Bangkok’s skytrain will soon embrace another neighborhood with a brand new station opening further up north in the city.
This Friday — finally! — BTS Ha Yaek Lat Phrao will be available for public use. From Aug. 9 onwards, commuters can take the BTS skytrain all the way there to shop, eat and drink, without having to switch from a skytrain to a subway to MRT Phahon Yothin.
Aside from CentralPlaza Lardprao and the budget shopping center Union Mall, here are the restaurants and bars within walking distance from BTS Ha Yaek Lat Phrao that we think are worth checking out. Plus, they’re all pretty affordable compared to their counterparts in Ari and the downtown Siam area.
Ma-ke Inu
Owned by a group of friends who identify themselves as “losers” — the name “ma-ke inu” literally means “loser dogs” in Japanese — this two-floor restaurant tucked inside Soi Lat Phrao 4 serves homemade Japanese dishes, with specialization in rice bowls, or donburi. It’s also a perfect place to catch up with friends over a beer (or two) and small tapas-like dishes. Our favorites include the agedashi tofu (THB100) for its delicious simplicity, and the yum nua yee-poon, medium-rare wagyu beef soaked in shoyu soy sauce, wasabi and a blend of Thai and Japanese spices (THB180).
FIND IT: 150/2, Soi Lat Phrao 4, Chatuchak, Bangkok
Sam-Rub Cafe and Cuisine
This building, a former personal residence on Soi Lat Phrao 8, now houses a cafe and restaurant that puts an emphasis on modern Thai and international cuisine. Many of the menu items are packed with flavor, and ideal as dishes to share with friends, such as the deep-fried pork belly with fish sauce (THB89) and tom yum soup with pork ribs and chamuang leaves (THB139). After the meal, try out their signature Coconut Cake (THB109), which is made in-house from scratch.
FIND IT: 8/37 Soi Lat Phrao 8 Yaek 9, Chatuchak, Bangkok
Mala Kotuay
Propped up as a small store next to MRT Phaholyothing’s exit No. 4, Mala Kotuay has become a popular new stop for those who want to grab a quick, flavor-packed bite — barbecued meat or veggies glazed with mala hot sauce — before making their way home. Customers can choose from an array of meat and vegetables options, including bacon, pork intestines, squid, okra and king oyster mushrooms. Each skewer is priced from THB15 to THB20.
FIND IT: 1138/2 Phahonyothin Rd, Chatuchak, Bangkok
Zabzood
If you’re after some seriously spicy punches to your tastebuds, then there’s Zabzood, which offers a wide range of northeastern Thai dishes. Apart from the traditional somtum, or papaya salad with fermented fish or fermented blue crab (starting at THB60 each), the restaurant also offers all kinds of seafood such as salt-crusted grilled fish, grilled prawns and steamed blanched clams with dipping sauce.
FIND IT: 9/9 Lat Phrao Rd, Chatuchak, Bangkok
Tee’s Peking Duck
If you’re thinking about slurping chewy noodles swimming in a savory broth, then walk down to Union Mall — underneath it, you’ll find Tee Peking Duck, which specializes in only one thing: roasted duck. Though the menus are limited to duck over rice or noodles, the place is worth a stop for it’s extra-umami, tender duck meat, which come in great portion sizes and cheap prices (start at THB40 per dish).
FIND IT: 1146/6 Phahonyothin Rd, Chatuchak, Bangkok
Pathe Restaurant
Best known among Thais as an after-work hangout in the Ladprao area, Pathe gets consistently packed from wall to wall on Friday nights, thanks to its servings of cold beer and popular crowd-pleasing dishes like deep-fried morning glory and spicy salad (THB108), fried chicken with lemon cream sauce (THB98) and hao dong (beef / pork / squid spicy salad, THB98).
FIND IT: 1130/5 Vibhavadi Rangsit Rd, Chatuchak, Bangkok
Izakaya Ohanami
Walk past Pathe and you’ll find this hidden gem on Vibhavadi Road that many pedestrians may not even notice when walking by. The small izakaya offers deep-fried appetizers and other petite dishes of sashimi, spicy salmon salad and tako wasabi — all things that match well with sake, umeshu or beer (the 1.5-hour beer buffet is only THB249).
FIND IT: 1130 Phahonyothin Rd, Chatuchak, Bangkok
Bros Brew Beer
This small shophouse serves what is arguably the best food pairing in the world: beer and buffalo wings. Bros Brew Beer opened just a few years ago with a focus on serving craft beer and chicken wings with several dipping sauce options (our recommendation: honey mustard).
FIND IT: 12/19 Lat Phrao Rd, Chatuchak, Bangkok
Method to My Madness
Popular among fans of non-mainstream music, this laid-back bar is all about cheap beer and good music. Different DJs take over the decks each night, spinning everything from Brit pop and post-punk to synth pop and new wave (recently it hosted a Stranger Things-themed night playing the hit Netflix series’ soundtracks).
FIND IT: 12/10 Lat Phrao Rd, Chatuchak, Bangkok
Ninetails Bar & Booster
Looking like it’s straight outta a Wong Kar Wai film, this neon-lit, two-story bar quickly became a new hip hangout with reliably good drinks and live music (and photo-taking opportunities). Following its contemporary Chinese kitsch theme, the bartenders mix up cocktails using traditional Chinese ingredients such as chrysanthemum juice, grass jelly and dried shatang mandarin.
FIND IT: 148/1, Lat Phrao Rd, Chatuchak, Bangkok
Read more of Coconuts Bangkok’s food guides here:
Soi Food Series: Steps away from BTS Saphan Khwai, the eclectic fare of Soi Pradiphat
Soi Food Series: Near the skyscrapers of Sathorn, great street eats on Soi Suan Phlu
Soi Food Series: Step into Sriyan, an old neighborhood with plenty of food
Soi Food Series: Ditch the cliche Yaowarat and get yourself to Soi Yotse
