AW_CentralBangkok_Double Page_Bangkok101_34x24cm.pdf 1 3/1/2559 BE 2:17 PM Publisher’s Letter angkok is definitely what you would call a “caffeinated” city. Whether it’s old grannies drinking tea by the bucketful, taxi and bus drivers socking back Red Bull in order to stay awake, or urban hipsters sipping single Borigin roast artisanal lattes, there are a lot of liquid stimulants keeping this manic What is metropolis going. Which is why each year we devote one issue to café culture, exploring what’s new in the world of brewers and baristas. We’ve also updated Bangkok 101 our café listings to include many new java joints that have opened up in the past year, and we’ve also got a “coffee cup contest” in which observant readers have Independent and unbiased, a chance to win some cool prizes, including a one night complimentary hotel stay. Bangkok 101 caters to savvy So, order up your favourite dark roast, espresso, or tea blend, turn to page 18, and travellers who yearn for sit back and settle in to this year’s 16-page ‘Café Culture’ issue. more than what they find in Of course, we also have plenty of decaffeinated content as well, including a guidebooks. It brings together an travel story about mountain climbing in Sri Lanka (page 48), exclusive coverage authoritative who’s who of city of the upcoming 18th annual Bangkok International Festival of Dance and Music residents, writers, photographers (page 56), an arts photo feature showcasing the whimsical paintings of Korean and cultural commentators. The artist Gi-ok Jeon (page 60), and a new monthly feature in which we highlight result is a compact and intelligent interesting wine events and dinners going on in Bangkok. Add to this all our regular hybrid of monthly travel guide food, nightlife, film, spa, and music listings, and you may have to order a second and city magazine that takes you cappuccino to get through it all. on and off the well-worn tourist All this and more—including our track. Bangkok 101 employs Bangkok 101 archive and extras— the highest editorial standards, Enjoy. can be found online at www. with no fluff, and no smut. Our bangkok101.com. A couple of clicks editorial content cannot be are all it takes to keep in touch bought. We rigorously maintain with what’s happening in Bangkok the focus on our readers, and our and beyond. And if you as a reader ongoing mission is to ensure they feel there’s something we’re not Mason Florence enjoy this great city as much as covering, but should be, please drop Publisher we love living in it. us a line at [email protected]. BANGKOK 101 PARTNERS bangkok101.com SEPTEMBER 2016 | 5 CONTENTS CITY PULSE 14 18 10 Metro Beat What’s going on this month in and around Bangkok 14 Out and About Wild Encounter Thailand takes whale watchers on a cetaceous sea adventure 16 Property Profile The Ramada Plaza Bangkok Menam Riverside hotel 58 celebrates 30 years along the river CAFÉ CULTURE 18 Best of BKK Artisanal coffee roasters reshape the city’s café scene 22 My Bangkok Meet Dale Lee, co-founder of CoffeeWorks 24 Favourite Cafés 40 Joe’s Bangkok Bangkok big-shots recommend their own personal The old Customs House languishes by the riverside in a favourite coffee spots state of artful decay 26 Café Reviews 42 Very Thai Dean & Deluca; Man Fu Yuan Caffeine tonics fuel the nation 28 Made in Thailand 44 Heritage Elefin coffee brand specializes in Thai-grown coffee The art and arches of Suankularb Wittayalai School 29 Making Merit MiVana’s organic coffee plantations TRAVEL 30 Café Listings 46 Travel Updates Where to find some of the city’s best coffee shops 48 Upcountry Now This month’s events and festivals throughout Thailand SNAPSHOTS 50 Over The Border 36 Tom’s Two Satangs The slopes of Sri Lanka’s most sacred peak rewards one How Thais have adapted cultures and lifestyles from with an early morning knock on heaven’s door foreign influences 38 Bizarre Thailand ART & CULTURE Jim Algie spends a frenzied night with Bangkok’s corpse collectors 54 Art Updates 56 Art Exhibitions On the cover Bangkok’s latest museum and art gallery openings Bangkok’s best baristas supply the city with daily doses of quality 58 Arts Feature coffee… all good to the last drop! Bangkok’s International Festival of Dance & Music Photo courtesy of CoffeeWorks returns for another season (see story on page 22). 