History in every bite

Tucked away among the old buildings of the bustling Tha Tien market on Maharaj Road is Sala Rattanakosin, a new eatery that offers a stunning view of Wat Arun, the Temple of Dawn, standing directly opposite on the west bank of the Chao Phraya River.

I arrive just before sunset and am pleased to see that the nearby Tha Tien (Tien pier), one of Bangkok’s busiest docks in the days when the river was a major communication hub, is still bustling. Walking down Soi Tha Tien, a narrow road linked with derelict buildings, I stop to watch trucks being loaded with all sorts of groceries.

Situated at the end of the soi fronting on to the river, a row of former four-storey shophouses has undergone a rebirth as Sala Rattanakosin. Decorated in loft style with a minimalist black-and-white decor, the walls have been scraped down to the brick offering visitors a true sense of the past.

Sala Rattanakosin is the latest baby of the home-grown Sala Hospitality Group and bills itself as a “restaurant-cum-guesthouse”. The second child in the “Three Kingdoms” family, its older sibling is Sala Lanna and is located on the east bank of the Ping River in Chiang Mai. Sala Ayutthaya on U-Thong Road in Ayutthaya is slated to open before the end of the year.

The first and the second floors serve as the dining areas while the third and the fourth are home to 16 rooms. The downstairs is an air-conditioned room with a glass wall looking out over the illuminated vertiginous prangs of Wat Arun. When the weather is good, it’s better to sit out on the spacious deck and enjoy the fresh air. In contrast to the raw interior, the tables are covered with white linen and matched with white fabric-covered chairs, giving it an odd fine-dining feel.

The second floor, the most popular area with both locals and expats, also has an air-conditioned dining space and the same view of Wat Arun, though two seams in the centre of the glass wall can be an annoying distraction.

The menu offers both Thai and Western dishes with a few twists and, thanks to the view, prices are on par with a five-star hotel. The starter of Tuna Tartar (Bt340) offers tuna marinated in fresh herbs and lemon juice topped with avocado relish and wonton crisps on the side. 

The Shrimp Bucket (Bt420) comes with chilled shrimps and two dipping sauces - Thai-style spicy dip for seafood and Western-style mayonnaise with herbs. 

The best-selling dish is the Twice-Cooked Crispy Pork Belly (Bt590), which is roasted until the skin is crispy and dressed with a tamarind glaze and topped with apple and young ginger marmalade. It’s served on the bed of roast pumpkin puree topped with Thai-style stir-fried pak bung (morning glory). The pumpkin puree and morning glory amazingly go well together.

Another Thai dish is Pla Sam Rod (Bt550), golden fried whole white snapper served with caramelised garlic and chilli, sauteed onions and pepper and coriander leaves. The sam rod sauce refers to the three flavours of spicy, sweet and sour but I found the dish overwhelmingly sweet.

Desserts include Double Chocolate Brownie (Bt240), made with Valhorna chocolate and topped with vanilla ice cream, warm ganache sauce and macadamia nut brittle. 

Diners should head up the spiral staircase to the rooftop bar for an aperitif or digestif and stunning views of Wat Arun and Wat Pho. The bar offers two signature cocktails: the Rooftop Punch (Bt275) - a mixture of light and dark rums, Grand Marnier, Cointreau and lime juiced topped with house-made fruit punch – and Raspberry Splash (Bt220), raspberry vodka combined with cranberry juice, raspberry puree, a squeeze of fresh lime and filled out with club soda.

Bear in mind while sipping these bubblegum coloured drinks that you have to make it down that dimly lit spiral staircase or perhaps opt for a mocktail (Bt130). These include the Frullata, fresh mango blended with passion fruit juice and mint leaves, and the Virgin Mojito – a mixture of fresh lime juice, brown sugar, soda and mint leaves. 

Sala Rattankosin is just a few minutes on foot to some of Bangkok’s most prominent landmarks: Wat Pho, the Grand Palace and Wat Phra Kaew (Temple of the Emerald Buddha), the National Museum and Pak Klong Talad flower market. Parking is available at Soi Wat Pho. 

  

 

TASTES FOR THE TOP

Sala Rattanakosin is at Soi Tha Tien on Maharaj Road and opens daily from 11am to 10pm. Call (02) 622 1388 or visit www.SalaRattanakosin.com.