Kaguya
The buzz: Set on the corner of Thonglor Soi 10, Kaguya serves a mix of contemporary Japanese and French cuisine under the same management team as its next door neighbor, Wine Republic. The hip young crowds should dig the DJ, lengthy cocktail list and one of the most stylish decors on the strip.
The décor: A layered series of screens, from bamboo strips to rods tied into narrow scaffolding, filter warm light through their golden, natural colors. Choose from bar seating under the glowing yellow cloud of light, outdoor sofas, or the vividly colored dining room’s orange and sea green chairs.
The food: Start off with an aromatic, velvety vanilla soup with seared scallop (B200) followed by red mullet with black olive and lemon (B320) and 56-hour sous-vide wagyu tongue with soy sauce, rosemary and thyme (B420). Aside from the sashimi and sushi bar, Kaguya serves main dishes like grilled king crab’s leg with sautéed mushroom and caramelized leek puree (B1,300) or lamb rack marinated in herbal miso, rosemary foam, kimchi mashed potato and mint ponzu (B1,000).
The drinks: This place takes its drinks very seriously. Cocktails include Gentleman’s Truth (Tanquery gin, Violet, herbal liqueur, citrus, oregano, B320) and the bartender’s own creation’s, such as Panna (Gold Label, Fireball cinnamon whiskey, honey, pineapple juice, B280). Beers include Hoegaarden (B160), Norrebro (B280), Mikkeller (B280) among others. They also have an impressive list of Japanese spirits categorized by taste such as woody, mellow, fruity, peaty and floral from B220-900.
The crowd: Groups of hip and well-heeled Thonglorites.
Located next to Wine Republic, Kaguya serves a mix of contemporary Japanese and French cuisine with dishes like smoked duck breast with raspberry and yuzu dressing and shrimp tempura balls with lobster sauce. Drop by on Friday for a DJ set and cocktails like the Bermuda Milk Punch and Kabosu Drop Shot.
Set on the corner of Thonglor Soi 10, Kaguya serves mainly contemporary Japanese cuisine, which draws in the hip young crowds who also come for the DJs and the satisfying cocktail list. The stylish décor is a bonus—a layered series of screens, made of bamboo strips and rods tied into narrow scaffolding, filter the light. Choose from bar seating under the glowing yellow cloud of light, the outdoor sofas, or the vividly colored dining room’s orange and sea green chairs.
The kitchen is run by Chef Kongwuth Chaiwongkachon, a Le Cordon Bleu graduate, who whips up star dishes that put the emphasis on fish. A plate of mixed sashimi (B3,200), spanning chutaro (fatty tuna), salmon, hokkigai (surf clam), kampachi (almaco jack), saba (mackerel) and ebi (shrimp), just about lives up to the price tag—nicely cut and very fresh.
The red mullet tempura (B320), too, comes fried to perfection and with black olive which really elevates the flavor. The ox tongue (B260) is equally well-executed—tender and almost silky, it’s prepared sous vide and is nicely garnished with salt and lime.
Here, as with many Japanese restaurants, the maki is a popular pick, but some are just a bit dull. The smoked duck roll (B400) puts too much emphasis on the sour notes—you can’t really taste the surf clam or foie gras, though the thinly sliced duck is very aromatic.
As for drinks, the cocktails are done right. Try the Gentleman’s Truth (Tanquery gin, violet herbal liqueur, citrus, oregano, B320) or opt for the craft beers which come from Mikkeller (B260).
You can see why Kaguya is a successful restaurant—well-managed, efficient service, a trendy vibe and good food. But we can’t help but feel that their talents could be spent on stimulating Bangkok’s food scene rather than sticking to the safe dishes which carry a pretty hefty price tag.
| Address: | Kaguya, The Third Place Building, 137 Thonglor Soi 10, Bangkok, Thailand |
| Phone: | 02-714-9974, 086-881-7299 |
| Area: | Thonglor |
| Cuisine: | Japanese |
| Price Range: | BBB - BBBB |
| Open since: | July, 2013 |
| Opening hours: | daily 5-9pm |
| Parking available | |
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