3 of the best upscale Thai restaurants in the central business district of Sathorn:

Bangkok is for sure one of the foodie’s capitals in the world. And so my husband and I made sure that we could try out some of the best what Thailand’s capital has to offer in terms of Thai fine dining on our recent stay. As we happened to reside in the Sathorn District (find more details about it below), it had to be here. I do not see the point in heading further if you are spoilt for choice as to excellent dining-spots in the area. And this is definitely the case in Sathorn which has some of the best Michelin restaurants.

After some information about Sathorn and our post-Bangkok travel plans, I come right to the fine dining places we had chosen for our three nights in Bangkok.

About Sathorn District

Sathorn, also written as Sathon, is one of the city’s major business districts. It stretches from the Lumpini Park to the Chao Phraya river and from the Sathorn Road to the Chan Road. You find here many high-rise office buildings that house banks and other financial institutions. While Sathorn is not exactly known for its tourist attractions, it still makes a good base for exploring Bangkok’s highlights. In addition, there are lots of great hotels, restaurants and nightlife outlets. And the good transport links here make it easy to get around.

Bangkok as starting and end point for a Bhutan trip

Bangkok was for my husband and I the ideal springboard into a Bhutan trip, for which we had been waiting three years (because of COVID-19). If you should be interested in my Bhutan reports, I made following posts: travel guide, 9-day itinerary, travel plans of luxury Bhutan hotel brands, COMO Bhutan journey and pre-/post Bhutan stays.

As to the last mentioned one, we stayed in Bangkok before going to Bhutan, as you know by now. When returning from this trip, we added some beach days in Hua Hin, located three hours by car south from Bangkok. In case you care for fine dining recommendations in this seaside resort, my next post will go into them.

Three fabulous Michelin listed/starred Thai restaurants in Sathorn

As I mentioned above, some of the best Michelin restaurants are to be found in the Sathorn District. Quite a few even have Michelin stars. So it is no easy choice! My husband and I decided to include only places that serve Thai food. On our first visit in Thailand, we wanted to savor exclusively local cuisine. In addition, we were reluctant to spend a fortune doing so (as there is an abundance of less costly outlets).

After a thorough research we settled on the following ones. As we stayed at the COMO Metropolitan Hotel, which houses the Michelin one-star Restaurant Nahm, this one was set. We had eaten at Nahm London quite some years ago – when it still existed – , and had liked our experience here. However, I have to admit, I was a bit deterred by the not so good Google reviews (4.0) of its Bangkok branch.

Further on, we opted for Restaurant Saawan offering modern Thai cuisine. This dining spot seems to be a fixture on the local gourmet scene, although since recently with a new chef. For our third night, we got a bit adventurous and also chose Samrub Samrub Thai, from which we found not much info on the internet. At this place, they rethink old Thai recipes in creative ways.

Now to the details of each!

1. Restaurant Nahm at COMO Metropolitan Hotel Bangkok

Back story of Nahm, one of the best Michelin restaurants in Sathorn

Restaurant Nahm gained fame when it was named best Asian restaurant by the World’s Best Restaurants award in 2014. At the time, it was under the lead of David Thompson, an Australian who has dedicated himself to the Thai cuisine for many years. I was lucky enough to have dined at his London branch before he closed it in 2012 and moved to Bangkok. Here he received a Michelin star in 2017 when Michelin first included restaurants in Thailand’s capital. Then, one year later, David Thompson left for Hongkong.

At Nahm Bangkok, Pim Techamuanvivit, a female chef from San Francisco, took over in 2018. The Bangkok-born chef had left behind a career in Silicon Valley to open her own Thai restaurant in San Francisco, Kin Khao. And it was awarded a Michelin star only 18 months later! While still living in this city on the U.S. West Coast, she also holds the position of an executive chef at Nahm.

It seems that the restaurant’s style has not much changed since Pim  has been in charge. However, she has more turned to Thai artisans and small-scale farmers and fishermen to source ingredients. The eatery is still recognized by the World’s Best Restaurants award (No 98 of the Asian list) and also kept its Michelin star.

Dining experience at Nahm

Design

I liked the restaurant’s interiors with its extraordinary design. There are massive pillars, mirrored after Ayutthaya’s architecture, the second capital of the ancient city of Siam. This feature combined with hand-crafted wooden screens and bare wooden tables create a harmonious whole, which is contemporary yet with a traditional touch too. Onsite, you also find an outdoor poolside terrace. That suits the restaurant’s name, Nahm means “water” in Thai.

