Table 38

This chef’s table-style restaurant injects modernity to humble Thai street food

Soi Sukhumvit 38 is on the go-to list of foodies (as well as tourists) for a reason—the quaint alley has a reputation for providing some of the best street food in Sukhumvit. Now, chef Andy Yang looks to inject the street food-centric neighborhood—as well as the humble eats themselves—with modern gastronomic flair as he launches a chef’s table-style restaurant that focuses on street food-inspired molecular bites.

Sereechai Puttes

The name Andy Yang may not ring a bell for many Thais, but food-loving New Yorkers have been familiar with him for a while. The Thai-born chef rose to fame when his Thai bistro Rhong Tiam received a Michelin star in 2010, making it the first Thai restaurant that’s operated by a Thai chef to receive a star. After years of courting fame abroad, Yang decided to explore the opportunities in his motherland. He started off with Pad Thai Fai Ta Lu, a smallrestaurant dedicated to the Thai national noodle dish, before coming up with the idea of glamorizing traditional Thai street fare.

Yang transformed the common room of Ideo Morph condominium into a dining space,  outfitting it with a 12-seater table and a small kitchen corner. Table 38 offers two rounds of dinner every night: the first shift at six o'clock serves a smaller ten-course menu (B2,600), while the second slot at nine o'clock offers a more extensive 12-course full-experience selection (B4,900). Each shift can accommodate up to 12 diners (minimum of four guests).

Sereechai Puttes

If you can get past the late hour, we recommend the full 12-course menu so you can get a complete grasp of Yang’s molecular maneuverings. Stand-outs include the mellow chicken liver mousse on brioche with a dash of Sriracha, a moreish dish that bears the similar flavor profile as the flossy pork and chili paste sandwich that Thais love; and the grilled river prawns with a shrimp- and tamarind-based sauce inspired by kai lukkeoi (soft-boiled eggs doused in savory tamarind syrup). 

Sereechai Puttes

Sereechai Puttes

Yang plays with other Thai street food staples to come up with completely new creations that still retain the flavors of its inspirations. For example, his red curry with grilled duck, inspired by artist Jackson Pollock’s paintings and the macabre blood-strewn aesthetics of every Dexter episode, is topped with a pineapple curry sauce in a curious blood-like color, the result of mixing in dehydrated beetroot. The marbled Osaki beef, meanwhile, is another heavenly dish that’s liberally topped with a spicy, flavorful, candy-like green curry sauce and diced caramelized onions.

Sereechai Puttes

Sereechai Puttes

Yang’s attempt to give a molecular slant to Thai street food is no gimmick. His adroitness in creatively combining flavors and deconstructing Thai bites makes dining at Table 38 a truly memorable experience.

Table 38, 8 Ideo Morph Condominium, Soi Sukhumvit 38, 08 3399 9888. BTS Thonglor. Open Tue-Sun 18:00-21:00, 21:00-midnight