1. Khao
One of our best nights in Bangkok was when we spontaneously decided to walk into a Michelin restaurant and happen to get a table without even having made a reservation. They were polite and despite being busy managed to find us a table. “Khao” in Thai means “rice” which is such an essential ingredient in the Thai cuisine, creating the foundation of many dishes. The love and thoroughness with which their dishes are crafted become visible in the details of each meal. Everything is prepared from fresh, premium ingredients and you can get all of this for such an affordable price. Unfortunately, I overestimated my ability to eat spicy food and had struggles eating my dish - don’t do the same mistake. Will I return? Most definitely, because I feel missed out on the delicious dishes due to an overestimation of eating spicy.
2. Lobby Lounge - Sindhorn Kempinski Hotel
If there’s an afternoon tea in town, you can bet, I’ll not miss out on a chance for indulging in these delightful treats. There are many opportunities to spoil yourself to a great afternoon tea in Bangkok and one of the many is the Lobby Lounge. Despite our reservation for an afternoon tea, they didn’t happen to have the vegan version available that very day, and so we opted for a regular late lunch instead; it was nevertheless absolutely mouthwatering, and the staff did their very best throughout our stay to make up for this confusion, amongst other with a free of charge vegan dessert. We were lucky enough to witness the afternoon tea at a table nearby, and the presentation of it was spectacular to say the least. I have tried many different variations of the afternoon tea, but this one took my breath away and made me even more regret what I had been missing out on.
3. Ama - Pad Thai Kratong Thong
Our first casual Thai lunch in Bangkok I remember well – it was after spending the first half of the day visiting the Grand Palace and Wat Phra Kaew and before pursuing the next temple, we found ourselves in desperate need for a break. Nearby the waterfront on the way to visit Wat Arun across the river, is where you will find this little, local gem. We were lucky enough to visit during this tiny time frame with one free table left. Except for that, this place was busy at all times which only means one thing – great food for affordable prices. The service at this place was terrific. Inside this chic, rustic open-air space they have no air-condition and provided a bowl of ice instead to cool ourselves down. Our dishes came unexpectedly fast, and we dearly enjoyed our first Thai lunch. Our helplessness must have been written all over our faces, which is why the owner showed us how to eat the dish properly with the accompanying extras. Should you find yourself standing in line in front of this restaurant waiting for a table – the queue is worth it.