Bangkok is a city that never sleeps, at least in the food and beverage department. Blink and you’ll miss another new restaurant opening, a drink launch, or a new nightclub. Guru By Bangkok Post is making sure that even if you blink, you don’t miss out on the new taste tinglers that are worth mentioning, in Bangkok and beyond.
Kōkulabo Bangkok
Kōkulabo in Siam Pathumwan House, is a modern izakaya that blends classic Japanese traditions with a contemporary approach.
Inspired by kōku, the lingering depth and complexity of great food, the open kitchen treats tradition as a starting point, not a limit. Familiar Japanese dishes are reimagined with subtle creativity, while the beverage programme encourages guests to discover new favourites alongside their meal.
The dining room is divided into counter seating at the open kitchen, cosy booths, tables for friends and private dining spaces. The drinks menu is crafted by Bobby Carey and Tom Hogan of Studio Ryecroft and offers more than 45 different Japanese whiskies and sakes, a collection of small producer wines and shochus, and a beer list with offerings normally only found in Japan, like a chestnut shochu. The Japanese-inspired cocktails and highballs, such as the Umami Spritz, is made with a Japanese gin, sparkling sake, dry vermouth mixed with kombu and the brightness of a cherry tomato.
But let's get to the main event. I wouldn't necessarily classify Kōkulabo as an izakaya, but more of a modern Japanese restaurant because the menu offers bits and bobs from all over the Japanese cuisine spectrum. The kitchen is led by chef Wacharun "Run" Imarramsak, a veteran chef whose love of all things Japanese has driven him on a lifelong exploration of techniques and philosophies across Japan and Asia. Chef Run's motto of “flavour first, driven by quality of ingredients and technique" is apparent throughout the menu.
Signature dishes include the Olive salmon, an appetiser is made by lightly searing the salmon, skin on. Chef Run then marinates the fish overnight in a soy and olive oil base and serves it topped with grainy mustard and a lemon slice. The Ebi karaage offers an alternative to the chicken karaage at all izakayas. Using potato starch and corn starch to create a crunch, a touch of cumin is added for flavour.
Undoubtedly, one of the stars is the The Crunch Roll. Chef Run’s interpretation sees him taking a small bit of crispy rice and enoki mushrooms in a roll that is deep fried and then topped with a mixture of tuna, salmon, sea bream and black pepper mayo to create a flavour and texture combination that is perfect for sake. Hot tip: Order a full plate, simply because a half's not enough. The second star would be the Maguro Kimchi, which has so much umami, you'll be dying for more.
Beef saikoro chahan is a refined take on fried rice. Chef Run uses a special wok technique to create a slightly crispy rice which is finished with Hokkaido butter and Japanese F1 steak. Grilled Japanese okra is added as the final component to cut through the richness of the dish,, and who doesn't love grilled okra?!
If this restaurant was closer to my place, I'd be there weekly. It is that good!
The Magic Table
A captivating new experience has arrived at Grand Hyatt Erawan Bangkok. "The Magic Table" is a a theatrical dinner experience that transforms an ordinary meal into visual storytelling and fine dining through immersive 3D projection technology.
An interactive culinary adventure, diners are not merely spectators, they become part of the performance. Throughout a five-course menu, the table comes to life with optical illusions, dynamic lighting and sound, and interactive elements. Each course presents a new chapter within a larger narrative, enhanced by visual effects. Diners are invited to complete small tasks or make choices as they progress through the experience.
There are four Western five-course set menus to choose from, each incorporating refined touches of Italian, Japanese and Thai cuisine. Highlights include premium ingredients such as tuna tartare, black truffle and tiger prawn. A vegetarian menu is also available, along with a kids’ menu featuring dishes like chicken magic noodles, fish with mashed potatoes and croquettes. The meal concludes with a sweet finale of ice cream fully loaded with decadent toppings.
The experience is digitally hosted by The Clairvoyants, an Austrian illusionist duo from Season 11 of America’s Got Talent. Available from Wednesday to Sunday.
Torien Rooftop and Bar
Pattaya Marriott Resort and Spa on Jomtien Beach has opened Torien Rooftop and Bar, a modern izakaya and rooftop bar.
Torien Rooftop and Bar is designed under a concept that blends traditional Japanese charcoal grilling arts with contemporary expression, targeting tastemakers with distinct lifestyles and social diners. The venue is divided into two main experience zones: the Restaurant Zone, where cultural symbols like Japanese lanterns (chochin) are reinterpreted to create a warm and intimate atmosphere through lighting; and the Rooftop Bar Zone, an open-air space embracing panoramic views of the Pattaya sea.
Every dish is crafted for sharing and sparking flavourful conversation, featuring a seasonal sharing-style menu served alongside meticulously selected sakes and highballs. One of the highlight menus is Wagyu katsu sando, featuring breaded Wagyu tenderloin complemented by house-made katsu sauce, caramelised onion and lumpfish caviar.
