A new Thai restaurant on the top floor of The Continent Hotel in Asoke takes humble street eats on a swanky, sky-high (literally and metaphorically) ride.
Climb the spiral staircase from the hotel’s sky bar to arrive at Bangkok Heightz, an eatery that claims the highest location of all Thai restaurants in the city. The establishment pays tribute to Bangkok’s sidewalk culture within a modern eating space that injects modern touches to pastoral decor. Electrical wires, a usual sight on any Bangkok streets, artfully adorn the ceiling of the room, garishly hovering over the venue’s dark wooden furniture and bare concrete walls. The floor-to-ceiling glass windows are opened in the evening, allowing diners to breathe in what Sukhumvit's fresh air can provide.
The food is a straightforward interpretation of commonly known Thai street grub. The ingredients, however, are premium, and the flavors generously toned down so as not to hold farangs’ taste buds at gun point. Consider the green curry that comes with the protein of your choice – our pick was a tender and succulent rack of lamb (B690). Maine lobster (B1,400) is served in a comforting choo-chee curry that plays up sweet and mildly spicy flavors.
The spicy papaya salad (B290) features a combination of crunchy raw papaya and roasted peanuts. The usual shrimp or crab that accompanies most som tum is switched for grilled chicken. We would have liked the salad more if it had slightly less sugar and more fermented fish sauce. (Pardon our spice-craving taste buds!)
The signature cocktails are easy to drink and creatively served in glasses that deserve the best-dressed award. Khan Thong (B320), which mixes rum, jasmine syrup, strawberry juice, lime juice and egg white, is poured into a gold, carved bowl and garnished with jasmine flowers. Everyone’s favorite Thai tea (B320) is given a boozy kick and transformed into a concoction that makes use of three different Thai liquors.