster omelets (B200) and stir-fried eggplant with Chinese olives (B200), along with a large variety of dim sum.

The vibe: Chinese paintings in oversized frames, big golden vases and round tables occupied by noisy Thai-Chinese families. The glossy menu, written in Thai, English and Chinese, features colorful photographs of cliched Chinese fare like “dry” noodles with roast duck and wonton soup.

The price: BB-BBB The Elegant Court, Charasvieng Soi 88, 02-630-9200. Open daily 8am-9:30pm Yong Hua Restaurant

TANG JAI YOO Why it’s awesome: A Teochew institution of nearly 80 years, this family-run restaurant’s a no-brainer when it comes to old-school Chinese food. Specialties include the whole suckling pig (B1,800) and fried rice with plump, fresh crab—(B300).

The vibe: A no-frills restaurant where the mood is all in the clientele: chatty aunties and uncles, after-work merrymakers and whole families celebrating a special occasion. Of course, don’t miss the soap operas blasting from corner flat screens.

The vibe: This two-story restaurant takes the simple, classical route with round wooden tables, metal chairs and Chinese artwork adorning the walls. The regulars don’t come for the decor—it’s all about the food here.

The price: BB 45-47 Bamrungmuang Rd., 02-221-8447. Open daily 11am-10pm

YONG HUA RESTAURANT Why it’s awesome: This old favorite by the Giant Swing has kept a clientele of families coming back for over half a century. The oyster omelets (B350) and crispy-skin fried chicken (B500, dubbed “gai fai dang”) here are not to be missed.

The price: BBB

The vibe: Currently in the hands of its third generation, this Teochew restaurant looks like a fine-dining establishment from 60 years ago—the type where your grandmother and her girl friends would hang out on weekends.

85-89 Yaowa Phanit Rd., 02-224-2167. Open 11am–2pm, 4:30–10pm

The price: B 101 Siripong Rd., 02-221-6429. Open daily 10:30am-2pm, 5-10pm

Tang Jai Yoo

Din Tai Fung

San Yod

Price guide B BB BBB BBBB

Under B500 B500-900 B900-1,500 B1,500 and up Approximate price per person.

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Hong Bao

BK Magazine Friday, February 16, 2018

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2/12/18 5:23 PM

cover story FINE dining

BK Asks

AH YAT ABALONE FORUM Why it’s awesome: Headed by native Hong Kong chef Yeung Koon Yat (formerly of Hong Kong’s Forum Restaurant, which once held a Michelin star), this longtime favorite boasts some of the best Cantonese cuisine and dim sum in town, including the much-vaunted lava buns (B130/3 pieces).

The vibe: Family tables, starched white cotton, large windows and wall-to-wall carpeting make for a classic dining room ambiance.

The price: BB 3/F, Ramada Plaza Bangkok Menam Riverside, Charoenkrung Rd., 02-291-7781-2. Open daily 11am-2:30pm, 6-10:30pm

CHEF MAN Ah Yat Abalone Forum

Why it’s awesome: Tucked in lush Ratchadamri, Chef Man has earned its stellar reputation on the strength of an aromatic Peking duck (B1,600) with wonderfully thin, soft pancakes. A quality menu from dim sum through the heartier likes of dried abalone with crispy rice (B6,800) ensure that the restaurant’s abuzz at all hours.

The vibe: It’s all old-world luxury here, with dark paneled walls, plush red chairs and a semi-open kitchen with ducks hanging in the window. Expect a clientele equally coiffed and refined.

Chef Man

The price: BBB 33/1 Sathorn Rd., 02-210-8100. Open daily 11am-14:30pm, 6-10pm.

CHINA HOUSE Why it’s awesome: China House charms diners who need a dash of hip to go with their shrimp dumplings. Set in a dining area that recalls Shanghai Tang-meets-1920s-China, this restaurant offers dyed-in-the-wool crowd pleasers like oven-roasted Peking duck (B1,750), as well as nouveau-Chinois flourishes like deep-fried shrimp in a creamy wasabi sauce (B820).

Liu

the shelves of Mariage Frères teas… We could wax lyrical about the tableware alone but you get the point: China House is one sexy place.

The price: BBBB Mandarin Oriental, 48 Oriental Ave., Charoenkrung Rd., 02-659-9000. Open Tue-Sun 11:30am-2:30pm, 6-11pm

LIU Why it’s awesome: The 30-year-schooled Hong Kong native who heads the kitchen, Jacky Chan, does things to pork belly which are so sinfully delicious that Liu is the first name on many ThaiChinese families’ lips when it comes to fine dining.

Be sure to order it in his signature dong po style (B340), stewed with black soy sauce and served with Chinese buns.

The vibe: Lacquered chairs and lazy susans.

Without a window in sight and lighting that’s permanently set on “mood,” this is one best left for the evening.

MEI JIANG Why it’s awesome: Welcome to our favorite spot for dim sum with prime river views (along with Ah Yat, see above). At Mei Jiang, however, your prawns in port wine sauce (B500) and roasted pigeon marin (B720) come with the more regal ambiance of the Peninsula.

G/F, The Peninsula Bangkok, 333 Charoen Nakhon Rd., 02-020-2888. Open daily 11:30am-2:30pm, 6-10:30pm

Why it’s awesome: The offerings of this Singaporean-born joint used to be the preserve of Rajpruek Golf Club’s phu yai membership before it branched out to EmQuartier. Now the rest of us can feast on its aromatic tea-smoked duck (B1,150) and unique lava-filled sweet potatoes (B135/3 pieces).

The vibe: A clean, white dining space broken up with folding dividers and decked out with chandeliers and ink prints.

The price: BB

Man Fu Yuan Kitchen

Sukhumvit Soi 39, 02-662-3565. Open Mon-Fri 11am-2:30pm, 5:30-10pm; Sat-Sun 10:30am-10pm. And at 5/F, Central Embassy, 1031 Phloen Chit Rd., 02-160-5679. Open daily 10am-10pm

“I love Porn Lamai. Every dish they prepare is good thanks to quality ingredients such as large shrimp. I recommend you try their rad na phu khao fai (stir-fried noodles in gravy) and taro pad kee mao (spicy stir-fried fish snacks), both of which they serve on hot plates. You need to eat it quickly!”

Bodin Mongkolsuebwong, 36, owner of Jay Fai Som Cheng Juice

MAN FU YUAN KITCHEN

Why it’s awesome: Hong Bao's exhaustive menu isn’t a mark against its quality; the food’s excellent starting from the all-day dim sum through the signature steamed rice rolls (B120) to the full-fledged, family-style dishes like steamed red grouper with black bean sauce (B180).

Korkiat Jienjaras, 36, owner of Xia Hu Chalam See no.13

The price: BBB-BBBB

Why it’s awesome: A must-visit for lovers of soup dumplings, this Taiwanese import is one of the most popular restaurants in CentralWorld. Make sure to get a set of xiao long bao (soupfilled steamed dumplings, B315).

HONG BAO

“If you love egg noodles, I recommend Aung Egg Noodle in front of 7-Eleven at Phadung Dao Road. They serve excellent shrimp dumplings and aromatic roasted pork.”

The vibe: Large bays windows look out upon a manicured lawn running towards the Chao Praya.

Looking in, the decor is timeless and cream-toned.

DIN TAI FUNG

7/F, CentralWorld, Ratchadamri Rd., 02-613-1697.

Open daily 11am-9:30pm. BTS Chit Lom

Pannee Leelanukul, 62, owner of Jay Daeng Gium Chai

The price: BBB

mall classics

The price: BB

“I recommend Tai Seng Restaurant.

Before they moved here, I would go to Grand China Restaurant whenever we had a big family gathering. Now I like Tai Seng. I love their dim sum, fruit salad, stuffed duck and Peking duck.”

3/F, Conrad Hotel, 87 Wireless Rd., 02-690-9999.

Open daily 11:30am-2:30pm, 6-10:30pm

The vibe: The tiny aquamarine bar, the deep red and black lacquers, the films playing in the toilets,

The vibe: This massive family-style restaurant is often bustling with people. A glass pane lets you watch the armies of dumpling-makers, a good way to build anticipation until a giant steamer of perfectly formed, thin-skinned Shanghai-style dumplings appear on your table.

Where do locals really eat in Chinatown?

The vibe: The purple-upholstered, button-backed booths, fauxgold-dripping chandeliers and billowing curtains have kitsch, theatrical charm.

The price: BB 8/F, EmQuartier, Sukhumvit Rd., 02-003-6240. Open daily 10am-10pm

“I love to eat tom lued moo [pork blood in clear soup] at Nai Weng stall on Plaeng Nam Road. I like how they get rid of any unpleasant odor in the preparation, as well as the sweet pork bone broth.

Namjit Saetang, 49, owner of Nong Amm milk and bread

TIM HO WAN Why it’s awesome: The world's cheapest Michelin-starred restaurant is known for pork buns (B120), which pack barbecue sauce and chunks of roast pork into a trademark crisp, sweet bun. Other must-try items from the placemat menu are the mildly tangy pan-fried radish cakes (B100) and the pork and shrimp shumai (B120).

The vibe: Don’t expect a fine-dining ambience; Tim Ho Wan is more akin to a high-volume tourist site. The wait-staff may swarm around you in comically large numbers, but they’re efficient and informative.

The price: B-BB

“I recommend a goose place called Lao Tang. It’s very good, with a broth that’s not too salty and perfect with a bowl of rice.

Pui Punturanan, 34, owner of Hoy Tod Texas

3/F, Terminal 21, Sukhumvit Soi 21, 02-006-5288.