Valrhona
Valrhona has launched "Matcha Inspiration", the world’s first matcha couverture chocolate, crafted in collaboration with L’École Valrhona Tokyo.
Matcha Inspiration combines first-harvest matcha from Kagoshima, Japan with cocoa butter to achieve the texture and performance of a couverture chocolate. Valrhona’s signature production process preserves matcha’s natural colour and aromatic complexity, minimising oxidation and ensuring a smooth, stable texture that performs flawlessly across applications.
With its refined green hue, smooth 15-micron texture and balanced flavour profile, Matcha Inspiration is suited for bonbons, pastries, plated desserts and confections, pairing well with ingredients such as coconut, black sesame, strawberry, rice and red bean.
Bar.Yard
Kimpton Maa-Lai Bangkok has given Bar.Yard a refresh, along with a new Peruvian chef and a new food and beverage programme.
Bar.Yard’s revamped look is inspired by Bangkok’s ever-present heat, realised by global design firm Chapman Taylor. The new visual identity brings Thai pride to the forefront with the Thai numeral for 40 anchoring the logo, a nod to the rooftop’s elevation and the temperature of its vibe. A vivid colour palette, pattern-forward uniforms and a bold line-up of visual motifs, from the Hornbill to the Bird Of Paradise, The Serpent and The Sun, create a visual universe.
New team uniforms have been brought to life by Thai fashion brand Leisure Projects, with eye-catching colours and prints of the refreshed identity. Comfort has been reimagined through a more fluid spatial layout, designed to adapt effortlessly from intimate moments to high-energy nights.
Leading the kitchen is chef Julio César Concha Muñoz, bringing a globally-influenced perspective shaped by his Peruvian roots and extensive experience across Latin America and beyond. Chef Muñoz offers Pan-Latin flavours and Thai ingredients. Expect Latin marinades, smoky grills and citrus-driven sauces in dishes designed for sharing.
The drinks have also been refreshed and now offer BDSM (Best Damn Spicy Margarita), Do You Dare, which blends Acholado pisco and Campari with a homemade bell pepper and raspberry cordial, and Mamuang Suk, which channels Thai-Latin comfort through cachaça, spiced falernum, homemade mango cordial, tamarind and a rich coconut-corn blend. There are also a curated selection of low-ABV and alcohol-free cocktails.
Under the creative direction of music partner and curator Tek Harrington, Bar.Yard pulses with Afro House beats, with a DJ podium, evolving live music programming and a growing roster of local and international guest acts.
The Upper Deck Sports Bar
One of the largest and most advanced sports bars in Bangkok, The Upper Deck Sports Bar, spanning across two floors, has opened on Sukhumvit 20.
The venue features more than 20 FHD screens broadcasting live global sporting events, alongside a range of interactive entertainment options including digital darts, pool tables and three bays of advanced Foresight Sports golf simulators, giving guests plenty to enjoy both during and between fixtures.
Complementing the action is an international food menu, while guests can soak up the high-energy atmosphere on the main floor, unwind in more relaxed seating areas or head to the open-air rooftop for panoramic city views. The venue also offers a carefully curated selection of more than 20 Thai and international craft beverages.
Beyond daily sports coverage, The Upper Deck Sports Bar will host regular live music nights, major match viewing parties and tournament events throughout the year. The venue includes a dedicated kids’ room, kids’ meals and welcomes family celebrations.
Jǐng
The latest trend in Bangkok is modern Chinese and Andaz One Bangkok is not being left behind. Jǐng, a modern, casual Chinese restaurant at the new hotel serves breakfast, lunch and dinner.
Modern interiors and a unique colour palette depart Jǐng from traditional Chinese restaurant aesthetics, while the essence of authentic remains deeply rooted in the cuisine. Enhancing the dining experience is the open kitchen, allowing diners to witness the chefs in action, and believe me, there are few things better than the sound of sizzling woks coupled with Chinese cuisine aromas.
Jǐng offers a diverse selection of Chinese dishes, with a focus on Sichuan and Cantonese cuisines. The spicer the better, I say, and so for breakfast, Jǐng offers Fish congee, X.O. sauce omelette, a selection of dim sum, noodle soups and more. Lunch and dinner signature offerings include dim sum, freshly handmade daily and available for lunch and dinner (win, win), as well as seafood dishes.
A few of my favourites are Poached chicken, Poached sea bass in pickled sour cabbage soup and Sichuan pepper, Typhoon-shelter tiger prawn, Chongqing noodle, Baked Wagyu beef tart and Turnip puff (always a must-order). For desserts, I would choose the Ginger milk custard, though the quintessential Mango sago with coconut soft serve is also on the menu.
Jing offers an extensive selection of teas sourced from an Thai artisanal tea brand and has a tea sommelier. There are also tea-based cocktails offers that allow you to design your own style from five different housemade tea infusions.
