GBA Lifestyle News
Asia, Bangkok, Thailand We love a good weekend trip to Bangkok. The Thai capital has plenty to offer discerning tourists, from great hospitality and diverse attractions to wild nightlife and delicious dining. Soi 11, in the city’s Nana district, has long been a tourist destination thanks to a concentration of hotels, restaurants, and bars. But now, you’ll have a new reason to head this way. A recent addition to the street is the aptly named Eleven Bangkok. This little enclave boasts some of the best dining options in the area, from elegant Thai to raucous Mexican and decadent desserts. So next time you’re in town, don’t forget to add Eleven Bangkok to your do-to list.
Inspired by the legendary Belmond Eastern & Oriental Express train that runs between Bangkok and Singapore, Burapa is a bastion of Art Deco glamour in the heart of the Thai capital. Guests enter the space at a decidedly chic bar that’s all dark wood, postcard windows and a glass-and-brass shelving unit stacked with high-end booze. The cocktails here are superlative, so you’ll want to stop here for a pre-dinner cocktail. Afterwards, head upstairs to the dining room designed to look like old world train compartments. Each wood-paneled table is set within its own cozy “booth” featuring plush leather banquettes, “views” of curtained faux windows, and luggage racks piled with vintage-esque suitcases hanging overhead. The menu here is decidedly Thai, but don’t expect your run-of-the-mill green curry and pad thai (though those are available, too). We sampled the vegetarian spring rolls and pad thai, along with a deliciously piquant pineapple and prawn curry, all of which was sumptuous.
Spicy, cheeky, and with a hefty helping of fun, Los Atico brings a dash of Mexican flair to Bangkok’s Soi 11. Slip into this lively joint to enjoy an evening of flavorsome Mexican food pair with an exhaustive tequila list and quirky art. On the walls, you’ll find brightly-colored murals inspired by the Meixcan Day of the Dead festival. But you’re here for the food, and boy does Los Atico deliver. The menu was curated by Peruvian chef Abel Ortiz A, so while the food is firmly Mexican, it does boast subtle Peruvian and Asian twists. Start with the tableside guac, move onto tacos (the lobster drunk on tequila is a burst of flavors), and sate your appetite on the perfectly tender duck carnitas.
Inspired by the kitsch dessert cafés of Tokyo, After You is something of a Bangkok institution. Kulapat “May” Kanokwatanawan began baking at 10 years of age, using recipes she found in magazines and on TV. After going to college and deciding that corporate life wasn’t for her, May founded the After You brand in 2007. Since then, the brand has grown to over 10 locations around the Thai capital, including this latest opening at Eleven Bangkok. Like the others, this branch offers clean, simple, Japanese-style aesthetics with a menu of thoroughly decadent treats. Expect to sample signatures like the Shibuya Honey Toast, Chocolate Lava Cake, and Panookie.
Struck by a craving for New York-style pizza while pounding the pavements of Bangkok? You’ll want to head straight for Soho Pizza. True to the Big Apple style, this is a grab-and-go place. All pies here are 18-inch and thin-crust, and you can buy them as a whole or by the slice. Pick your poison from options like a classic cheese pizza with caciocavello, mozzarella, and parmesan and a super gourmet seafood pie featuring marinated shrimp. The best part? The joint is open until 4am on weekends, so you can grab a bite after a boozy night on Soi 11. If you’re looking for something ever so slightly more formal, Cantina (which is also owned by the Soho Hospitality Group) is located right next door and dishes up Neapolitan pizzas and fresh pasta in rustic surrounds with table service.
There are massage parlours aplenty in Bangkok. That’s why it’s entirely appropriate that Eleven Bangkok has its own joint for restorative therapies. This isn’t going to be the flashiest spa experience you’ve ever had. But then that’s not what Bangkok’s streetside massage parlours are all about. Instead, you can duck in for an affordable and highly effective treatment performed by friendly, well-trained staff in pristine surrounds. Slip in for a renowned Thai massage (the appropriate clothing will be provided) or perhaps treat your feet to a 90-minute foot massage after a day of walking Bangkok’s streets. Either way, you’ll leave feeling thoroughly rejuvenated.
Note: The author was a guest of Eleven Bangkok.
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