Open daily 10am-10pm

BK Magazine Friday February 16, 2018

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2/12/18 5:23 PM

escapes AROUND THAILAND

Wholesome Holidays

Eco-Logic Yoga Retreat

Make good on your self-betterment goals with a weekend of yoga meditation and nutritious eating at these walletfriendly eco-retreats. By Kankanok Wichiantanon

Museflower Retreat

Museflower Retreat

Eco-Logic Yoga Retreat

Mahasiddha Yoga

The price: The weekend three-day/two-night packages starts at B2,000 and six-day/five-night mini yoga packages for B4,800.

The place: Chumpon’s Eco-Logic Yoga Retreat means holistic when they say it, mixing up traditional wellness tropes (yoga, massages and meditation) with the unconventional, from forest treks through soul-nourishing, charitable activities involving the nearby school for underprivileged and special-needs kids.

Couch-activists can contribute, too; just by staying at the retreat, you’re adding to the profit pool that’s shared with the local Thai Child Development foundation.

The retreat: All the fluff doesn’t diminish from the resort’s yoga offerings, which are substantial, including twice-a-day group or private sessions, and even a class for kids.

The price: The seven-day/six-night Tantra Meditation and Yoga retreat costs B12,000. The five-day Immersion is B3,900 and includes all meals.

The place: In Mae Rim, Chiang Mai, this resort combines yoga, meditation, and workshops that focus mainly on Tantra techniques. (For others who, like us, were misinformed and thought Tantra was all about sex: it’s not. At least, not exclusively: the practice helps deepen self-understanding and connections with oneself and with others.)

The retreat: The daily practices focus mainly on yoga and meditation classes, as well as interactive exercises, but there’s still plenty of time to take laps in the saltwater pool, sit in on lectures or lose yourself on a wander in Mae Rim’s wilds. www.tantrayogathailand.com

www.bookyogaretreats.com/eco-logic-yoga-retreat

The price: The four-day/three-night yoga package starts at B14,480/person.

The place: Idyllically set beside a lake among BK rice paddies in Chiang Rai, Museflower Retreat PICK! offers a holistic wellness experience that nails all the buzz words: eco-conscious living, organic food, yoga, empowerment and, inevitably, Himalayan crystal salt pool. Meals are vegetarian, with vegetables plucked right from the soil of the facility’s organic farm.

Spend an afternoon soaking in the salt pool to sap away your stress and negative energy, or treat yourself to one of the signature massages.

The price: The two-night Weekend Escape starts at B9,500 for a single room, B16,000 for two people sharing (all prices include transport to and from Bangkok).

The place: On the banks of the Sri Nakarin Lake, Thailand’s largest lake, the new Kanchanaburi Lakeside Retreat is within four hours' drive from Bangkok. This isn’t a purge and reduce sort of retreat—it’s all about positivity here, including loving your body by, say, binging on healthy food and exercise.

The retreat: In order to attract urbanites, the four-acre retreat adds to its yoga and meditation offerings some unconventional activities involving jet skis, quad bikes and dirt bikes. Also on offer the customizable Your Private Escape.

The retreat: The packaged retreats come in different shapes: Spa, Yoga, Spiritual and Design Your Own, and are offered year-round. Each includes yoga and meditation classes, a personal wellness session, spa treatments and three buffet meals daily. www.musefloweretreat.com

Museflower Retreat

Kanchanaburi Lakeside Retreat

Mahasiddha Yoga

Rasayana Retreat The price: The one-day package for five hours is B7,250.

The place: Homebodies can have fun, too, with Bangkok’s own full-day program at Rasayana Retreat. Tucked so deep in residential Sukhumvit that you lose sight of the city skyline, this leafy complex specializes in detoxification and raw food.

The retreat: Therapies includes a far-infrared sauna, a detox aromatherapy massage, a castor oil liver cleanse as well as a, uh, flushing out of your colon. www.rasayanaretreat.com

www.kanchanaburilakesideretreat.com

KOH SAMUI

All rates were taken using Booking.com based on the cheapest room category over the Apr 14-15 weekend.

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NO BREAKFAST

FOUR SEASONS KOH SAMUI

:(

Smart travelers start planning for Songkran now, and Samui remains a big-ticket island for gorgeous five-star resorts. Here’s how prices stack up for two nights over the April holiday weekend at the island’s biggest luxury players.

The rate: B30,700 The room size: 103 sq meters The venerable Four Seasons runs an allpool-villa affair rising above a beautiful palm tree-studded stretch of sand.

DEAL!

W KOH SAMUI

CONRAD KOH SAMUI

The rate: B28,500 The room size: 163 sq meters Like Four Seasons, you also get a private beach and your own infinity pool, as well as a room 60 sq meters bigger and breakfast.

The rate: B19,800 The room size: 130 sq meters A few years of age mean you can snap up plenty of early-booking rates at this all-pool-villa offering. The rate comes with breakfast and is 32 percent below rack rate.

RITZ-CARLTON KOH SAMUI

The rate: B19,400 The room size: 93 sq meters Samui’s latest luxe arrival comes with that never-old “teak, and lots of it” look, together with a beautiful stretch of Choeng Mon Beach. Note: no private pool.

BK Magazine Friday, February 16, 2018

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SERINA TEPPANYAKI JAPANESE DINING

ESCAPE ROUTES

By Kankanok Wichiantanon

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BALI

Well Away Bali’s new, five-star sanctuary, Revivo (www.revivoresorts.com), hides on the edge of the rainforest. On top of four-poster beds and garden-view bathtubs, the Balinese-style suites here come with a private garden, courtyard or pool. The four-suite villas are even more exclusive, each encompassing 4,000 sq meters of land and the option for a private chef and butler. The 18-rai resort also has a martial arts hall, Pilates studio, gym, restaurant, poolside bar and a spa with five treatment rooms. The wellness programs range from 3-14 days. Three-day packages begin at B36,479/person for the garden suite or B43,771/person for the private pool suite. The resort opens Mar 30.

CHIANG MAI

Slow Show

Yaki soba. 450THB

Hiroshima Oyster fry 280THB

Chicken Steak. 380THB

This over-30-year-old Japanese restaurant is Silom’s best kept secret.

Old Japanese recipes are alive here with beautiful local produce and imported meat, shining honestly on your plates. At B2,250 per set, you’ll get 150g of teppanyaki Kobe wagyu accompanied by fresh sashimi, salad, soup, grilled vegetable, garlic rice and a scoop of homemade fresh strawberry sorbet.

Or get same set with 150g US Black Angus beef at B1,650.

SERINA, 9/26 Surawong Soi Jim Thompson, Bangkok, Thailand

Maled (www.fb.com/MaLedCoffeeBar), the favorite cafe of Chiang Mai University’s coffee snobs and Instagram aesthetes, has opened a second branch in the Suthep district. New cafe, same Scandinavian minimalism that’s right out of a Kinfolk photoshoot. (Drinking game: an espresso shot for every magazine on the shop’s IG.) Dash in for a quick morning coffee and you’ll invariably be drawn into the cafe’s cozy, loungey mood. It’s not all eye-candy either—the house-roasted coffee is delicious, whether served as espresso or in the rich and messy Iced Latte Lava, which comes with a foamy top and caramel dripping down the sides (B120). Don’t miss the shop’s specialty, the Jelly Black (only six cups per day, B95), which is coffee jelly with milk.

Reservation: 02-235-8382

RANONG

Island Bound The new popularity of Cocks Comb Island, just a little over an hour away from Ranong by speedboat, has made the region such a tourist hub that AirAsia (www.airasia.com) is launching daily Bangkok-Ranong flights on Chinese New Year (Feb 16). While the powdery beaches of Cocks Comb are a mustvisit, the Ranong region is also home to Koh Phayam Island, kept tranquil and comparatively tourist-free because of its long monsoon season. Come during the dry spells for untouched forests, a beautiful coastline and natural geysers. The airline currently has a B1,180/round trip promotion for the Bangkok-Ranong flights.

ENGLAND

London Calling It has reportedly cost Bangkok fashion-meets-food franchise Greyhound B150 million to set up its first cafe in London. Bringing a taste of Thonglor to the upmarket Fitzrovia district, Greyhound Cafe London hopes to sell Londoners on Bangkok fusion favorites like seafood-with-holy basil pasta and lod chong panna cotta. The opening of Greyhound Cafe in London marks the brand’s first entry into Europe. It currently has more than 30 branches in Thailand and other parts of Asia. To look at, the new London cafe shuns the lofty-industrial, modish styling of Bangkok branches in favor of playing up its origins in Thai alphabet tiles and folksy wall murals.

BK Magazine Friday, February 16, 2018

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avenue

HOME

American Beauty New furniture store Momentous is a portrait of 20th-century American splendor, its showroom dotted with luxurious but still tastefully subtle pieces by U.S. mainstays Hooker and Stanley.

The leather Wellington Swivel Club Chair (B26,000) by Hooker is right out of a Rockefeller-era cigar lounge, whereas Stanley’s Cypress Grove wood panel bed (B78,500) speaks to anyone out to recreate a tranquil, country estate setting. For an excuse to remake your home office, look to Stanley’s Santa Clara office collection that mixes mid-century modern with today’s trending industrial style. 3/F, Siam Paragon, Rama 1 Rd., 02-4171111. Open daily 10am-8pm. www.momentousthailand.com

FASHION

Cool It

FASHION

Make Sail If you’re feeling manipulated by the designs of local outfitter Leisure Projects, you’re not alone. Nat Kanokvaleevong has a knack for finding our soft spots and commodifying them in irresistible clothing. His last line employed a shiba inu. Now, he’s surfaced from bobbing about in our subconscious with a sailor fetish. The pre-spring collection, Forget Me Not, takes its cues from nautical wear with twists like mesh, wrap-around pants and embroidery. The colors are summer-ready: deep-sea navy, sandy beige and seashell white. Rock the seersucker pants and prove that menswear can handle both embroidery and hearts. Collection starts from B2,590. Available at Gin&Milk, 3/F, Siam Center, Rama 1 Rd. Open daily 10am-10pm.

