The buzz: After Sukhumvit Soi 11’s legendary nightclub and restaurant Bed Supperclub closed down in 2013, the avant-garde spaceship building was reborn on Sukhumvit Soi 13 as Chi Ultralounge by designer and Bangkok party mogul Darryl Scott. Now, the fine-dining portion of the project has opened as Mana Dining, in collaboration with Blue Elephant restaurant.

The decor: No longer white and futuristic, the good old building is now decked out in maximal, Chinese referencing decor. A giant dragon’s head dominates the two rooms, with the shape of the bar representing its body. Though more peaceful, the restaurant section still maintains the fun vibe with DJs playing electro house beats and a large projector showing different graphics on the ceiling. In another break from Bed Supperclub, here you also get proper dining tables.  

The food: Blue Elephant strays away from traditional Thai cuisine to do something different here. Chef Anthony Bish (formerly of Blue Elephant Phuket) helms the kitchen, going in for contemporary Western presentation for Pan-Asian dishes. Meals are served over four-course sets (B1,800 per person) which rotate every month and come in three options: meat and poultry (dubbed Fire), seafood (Water) and vegetarian (Earth). Highlight dishes on the current menu include the beef salad that sees four cubes of well-cooked premium local beef tenderloin served with nam jim jaew sauce and confit quail egg, while more fusion tastes make their appearance in the Eastern European borscht soup made with beetroot and red cabbage and chicken roulade (sous-vide chicken rolls) on served on organic black rice risotto. Funkier items include the sparkling fruit (carbonated fresh fruits) and deconstructed desserts like cheesecake in the form of mango puree, passion fruit sauce, cream cheese foam, solidified brown butter and Belgian biscuit.

The drinks: A space like Mana cuisine deserves something fancier than a bottle of beer. A team of Diageo World Class contestants has created the cocktail list, playing around with classics, adding Thai spices and sticking to premium base spirits like Johnnie Walker Gold Label. Recommended creations include the Golden Dragon (Johnnie Walker Gold Label Reserve, passion fruit puree, basil leaves, lemon juice and syrup, B390) and the The Striding Collins (Johnnie Walker Gold Label Reserve, lemon juice and elderflower syrup served in a rocks glass with crushed ice, topped with ginger ale and Peychaud’s bitters, B390). Tequila is also trending right now, so try their Enter the Dragon (B350), which uses Don Julio mixed with blackcurrant liqueur and lime topped with ginger ale. Heineken, Singha, Asahi (B210) and Corona (B250) are your options for bottled beer.

Why you should care: Despite the nightclub vibes, Chi Ultralounge does turn out impressive food—and the restaurant wing is a lot more peaceful.