Food concept

As to the food, you get here a modern take on traditional Thai cuisine. Curries, salads, relishes, soups and stir-fries are on offer. And these often come with traditional ingredients which are not so frequently used in other contemporary Thai restaurants.

You can either opt for the menu or eat à la carte. The former is called “heritage” and costs 3,200 Baht (82 SFR/US$). If you prefer vegetarian fare, this is available as “botany” for 2,600 Baht (66 SFR/US$). As to the latter, starters are available from 400 to 780 Baht (10 to 20 SFR/US$), mains from 540 to 920 Baht (14 to 23 SFR/US$) and desserts from 350 to 375 Baht (9 SFR/US$).

How was it at Nahm?

While we generally liked what we got – especially the canapés (blue swimmer crab on rice crackers and miang of prawn, chicken and fruits)

were excellent – , service could have been better. After taking our order, staff did not show up at our table for quite a long time. While everyone around us got dish after dish, one hour passed until we got our first one. At some point, my husband inquired about the delay, but the server did not respond properly.

Once the round finally started, there was an ongoing coming of plates. And many came at the same time. We felt rushed and it totally lacked the magic of a typical tasting menu. And imagine, the dinner came to an end with the last dish being served less than one hour from its start.

On the positive side, at some point of time, a friendly female maître d’ appeared at our table to chat to us. We first thought that it was because of our complaint that we had made shortly before with a colleague of her. Yet it was unconnected. When she left, she casually said that she would check on our food as it seemed to be overdue.

2. Restaurant Saawaan Bangkok

Back story of Saawaan

Restaurant Saawaan – which means “heaven” in Thai – was opened in 2019. Shortly afterwards, it got a Michelin star and was holding it until 2022.  After the departure of chef Sujira “Aom” Pongmorn, it was gone yet the dining spot is still listed in the guide. And it is also featured on the World’s Best Restaurants Discovery list.

Since mid 2022, chef Saritwat “Earth” Wanvichitkun has been in charge here. He was born in Phuket and grew up in a family who owned a restaurant. From his mother he learned the art of cooking (Southern) Thai. As to western cooking techniques, he studied four years at Le Cordon Bleu Bangkok. Before being named as chef at Saawaan, Earth was executive chef at Restaurant Nitan in Phuket, which made it into the Michelin Guide in 2021.

Also at the helm at Saawaan is Arisara ‘Paper’ Chongphanitkul, who looks after the desserts here. She is the co-owner of ICI, a creative pastry café too.

Dining experience at Saawaan, one of the best Michelin restaurants in Sathorn

Design

The restaurant is housed in a converted shop house in a leafy alley off Sathorn Road. The window spans the entire front of the building, which is a good thing as the interiors are rather dark. The dining room is contemporarily styled, with brown bare wooden tables and a dark wooden floor. On the walls you find gold colored wallpaper adorned with branches full of white flowers. In addition to the circa 24 seats there is a counter where cold food is prepared in front of the guests (no seats here).

Food concept

On offer at Saawaan is modern Thai cuisine. The specialty here is that every dish focuses on a typical technique or concept of the traditional Thai cooking. And this always with a creative flair. One dish showcases for example grilling, the other stir-frying and yet another one fermentation.

On our evening, an eight-course tasting menu was served, showcasing following methods: raw, fermented, boiled, Miang (wrap), charcoal, stir-fried, curry and dessert. Ingredients were generally locally sourced. And a nice feature was that often a chef came to our table to give the finish to the dishes in front of our eyes.

There is a sole menu at your disposal, which costed 2,490 Baht (63 SFR/US$) on our visit. As I noted, it is now priced at 2,790 Baht (71 SFR/US$), which I still find reasonably priced for what you get.

How was it at Saawaan?

This was most probably my favorite dinner in Bangkok as the overall experience was very rewarding. Not only the service was impeccable, but the food was surprising, innovative and full of flavor. I only wish that we had not asked them for toning down the spiciness of the food a bit (they inquired whether they should do it nor not). Because I felt that it lost at times some of its magic as a consequence. Be it as it may, it was still great.

You definitely never got bored here as there is always something going on. It is great to watch the chefs and servers how they do a part of the preparation process in front of you. It is a fun affair and gives you the chance of occasionally asking a question.

My favorite dish at Saawaan was the curry. It was a green one paired with a Madame Burgaud Challans duck.

In order to produce the curry paste chef Earth combined ten different types of Thai chillies what resulted in a deep and well-rounded curry.