60 Cinema Scope This month’s special film events and screenings 62 Photo Feature A Space to Exist: solo exhibition by artist Gi-ok Jeon Bangkok 101 is available at: 6 | SEPTEMBER 2016 bangkok101.com CONTENTS FOOD & DRINK 71 98 68 Food & Drink Updates 70 Meal Deals Restaurants offer amazing deals for diners 71 Hot Plates A classic Thai dish gets a revamp at Baan Phadthai 72 Food & Drink Feature Anantara Siam’s World Gourmet Festival returns with a stellar line-up of dinners, brunches, and other events 74 Restaurant Reviews 100 Live Music Saffron; Food Exchange; Celadon; Basil 101’s Rock Philosopher reports on the live music scene 82 Breaking Bread 101 Club Report with Philippe Rusin, the GM of D’Ark Bangkok Check out some of the hottest DJ events this month 84 Eat Like Nym 102 Nightlife Listings Be sure to visit Nang Loeng market for its Khanom Capsule reviews of select nightspots in Bangkok Beung Yuan Ya Cham 86 Food & Drink Listings LIFE+STYLE Capsule reviews of select restaurants in Bangkok 106 Lifestyle Updates NIGHTLIFE 108 Spa Deals Bangkok spas offer amazing deals and discounts 92 Nightlife Updates 109 Wellness Reviews 94 Bar Reviews Lifestyles on 26 Rarb 96 Imbibe SIGNING OFF The secret behind Char’s superbly smoked cocktail 110 Did You Know?... 98 Connoisseur’s Corner CoffeeWorks offers barista training for professionals and Wine related news and events in Bangkok amateurs alike EDITORIAL ASSISTANTS Craig Sauers, Lekha Shankar, PUBLISHED BY Phen Parkpien Tom Vitayakul, Anne Wong Talisman Media Group Co., Ltd. Naritha Yonyubon 54 Naradhivas Rajanagarinda CONTRIBUTING Soi 4, Sathorn Tai Rd, Yannawa, Sathorn, Bangkok 10120 ART DIRECTOR PHOTOGRAPHERS Narong Srisaiya Dave Crimaldi, Jirayu Ekkul, PUBLISHER Tel: 02 286 7821 Mason Florence GRAPHIC DESIGNER Wattanapong Hotavaisaya, Fax: 02 286 7829 EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Thanakrit Skulchartchai Anupong Hotawaisaya, Nipon [email protected] Dr Jesda M. Tivayanond Riabriang, Chan Kit Yeng ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER STRATEGISTS © Copyright Talisman Media Parinya Krit-Hat Sebastien Berger GENERAL MANAGER Group Co., Ltd 2016. All rights Nathinee Chen Jhone El’Mamuwaldi reserved. No part of this publication may MANAGING EDITOR SALES MANAGER be reproduced without the CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Orawan Ratanapratum Bruce Scott express written, prior permission ASSOCIATE EDITOR Jim Algie, Gary Barber, Luc SALES AND MARKETING of the publisher. Views expressed Pongphop Songsiriarcha Citrinot, Philip Cornwell- Itsareeya Chatkitwaroon in this magazine are not EDITOR-AT-LARGE Smith, Dave Crimaldi, SALES EXECUTIVE necessarily those of the publisher, Joe Cummings Marco Ferrarese, Kiattisak Chanchay which accepts no responsibility WRITER & DIGITAL EDITOR Pawika Jansamakao, for them. Julia Offenberger Reena Karim-Hallberg, DISTRIBUTION & MARKETING Samantha Proyrungtong, COORDINATOR Korakot (Nym) Punlopruksa, Seri Sartsanapiti CITY PULSE | metro beat SEPTEMBER’S HOTTEST TICKETS September 3 The chart-topping Scottish synth-pop band Chvrches will finally make their long-awaited debut appearance here in Bangkok, as the official headliners of Tiger Jam’s Centerstage music festival. Also in the line up are local TED TALKS indie rockers Polycat, Somkiat, Jelly Rocket, September 4 Chvrches and several others. Sharing ideas that are worth spreading It’s going to be a into communities around the world is massive night of quality live music, with visuals from local artists such as Note the aim behind TEDxChulalongkornU, Dudesweet, Eyedropper Fill, and Tuna Dunn. The concert takes place at BITEC an independently organized TEDx Bangna Hall (88 Bang Na-Trat Rd), with ticket prices set at B1,000 and B1,500. event put together by Chulalongkorn Doors are set to open at 3pm for the day-long event. University students. As the title of www.thaiticketmajor.com the event implies, Take Off, Go For It, which is being presented at the September 8 Siam-Pic Ganesha Theatre (1 Pathum The Montreal-based Wan), encourages participants to go pop-punk band Simple further and jump out of their comfort Plan are set to blow zones. Learn about the stories, ideas, the roof offMoonstar talents, and passions of those who Studio (Studio 8, have successfully found their ideal Ladprao Soi 80) as they creative paths. The event runs from bring their Taking One 1pm till 6pm, and tickets are priced at For The Team Tour 2016 B200, B500, and B1,500 each. to Bangkok this month. www.tedxchulalongkornu.com The award-winning five-piece band have released five studio MODERN DANCE albums to date, as well as two live albums, and September 22-25 have performed numerous times on theVans Warped Tour. Get set for a night This month Jitti Chompee, a premier of beer chugging and body slamming. Tickets are B2,800 and showtime is 8pm. Thai choreographer, presents his www.thaiticketmajor.com latest creation entitledRed Peter, at the Bangkok CityCity Gallery September 10 (13/3 Sathorn 1, South Sathorn Rd). What happens Animalism, absurdity, and evolution when three wildly are corresponding concepts that experimental musical prevail in Chompee’s work—inspired virtuosos—one in part by Franz Kafka—and this American, one German, performance draws from the many and one British—get elements of an ape’s journey of together to form learning to behave like a human. This a prog-rock-fusion creative project premiered at the supergroup? The answer Korzo Theatre in The Hague this past comes in the form of June, and Canadian dancer Benjamin The Aristocrats, and this Tardif, who studied Khon dance drama super group are bringing at the College of Dramatic Arts of their Tres Caballeros world tour to Bangkok for one night only, gracing the Sukhothai in Thailand, is the primary stage of the M Theatre (2884/2 New Phetchaburi Rd).