Once laying fair claim to being emergent Bangkok’s most upscale neighbourhood, the next iteration of urban sprawl after Chinatown (Yannawa) and Charoen Krung, Surawongse somewhat faded as greener pastures were progressively appropriated.
But even as its light dimmed it conserved some of its best buildings and institutions. Now its rocketing into a renaissance, fuelled by frenzied speculation that such central real estate can recover its former fashionability. For validation look no further than the helicoptering in by TCC Land’s Asset World hospitality offshoot of the brand-spanking new Bangkok Marriott Hotel The Surawongse almost opposite the nearly 100-year-old Nielsen-Hays library and august British Club.
Brand-new but respectfully steeped in Surawongsian heritage, including its truly breath-taking modern Chinese-style 32fl. sky bar & restaurant, and all-day 3rd fl. Praya Kitchen, whose name both ripples from the nearby river and reverberates senior Thai societal rank.
With sanook consistently core to Surawongsian cosmology, a cosmopolitan blend of ancestral Chinese, ethnic Thai, and visiting European culinary schools originally unfolded that Praya Kitchen now revives and refreshes with mostly local and seasonal ingredients selected for superior flavours and price-pointing.
Prime example: "Gai Ob Phu Kao Fai", whole spit-roasted chicken doused in Mekhong whisky and flamed. The chicken is buttery tender and tastes fresh from the farm. Its thickish, reddish-brown, slightly sour sauce is Head Chef Attapol Thangthong’s delish Chinese barbecue number.
Inspired by "Chang Sip Mu", the Royal Department of Ten Crafts, decor features out-size original art motifs, replicated from temple murals, splashed across wall space not occupied by widescreen windows framing modern Surawongse surprisingly quaintly. Overall ambiance and comfort are state-of-the-art Marriott.
From the lift you enter either a lounge or kitchen-cum-dining room, connected via an incongruously-mod all-white bar. The live-centric, steaming kitchen is announced by deluxe Italian cold-cuts reflecting the natives’ favourite non-Asian cuisine.
Swivel right and a superior "seafood wall" gives you carte blanche to order your favourite grilled, wok-fried, steamed and whatnot recipes; rock lobster/pepper sauce, whole crab/southern curry, etc. Here, too, are multiple sauces, including signature sweet green-chilli Praya Sauce, plus smoked salmon, gravlax, and sashimi.
An interactive wok-station offers fish, pork, Chinese sausage etc recipes. Chinese influences erupt from pudding basins of tender, toothsome, braised duck, pork, and beef slapped over rice or in myriad noodle soups.
Next are 3 prime roasts; beef, lamb, and crispy crackling pork/hoisin sauce, another local favourite. A live Thai station features superior Isan sausage, pork satay and fermented pork in banana leaf, sizzling on grills, complemented with refined somtam, segueing into that "Chicken Volcano".
Bamboo baskets nestle steamed mussels, prawns, crabs, rock lobster. More chafing dishes cosset chicken green curry, basil sauce beef, sweet-and-sour shrimp, black pepper mussels.
A full-scale pasta station rustles up everything from Bolognese to coconut-milky Kanom Chine and even Alfredo mixed in a Parmesan wheel.
Desserts balance originals from sepia-tinged memories with gourmet indulgences. "Praya Loy Chai" corrals 40 traditional Thai desserts, including mix & match jube-jubes, over flavoured ice shavings and egg yolk, coconut, pandan etc. dainties. Plus spot-on homemade ice creams, including honey and Thai tea flavours, you can sandwich in cantaloupe-infused buns.
Beside French crepes is taiyaki, sweet, molten inside, crispy outside, takoyaki sisters toasted in fish-shaped moulds with such as red bean jelly. Then fruits in season and inspirations plus patisserie delicacies ranging coconut mousse to chocolate fudge cake and addictive signature Praya baked cheesecake.
Parking is ample or hop a taxi from Chongnonsri or Surasak BTS.
Lunch 11.30am-2.30pm
Monday – Friday B788++ including juice bar
Saturday – Sunday B888++ including juice bar
Dinner (6.00pm-10.30pm)
Mon-Thu: B988++
Fri-Sun Pak Nam Seafood Market: B1,388++
Tel. 02-088-5666
