The old cliché goes that bars and restaurants that have good live music don’t have good food. However, this is certainly not the case with Millet Bar & Restaurant. Hidden down a quiet soi off Vibhavadi Rangsit Road, this diner exudes a measured cool that appeals to families and white-collar workers looking to forego the pretense of downtown hang-outs. The yard outside is filled with wooden tables and long benches, while the air-con section features more stylish tables and sofas amid a loft-like atmosphere. The owners make it clear that the kitchen is fusion-focused, and thankfully they follow it up by skillfully combining cuisines in a way that’s really suited to the Thai palate. The spaghetti in tom yam sauce with prawns (B200) is love at first sight and comes with a thick sauce that is piquant and very tangy. Another fusion dish that’s done right is the salmon tataki (diced salmon with balsamic dressing, B180) which really gets the best out of Thai herbs like lemongrass, chopped shallots and chili, the result being something akin to a Thai-style salad where the balsamic acts as a sour dressing. Elsewhere, the stricyly Thai signature dish Ab-Sab (Thai-style grilled spicy ground pork, B120) tastes similar to fried laab, only much softer, and it strikes a nice balance between lime and spice. The Western side of the menu isn’t bad either, as their creamy black truffle soup (B180) attests. Thick and aromatic, the soup is flavorsome without being too salty. The only minor mishap to be found on our last visit was their baked New Zealand mussels in white beer (B260): although the mussels were big and fresh, the sauce was a bit bland and didn’t pair well with the meat. Still, in a neighborhood pretty short on decent dining options, Millet is quite the gem. What’s more, the well-stocked bar has a variety of European beers, as well as the Japanese craft beer Hitachino (starts from B200), too. Corkage B300.