BTS Siam

We’ve finally arrived at the spring-summer end of fashion’s four-season cycle; in other words, ready-to-wear collections are back in sync with Bangkok’s heat. Enter Stella McCartney’s 2018 Spring collection. The billowy tops and loose pants are made for the sort of air flow that’ll keep you cool and together as you’re exposed to the elements, say on that concourse between BTS and mall. And “spring” here doesn’t mean cutesy florals—the brand brings an edgy sophistication with uneven hems and cargo-industrial denim, a look you can work both day and night. Collection starts B8,700. G/F, Erawan Bangkok, Ratchadamri Rd., 02-250-7845. Open daily 10am-8pm

WELLNESS

Keep Tame Between BTS manicure stations and after-work massage and hair salons, it’s never been easier to get an evening beauty touch up. But a clinic that’ll work around your office schedule?

To Sathorn comes Wild Clinic and Organic Treat, whose working hours are appropriate to its CBD address. The usual slew of treatments like facials, skin lasers, waxing and Botox come with names like The Fountain of Youth (B12,000) and De-Forest (from B990). (In case you were in doubt about the theme, look to the jungle-print wallpaper.) Out, staid clinical look. Out, blemishes and body hair. After-hours beauty is in. 44/6 Sathorn Soi 8, 02-101-6978. Open 11am-8pm. BTS Chong Nonsi

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BK Magazine Friday, February 16, 2018

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2018

Reach Thousands of Hungry, Affluent Diners in BK Magazine’s Top Tables • • • • •

Bangkok’s most trusted guide for discerning foodies 100 top restaurants chosen by an independent panel The no.1 Google result for “Bangkok best restaurants” Distributed to over 350 high-traffic venues in Bangkok Extended exposure through digital PDF Version

Last Chance Book your ad before February 21,2018 Call: 02-624-9696 #601, 615, 620 Email: advertising@asia-city.co.th

BK Magazine Friday, February 16, 2018

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avenue FASHION

Come Together Ring in the Chinese New Year in bold style with these maximalist pieces from Thai designers' latest spring-summer collections. By BK Staff

BK PICK! Fluffia bag, Kloset, B7,250

Embroidered tunic, Kloset, B6,450

Lotus Breeze Shorts, THEA by Thara, B9,000 Silk scarf, Cus Cus, B1,450

Earrings, Kloset, B2,400

Mei Mei midi cheongsam dress, Sretsis, B22,000

Essentials Cus Cus. Online at www. cuscusthecockoos.com

T and T

See-through crop shirt, Kloset, B6,850

Kloset. 3/F, Siam Center, Rama 1 Rd. Evon shoes, Milin, B5,900

Milin. 3/F, Siam Center, Rama 1 Rd.

Box clutch, Nasha Mekraksavanich, B22,000 Samine top, Milin, B1,350

Nasha Mekraksavanich.

M/F, Siam Paragon, Rama 1 Rd. Sretsis. 2/F, Central Embassy, Phloen Chit Rd. T and T. Available at Wonder Room, 3/F, Siam Center, Rama 1 Rd.

DESIGNER BANGKOK Wongsarond Suthikulpanich Wongsarond “Menn” Suthikulpanich’s good taste needs no further affirmation: he’s an interior designer at Armonia Group, a Thonglor native and a co-founder of Silom’s indie theater Bangkok Screening Room. Here he shares his favorite spots from his favorite neighborhood and beyond.

Neighborhood: I wouldn’t say favorite, but an area I want to explore more is Charoenkrung.

During Bangkok Design Week 2018, I saw a street light installation that allowed visitors to explore the hidden community in Talad Noi

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and Charoenkrung. It revealed the area’s old charm. I wouldn’t have known about the beautiful riverside shrine had it not been for the event.

Restaurant: Recently, it’s Bird Rotisserie (378/1 Nang Linchi Rd.). Their roasted chicken is the best and the side of potatoes is superb too. El Mercado (490 Rama 4 Rd.) is another nice place that I picked for the supplier of the cheese and cold cuts served at Bangkok Screening Room.

Bar: Thaipioka (44/7 Thonglor Soi 1) has great drinks, good vibes and it’s near home for me.

Shopping: I love Maison Martin Margela and Saint Laurent, and they’re both at Central Embassy (Phloen Chit Rd.) Check out BKK Screening Room at ww.bkksr.com

BK Magazine Friday, February 16, 2018

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2/9/18 5:52 PM

ADVERTORIAL

Meruto

The Omakase Experience Two must-visit omakase masters in Bangkok

A highly passionate and experienced all-Thai sushi team has mastered the humble Japanese deep-dive approach to customer satisfaction. Executive chef Kirati Butdeevong curates the finest ingredients, imported straight from Japan, to offer an omakase experience like no other.

KTC Deal: 5% discount (food only, and requires booking at least 3 days in advance for omakase courses). Special privileges for KTC credit cards.* Sathorn Gardens, Sathorn Rd., 092 369 7924. Open Tue-Sun, Noon-10pm. MRT Silom The Circle, Ratchapruk Rd., 092 659 9964. Open Tue-Sun, Noon-10pm

Mizu

by Sankyodai

A dedication to freshly imported ingredients has made this sushi specialist one of the most sought-after in town. It’s omakase sets are also on the more approachable side.

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Please contact www.ktc.co.th or 02 123 5000 Press 6 * Eligible for KTC VISA INFINITE / WORLD MASTERCARD, KTC VISA SIGNATURE / WORLD REWARDS MASTERCARD, and KTC PLATINUM credit cards.

KTC Deal: 5% discount on dinner omakase and requires booking at least 3 days in advance for omakase courses. Special privileges for KTC credit cards.* 1/F Charn Issara Tower, Silom, Rama 4 Rd., 02-632-6660. Open daily, 11:30am-2:30 pm and 5-10 pm. BTS Saladaeng, MRT Silom

Don’t miss these amazing omakase deals from KTC Tier 1: Up to 25% discount or other privileges (special privileges for KTC credit cards).* Tier 2:

15%**

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when redeeming KTC FOREVER REWARDS points equivalent to total spending per sales slip.

**SMS registration is required to recieve these privileges. Send an SMS to 061 384 5000 and type "DN1 (space)16-digit credit card number#(transaction/ sales slip without decimal)".

Cost is 3 Baht/SMS. This privilege is for all types of KTC credit cards.

Participating restaurants

Hoshi

Sushi Kappou Kitaohji

Sushi Kanda

Sushi Matsuo

Tempura Kanda

Meruto

Mizu by Sankyodai

Sushi Cyu & Carnival Yakiniku

Sushi Niwa

Promotion period: 1 Feb-30 Apr, 2018

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COMING MAY 2018 Don’t miss your chance to advertise in the BK Better You guide Healthy living is one of the hottest trends with our audience, who regularly turn to BK in search of advice on fitness, nutritious food, spas, medical services and more.

Better You is packed with hyperlocal recommendations from Bangkok-based dietitians, personal trainers, doctors and wellness professionals.

Find out more at BK Magazine/betteryou Call 02-624-9696 email: advertising@asia-city.co.th

BK Magazine Friday, February 16, 2018

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bites & blends EVENT

Re-Up From Mar 16-21, Bangkok will be inundated by some of the biggest kitchen names in the region, who are flying in to talk at the Bo.lan-initiated {Re} forum on sustainable food practices. They’ll also be whipping up some amazing public dinners the whole week. One of the most exciting events take place on Mar 21, when chef Luis Gonzalez from Gallery Vask in Manila (no. 39, Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants 2017) cooks at Bunker alongside Ivan Brehm of Singapore’s one-Michelin-star Bacchanalia (B7,000 net including wine). But there's five other dinners to choose from, taking place from Bo.lan to Bunker and with prices from B4,000 net. See www. re-take.asia for the full lineup and tickets.

DEAL

NEW MENU

COCKTAILS

Lazy Sundays

Better with Age

Shaken, Not Stirred

Why stop at boozy brunch? Aire Bar, the newly-minted rooftop bar 28 floors above Benjasiri Park, has inaugurated a new drinking tradition: Sunday Sessions. Starting at 3pm every Sunday, B1,100 gets you a pitcher of booze big enough to satisfy a five-a-side team (but we won't tell if you share between three—just watch your step on the way out). Keep Monday morning at bay with a round of Elderflower & Basil Cooler (vodka, St. Germain liquer, cranberry juice, tonic, citrus and sweet basil). 28/F, Hyatt Place, 22/5 Sukhumvit Soi 24, 02-055-1234. Open Mon-Sat 5pm-midnight; Sun 3pm-midnight

Anantara Siam’s sleek, Tony Chi-designed steakhouse, Madison, is getting with the times. In his new menu, German chef Nico Merten experiments with dry-aging mostly European breeds of beef for four to seven weeks, resulting in rich, dense flavors.

