The people behind hip clothing store-meets-coffee house One Ounce for Onion in Ekkamai has opened another branch in Chang Chui, and the outcome is that sort of food destination worth braving highway traffic for.
Housed in the same building as Chiang Mai-hailing book parlor Booksmiths and cool stationery store Lamune, One Ounce for Onion gets the hip Chang Chui upgrade it deserves. The barn-like space manifests a post-apocalyptic feel, with zinc and glass frames enhanced by chic vintage sofas and chandeliers. While the Ekkamai outpost is all about coffee and small casual bites, the Chang Chui venture puts more focus on food, courtesy of chef Parkorn “Tan” Kosiyabong, whose CV includes a stint at the three-Michelin star Azurmendi in Spain. Here at Chang Chui, Parkorn makes the most of Thai produce— some of the greens are actually grown right by the restaurant—to come up with eclectic fare with border-free flavors.
Dirty Birds (B180) is his take on simple fried chicken, featuring fried boneless thighs dressed with roasted peanuts and sweet brown sauce, and served with a tangy cucumber relish—the usual accompaniment of chicken satay. The dish pairs perfectly with Esan Classic (B120), a mocktail that contains the base ingredients of typical spice-heavy Northeastern fare like tomato, lemongrass and kaffir lime but altogether deliver refreshingly sweet flavor.
The seafood-packed Chinglish Baby in Seoul City (B300) combines Korean and Chinese flavors on the same plate, seeing gnocchi tossed in a special, tongue-numbing gochujang chili paste with a kick of Sichuan pepper. To set off the heat, take it with Lady Yaowarat, a refreshing drink made with pome-granate juice and jujube jelly (B140).
Don’t underestimate the simple-looking tiramisu (B150), made with Jomthong coffee from Chiang Mai, Kahlua and espresso-soaked mascarpone, espresso granita and espresso-soaked lady fingers.