After several iterations, name changes and relocations, Madame K Kitchen & Bar finds a new home near Soi Nana, Bangkok Chinatown's hip district.
The brainchild of Singaporean-Thai couple Gavin Koh and Khae Priscilla started, more than 10 years ago, as a table by the name of Eats Payao at K Village's Farmers Market, selling jin som mok kai and khao soi, as day-one patrons might remember. They later opened brick-and-mortar restaurants in Bangkok before relocating to Chiang Mai for a while and eventually returning home.
The good news is that long-time patrons can still get old favourites from their Eats Payao era while Madame K also gives them something new to try. Located in an alley near the Chao Chit Sia Ma shrine, Madame K gives off a slightly mysterious and lived-in vibe, befitting a long, intimate dinner that goes into late night with drinks in hand.
The Andy Warhol-esque portraits of the namesake madame pop out of the red wall, which has partially exposed bricks to keep the vibe casual and hideout-ey. Malaysian comedian Nigel Ng, who's better known as his persona Uncle Roger, also gave his approval at a former location during his visit to Bangkok for a stand-up comedy. The picture of which you would come across while on your way to the toilet upstairs.
They kicked off 2026 with a new menu, featuring northern Thai cuisine, other Asian flavours, as well as a few outside-the-box creations. Larb taco, anyone?
Four balls of Pani puri seafood medley from the Starters page simply burst with flavours and textures. Ikura, delicate crabmeat, red onion, coriander and more are beautifully packed inside crispy rice balls.
Every spoonful of Northern Thai larb tuna tartare from the same section isn't quite the same sensation as you simply dig into a mélange of cubed tuna, veggies and herbs. The very fragrant and numbing effect of makhwaen berries came through as per northern-style Thai larb. Refreshing and savoury.
Grilled beef with spicy green chilli and tomato dip is a very succulent main, featuring two northern chilli pastes, namely nam prik noom and nam prik ong. Both complemented the medium-rare slices alongside a side of crisp veggies and house-made pickle.
Grilled red snapper in sour and spicy curry is another highlight. The thick fillet is perfectly cooked with crispy skin on top and a smoky touch, sitting above umami yellow sauce.
For something smoky and to really sink your teeth into, Char-grilled squid in Madame K's signature should do the trick. The squid was slightly chewy, giving off a bouncy feeling when chewed.
Their six versions of khao soi get a menu page of their own, as they should. You can go with the traditional choice, served with chicken thigh, or the luxurious take with crabmeat.
Madame K also takes their drink department seriously. With the concept of "Shanghai Noir", drink connoisseurs can find creative cocktails inspired by real-life Chinese public figures from a bygone era. The drinks are created by Italian mixologist Francesco Moretti. I won't spoil the stories behind each drink or who inspires which concoction. It's better for you to turn the menu pages and discover them yourself.