Start your meal on a decadent note with Charolais beef tartare sandwiched between layers of foie gras and caviar (B890), before tucking into an even more sinful Hereford striploin that’s been soaked overnight in Arabica coffee butter and served with bone marrow (B1,390). A delicious consomme turns the focus to Aussie striploin in flavor-packed dumplings (B460). G/F, Anantara Siam, 155 Ratchadamri Rd., 02-126-8866. Open daily 6-10:30pm, Mon-Sat midday-2:30pm. BTS Ratchadamri

The Tables Grill at Grand Hyatt Erawan might be late to the signature cocktail bandwagon, but it's in no ways behind. Nath Arjhan, of Hyde and Seek fame, is shaking up the old order with a cocktail menu that’s both traditional and not. Under the Old Fashioned Classics category are six solid, spirit-forward drinks, but count nine on the modern end. Our hats go off to the hands behind Head In The Clouds, a mix of (deep breath) mescal, anise and red pepper syrup that’s served smoking (an effect of dry-ice smoke infused with absinth-soaked Italian herbs) and capped with a piece of rice paper. All signature cocktails are B450. M/F, Grand Hyatt Erawan, 494 Ratchadamri Rd., 02-2546250. Open Mon-Fri 6-10pm; Sat-Sun 11am-3pm

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bites RESTAURANTS

NEWS

Grand Ambitions

Hot from the Bangkok food scene

You can still eat and drink in some of Bangkok’s best restaurants for under B1,000 a head. Here’s our guide to this city’s best bang-for-baht dinners.

By BK staff

W

e’re not talking street food, either. We went searching for this city’s top, special occasion-worthy dining spots where you can be in and out safe in the knowledge that, when time comes to pay the bill, it won’t break B1,000 a head—and yes, that includes the plus-plus.

All meals are based on two people sharing and include tax and service.

Arno’s

The place: Narathiwat’s French bistro with the cheapest quality steak in the city.

The order: Make sure your dining partner doesn’t get distracted by the wagyu T-bone (B5,900/kg), and instead limit yourselves to the delicious, 45-day aged sirloin. Half a kilo for B850 should do you both just fine, when paired with a plate of their fries (B120) and some macaroni and cheese (B150)—guilty, junk food pleasures. With an artichoke salad (B95) on the side, you’ll still have enough for two glasses of wine (B185) before this budget expires.

The bill: B977/head with two glasses of wine each

MISSING LINK

Walking down Yen Akat lately you may have noticed the warm glow of Edison bulbs burning. Latest to join the fray is a swanky Mediterranean joint born on Samui called Link (www.fb.com/linkcuisinebangkok).

More on what it offers coming soon.

Birds Rotisserie

The place: Nang Linchi’s industrial, rotisserie chicken specialist.

The order: Grab yourselves a half chicken, which will cost just B430, plus another B120 for more potatoes than you can eat and some dipping gravy. You’ll want the super-tasty— and generous—chicken Caesar salad (B270) to go with, as well as a couple of glasses of the perfectly drinkable house white (B140).

The bill: B807/head with two glasses of wine each Soi Amon, Nang Linchi Rd., 095-5946675. Open Tue-Sun 5:30-10:30pm; SatSun 11:30am-3pm

Charcoal

The place: Sukhumvit Soi 11’s swanky, kebab-specializing Indian.

The order: The murgh malai kebab (B400 for five pieces), dal Charcoal (urad lentils, tomatoes, ginger and garlic, B200), lamb sheekh kebab (B390 for three pieces), a biriyani (B500) and two naan (B100 each) will make a feast for two. But now the bad news: you won’t have any cash left over for the Indian spiced cocktails.

The bill: B988/head with no alcohol 5/F, Fraser Suites, Sukhumvit Soi 11, 089307-1111. Open daily 6pm-midnight.

BTS Nana

COMING SOON

New Marriott hotels spring up at about the same rate as bars-slash-galleries in Chinatown.

N o w, a n o t h e r o n e o p e n s o n Surawong Road this Mar, complete with a stunning Thai restaurant called Praya Kitchen that rejuvenates old Thai recipes. That means stuff from the Rama V era mostly, but also kitsch classics like the ‘70s dinner party favorite “Volcano Chicken.”

2090/2 Narathiwas Soi 20, 02-678-8340.

Open daily 11:30am-11pm

BUDGET PICK!

WHAT’S BREWING?

El Tapeo

The place: Thonglor’s tapas restaurant with origins in Madrid.

The order: Visit between 5-8pm daily, when 50-percent off oneliter pitchers of sangria (otherwise B550) sets a boozy foundation for intensely moreish Spanish classics, like the tostas of pickled anchovies (B195), gambas al ajillo (B150) and spinach and cheese croquetas (B150/5 pieces). Steer clear of the pricier paella, and go to town on the delicious huevos rotos (B250), full of crisp-like potatoes, and the excellent homemade pork meatballs (B150).

Even things out with a rocket, melon and Serrano ham salad (B220).

The bill: B974/head with a pitcher of sangria—or B813 during happy hour.

159/10 Sukhumvit Soi 55, 02-0520656. Open Sun-Thu 11:30am-11pm; Fri-Sat 11:30- 1am. BTS Thong Lo

La Dotta

The place: Thonglor’s eye-poppingly aquamarine pasta house.

The order: Kick off with a starter of deep-fried truffle, sage and ricotta cheese balls (B190), before getting down to business with a rigatoni carbonara (B360) and a duck ragu with fresh-made pasta (B360). Add a crabmeat bruschetta (B290) for a burst of freshness. End the carb-fest in explosive style with a Nutella-stuffed bomboloni (fried Italian donut, B190/ two). Pair it all with a couple glasses of B220 sauvignon blanc.

The bill: B979/head with a glass of wine each 161/6 Thonglor Soi 9, 02-392-8688.

Open daily 11am-2:30pm, 5:30-11pm.

BTS Thong Lo

Somtum Der

The place: Silom’s original indoor Isaan bistro—with an expanding international empire.

The order: Go straight for the deep-fried laab balls (B95)—simply the best in the city—and marinated beef steak (B105). As for somtam, we like the tum kai kem (salted egg, B80) and tum pla dook foo (crispy catfish, B95), but switch one out for the fermented fish tum poo plara (B60) if you’re that way inclined. Throw in an Isaan pork cartilage soup (B110) as well as two portions of sticky rice (B20) and you have yourselves a feast. Beerlao is B95/bottle.

The bill: B487/head with two bottles of Beerlao each

The Pantry, that’s what—a new coworking-space-slash-cafe-slash-allthe-rest-of-it that just opened at W Bangkok hotel. Check it out from noon-10:30pm daily. www.whotelbangkok.com/thepantry

Taburete

The place: Sala Daeng’s low-key, bohemian Spanish tapas joint.

The order: The croquetas de jamon Iberico (B170/4 pieces) are a must, but also tiny. Throw in the fidena (Catalonia’s noodle-based alternative to paella, B380) to ensure a hearty fill, while other small-plate essentials include the empanadilla de cordero (a succulent lamb confit wrapped in filo pastry, B170), grilled octopus (B355) and patatas bravas (B130). That’ll leave you change for a pitcher of sangria (B380), too.

The bill: B888/head with a pitcher of Sangria to share 5/6 Sala Daeng Rd., 096-145-4563.

Open Mon-Sat 11am-2:30pm, 5-11pm.

MRT Silom

SOUTHERN WINDS

Too bad for Looktor Norliang, a charming if not-quite-perfect Southern kitchen on Silom Soi 3. It just shut its doors to be reborn as a bar called The 88—not to be confused with the other new bar called The 88, which is just five minutes’ walk away on Surawong.

5/5 Sala Daeng Rd., 02- 632-4499.

Open daily 11am-2:30pm, 4:30-10pm.

MRT Silom

BK Magazine Friday, February 16, 2018

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blends NEWS

Three great reasons to drink this week

Hair of the Dog

NEW BREW

When you’ve finished reeling from your last round of Liquid Lobotomy (7.7-percent), return to Hair of the Dog for the beer bar’s second craft label, Trepanation. The new brew’s also named for a cranium-impairing procedure, so you know what to expect. But with an alcohol content of 6.3-percent and a medium body, Trepanation, an IPA, goes down easier. The beer’s tropical on the nose, but on the way down is mellow in the way of melon and pear, and it’s long, juicy finish will have you reaching for a second before the flavor’s lost. Served at both Phrom Phong and Phloen Chit branches for B250.

ON THE BAR

A Bar

Sukhumvit’s latest rooftop bar does drinks above and beyond the competition.

By Choltanutkun Tun-atiruj

A BURGER AND A PINT

The buzz: The new rooftop bar at Bangkok Marriott Marquis Queen's Park divides a beautiful space overlooking Benjasiri Park into two floors and two bars, one with a focus on dark spirits, one specializing in gin, and both well worth your time.

The decor: On the 37th floor is A Bar, where dark wood, wingback chairs and modern jazz combine for a sophisticated air. Upstairs on the 38th floor is A Bar Rooftop, an open-air patio bordered with low plants and glass, and where the main eye-catcher is the view.

The drinks: This isn’t just another hotel elevator dead-end mixing fruity, easy-drinking cocktails. On the 37th floor, find yourself in the skilled hands of Ping Chareonsri, previously head bartender at Washington D.C.’s Nopa. The drinks here play to the palates of dark spirit snobs and newbies alike. The Study in Stone (B415) was our favorite, combining Nusa Cana Rum, dry sherry, citrus oleo saccharum (sugar and citrus peels) and fresh lemon, topped with fresh berries. Upstairs, the bar stocks all 57 gins that are legally available in Thailand and 12 types of tonic water (none

of them Schweppes). Samai Nantarat, previously at Bunker and Highball, makes magic here. The Just Mine (B385) is refreshing and aromatic, mixing jasmine-infused Beefeater gin with melon syrup, chardonnay, lime juice and a splash of soda. Even more impressive is the Botanist Fashioned (B365), made with in-house, oak-barrel and “secret ingredient” aged Beefeater gin. The result of the aging is a spirit with notes of caramel and vanilla—a gin cousin of whiskey. This gin is mixed with homemade coffee and vanilla syrup, and garnished with dehydrated orange.