I also liked the dessert, a reinvented version of the classic Thai dessert of a steamed pandan layered cake. It was complemented with jasmine ice cream and black rice sauce.

3. Restaurant Samrub Samrub Thai Bangkok

UPDATE: one Michelin star as from December 2023

Back story of Samrub Samrub Thai

Samrub Sambrub Thai is run by a husband-and-wife team, Prin Polsuk and Thanyaporn “Mint” Jarukittikun. And interestingly enough, the former’s history is linked to the above mentioned Restaurant Nahm. He used to be David Thompson’s protégé, entrusted with heading Nahm London and Bangkok.

In 2017, Prin Poluk and his wife founded Samrub Samrub Thai in order to give lost Thai dishes a new life. First, they pursued their project in the form of pop-ups. Later on, in 2019, they moved to fixed quarters, to a small place with 16 seats only. And the eatery was well received. So, in November 2022, they moved one more time. And this to the current location in Saladaeng, with some more seats available. This is actually his wife’s childhood home, and her family still lives above. Prin Polsuk himself is from Chiang Mai in Thailand’s north, growing up in a family of farmers. If you wonder about the outlet’s name, Samrub means “menu” in Thai, but is it also something special.

In this year World’s Best Restaurant Asian list Samrub Samrub Thai ranks No 82. As to Michelin, the dining spot also made it into this guide in spring 2023.

Dining experience at Samrub Samrub Thai, one of the best Michelin restaurants in Sathorn

Food concept

Prin Polusk made it his mission to revive old recipes. For this he rummages through antique cookbooks and tries with perseverance and vigor to unravel its secrets.  At the same time, he is open to new culinary developments and incorporates them in his cuisine. The result is true Thai food “rethought”.

Apparently, dishes change every month and rarely ever repeat. On offer is a set menu – priced at 3,900 Baht (99 SFR/US$) – , which is served family style. And much appreciated by us, you get here one course after the other. In such a way, you can savor each one individually and you do not have to rush through the meal.

Design

The dining spot is located in a quiet residential area not far from lively Sathon Road. Everything looks new here at this at this large, white four-floor building. Once you walk through the door, you catch sight of a small open kitchen plus a long counter that can seat up to twelve guests.  In the rear, there is room for about ten more seats at tables. The room has an industrial-chic vibe, most is kept in black and white.

How was it at Samrub Samrub Thai?

The whole shebang

First of all, you have to know that it is difficult to get a reservation at Samrub for international guests. This because there is neither a website that deserves the name nor an easy way to make a reservation. You have to get in touch with them via Facebook or Instagram to make a booking request. Once you get an answer – which may last a while – , you have to pay the menu price in advance via bank transfer, for either the round at 5.30pm or at 8pm. Apparently, they are in the process of improving their booking and payment system to accommodate international guests too. Let us see what happens.

Unfortunately, we had another issue with the place. It seems they do not make it easy to love them. When we arrived here a few minutes before 8pm, all counter seats apart from two were already taken. And when we were discussing with Mint (the wife) about our seating – she allocated one of the tables in the rear to us where you are not able to witness the happenings in the kitchen – , the remaining seats were taken by other guests. Thus, we had no other choice than to become seated where she wanted us to do in the first place. At least we could make her let us sit side by side for better views.

Food & service

After we had overcome the initial obstacles, the dinner proceeded in an excellent vein, providing us with fantastic food and faultless service. All the courses – one snack, three starters, six main courses, one dessert, one petit fours – were amazing. I cannot name a personal favorite. Every single bit was scrumptious, full of taste and lingered long in our memories.

While the setting was rather casual, we felt quite at ease – the bench in the rear of the room was not overly comfortable. While the dinner went on, the chefs kept coming to our table to explain something related to the dishes served. And the meal sequence was just perfect. Also the chef was present and changed a few word with his guests – not to us “farangs”. However, his wife Mint, treated us warmly and made our dinner pleasant, although we had made a bit of trouble at the beginning (seating).

Samrub Samrub Thai would have easily made it our restaurant favorite in Bangkok if there had not been the mentioned issues!

What is next on my blog?

I already let you know that we not only made a “foodie tour” in Bangkok’s Sathorn in search of the best Michelin restaurants, but also went further south. And this to the beach resort of Hua Hin, the “darling” of many “Bangkokians” looking for a quick getaway. Said that, it was far more difficult there to find fine dining restaurants worth visiting for gourmet minded people. Nonetheless, we found some great places, although we had to move away a bit from our principle of only eating Thai food on our first Thailand stay!

Date of visit: April 2023

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