ARTiS @ Sukhumvit Soi 18 [Bangkok] - Nothing Fancy Just A Pure Good Cup Of Coffee

It has been 3 years since I last visited Bangkok and I was really eager to pop by one of their artisanal cafes. While there are so many recommended ones up in magazines and social media, it was really by chance to find ARTiS, especially it looked so unassuming at bustling Sukhumvit. Simply because when I finally saw Roast at The Commons and decided that it will just be another P.S Café experience, and all other cafes at Thong Lo and Ekkamai had shut their doors for the day, I decided to give this cafe a try, after walking past it back and forth several times, for it is just a few minutes walk from my hotel!

Was it the days of yearning for that one cup of good coffee after a week in Thailand, that caused me to feel that I just had the best Piccolo? Ever since my first gibraltar years ago at Toby Estate Singapore, I haven't had such feeling for a very long time. I couldn't stop commenting to my friend about how velvety the foam was and married with the extract so well that the coffee just stayed lusciously round and full bodied throughout, till my last sip.

Not much food accompaniment here, so i ordered a mini carrot cake. I reckon their sandwiches will fare a lot better.

I made a point to come back before departure, which I did on the morning before my flight back. Black coffee is the way to go for any morning hence the Single Origin Ethiopia Guji Uraga. Stated notes are Blood Orange, Peach and Strawberry. Not an expert in drinking drip coffees but it resonates well with me and I could detect that hint of strawberry notes in the coffee.

I read that Artis originates from Berkeley, a Calif.-based brand. So this store is actually a licensing of the brand with a business partner fell in love the Berkeley store after his first visit. The concept store is much bigger with a 'Live Roast Experience' concept, along with a traditional coffee bar and a brewing equipment marketplace.

Weekend mornings would be the best time to go as it gets really packed and busy on weekdays. I had such a pleasure sitting outside with a great cup of coffee, watching the street hawker preparing his fried dough and soya milk fervently.

Words and photos by Si An. A girl who is allured by travelling, loves the feel of freedom, smell of the rain and the aroma of fine coffee and food. 


ARTiS
Sukhumvit Soi 18
Bangkok 10110
Thailand
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Website
[Map]

Opening Hours:
Daily: 7am - 11pm

Nai Ek Roll Noodles @ Chinatown [Bangkok] - Like Our Local Kway Chap Plus Pig Organ's Soup

My recent visit to Bangkok brought me to this local food eatery in the heart of Bangkok Chinatown, popular for its roll noodles. Nai Ek Roll Noodles started off selling roll noodles from a street cart in the 1960s before opening his own shop in 1989. During my visit for lunch, the place is packed with local and tourists.

Even though the place is very crowded, there is a proper system and things move quite swiftly. All you need to do is queue up and the staff will sit you accordingly when a space becomes available. Menu comes in English and picture, making ordering easy. Once you have decided, just place your order with one of the staffs and food will be served to you.

Roll Noodles Soup 4/5

The signature Roll Noodles Soup ($50/$80/$100 Baht) comes with minced pork, crispy pork, sliced pork, pig stomach, pig liver, pig kidney and pig tongue in a very peppery soup. What stands out for me is the rolled rice noodles. The rolling probably gives it an even more enjoyable textural bite. The offal was probably cleaned and didn't have that gaminess.

Pork Entrail Soup 4/5

The other popular item on the menu is the Pork Entrail Soup ($50/$80/$100 Baht) comes with pig blood jelly, white mugwort and all the ingredients in the roll noodles soup minus the noodles. The soup base tasted less peppery than the roll noodles soup, with a hint of the crispy pork flavour infused into the soup.

Braised Pork Trotter 3.5/5

Boiled Bean Curd 3.5/5

You can also order a couple of dish dishes to go along with the mains. I tried the Braised Pork Trotter ($80/$100/$150 Baht) and Boiled Bean Curd ($50/$80/$100 Baht). They may not be the star dishes but it played a supportive role to make the whole experience complete.

For Singaporean that is planning to check out Nai Ek roll noodles, it is like a combination of our kway chap and pig organ's soup.


Nai Ek Roll Noodles
442 Soi Yaowarat 9
Samphanawong
Krung Thep
Bangkok, Thailand
Tel: +66 22264651
[Map]

Opening Hours:
Daily: 9am - 12midnight

Size S Coffee & Bakery @ Soi Ngam Du Phil [Bangkok]

Thanks to my Thai friend, Lita, she told that there was a cafe serving good coffee near the hotel I was staying. Hence I made my way to Size S Coffee & Bakery, just around the corner of my hotel. The cafe is really size S, as in small. It probably can only sit maximum 6 persons.

Latte 4.2/5

The cafe offers 2 blend of coffee beans. Single Origin Coffee from Colombia and their own Size S Blend Coffee consisting of Ethipia, Burundi and Thai. I had the later for my Latte which is nutty and full bodied.

Ice Latte 4/5

Thailand is known for its hot and humid weather. An Ice Latte would be a good choice to cool oneself from the heat.

Red Velvet 4/5

Size S Coffee and Bakery also offers a selection of mini bakes. During my visit, there were some mini macarons, tarts and cakes. We tried the mini Red Velvet ($55 Baht), which is moist and well balanced.

Coconut Cake 4.2/5

What I like most is actually the mini Coconut Cake ($55 Baht), which is light and moist. The crowning of the coconut cake is the shredded coconut cake that lifted the whole enjoyment.