The crowd: Bangkok cocktail lovers on the lookout for a new venue and novel drinks.

Why you should care: Here’s a hotel bar that’s clearly done its research and produced a drinks menu that’s above and beyond what’s attempted at most rooftop venues. Of course, the views are also stunning.

37-38/F, Bangkok Marriott Marquis Queen’s Park, 199 Soi 22 (Sukhumvit), 02-0595555. Open daily 5pm-1:30am, 7:30pm-1:30am

We know the Foreign Correspondents’ Club of Thailand for its public events, from the social-issues panels to the screenings of deep-diving documentaries. But who knew that the hangout of Bangkok’s intelligentsia also had a Tuesday special unrelated to global affairs? For B249, grab a beef burger and a pint of either Heineken or Chang, no membership necessary.

RETURN OF THE SPEAKEASY

Locker Room is back. But you have to find it, again. A mere couple months after being forced to shutter its Thonglor Soi 10 location, our favorite speakeasy returns with a Feb 24 event, An Afternoon of Classic Cocktails with Master Hidetsugu Ueno. Tickets are B1,200 at thebarawards.com/tickets and come with canapes and five cocktails. You’ll need the hashtag #FindTheLockerRoom to locate them. All we’ll tell you is it’s on Thonglor.

PRICE COMPARISON How much is a beer at Bangkok’s high-end rooftop bars?

CRAFT BEER PICK!

BARGAIN!

VERTIGO AND MOON BAR (BANYAN TREE)

RED SKY (CENTARA GRAND)

THREESIXTY (MILLENNIUM HILTON)

A BAR (MARRIOTT MARQUIS)

HI-SO (SO SOFITEL)

OCTAVE (MARRIOTT SUKHUMVIT)

ATTITUDE (AVANI RIVERSIDE)

PENTHOUSE (PARK HYATT)

B360 (Singha)

B320 (Singha)

B300 (Singha)

B265 (Chalawan Pale Ale, A Bar’s cheapest beer)

B250 (Singha)

B250 (Singha)

B180 (Singha)

B140 (Singha)

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bites FOOD REVIEWS

Tatsumi HH Japanese. 2/F, Pathumwan Princess Hotel, Phayat h a i R d . , 0 2- 6 1 1- 4 7 6 6 . O p e n d a i l y 11:30am-2:30pm, 5:30-11pm. BTS National Stadium. BBB F

Out of sight and out of mind, this Japanese restaurant is very nearly the lowkey Fuji-alternative Siam called for.

Propped between old-school names Ping’s (Thai-Teochew) and Kongju (a BK four-star Korean) on the second floor of the Pathumwan Princess Hotel, Tatsumi feels positively tucked-away, despite sitting just a security check away from the throngs of MBK mall. Since opening in late 2016, the restaurant has made all the right noises about fish flown in from Tsukiji several times a week and an executive chef with 30 years’ work for Okura hotels and as private chef to the former Japanese ambassador to Thailand. Yet, Tatsumi feels more in line with the charmingly dated, jack-of-alltrades Japanese canteens of Thaniya or middle-Sukhumvit than the swanky new breed of omakase openings. The greatest-hits menu (sashimi, sushi nigiri, maki, tempura, nabe hot pot, tonkatsu ) seems to confirm this, even if seasonal chef’s selection sets (like the current Fuyu tasting menu, B1,900 for eight courses) hint at loftier ambitions.

Mohsen Restaurant HHH

Iranian. 6 Soi Prachum, Silom Rd., 02-2353970. Open daily 10am-9pm. B-BB. No alcohol

Mohsen Restaurant provides Bangkok with a taste of Iranian (or Persian) cuisine, which shares much in common with the rest of the Middle East, only with milder, more-restrained flavors. That puts it in a league with just one other local restaurant we know of: Pan Road’s Persian House. Recent visits to both prove Mohsen to be the more popular—possibly to do with the prices. A lamb shank here with meat falling from the bone will cost you B350, while at Persian House you’ll be charged B470. The atmosphere here is akin to your average Soi Nana Middle Eastern diner—faux-whiteleather cushioned seats, glass-covered tables, white-washed walls and mock-classical pillars. It’s not exciting, but clean and well-organized. Unfortunately, the all-essential bread (B30/

Our last visit, a Friday night, found the wooden sushi counter empty and the quarter-full dining room in full drinking mode, doted on by swift, hotel-efficient waitstaff. We’d like to say Tatsumi excels at all the basics, like serving up fresh fish, but a frost-tinged salmon sashimi (B220) last time out gave us pause. That’s not to say the otoro (B320 per piece) or yellowtail (B120) nigiri completely disappoint, but Bangkok sushi-philes now demand more than reasonably fresh slithers of fish and slightly mushy rice. When the restaurant goes for more fireworks, as in various “signature” rol ls featuring blowtorched fish and sweet, fatty sauces, the results aren’t hugely exciting, but nor are they disastrous. Not one for the purists, the Tatsumi roll (B1,150 for eight pieces) is equal parts smoky, gloopy unagi (freshwater eel), briney ikura (salmon roe) and crunchy botan ebi (deep-fried sweet shrimp)—and it just about works, with a pair of massive edible shrimp heads as the unexpected highlight. From the hot kitchen come more comforting notes: oyster nabe (B350) with a toothsome dashi and bonito broth; tempura moriawase (plump shrimp and mixed vegetables, B350) that’s crisp, but light on flaky delicacy. Yet, barring an excellent homemade umeshu (plum wine, B220/ glass), Tatsumi doesn’t really offer much that isn’t done better at second-tier sushi names like Sushi Mori or Sushi Hiro, lending the plethora of allyou-can-eat and half-price deals a certain air of desperation.

piece) here tastes chewy and not fresh, far below the puffy, soft, crusty standards of some places, while the minty eggplant dip with crispy garlic (B170) is also underwhelming in flavor. But it’s not all bad news. Mohsen makes a superb hummus (B120) that’s creamy, not-at-all watery and, most-importantly, dressed with the perfect amount of oil. The Bakhtiyari kebabs (B220)—a platter of ground beef, beef fillet and chicken kebabs— reveal excellently grilled meat that’s tender and never dry, complete with a juice-absorbing piece of bread underneath. We also like the fizzy Persian yogurt drink called doogh (B50), whose tanginess and subtle saltiness provide a new but pleasant taste experience. But back to that lamb shank. While it might be cheaper than Persian House, it also has a shallower depth of flavor—something that can also be said of the cold-and-tasteless fava-bean rice that comes with it. And that’s our abiding feeling of dinner at Mohsen. While it provides the city’s cheaper introduction to Persian food, we can think of a half-dozen other Middle Eastern restaurants where the prices are comparable, the dishes not all that different, and the flavors and textures in a different league.

Ratings

Price guide

PPPP PPPP PPPP PPPP PPPPP

B BB BBB BBBB

Forget it Only if you’re in the neighborhood A pleasant dining experience Not to be missed Flawless BK pays for its meal and does not call ahead or sit with the chef.

Under B500 B500-900 B900-1,500 B1,500 and up Price per person, including one drink, appetizer, main course, dessert, charges and tax.

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H Reservations recommended F Parking E Dress requirements G Live music

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2/12/18 6:56 PM

bites

OPEN DOOR

iO Osteria

Groove's new rustic pizzeria and deli.

The buzz: Groove at CentralWorld’s new Italian restaurant combines pizzeria, delicatessen, bakery and bar in a single venue that’s sure to satisfy at any time of day.

The decor: The osterias of old were modest places where simple food was served as an accompaniment to wine. Here in Bangkok, iO Osteria is rustically outfitted, employing chalkboards, paper-placemat menus and shelves of bottles as decoration. There’s no disguising you’re in a mall, but it has that raw-concrete, Peppina vibe, as well as a tantalizing deli cabinet of freshly-made, Roman-style pizzas. The open kitchen means you can watch the cooks twirl dough and pull steamy buns right from the oven.

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The food: The doughy stuff like bread, pastries and pizzas is all made from scratch, while the cheese, cold cuts and produce is mostly flown in from Italy. The schiacciata Romana (a traditional flatbread) is delicious alone but made better in sandwich form. Try it with mascarpone and thinly sliced truffle or stracchino cheese and prosciutto (both B220). Classic carbonara or spaghetti Bolognese? Forget it. For plated fare, the menu skirts those tired staples for the likes of the rich and hearty orecchiette in a pork sausage and saffron sauce (B350). Another crowdpleaser is the crispy-juicy porchetta (baked pork belly with wild fennel, B190). The special menu of four dishes rotates weekly through Italy’s 20 different regional cuisines, like pizzoccheri from Valtellina and cavatielli from Naples.

The drinks: House wines by the glass come out of large, tapped barrels, and start at B190. Get a whole bottle for your table, or try one of the cocktails on offer. The Black Bubble employs that favorite local ingredient, activated charcoal, in a mixed berry and prosecco concoction (B320), while the Hugo (B320) combines prosecco, elderflower and mint for a refreshing boozy-brunch drink.

Why we’d come back: With its casual mood and wide-ranging, affordable fare, this is an ideal after-work restaurant to tuck into a bowl of pasta or wind down with a glass of wine.

