In March, chef Dan Bark and partner Fay Tragoolvongse were just about ready to reveal their new twin-restaurant project, Cadence and Caper, when the pandemic put their plans on pause. Now, the husband and wife duo is finally prepared to welcome diners to their new space. Partially, at least.

 

On Jul 1, the pair will open Cadence, the fine dining end of the twin bill, where Bark will build on the progressive American style of cooking that earned his first restaurant, Upstairs, a Michelin star every year since the guide launched in Thailand.

 

Cadence effectively replaces Upstairs, as the two say they are rebranding that restaurant and moving it into a bigger space, inside a sprawling townhouse in the back sois between Ekkamai and Phra Khanong. That townhouse has been completely made over, with the interiors handled by red-hot design studio Paradigm Shift, the group behind venues like Canvas, Crimson Room and Stage. The showpiece, however, is the walk-in kitchen, designed in collaboration between Bark and the Kitchen One company, that divides the two restaurant concepts.

 

Expect 15-course menus (B4,300/person, including a welcome glass of sparkling wine) designed to stimulate the five senses, with each dish inspired in some way by Bark’s upbringing. Think Ocean—three bites featuring oysters, salmon and a pina colada sauce—and Land, a decadent, truffle- and mushroom-based dish boasting an earthy flavor profile. And without giving too much away, we’re told one part of the all-senses experience involves stepping into a mirror room to clear your mind.

 

The drinks program diverges from the craft beer focus Bark followed at Upstairs. At Cadence, you’ll be drinking fine wines as well as craft cocktails inspired by rhythm and flow—or cadence, if you will. Those include Forty, a blend of Bulleit rye, vermouth, palm sugar, Thai bitters and crispy pork, and Ninety Six, a mix of Don Julio blanco tequila, pomelo, five-spice syrup and citrus (B320 each).

 

Arrive early or stick around after your meal to sample some of the “baby” martinis at the front-of-house bar, too. Served as a half measure so they can be downed in four sips or less—as martinis are supposed to be consumed—each is inspired by different cities and features a gin or vodka from that destination. Think Tokyo, a mix of Roku gin, sake and elderflower, and Sydney, which is made with Four Pillars Bloody Shiraz, vermouth and orange oil (B250 each).  

 

For more information or to book a table, email [email protected], call 091-713-9034 or message the restaurant on Line @foodbychefdanbark.