The buzz: Na-chanok Ratanadaros, the man behind hiso club Fallabella and Chingcha Chalee restaurant, takes a slightly more complicated route with this hidden restaurant that has different personalities during the day and at night. The focus at Pirate Chambre is on bold Thai and Isaan tastes from 11am-3pm and Western fare and cocktails from 5pm onwards.

 

The decor: It's an exhaustive collection of all the European bistro trends of late: wood-panelled bar with brass railing, steel-framed beveled glass, marquee lightbulb letters signage, checkered floor, bare brick walls with decrepit rendering—you name it, they got it. In the back, a few pirate touches—tassel velvet curtains, tufted throne and crystal chandelier—got thrown in.

 

The food and drinks: After opening restaurants and traveling the world, Na-chanok calls this the storage space for his various “treasures”—the result is a menu that is all over the place. The lunch menu includes Thai favorites like tod mun (spicy fish cake, B180), somtam taad (somtam platter with side accompaniments, B320), “Khao Pad Nai Ying” river prawn fried rice (B320) and grilled chicken (B250 for half bird), as well as easy rice dishes like grilled pork or beef krapao (B180) to accommodate the office crowds. Dinner heads into international waters with Le Banyan pressed duck (B3,200 for two people), which uses the Rouen-style recipe of the now-defunct Sukhumvit restaurant of the same name. Also expect steak (starting at B300 for a 100g Aussie beef's New York cut), braised lamb shank (B480) served with mantou, lamb stroganoff and gorgonzola pie (B300) and a variety of pasta (B280-320). Na-chanok is also ambitious when it comes to cocktails, with themed creations like Black Pearl (vodka, Cointreau, lime juice, egg white, elderflower-pear haule syrup and angostura bitters, B320) and Princess P (vodka, butterfly pea-infused syrup, lime juice, vanilla liqueur, kaffir lime leaf, egg white and jasmine perfume, B390).

 

Why you should care: This is no Ashley Sutton decor, but if you're into themed venues, the amusement park undertones just may tickle your fancy. Natcha Sanguankiattichai