Kankanok Wichiantanon

1/F, Groove at CentralWorld, Rama 1 Rd., 02-117-3826. Open daily 11am-midnight

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Cagette Canteen and Deli

Nana Coffee Roaster

Sake Forest

NEW AND NOTED

Finders Keepers Soi Nana’s newcomer has brought nightlife’s speakeasy-cool to coffee. Take the back door of Yaowarat florist Oneday Wallflower for a journey through the looking glass into the whimsical and rustic Nana Coffee Roaster (31-33 Soi Nana). The semi-hidden, three-story shophouse resembles a 19th-century explorer’s workshop, complete with a spiral staircase that takes you to where award-winning barista Warong Chalanuchpong serves up his signature drinks. Order a Le Boisson De Kanda (espresso, tea and sparkling rose lemonade topped with milk foam, B250) before going up again to the rooftop, where by elbowing aside the many ferns you’ll uncover a seating nook.

Deli Belly Good news for lower Sathorn: you no longer have to trek to El Mercado for your produce-driven Mediterranean brunches. On the chalkboard menus of Cagette Canteen and Deli (15 Yen Akat Rd., 02-249-1684) you’ll find a similar bounty of fresh seafood, pungent cheeses and simple French comfort dishes. Start

with the foie gras on brioche with onion marmalade (B490) or a tartine of roasted pears, goat cheese and walnuts (B290).

Then tuck into the “seafood bouquet,” including oysters, mussels, whelks, cockles and prawns (B990). Still not full? Try the French classics such as beef tartare (B590) and a heart-warming cassoulet (B710). They also have homemade sweets, including the French favorite, crepes suzette (B210). Delivery available.

High Polish Weighing in at 100 labels, the sake collection of Rain Hill’s new day-drinking bar puts it in the class of Ekkamai’s Orihara Shoten. We shouldn’t be surprised because behind Sake Forest (2/F, Rain Hill, 47 Sukhumvit Rd., 02-258-4973) is e-Shochu, purveyor of Sapporo Beer. But Sake Forest has one-upped its rival’s minimalist decor with a look that would do Muji proud, only breaking its veneer of bleached wood and cream walls for the punchy colors of the sake labels. Drinking here doesn’t have to break the bank (B280 for a bottle of Konishi Ginjo Hiyashibori), but with the rare Nabeshima Shizuku Shibori Daiginjo going for B10,020, it sure can. BK staff

TABLE TALK

109MHz G/F The Sense Pinklao, 092-945-1542. Open daily 10-1am Apart from the respectable lineup of live bands, blaring everything from rock, indy and dance to reggae, ska and R&B, this bar has been marked as a hidden gem in Pinklao for the beauty of its industrial-style decor—think naked edison bulbs to grey brick walls. The wide selection of craft beers, wines and cocktails deserves a mention, too.

The food is also as good as some delicious bistros, but with better music to make you enjoy the night even more.

Exclusively for Citi credit card members Get 10% discount on food only Today – 30 Jun 18

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now SAT Year of the Dog The new moon’s almost upon us and you know what that means: red envelopes stuffed with cash and feasts that rack up on longevity, wealth, happiness, status and all the other hallmarks of a good life. At least, for those of us performing, reclaiming or borrowing the customs of Chinese New Year on Feb 16. The rest of you will have to settle for green envy. Gong xi fa cai.

SUN Skater Boys Skating continues to climb in our estimation of street-cool (somewhere slightly above BMX and way, way above parkour). It helps when skater parties offer free tattoos, free beer and an 80/20 food pop-up, which is exactly how local label Preduce is premiering its sixth full-length video, “SuperMix,” on Feb 17 at Whiteline. You’ll have to settle for Budweiser though (still not craft-beer cool). See below for more.

SUN Greetings, Earthlings

FRI Festive Airs Baobei Festival, Chang Chui’s month-long fair mashing together February’s scarlet holidays, has run its Valentine’s Day course and now arrives at Chinese New Year. For Feb 1518, the hip vendors have been re-attired and their goods and foods repackaged to be holiday-appropriate. Even the live music hasn’t managed to buck the theme, with a photo teasing at least one guzheng. See page 23.

TNT (apparently Talent’s Next Terrestrial) Music Festival 2018 has promised EDMers what they didn’t know they were looking for: not EDM. The alien territory they’ve entered is populated with traditional DJs like Soda and Walshy Fire of Major Lazer, as well as American rapper Lil Jon, Thai hip-hop group Thaitanium and local entertainer Bankk Cash. BITEC Bangna plays host on Feb 17. Page 21 for tickets.

NIGHTLIFE PRIMATES #3

Everything from house to dancehall, disco and UK garage. Feb 16, 8pm. Sorry I'm Gay, Ratachada Train Night Market, Ratchadaphisek Rd., 099-339-9173. Free.

MELA

The DJ collective returns for a night of underground techno.

Feb 16, 9pm. De Commune, 1/F, Liberty Plaza, Sukhumvit Soi 55 (Thonglor), 061-7174365. B200.

GLOW FRIDAY

Dan Buri and Kuroten Music kick off the weekend in deeptech style. Feb 16, 9:30pm.

Glow, Sukhumvit Soi 23, 086614-3355. B250 includes 1 drink.

TOPROCK PRESENTS: "HIP HOP HEADS" Dan Buri

DJs Maft Sai, Kanehbos and

Boogie G fill the night with their hip-hop vinyl selection.

Feb 16, 10pm. Studio Lam, 3/1 Sukhumvit Soi 51, 02-2616661. B200.

PLASTIC DREAMS

Mikey Mike, Billy V and Ronny Slama lead an all-vinyl-party.

Feb 16, 10pm. 12x12, Ekkamai Soi 19, 094-260 -4713.

B200.

DZ001

DJ Daniel Sanchez and support act Soi Dogs play an official pre-party event for the Dropzone Festival. Feb 16, 11pm.

Mustache Bangkok, Ratchadaphisek Soi 7, 02 274 5855.

B300.

WESTIN POOL PARTY - ANNIVERSARY SPECIAL

Celebrating two years, the pool party returns with dance shows, DJs, a saxophonist and

pyrotechnics. Feb 17, 1pm.

The Westin Grande, Sukhumvit Soi 19, 02-207-8000. B400 includes 1 drink.

PREDUCE SKATEBOARDS PRESENT SUPERMIX VIDEO PREMIERE

(Thomas Von Party, Sunju Hargun and DOTT) follow up their Karma Kitchen market (see page 22) with upbeat sets till late. Feb 17, 10pm. Studio Lam, 3/1 Sukhumvit Soi 51, 02-261-6661. B350.

The premiere of "SuperMix,” a video from Preduce Skateboards, promises free entrance, free beers and free tattoos. Feb 17, 8pm. Whiteline, Silom Soi 8, 087-0611117. Free.

A special 5-hour set of Wintix’s finest deep sounds. Feb 18, 9:30pm. Glow, Sukhumvit Soi 23, 086-614-3355. Free before midnight. Then B250 includes 1 drink.

RETOX SESSIONS PRES. LOCO DICE

YEAR OF THE DOG: CHINESE NEW YEAR 2018

A night of ‘90s-inspired hip hop. Feb 17, 9pm. Glow, Sukhumvit Soi 23, 086-6143355. B700-750.

KARMA KITCHEN AFTERPARTY WITH THOMAS VON PARTY (MULTI CULTI)

DJ D-Kut Bday Bash & Ruff Ryders and more turn the tables to shows by the Six Senses Showgirls. Feb 16, 10pm.

The Firm Bangkok, 10/4 Sukhumvit Soi 33, 065-8800333. Free.

The Karma Klique DJ crew

GLOW SUNDAZE W/ WINTIX

>>

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now NIGHTLIFE

CONCERTS

Lucky Tapes

Lars Moston

ANTON X & NOIZY FLIGHT - FR

French DJs Anton X and Noizy Flight hypnotize with their sets. Feb 16, 9pm. Whiteline, Silom Soi 8, 087061-1117. Free before 10pm if guestlist. B200 after.

CHINESE NEW YEAR’S PARTY

Maggie Choo’s throws a party with a Chinese-themed dress code, live performances and DJs. Feb 16, 7:30pm. Maggie Choo’s, 320 Silom Road, 091-772-2144. Free.

HOWL AT THE MOON

The two-nights-long party celebrates the Year of the Dog with 4 DJs. Feb 16-17, 9pm. Ce La Vi, 39/F, Sathorn Square Building, 98 North Sathorn Rd., 02-108-2000. Free.

FUTURE SOUNDS PRESENTS CORAN

Underground event organizer Future Sounds lines up Coran, BassYouth and Dj Nastanet. Feb 16, 10pm.

Safe Room, Whiteline, Silom Soi 8, 087-061-1117. Free before 11pm.

Then B200 includes 1 drink after.

Fluke. Feb 17, 7pm. The Commons, 335 Thonglor Soi 17, 089-152-2677.

Free.

LOCO DICE & YAYA

Loco Dice underlines atmospheric house and techno with 90s hiphop grooves and brings along his tech-house apprentice, Yaya. Feb 17, 9pm. Glow, Sukhumvit Soi 23, 086-614-3355. B750.

SUGAR CLUB PRESENTS: THE CANDY SHOP

A sweet night at Sugar with a main act by DJ Mizz G, DJ Nicky, DJ Murf, MC G-Spark and The Next Level, accompanied by dance performances from the Sugar Babes. Feb 17, 10pm. Sugar Club, Sukhumvit Soi 11, 061-391-3111. Men B400 and women B300 includes 1 drink.

OMI

The Jamaican “Cheerleader” singer’s first live show in Bangkok. Tickets TBA. Feb 21, 9pm. Levels, Sukhumvit Soi 11, 082-308-3246.

GLOW FRIDAY W/ DAN BURI

MELA

Techno talents Dan Buri and Kuroten Music deliver grooves for your Friday night. Feb 16, 9:30pm. Glow, Sukhumvit Soi 23, 086-614-3355.

