Thailand’s biggest annual festival, Songkran, took place during the hot season in mid-April, when Thais splashed water over each other to cool themselves down. This holiday is the traditional Thai New Year, and at this time people go home to visit their families and celebrate, much like Christmas in the West. Throughout the month of April, the focus of the whole nation is on traditional culture, including food, so it is the ideal time to enjoy authentic Thai cuisine in a time-honored atmosphere.
Get extra-time into the joyful spirit of this unforgettable festival with enticing privileges from Citi credit card which can be found at http://citi.asia/2G59svV.
Here are seven Thai restaurants recommended in the Michelin Guide that offer special deals exclusively for Citi credit card members.
Baan Phadthai
Set in a converted shophouse, Baan Phadthai retains the charm of an old, traditional Thai house with lots of woodwork in the interior, while also creating a vibrant resonance with its light blue paint. The restaurant is very particular about produce selection, from insisting on organic Chinese kale for the Chinese kale wrap appetizer to picking out only female blue swimmer crabs for a noodle dish from Chantaburi.
At the heart of the kitchen, chef Sujira “Aom” Pongmorn whips up a pad Thai sauce using 18 different ingredients to create several layers of complexity in the dish, as well as preparing her own dried shrimp and toasted sticky rice powder. Crab fat is the secret to the balanced and flavorful pad Thai, especially the crab option for which one whole blue swimmer crab goes in the stir-fried noodles, and its shell sits on top.
Baan Phadthai - 21-23 Soi Charoenkrung 44, 02-060-5553, Open Mon-Sun 11 A.M.-10 P.M
Chon
Beautifully decked out in a teak wood house, Chon echoes the beauty of its host hotel The Siam, and is steeped in a warm and welcoming ambience. Chef Damri Muksombat helms the kitchen, his wide experience including a post as executive chef. On the menu at Chon (Thai for ‘spoon’), you can find many classic Thai dishes, including tom kha gai (coconut soup with chicken, galangal and lemongrass), pad kaprao (stir-fried chicken or pork with holy basil), massaman curry as well as noodle dishes like pad Thai and khao soi (egg noodles in yellow curry).
Although they are all familiar dishes, chef Damri manages to give them a new twist regularly. For example, the grilled braised pork ribs are currently made with a marinade of 17 ingredients that includes longan honey.
Chon - The Siam Hotel, 3/2 Khao Road, 02-206-6999, Open Mon-Sun 6-11 A.M., noon-3 P.M., 6-10:30 P.M.
Err
Though more casual than its sister restaurant Bo.lan, this eatery in Bangkok’s old town still follows chefs Duangporn “Bo” Songvisava’s and Dylan Jones’s firm philosophy of using only top-quality ingredients. Unlike the sophisticated set menu at Bo.lan, Err serves ‘urban rustic’ food—Thai-style nibbles and small dishes made to enjoy with drinks. In-house preserved food takes the main stage here, including Northern- and Northeastern-style sausages, several kinds of pickled vegetables, salted mackerel and sun-dried pork.
Thai street food is also presented according to the chefs’ high standards, such as moo ping (pork skewers), chicken satay, grilled pork neck and the playfully-named ‘chicken movie’ a deep-fried whole baby chicken skin served with homemade chili sauce. For something a little heavier, there are also a few stir-fries and curries on the menu. The drinks menu highlights various Thai spirits, which you can order as shots or mixed in a Thai-inspired cocktail. Try ‘The Err’, made with Chalong Bay Rum, passion fruit and chili.
Err - 394/35 Maharaj Road, 02-622-2291, Open Tuesday-Sunday 11 A.M.-10 P.M.
Khua Kling + Pak Sod
This is one of the most talked-about restaurants in Bangkok for Southern Thai food. From humble beginnings, Khua Kling Pak Sod has become a real foodie’s favorite, thanks to the bold, spicy flavors that form the foundation of this regional cuisine.
The Southern-Thai native owner inherited the recipes from her family in Tha Sae, Chumphon and serves them up as she would at home. Recommended dishes are the namesake khua kling moo sub (stir-fried minced pork with Southern chili paste)—which is so spicy you’ll need some ‘pak sod’ (fresh vegetables) to lower the heat—and other southern specialties like stir-fried stink beans with shrimps, stewed pork belly, yellow curry, crab curry and stir-fried liang leaves with egg.
Khua Kling + Pak Sod - 98/1 Soi Sukhumvit 53, 02-185-3977, Open Mon-Sun 11.00 A.M. - 2:30 P.M., 5:30-9:30 P.M.
Patara
Named after the S&P group’s chairperson Patara Sila-On, Patara first opened its doors on Sydney Street in London, where resounding success led to the opening of more locations in the UK, and now they have established a base in the homeland. The thoughtfully designed interior features fine fabrics, beautiful woodcarvings and curated paintings.
Instead of presenting straightforward, classic fare, Patara takes an innovative approach to Thai cuisine, resulting in a menu that strikes a balance between traditional dishes and more playful interpretations, using fresh, seasonal produce. Signature dishes include crab meat sauteed in yellow curry, braised beef in coconut and mint sauce, and aubergine salad with caviar vinaigrette—all showcasing Patara’s creativity in mixing ingredients and matching forms, while remaining true to Thai flavors.
Patara - 375 Soi Thonglor 19, Sukhumvit 55, 02-185-2960, Open Mon-Sun 11:30 A.M. -2:30 P.M., 6:00 -11:00 P.M
Ruen Mallika
Step into the 200-year-old traditional Thai teak house of Ruen Mallika and you’ll find a warm atmosphere that takes you straight back to the Siam of yesteryear. The restaurant serves traditional Thai food, so you can expect beautifully carved vegetables and fruit as part of the dish. The menu lists more than 100 dishes, from Thai classics like tom yum kung and green curry to stir-fries and relishes, as well as the signature long dish of deep-fried assorted flowers with a sweet chili dip.
Ruen Mallika also takes traditional Thai dining a step further with the “perb mue” offer, in which guests are invited to enjoy their meal as Thai people did in the past. This means using your hands to eat, and you can also opt to take it to another level by dressing up in traditional costume, sitting on cushions on the floor around a low table, and dining from shared plates.
Ruen Mallika - 189 Soi Sukhumvit 22, 02-663-3211, Open Mon-Sun noon- 11.00 P.M.
Sala Rim Naam
The Mandarin Oriental’s signature Thai restaurant, Sala Rim Naam, has provided a benchmark in traditional Thai cuisine for decades. Imagine taking a ferry across the Chao Phraya River and stepping into a grand, richly decorated pavilion. Once inside, you can enjoy a spectacular Thai dance show, performed every evening, while dining on a perfectly prepared set of Thai dishes, including “chor muang” (crab-meat dumplings), stir-fried blue river prawn with chili jam and tom yum kung prawn soup.
Another option is to eat in the adjacent open-air lounge, where a superb view of the river contributes to an extraordinary dining experience. The à la carte menu features tempting dishes like grilled eggplant salad with prawn and boiled egg, spicy seafood and lemongrass salad, and massaman curry with chicken.
Sala Rim Naam - 48 Oriental Avenue, 02-659-9000, Open Mon-Sun noon-2:30 P.M., 7:00-10:30 P.M., closed on Wed from 1 April-30 September
At these top-notch restaurants, you can experience Thai flavors presented in different ways, ranging from dishes inspired by street food to royal cuisine. The vibrant and complex tastes are just waiting for you to try. And of course, Citi credit card members also enjoy exclusive privileges at these restaurants.
For more information on Citi credit cards, please visit: www.citibank.co.th
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