The buzz: Bussaracum, which opened in 1982, was perhaps the earliest restaurant in Bangkok to serve Thai food with the kind of fine-dining decorum associated with five-star hotels. They’ve now moved to a perfectly restored century-old home, where they continue to serve authentic Thai food utilizing meticulous carving and folding techniques derived from the royal palace’s kitchens.
The décor: Resplendent in its fresh, white paint job and architectural details, the stately two-story house is furnished simply, letting the building do the talking. There’s also a veggie garden out in their backyard and a cooking school in the front, where you can learn Bussaracum’s age-old carving techniques.
The food: A lengthy menu that includes dishes like the recommended Bussaracum appetizers (B160 per person)—chor muang (steamed flower-shaped dumplings, filled with minced chicken), krathong thong (crispy rice cup filled with fried shrimp, pork, peas and corn kernels), goong sorn glin (marinated shrimp seasoned with lime juice, ginger and wrapped with lettuce leaves) and more. Not everything is as rare and delicate: you can get a tom yum (B190) or masaman (B240) with rotis, too. But all dishes get equally elaborate presentations. Top things off with rare desserts like magrood loy geaw (kaffir lime in syrup with crushed ice, B60), ice cream kati sod (coconut milk ice-cream, B60) or kanom ko (glutinous rice flour stuffed with sweetened coconut in coconut milk, B60).
The drinks: Aloe vera juice (B80) and nam samrong (macropodum juice, B40) are the healthy options. But there is also a sake martini (B180), wines by the glass (from B200) and classic cocktails like a Mai Tai (light rum, crème de noyaux and pineapple juice, B180). Whiskey ranges from B150-B190, and there are also local beers (B100-120).
The crowd: A surprisingly Thai crowd—hi-so families, tycoons signing big deals—along with some younger locals with foreign visitors. Pieng-or Mongkolkumnuankhet
