Dine under the (Michelin) stars in Bangkok

paste seasonal fruit platter with pineapple, pandanus, lemongrass sorbet, wood apple and calamansi lime coulis served with crispo kao hang

Start musing about your favourite experiences in Bangkok and food will undoubtedly be high on the list. Award-winning travel writer Helen Hayes shares 10 places to try – all with Michelin stars.

R. Haan *2 Michelin Stars

Thai cuisine has a rich history, a real ‘wisdom’ that intertwines the secrets of Siam’s food traditions with modern techniques and the meshing of cultures. It is still undeniably Thai. One of the best places to experience this is R. Haan, which means “something consumed for sustenance’ in Thai. Headed up by Chumpol Jangprai, R. Haan is inspired by an old Thai poem which translates as ‘In the river, there are fish; in the rice field there is rice’. His menus are based on authentic recipes and he uses the same ingredients found in the originals.

R Haan Interior

Sorn * 2 Michelin Stars

It is all about the south at Sorn, with chef owners Supaksorn Jongsiri (Khun Ice) and Yodkwan U-Pumpruk focusing on long lost recipes and cuisine from their home region. The restaurant is in an old house with ingredients sustainably sourced from farmers and fishermen. Most dishes are slow cooked; even the soup is double boiled over six hours.

Jay Fai *1 Star

It is not common to find a street food vendor with a Michelin star, but Jay Fai is anything but common. The lipstick wearing Jay Fai still cooks on charcoal, just like her father did, and conjures up dishes like crab curries and crab omelette while wearing ski goggles. The omelette is legendary and long queues outside the door are customary. 

Canvas *1 Star

A rarity in Bangkok, Canvas is the brainchild of Chef Riley Sanders. Riley hails from Texas and his travels as a chef brought him to Bangkok in 2013. He fell in love with Bangkok and after more visits, started planning Canvas. Diners love to sit at the counter to watch the chefs in action as they prepare the nine-course tasting menus.

Table 38 *1 Star

Table 38 is a chef’s table experience with one 10-seat communal table allowing diners to watch and interact with Chef Andy Yang and his team. The goal of Table 38 is to show the possibilities of Thai cuisine – “using today’s knowledge to tell yesterday’s story”. Choose from five dining experiences from an introduction, up to the ultimate 44 course Chef Andy Yang Experience.

Sühring *2 Stars

A villa restored by German twins Mathias and Thomas Sühring has been winning rave reviews ever since it opened. The twins learned the traditional German techniques from their grandparents, and they have been brought to life with love at this now two-starred establishment. Diners choose to sit in the dining room, winter garden or at the kitchen counter.

Mezzaluna *2 Stars

You’ll be starstruck by the view from the 65th floor of the Lebua Hotel and the incredible dining experience at Mezzaluna. Chef Ryuki Kawasaki lets the fresh Japanese ingredients shine, preparing them with classic French cooking techniques. The seven-course set menu changes with the seasons, except for the ‘Exceptional Murakami’ dish, a wagyu beef dish from his hometown in Niigata Prefecture.

Upstairs *1 Star

Upstairs was first awarded a star in 2018 and has kept it since thanks to Chef Dan Bark.  Dan’s delightful 10-course tasting menu is a blend of Progressive American cuisine with each dish a mixture of techniques and ingredients not restricted by geography and with no boundaries of flavour combinations. The dishes are complemented by selections of craft beer, cider, mead and wines.

Paste *1 Star

Everything about Paste is striking, from the spiral sculpture made from silk cocoons, to the beautiful curved booths and of course the food. With chef and co-owner Bongkoch “Bee” Satongun at the helm – she was crowned Asia’s Best Female Chef in 2018 – diners adore the menu of shared dishes inspired by Royal Thai cuisine using traditional cooking techniques. With Satongun’s husband, Jason Bailey, hailing from the Southern Highlands of NSW, the dynamic duo recently opened an offshoot of Paste in Mittagong.

Saawaan’ *1 Star

Meaning ‘Heaven’ in Thai, Saawaan lives up to its name. Chef de Cuisine and owner Sujia ‘Aom’ Pongmorn, takes diners on a creative journey through 10 courses of authentic Thai cuisine.  Ingredients are locally sourced, including squid from a small fishermen’s village in Krabi. The dining experience is enhanced by Chef Patisserie, Arisara ‘Paper’ Chongphanitkul, who was the first Thai chef to compete in the Ladies World Pastry Championships.

Phuket’s best food adventures

Floating in the Andaman Sea off Thailand’s coast, Phuket lures you in with its white sand beaches and ancient temples, but you’ll stick around for the food. In between shaking the sand from your sandals and admiring Wat Chalong, your nose will catch the scent of banana pancakes and noodle soup that wafts through the air. Food is everywhere during a Phuket holiday—nibble by nibble, you can try it all with just a few dollars and a big appetite. We asked the travel experts at Expedia Australia to recommend the best Phuket food adventures… Continue reading “Phuket’s best food adventures”

Boy Eats World meets Thailand food blogger Mark Weins

There’s only one thing Mummy Travel Blogger Aleney De Winter loves more than food and travel: her kids. Luckily for Aleney, her son Rafferty shares her passion for food (and travel), so when he met Thailand food blogger Mark Wiens, he had a lot of questions to ask. Raffles interviewed Mark for Aleney’s blog: Boy Eats World. Continue reading “Boy Eats World meets Thailand food blogger Mark Weins”

From Hua Hin to Bangkok with Not Quite Nigella

Thainess(ence) discovered in Trang and Nakhon Si Thammarat

Aussies have always loved Thailand but with new destinations and attractions there is even more to enjoy and explore, as Traveltalk magazine’s Jenny Rowland recently discovered.

This year, Tourism Thailand is urging travellers to look beyond the standard beach and partying delights and to delve a little deeper into the true essence of Thailand. Namely, the rich history and culture, ancient traditions, wonderful hospitality and the ubiquitous smiling Thai welcome.

Continue reading “Thainess(ence) discovered in Trang and Nakhon Si Thammarat”