B250 includes 1 drink.

Bangkok’s favorite DJ collective feature Krit Morton and Kova O’ Sarin spinning techno and House at Glow.

Tickets TBA. Feb 21, 9pm. Glow, Sukhumvit 23, 086-614-3355.

SUNJU HARGUN B2B MAURICE SIMON

DJs Sunju Hargun and Maurice Simon play back-to-back techno and house. Feb 16, 12am. Beam, 72 Courtyard, Sukhumvit 55, 02 392 7750. Free.

WESTIN POOL PARTY - ANNIVERSARY SPECIAL

The Westin Grande is throwing a pool party for their 2nd anniversary.

Expect dancing, DJs, a saxophonist and pyrotechnics. Feb 17, 1pm. The Westin Grande, Sukhumvit Soi 19, 02-207-8000. B400 includes 1 drink.

BANGKOK PRODUCERS' MEETING DROPZONE FESTIVAL

An evening of workshops, performances and mingling for music producers. Feb 17, 6:30pm. Jam, 41 Charoen Rat Soi 1, 089-889-8059.

Free.

THE COMMONS 2ND BIRTHDAY BASH!

The Commons celbrates its 2nd birthday with Y.A.K, M.U.T and DJ

DZ002

Dropzone Festival presents another official pre-party event. Tickets TBA. Feb 22, 8pm. Violett, Thonglor Soi 10, 095-393-8858.

GLOW THURSDAY W/ DOTT

DOTT’s renowned baselines and groovy energetic melodies light up Glow. Feb 22, 9:30pm. Glow, Sukhumvit 23, 086-614-3355. B250 includes 1 drink.

VIOLETT TRIBALISM / SOI DOGS X SUNJU HARGUN

Inspired by the sounds of Africa, Tribalism drops beats and rhythms focused on drums and percussion.

Feb 23, 9pm. Violett, Thonglor Soi 10, 095-393-8858. Free.

FRANKY RIZARDO

Retox Sessions presents Dutch house DJ Franky Rizardo’s Bangkok debut. Feb 23, 9pm. Glow, Sukhumvit Soi 23, 086-614-3355. B250 includes 1 drink.

Mela

TLT PRESENTS INDECENT NOISE

Trance Lovers Thailand brings Indecent Noise, by the head man of Mental Asylum. Feb 23, 9pm.

Safe Room, Whiteline, Silom Soi 8, 087-061-1117. B500-700 includes 1 drink.

NVRST - NIGHT FLAMES

Neverest Records brings Katermukke, Lars Moston and Sabrina Mue, with support by Dan Buri. Feb 23, 9pm. De Commune, 1/F, Liberty Plaza, Sukhumvit Soi 55 (Thonglor), 061-717-4365. Free before 11pm.

B350 after.

TRANSPORT | OUISSAM [EQUATION, VIETNAM]

Transport invites Equation festival curator Ouissam to move the dance floor. Tickets TBA. Feb 23, 9pm.

12x12, Ekkamai Soi 19, 094-2604713.

SUNRISE HOUSE REVIVAL NIGHT

A House revival night featuring late'80s to early-'90s underground rave DJ Dr.Barnes. Feb 23, 10pm. Black Pagoda, 5 Patpong Soi 2. B199.

Tattoo Colour

TNT MUSIC FESTIVAL 2018

EDM, trap and hip-hop from DJs Lil Jon, Soda, Walshy Fire of Major Lazer, Clinton Sparks, Willy Monfret, Thaitanium and Bank Cash. Grab tickets at thaiticketmajor.com. Feb 17, 6pm. Bitec Bangna, Sukhumvit Rd. B2,200-3,500.

SRIRAJAH ROCKERS X DE COMMUNE

The dub-influenced indie rockers hit the stage. Feb 18, 9pm. De Commune, 1/F Liberty Plaza, Sukhumvit Soi 55 (Thonglor), 061-717-4365.

B300.

VENOM INC (UK) X RAGE (GER)

Two metal legends make their Bangkok debut alongside Nuclear Warfare and Bloodstone. Feb 19, 6pm. The Rock Pub, 93/26-28 Hollywood Street Building, Phayathai Rd., 099191-5666. B1,500-1,700.

TATTOO COLOUR X THAILAND PHILHARMONIC ORCHESTRA

Venom Inc

baton of 2013-2014 American Prize winner Thanaphon Setaphram. Grab tickets at bit.ly/2nN4QT2. Feb 23, 7pm. Prince Mahidol Hall, 999 Phuttamonthon 4 Rd, Salaya, Nakhon Pathom. B800-2,500.

THE LUCKY BLACK SUNSET

A night of indie pop sounds with headliners like The Black Skirts (Korea), Sunset Rollercoaster (Taiwan), Lucky Tapes (Japan) and Plastic Plastic (Thailand). Grab tickets at www. ticketmelon.com/event/theluckyblacksunset. Feb 24, 5pm. Voice Space, 197 BBD Building, Viphavadi Rangsit Rd. B1,600-1,800.

WAKE UP: NU METAL BACK TO SCHOOL

A day of metal rock featuring bands like Ebola, Annalynn, Bombattrack, Hopeless and Kungfu Allstar. Feb 24, 12pm. About Studio, Pradit Manutham Rd. B350.

Indie-pop meets classic under the

NAELECK

French EDM pioneer Naeleck hypes up Insanity. Feb 23, 10pm, Feb 24, 4pm. Insanity Nightclub, Sukhumvit Soi 11, 087-804-9542. Men B400 and women B300 includes 1 drink.

OUT OF TOWN Thaibreak Festival

MENDY INDIGO AT MUSTACHE

Bangkok’s own Mendy Indigo is supported by Mustache-resident DJ Sam Linden. Feb 23, 11pm. Mustache, 544/5 Ratchadaphisek Soi 7, 081-844-7080. Free.

HERE WE DANCE W. HEXER

Deep and dark techno sounds with Hexer. Tickets TBA. Feb 24, 8pm.

Sorry I'm Gay, Ratachada Train Night Market, Ratchadaphisek Rd., 099-339-9173.

GLOW SUNDAZE W/ BORIS RUBIN

Boris Rubin turns up dark deep house and tech house. Feb 25, 9:30pm. Glow, Sukhumvit Soi 23, 086-614-3355. Free before midnight. Then B250 includes 1 drink.

Eastern Thailand's sleepy island paradise of Koh Mak is gearing up to welcome the 20th edition of the electronic music festival Thaibreak. Across three full days and four nights, from Mar 22-26, 24 local and international DJs will take over the decks to spin techno, house and everything from sunrise to sunset. Alongside the festival's organizers, Germany's DJ Mathias Kaden and Thailand's DJ Superstar Panda, acts confirmed include international headliners Sonja Moonear (Switzerland) and Andre Galluzzi (Germany), and Bangkok nightlife sweethearts Mendy Indigo, Sarayu, Marmosets and NK Chan.

On top of party cruises, there will also be a variety of beach-related activities on offer. Festival tickets are on sale now at the early-bird price of B3,000 (rising to B3,500) from www.ticketmelon.com/event/thaibreak-festival-2018.

The organizers also offer accomodation and transportation services—see thaibreak-festival.com.

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now SCENE STEALER Pyra

GIGS

Shapeshifter

Ugoslabier

PISS OFF

WEST OF EAST LIVE

VISUAL&SOUND

Punk and hardcore from The Diehards, The Greed, Jimmy Revolt, Strive for Nothing, Land for Loners, Hate Monday, God Hates and Higher Learning. Feb 17, 6pm. Immortal Bar, Din Daeng Rd., 062-829-7854.

B200.

The band takes over Chang Cheum live house with the folk-rock sounds from their latest album, Western Music on Eastern Player . Feb 18, 6pm. Chang Chui, 460/8 Sirindhorn Rd., 081-817-2888. Free.

A live visual performance accompanied by live music from Velvet, Starfish and TELEx TELEXs. Feb 24, 6-10pm. Nineteens Up, Baan Silom, Silom Rd., 096-649-6919. B300.

"SHAPESHIFTER" AUDIO / VISUAL TRANSFORMATIONS

The masters of noisegrind from Japan showcase their new set alongside local talent Smallpox Aroma, Ruled Out, SeexSaw, Cadaver F*&Ker and Gum. Feb 20, 8pm. Jam, Charoen Rat Soi 1, 089-889-8059.

B200.

Thomas Ankersmit (Touch and PAN records) brings his experimental analog modular synthesizer sounds to Bangkok alongside local artists Tada Hengsapkul, Highlag and Voranat Voraphitak. Feb 18, 9pm.

De Commune, 1/F Liberty Plaza, Sukhumvit Soi 55 (Thonglor), 061717-4365. B200.

BIANCA GALLICE

The French vocalist is accompanied

by French pianist Thomas Duvigneau for a night of jazz. Feb 17, 9pm.

Foojohn Building, Charoenkrung Soi 31, 087-593-9973. Free.

SICKXFASTXRAW PT.2

DOOD/DEUM X LOYSHY *COUNTER CULTURE TRIP! #2

Japanese artists Yuji Katsui and Marron team up with local talents Popdub and Jia Pa Bor Sue to showcase their instrumental rock sounds.

Tickets TBA. Feb 22, 6pm. Loyshy, 744/2 Soi Phaya Nak, 085-0185575.

THE 5TH ELEMENT - AN ELEMENT THAT DEFINES OUR LIFE

Organizers Old School Party​ and Headbangkok present a rich lineup with Sleepingsheep,​Ghost Band, Kluaythai,​ Ugoslabier,​ Lasthoper​ and Ritalinn. Feb 24, 7pm-midnight.

