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
Website: charcoalbkk.com