There was so much hype around Bunker when it opened earlier in the year. Award-winning chef Tim Butler of Eat Me is one of the people behind it, for one. Plus, the kitchen is led by Arnie Marcella, the former head chef of The Elm and Aldea in New York (rated 4 stars by Time Out New York) and a culinary cohort of Michelin-star chefs like Michael White and Paul Liebrandt.
Bunker, designed by architects du jour Kevin Lim and Kelly Wheatley, is evocative of a war shelter (as suggested by the name). A sense of starkness pervades the three-level Brutalist-styled dining/bar area, its rough concrete walls softened by sophisticated marbled tables and brightly colored leather chairs. Opt for a table by the octagonal open window which looks like a quirky gun emplacement in a bunker, or in the charming outdoor area in the third floor overlooking Sathorn road.
The menu is meant to showcase the natural flavors of each dish’s main ingredient. Thai diners may find dishes like Wagyu beef tartare (B400) and Hiramase tartare (B375) slightly underseasoned for their palate. For more flavorful selections, opt for the sweet and creamy grilled beef tongue and snails freckled with delicious garlic breadcrumbs and parsnip purée (B425), seared wild Spanish octopus served on rich peanut sauce (B600) and perfectly cooked black miso sea bass elevated by a rich and creamy clam chowder (B825). Of the signature plates, the heftily portioned, melt-in-your-mouth, 24-hour sous-vide marbled Wagyu beef rib (B2,300) is tender, oh-so tender that we almost forgot that we were eating beef. The desserts, by the way, are exceptional. Chef Marcella delivers olive oil-cooked pineapple upside down cake (B300) and a cake (B300) made with premium Malagos chocolate from the Philippines with sheer perfection.
The booze at Bunker, designed to compliment the food, is serious business. For cocktail fans, we recommend the refreshing rum-based South Side (B320) and, if you’re a fan of gin, the strong-but-easy-to-drink Aviation (B280).