De Commune, 1/F, Liberty Plaza, Sukhumvit Soi 55 (Thonglor), 061717-4365. B250.

IN YOUR STYLE 5: THE MOSH AWAKEN

A night of heavy rock with headliners World Not Bad, Monstercock, God Fried Bananas, At The Drown Pier and Illusion of Humanity. Feb 24, 2pm. Brownstone, Sukhumvit Soi 77, 085-483-7675. B150.

FESTIVAL KOLOUR IN THE PARK 2018

Kolour In the Park is back for a 2-day festival of music and art set against the scenic rice fields surrounding Thai Wake Park. On Feb 24 and Feb 25, choose between two music stages, each with an international line-up, lakes for wakeboarding and swimming, breathtaking art installations, gourmet food and creative markets that offer a variety of activities and workshops. Tickets are B1800 for a single-day pass or B2100-2300 for a pass that includes free-flow beer for one hour on Sat and two hours on Sun. Feb 24-25. Thai Wake Park, 18/4 Soi Sudsawas, Lieab Klong 6 Rd., 02-904-7722. B1,800-2,300

While rock and electro-pop dominate Bangkok’s indie scene, Peeralada Sukawat, aka Pyra, stands out for her distinctly Thai take on R&B. Following the release of her latest single, “White Lotus,” we spoke with the rising star about Buddhism's influence on her work and what’s in the pipeline.

What is the story behind “White Lotus”?

White Lotus is the first single from my upcoming EP, Better Human, which will be released in July. I borrowed the term “white lotus” from Buddha, who compared humans with four positions of the lotus. The white lotus is the fourth position, where it’s in bloom, just like a person who has achieved great knowledge and purity. However, as I try to portray in my music video, not everything is black and white. We are all living in shades of gray.

Is your EP going to be about Buddhism?

In a sense, but not in a boring or superstitious way. There’ll be some allegories and references to Buddha. I’m not going to sing about how to stay pure or anything like that. Music for me is like a global communication tool. I just want to create music that helps people make peace with themselves and live positively. Despite growing up in a religious family, I’ve just started to really study Buddhism. I saw my mother make merit at the temple because she hoped to get something good in return. But after spending time with Buddha’s words, I see Buddhism less as a religion and more as a way to live life peacefully and carefully.

Tell us about the “White Lotus” music video.

I want to present Thai culture and art through my work, which is in keeping with the meaning behind the song as well. This is the favorite of my three singles so far, because it’s so me: the music style, the message embedded in the lyrics and the direction of the music video. Everything about this single comes from me. However, the melody wouldn’t be so good without the help of [producers] Jaree Thanapura and Cyndi Seui.

What are the difficulties of releasing music these days?

I wouldn’t call them difficulties. Right now, it’s hard to go against music streaming. So instead of focusing on singles sales, I’m focusing on generating income from merchandise like tote bags and T-shirts.

What’s next for you?

TRACK OF THE WEEK

Hexthree - "Kon Non" All that BNK48 chatter? So Bangkok. Take it upstream to Nonthaburi, the setting for Hexthree’s “Kon Non” (people of Nonthaburi). The track’s a six-minute invitation, journey and ode to the quiet, near-provincialism of Bangkok’s neighbor, an atmosphere fluently rendered in the six-piece band’s dub sound. The song opens on brassy fanfare that rolls into an electronic echoing like a radio catching a signal. In the voice of the DJs of old: “This is the sound of Hexthree of Nonthaburi, here to bring happiness to our brothers and sisters.” What follows in smooth brass, bass and drums is an invocation of the town’s icons, like the 50-year-old Fiat 500 taxi, the bustling Soi Sirichai and the 500-year-old village of Baan Talat Kwan, interrupted by a nostalgic trombone solo and more electronic warbling. Succumbed to the sound of Non? Catch Hexthree live on Mar 29 at De Commune (1/F, Liberty Plaza, Sukhumvit Soi 55 [Thonglor], 061-717-4365). Listen to their songs at www.fb.com/H3xthree. Neon Boon-

I’ll release a new single, “Let It Go,” in the first week of April. No shows for now, but probably a few music festivals at the end of the year. I want to fully focus on making this EP right now. Outside of recording, I’m also organizing a couple of things to bring the indie music community closer together. The first is Drink Artists, a small social gathering of artists, entrepreneurs and promoters that’s all about sharing ideas. The second is Karma X [www.fb.com/karmax. co], an online platform for artist merchandise where we take care of the production and sales process free of charge.

Who are your favorite artists?

I listen to many artists including [British R&B singer] FKA Twigs, but I don’t have any favorites. I feel like if I idolize someone I’m afraid that there’ll be some part of that artist’s influence on my work. I want to come up with music that is really based on me.

Where do you go to see live performances?

I don’t really go out at night to see live bands at bars or nightclubs. I don’t like the atmosphere. But I go to Beam sometimes for DJ sets.

Hear more at www.onlypyra.com

yadhammakul

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now FILM Opening (Feb 15)

ART

Kanzero Exhibition

LADY BIRD (USA)

Comedy/Drama. This Oscar-nominated, coming-of-age film follows a teenager’s tumultuous relationship with her mother.

Cross Over by Peddy Pot

CROSS OVER BY PEDDY POT

KANZERO EXHIBITION

An exhibition showcasing different forms of art from graphic to contemporary dance and textile design by Japanese collective artists Akima Shiori, Tsubakimoto Takuya, Kato Kiyoshi, Hotta Sari, Kinjyou Yuuka, Muramatsu Fumika, Nagata Masato, Yua Yamabara, Irie Yuyu, Yokoyama Kaito, A!chi* and Yoshioa Norie. Feb 17-24. Sathorn 11 Art Space, 404 Sathorn Soi 11, 02004-1199. Free.

A digital art exhibition by Wataboku examining the subcultures of Japanese and Thai teenagers though school uniforms. Feb 24, 5pm. The Jam Factory, 41/1-5 Charoen Nakorn Rd., 02-861-0950. Free.

MAYBE TOMORROW - EXHIBITION BY APIWAT BANLER

BLACK PANTHER (USA)

Action. Wakanda’s new king fights to prove himself worthy to the throne and the title of Black Panther.

THE BROKEN LADDER

MALILA: THE FAREWELL FLOWER (THAI)

LOVE RAIN (THAI)

Drama. The owner of a jasmine garden is reunited with a lover from his youth.

Horror. A ghost sets out on a journey of vengeance.

MONSTER HUNT 2 (CHINA)

Wantanee Siripattananuntakul examines Thai society’s inequalities through the lens of housing rights. Feb 25-Mar 31. Gallery Ver, 2198/10-11 Narathiwas Soi 22, 02-103-4067. Free.

Action/Fantasy. Monster baby Wuba is back, here trying to escape his pursuers in the monster world.

An art exhibition that captures issues from around the world, including Thailand’s own inequality. Feb 23, 7pm.

Cho Why, Soi Nana 17. Free.

Upcoming (Feb 22)

SALES & FAIRS BAOBEI FESTIVAL

The fair promises food, art and crafts from local brands. Feb 15-18. Chang Chui, 460/8 Sirindhorn Rd. Free.

THE KNACK MARKET

The riverside market returns with organic food, art and crafts from local designers along live music. Feb 24-25. The Jam Factory, 41/1-41/2 Charoen Nakorn Rd., 02861-0950.

The Knack Market

PARMANU (INDIA)

HICHKI (INDIA)

Action/Drama/History. The story of the Indian Army’s nuclear bomb experiments in a northwest Indian state in 1998.

Drama. Adapted from Hollywood’s Front of the Class (2008), the story of a teacher who uses her Tourette syndrome as an inspiring life lesson for her students.

SPECIAL SCREENINGS

GUARDIANS OF THE TOMB (AUSTRALIA/CHINA)

Action. Starring Li Bingbing, the story of Chinese tomb explorers who must escape a swarm of deadly spiders.

MOLLY’S GAME (USA)

Crime/Drama. Based on the true story of a former-Olympic athlete who ran a high-stakes, underground poker empire.

ALL THE MONEY IN THE WORLD (USA)

Thriller. Directed by Ridley Scott, a film about the kidnap and ransom of a billionaire’s grandson.

PHANTOM THREAD (USA) DOC+TALK 12 : TOKYO IDOLS

NUE GAB NHANG

Documentary Club hosts a screening of the documentary Tokyo Idols, which uses the story of aspiring pop star Rio to examine the interplay between urban loneliness, digital fandom and a subcultural obsession with young female sexuality. Screenings are at 1:30pm and 3:15pm, followed by a discussion at 5pm.

Thong Lor Art Space will host a screening of independent filmmaker Santi Taepanich’s latest documentary Nue Gab Nhang (Flesh and Bone) every weekend this month. The documentary follows the making of fellow filmmaker Pen-Ek Rattanarueng’s already meta-fictional film, Samui Song. Screenings start at 2pm, 5pm and 8pm. Seats are limited. For reservations, visit www.fb.com/Thonglorartspace.

Feb 17, 1:30pm. Auditorium, 5/F, BACC, Rama 1 Rd., 02-2146630. B100.

WINCHESTER (USA)

Horror. Inspired by the true story of Sarah Winchester, a firearm heiress who built a labyrinthine mansion to keep vengeful ghosts at bay.

Drama. Director Paul Thomas Anderson teams up with Daniel Day-Lewis for the actor’s last film, about a dressmaker who falls in love with a young woman.

Feb 17,18,24,25. Thong Lor Art Space, 58/14-15 Sukhumvit Soi 55 (Thonglor), 095-924-4555. B69.

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