The cafe owners are really serious in their coffee. Although the cafe is very small, it brews a cup of good coffee. I actually find the mini bakes rather cute in a way and it would not be too heavy to have for tea break or snack. What is more important, the cakes are delicious.


Size S Coffee & Bakery
5/25 Soi Ngam Du Phil,
Rama 4 Road,
Sathorn, Bangkok, Thailand 10120
Tel: +662 2866117
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Nearest MRT: Lumpini Station, Soi Ngamduplee Exit 1
[Map]

Opening Hours:
Mon-Sat 730am - 6pm
(Closed every Sun)

Rocket Cafe @ Sathorn Soi 12 [Bangkok]

If you think that the cafe culture in Singapore is big, wait till you visit Bangkok. The cafe scene in Bangkok is even more vibrant. Rocket Cafe started in July 2013, has three outlets in the capital city of Thailand now. They are at Sathorn Soi 12, Sukhumvit Soi 49 and Central Embassay Shopping Mall. My recent trip to Bangkok, brought me to Rocket Cafe at Sathorn Soi 12.

Rocket Fuel 4/5

Rocket Fuel 4/5

The first thing that caught our eyes in the menu is the Rocket Fuel (105 baht small / 315 baht big). It is actually a fancy name for the Cold Brew Coffee of 100% Arabica blend. The simple touch of having a slice of orange helps to reduce the acidity of the coffee for a refreshing caffeine fix.

Hot Cocoa 4.2/5

Another interesting beverage on the menu is the Hot Cocoa (180 baht). It comes in a deconstructed form with an Ecuadorian cocoa stick, a large cup of steamed milk, a dollop whipped cream. Pop the cocoa stick into the hot steamed milk and stir until it dissolved to get you cup of hot cocoa. You can add the whipped cream if you like.

Cafe Mocha 4.2/5

The Cafe Mocha (125 baht) came with a beautiful latte art. The coffee has a good body to it which is also not too acidic. A aromatic cup of coffee to re-energize my day.

Ichigo 4/5

Besides the beverages, we also order their dessert, Ichigo (240 baht) which is only available after 11am. The beautifully plated dessert consists of strawberry and raspberry in sorbet, mousses, gels, meringue, tuile as well as fresh and dried with sous-vide rhubarb, vanilla bean pudding, lemon curd, and start anise crumbles. A refreshing dessert with many different layers of textures at play.

The cafe is spacious, cosy and well lite especially from the natural lighting coming in through the 2 story high glass panel. We already had our lunch before popping by Rocket Cafe, hence we did not try their bakes and mains. If I have the opportunity, I would love to go back to Rocket Cafe again to try the other offerings on the menu.


Rocket Cafe S.12
149 Sathorn Soi 12
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Website
Nearest BTS: Chong Nonsi BTS Station
[Map]

Opening Hours:
Daily: 7am - 9pm

Bo Lan Restaurant [Bangkok]

Having been to Bangkok on numerous occasions, I have yet to explore the fine dining scene in the Land of Smile. Accordingly to S.Pellegrino's Asia 50 Best Restaurant launched in 2013, several Thailand restaurants have been in the top 50 list every year. One of these restaurants is Bo Lan Restaurant in Bangok, Thailand, which I took the opportunity to visit during my recent trip.

Amuse Bouche

To keep things simple, we ordered the 4 Course Lunch Set ($980 baht per pax) which comes with a choice of starter, soup, stir fried and curry. Upon placing our order, we were served the Amuse Bouche. During our visit, the amuse bouche comes in a delicate glass of Thai Rice Noodle, Pineapple, Coconut, Dried Shrimp and Coconut Milk. Totally impressed with the combination of flavours showcasing the fundamental characteristic of Thai flavours.

The set menu actually only have a choice of two in the starter, soup, stir fried and curry, so it was quite a simple decision. We just choose each of them and get to have everything on the menu. For the first 4 course set menu, we have the Salad of Phang Nga Chicken, Wing Bean & Grilled Banana Blossom with Chilli Jam, Coconut Based Soup with Sustainable Seafood with a hint of Tumeric, Stir Fried Prawns with Paddy Oat Leaves and Red Curry of Phang Nga Chicken with Young Jackfruit.

For the other set menu, we had the Local Fern Salad & Phang Nga Bay Prawn with Shrimp Paste Dressing, Clear Soup with Chicken, Prawn and Young Coconut, Stir Fried Pork Neck with Andaman Shrimp Paste and Southern Style Yellow Curry with Pork Rib and Longan Fruit.

Last but not least the lunch experience is wrapped up with a refreshing Red Ruby Dessert with Jackfruit.

I am glad that I took the opportunity to visit for Bo Lan Restaurant for lunch. The 4 course set at $980 baht which is around $38 Singapore dollar is definitely worth every penny spent. The food was excellent, showcasing the refine side of Thai cuisine while still retaining the fundamental characteristic of Thai flavours. Furthermore it is easily accessible by the BTS station. However do make reservation to avoid disappointment since they are one of the top Asia restaurant after all.


Bo Lan Restaurant
24 Sukhumvit 53 Alley,
Khlong Tan Nuea,
Watthana,
Bangkok 10110,
Thailand
Tel: +66 2 260 2962
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Website
Nearest BTS: Thong Lor

Opening Hours
Tue-Fri: 6pm - 1am
Sat-Sun: 12pm - 2pm, 6pm - 1am

Direction: 
1) Alight at Thong Lor BTS station. Take Exit 1. Walk straight towards Sukhumvit 53 Alley. Turn right into Sukhumvit 53 Alley. Walk to destination. Journey time about 8 minutes. [Map]