It is this time of the year diners should grab an outdoor table, enjoy a slight winter breeze, and savour a taste of the good life at one of the five MICHELIN-recommended restaurants in Bangkok introduced below. The five destinations offer unique experiences and serve different cuisines — from authentic Thai and Italian to French with Japanese twist, but their alfresco spaces offer laid-back vibes and top-notch food to match.
Nahm
One MICHELIN star, MICHELIN Guide Thailand 2020
Escape the streets of Bangkok and enter a luxurious, fine-dining restaurant hidden in Hotel Metropolitan by COMO. Restaurant Nahm (pictured in banner) is atmospheric, set in a low light, honeyed glow, and decorated with rusty-red brick-stepped columns reminiscent of Ayutthaya temples and reclaimed Thai teak wood used for the flooring. The lush, stylish open-air terrace overlooking the swimming pool is equipped with finely crafted chairs and teak dining tables, perfect to indulge in vistas while savoring Nahm’s curated selection of avant-garde set menus.
Head chef Pim Techamuanvivit has created a variety of wee bites and larger dishes that showcases authentic Thai flavors. But don’t expect fancy molecular dishes or fusion flourishes as Nahm goes back to basics and comfort foods, serving up rice, curries and relish with vegetables not often seen in contemporary, fine-dining restaurant. Chef Pim believes in quality and she goes extra mile to discover the best and freshest ingredients from local farmers – such as Suphanburi’s organic green rice and locally produced fish sauce from three different sources.
A recommended dish at Nahm is Ngob Talay — grilled banana leaf packet of chunks of lump crabmeat, wild prawn and red grouper fish in spicy, home-made red curry paste. Served with rice crackers, the Thai-style curry souffle offers sweet and succulent crab meat and a balance of flavours and texture. Gang Nue Yang Kab Kluay Dib — grilled wagyu beef curry with unripe bananas — is rich and creamy yet spicy enough to satisfy.
Elements
One MICHELIN star, MICHELIN Guide Thailand 2020
Located on the 25th floor of the Okura Prestige Hotel, Elements is a sophisticated outdoor hideaway with stunning skyline views of central Bangkok. Head here for its refreshing signature cocktails such as Sakura Martini and Pineapple Sake Cooler and enjoy a pleasant winter breeze while watching the blue sky turn pastel shades of orange, pink and purple over the city.
With fresh warm bread to start, be it a soba baguette, a mini croissant or a Hokkaido Milk Bamboo Charcoal bun, served with smoked nori miso butter and scrumptious unsalted butter, Elements presents top-quality, innovative tasting menus. Elements serves two set menus – six-course Ta-ke and seven-course Matsu — which evolve based on seasonality of ingredients flown in from around the world and Chef Hans Zahner’s inspiration. His delicate, produce-driven menu is a well-cultivated fusion of refined French cooking techniques with Japanese twist. Each dish, from amuse bouche to dessert, effortlessly champions both countries, creating a surprising dining experience.
Seasonal dishes include Hokkaido scallops roasted and served with confit of kombu seaweed and a clam broth; a Norwegian cod poached in a bonito broth, served with winter turnip and komatsuna mustard spinach; and succulent grilled wagyu beef from Miyazaki served with nutritious artichoke-like gobo root and nameko. Finish with Japanese Pebbles made from Tannea milk chocolate cremeaux with iced blackcurrant and musk melon.
Theo Mio
MICHELIN Plate, MICHELIN Guide Thailand 2020
Located in the heart of vibrant and busy Ratchaprasong area, Theo Mio at InterContinental Bangkok is a lively and effortlessly cool Italian restaurant, home for pasta, pizza and other comforting classics. Owned and operated by British celebrity chef Theo Randall, the restaurant boasts a large bar and the inviting main dining room features a modern open kitchen, where the chef makes pasta and pizza dough fresh on-site daily.
Best enjoyed with a group of friends and family, Theo Mio is the kind of restaurant you will regularly re-visit, not only for creamy Burrata with slow cooked red peppers and Chef Theo’s signature pappardelle with slow cooked wagyu beef cheek. Seasonal dishes and hearty classics are composed with the “Best of Italy” produce. His philosophy is to use top-quality local ingredients, hand-picked Italian produce and retain their natural colour, aroma and superior flavour.
Theo Mio comes with a lush alfresco patio where you can enjoy dazzling decorations and twinkling lights that adorn the tree-lined street in front of the restaurant. Lay back and relax into one of the many comfy blue padded chairs and enjoy people watching while sipping Aperol Spritz or refreshing Villa Sparina.
Scarlett Wine Bar & Restaurant
MICHELIN Plate, MICHELIN Guide Thailand 2020
From its prime Silom location, Scarlett is a luxe escape from the bustle of traffic and office workers on the streets below. The upscale bistro-style restaurant on the 37th floor of Pullman Bangkok Hotel G offers both indoor and alfresco dining, as well as a panoramic view of glittering Bangkok skyline and the Chao Phraya River. It’s an ideal location for drinks in the sky with friends or to celebrate a special occasion.
Scarlett serves up classic French fare with modern flair, featuring charcoal-grilled meats, premium cold cuts and cheese, and an extensive wine list. Highlights include Australian wagyu steak dry-aged for four to six weeks for ultimate tenderness and rich flavour. On the menu you will also find hearty favourites like French onion soup, escargots and duck confit.
Err
Bib Gourmand, MICHELIN Guide Thailand 2020
In Thai, Err means “OK”, “yes” or “oh yeah,” and it is the name of Bo.Lan’s sister restaurant, a trendy, casual street-food eatery located in a Chinese shophouse near Wat Pho and the Grand Palace. Run by Bangkok’s best-known chef couple, Duangporn "Bo" Songvisava and Dylan Jones, Err is small and quaint, yet rustic and modern. With exposed-brick decor, vivid-colored vintage posters about Thailand, and a pillar adorned with colorful strips of cloth, it is a pleasant and colourful place to eat authentic Thai food and drink boozy cocktails.
Err features simple but innovative Thai favourites with a focus on fresh ingredients. The menu is labelled by several cooking methods from preserved, pickled and charcoal grill, to crunchy and crisp, wok wok (stir fry) and clay pot (boil and bake). Err's “urban rustic Thai food” is designed to be enjoyed with drinks. Nang Kai Tort — deep-fried chicken skin with home-made Sriracha hot sauce; Neam — grilled northern style garlic and sticky rice cured pork; and Met Tang Mor — freshly toasted watermelon seeds with kaffir lime leaves, are a few of the rare Thai dishes that make Err’s rustic cuisine a unique experience. Spend a relaxing winter time on its outdoor patio, enjoy a drink in hand, and nibble on some tasty snacks Err has to offer.
Banner image: COMO Metropolitan Bangkok
