RESTAURANT REVIEW: CHARCOAL, BANGKOK – THE IDEAL PLACE FOR A TASTE OF INDIA

 

Bangkok. A culinary mecca. A foodie tour de force. A diner’s dream. The most visited city in the world has everything to satisfy the hungry traveler, from cheap-as-chips streetfood to lavish-as-lobster fine dining. The Michelin Guide will, finally, sprinkle some stardust on the city at the end of the year and Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants was dominated by restaurants from this metropolis. It’s been a wonderful few years for this great food city, and the accolades just keep coming.

Capitalising on all this attention, and hitting its stride just in time for that tyre-guide, comes Charcoal.  Opened in late 2014, the restaurant took a while to perfect its schtick. Now, it feels like the best place in the city for this type of cuisine.

Idea

Bangkok is a sophisticated place, with a taste for cocktails, a love of spice, and a close proximity to India lending a large diaspora from the sub-continent to the city. On the back of all this, Charcoal was bound to be a success.

The Soho Hospitality Group had already nailed the cocktail formula in the hugely popular rooftop bar of the same building. It didn’t take much foresight to replicate those exquisite cocktails downstairs, and pair them with highly spiced, highly aromatic food served straight from the flames of the tandoor.

Location

The closest sky-train stop is Nana, and its just a short walk from there. Alternatively, Sukhumvit metro station serves the area.

Atmosphere

The lighting is low, like, really low. We were surprised a torch wasn’t offered with the menu. This fits the ambience of the play perfectly though, as there’s an air of the sensual, the sultry and the primal that a starkly lit room would betray.

The smell of coals cooking meat and the sight of flames licking the ceiling in the open kitchen, add theatre and excitement to the experience.

Food

Kebabs are king here, and it would be churlish not to enjoy one. 3am, British high street offerings these aint. They are smoky, spicy and sophisticated. A whole shoulder of lamb, smoked and charred and falling apart was a revelation. As with any genuinely great Indian place, vegetables and pulses are celebrated as much as the meat – a tomato daal managed to be both creamy and retain the integrity of the lentil. It really was a showstopper. We’ve also heard great things about their tandoor malai broccoli dish but purposely didn’t try it, just for an excuse to go back. 

A huge shout out too, to the poppadoms. The tricolor of accouterments so familiar to the curry house devotee – mint sauce, mango chutney and the pickly one – had been given respect and attention which elevated them to something grand and moreish. We had to use all powers of self-control to decline a second batch so as not to ruin our appetites.

Drink

Drinks share equal billing with the glorious culinary delights at Charcoal, and with good reason – they’re bloody fantastic. Suggestions accompany the food menu and, in the spirit of the occasion, we followed dutifully. Horn Ok Please offered lip puckering citrus and the heft of good gin. New Delhi Duty Free was delicious, but what’s more, served with a duty-free bag containing an Indian passport. We are sad to report that we weren’t allowed to board a hastily booked flight to Mumbai the following day.

Must-try

Both food and drink menus are such a miasma of good taste, bright flavours and ingenious combinations that it’s impossible to single one out. We would, however, strongly recommend one of Charcoal’s signature dishes to finish your feast – the ‘Paan’. This Mumbai staple, sold on every street corner of the city, is a small snack of nuts and sweet flavourings wrapped in betel leaf. It was a revelation – first aromatic, savoury, then sweet and finally minty and refreshing – a really intriguing way to finish a meal. Charcoal has its own paan stall in thrall to the ubiquitous roadside ones of India’s capital, with a chef constantly rolling fresh ones for the restaurant.

Why go

Charcoal manages to stand out in a city of spice and fire. This is partly due to the sensational food, and even more so because of the unique drinks. Theatre and fun are at the heart of the operation, with even the toilets (we’ll let you find out for yourselves) contributing to the sense of joyful experience and occasion.

A restaurant we fell in love with and can’t wait to visit again!

Address: 38/8 Sukhumvit 11 Rd., Fraser Suites Hotel, 5th Fl. Bangkok, Thailand

Websitecharcoalbkk.com

Like that? You'll love this...

The Latest...

Home & Interiors

Harmonising Your Home: The Ideal Guide To Incorporating Your Vinyl Collection Into Your Décor

Somewhat surprising In the digital age where every song ever recorded is available at your fingertips for just an £8.99 a month subscription, vinyl records have made a remarkable comeback in...
Editorial Team
cabin bag luggage

How to Travel Light: European City Breaks With Just...

As budget airlines continually tighten their luggage restrictions, mastering the art of cabin-bag-only travel has become less...
Whiskey cocktail

7 Classy Whisky Cocktails For Your Next Mad Men...

Mad Men, the Lionsgate television series that first aired on July 19th 2007, had seven seasons of...

Where To Eat In Marylebone: The Best Restaurants

Ideal for impressing Sherlock Holmes with your taste in dinner... Marylebone. Though we’ve read it hundreds of times,...

Digital Marketing 101: Just What Is Attribution & How...

Picture this: You're scrolling through Instagram on a lazy Sunday afternoon when a gorgeous pair of trainers...