Bored of eating the same thing twice? Fear no more, here's a list of restaurants and bars that have shuffled things up to make sure you're never bored or short of choices while dining out.
Soma
Soma debuts 13 new dishes spanning three generations of family recipes, kitchen technique and a journey from Thailand's central plains to its northern hills.
Head chef Pak Pak Yamoo's Sour orange curry with barramundi, salmon roe and crispy vegetables is the chef's grandmother's recipe. Working with executive chefs Chalee Kader and Weerawat "Num" Trisenyawat, the team has created new life from something already beloved. Rather than simply poaching the fish in broth, the barramundi is oil-poached. Around the bowl, fried vegetables offer crunch, while the roe adds brininess.
Soma's Fried beef brisket with house-made soy sauce arrives looking deceptively simple but is anything but. The brisket begins in a salt brine, before spending 24 hours in a sous vide bath. It is cold-smoked over coconut husks and hay, before being deep-fried. Alongside it, a house-made soy sauce rounds out the dish.
Soma's take on crudo has always drawn from the richness of Thai regional cuisine. Chef Pak's interpretation of sa pla uses golden trevally. In place of the Central Region's familiar spice palette, he reaches for phrik larb and a selection of northern Thai herbs and aromatics.
Soma's Granita is pomegranate and pomelo with sap from a peach tree. Rich in natural collagen, the dish is as nourishing as it is refreshing, a dessert that earns its place at the end of a meal in more ways than one.
Front Room
Front Room at Waldorf Astoria Bangkok introduces new à la carte creations alongside an all-new lunch set menu, reinterpreting Thai culinary traditions through a contemporary lens.
“Thai cuisine possesses remarkable depth in its flavours, ingredients and culinary heritage,” says chef de cuisine Athiti Moungthong. “With this new menu, we wanted to reinterpret dishes that many guests know and love while preserving their authentic essence. At the same time, we introduce new dimensions through technique, composition, and presentation, allowing guests to experience Thai cuisine from a fresh perspective.”
Among the highlights is Yam nuea yang makhuea phao, inspired by traditional Thai grilled eggplant relish and beef salad. Premium 270-day grain-fed Black Angus striploin is grilled and paired with charred eggplant and roasted spur chilies, then finished with a vibrant Thai-style clear dressing.
Another standout is Talay tom tao jiew, a contemporary interpretation of a traditional coastal Thai dish. The clear broth is slowly simmered from sea fish bones and infused with fermented soybean paste, ginger, lemongrass and shallots. Served with Andaman grouper, giant tiger prawns, Chanthaburi squid and crab meat, the dish celebrates the abundance of Thailand’s coastal waters.
Pla kapong daeng pad kuen chai draws inspiration from the classic Thai celery stir-fry, with a vibrant green celery sauce inspired by Italian pesto. Meanwhile, Pla muek neung manao is reimagined with two distinct seafood sauces, delivering contrasting yet harmonious layers of flavour. The Gaeng khiao wan pla jaramet dam thot features the restaurant’s signature green curry paste and freshly-pressed coconut cream infused with Thai basil, and is served with crispy fried black pomfret.
Equally noteworthy is choo chee man goong, goong mae nam yang, where traditional Choo Chee curry is enriched with river prawn tomalley and prawn powder, then paired with a perfectly grilled giant river prawn renowned for its naturally sweet and succulent meat.
Front Room introduces a new three-course lunch set, which celebrates local produce, traditional preservation techniques and the distinctive flavours of Isan cuisine through a contemporary interpretation that remains deeply rooted in regional identity.
Anne-Sophie Pic At Le Normandie
Anne-Sophie Pic At Le Normandie introduces a new three-course Business Lunch, offering guests the opportunity to experience the restaurant's French fine dining in a format suited to the working day.
Available from Wednesday to Friday, the menu has been created for those seeking a quick lunch and it is served in less than one hour and 15 minutes. The menu reflects chef Pic's distinctive culinary philosophy of suffusion through a selection of seasonal dishes. Guests begin with Roasted Loire white asparagus with Madras curry and coffee sabayon, or Brittany crab paired with smoked local avocado, Sicilian pistachio and hibiscus. Chef Pic's signature Berlingots, delicate floral pasta parcels filled with local cow's cheese, chamomile and saffron, are also available.
For the main course, its Sardine cooked over embers with courgette ribbons, passion marigold and kaffir lime mayonnaise. Wild sea bass with Kaviari Oscietra caviar and Champagne sauce, Jacques Pic’s iconic signature created at Maison Pic in 1971, is available as a supplement, as is the Limousin veal rib accompanied by slow-braised veal cheek.
To conclude, desserts include Mara des Bois strawberries with matcha ganache, sesame praline and shiso sorbet, or Chocolate mousse served with mint geranium ice cream and coconut milk rice pudding.
