The Den Gastrobar & Restaurant has every chance of becoming a popular venue in the Chatuchak and Vibhavadi Rangsit Road area thanks to its cookie-cutter inter menu designed for the Thai palate, and minimalist interior dotted with stylish wooden table sets that’s given a moody atmosphere chic ceiling lights. It also neighbors a football pitch meaning people can go play before dining, and then enjoy the weekend’s matches on the big screens. Unfortunately, the Den’s food list, though done reasonably well and at low prices, highlights small portions not suited to serious dining. The somewhat uninventive menu spans international fare like pasta and pizza to Thai dishes like yam and a variety of single dishes. There’s much to enjoy, though. With its tangy saltiness, the spaghetti spicy salmon (B145) hits the spot. The similarly tasty laab salmon (spicy salmon salad, B120) is another solid offering, with the sour and spicy laab dipping sauce going well with the fresh salmon. However, the enjoyment is short-lived, as the salad contains only four tiny slithers of fish. The spaghetti carbonara (B145) is creamier and richer than most, but we also love it, even though it’s a bit too salty. Another satisfying dish is the grilled pork with spicy tamarind sauce (B90), which comes with slices of grilled pork that have been marinated until extremely smooth. Their pizza, too, is decent with a base that is somehow soft and crunchy at the same time. We learned that The Den recently cut some of their Japanese menu, so what’s left is basically only yakitori choices; we particularly like the shoyu sauce on their bacon and mushroom roll (B35 per stick). But with such small portions, it’s surprising that this bar isn’t big on live entertainment either (they only have live music on Sunday). The Den isn’t a place to enjoy a hearty meal, nor is it one for partying long into the night. They do pretty good food, though, so it’s more suited for a low-key bite and a few quiet drinks with friends.
