The Triplets are all grown up. Gone is the office space with a kitchen in the middle, Chef Nateampai Sarakosass singlehandedly keeping up with orders while poorly trained staff milled about. A smidgeon of the original character is gone too, such as the obsessive dedication to locally-sourced food which even extended to the wine list. But Triplets has gained much in its move to Langsuan. The new digs wrap around a courtyard, with giant panes of glass, high ceilings (at least on one side), and bright chairs worthy of a Dwell Magazine spread. Waiters are noticeably more polished too, and the kitchen brings small plates, appetizers and mains out simultaneously and in the proper order, a feat so rare in Bangkok as to deserve mention. The food remains simple, flavorful and fresh, with a French slant and global inspirations that often defy categorization. It’s very honest cooking, but we could do with a tad more subtlety. The crab rolls (B215) are overpowered by the fried rice sheet, forcing the crabmeat out of the spotlight. The blanched asparagus (B185), too, get a bit lost in their honeyed remoulade (a mayonnaise-based sauce) and chunks of bacon. And the BLT Pasta (B295) with bacon and rocket is certainly spicy, but that’s about it. But on their own, these criticisms don’t do justice to the consistently excellent produce on your plate. Whether it’s a tender, perfectly cooked steak, or a rocket and cheese salad (B315) with a sweet and tangy kick, you can tell Triplets is home to a chef who takes her morning market visits very, very seriously. Whatever fine tuning is missing could be down to the length of the menu, which has some 60 items ranging from pasta to small plates and desserts (they do a lovely tarte tatin, B275). Triplets remains fairly casual (despite the beautiful people who eat here) and a shorter menu with rotating specials might make more sense. As for prices, they too have remained resolutely bistro, with many mains coming in under B400, making Triplets both very good and very affordable.
