Dear Nineties kids, Stu-fe, that charming café on Rama 4 (aka your ex-afterwork cocoon) is now back in business. This reincarnation, however, has nothing to do with the Monotone peeps, Stu-fe’s former owners. Instead, say hello to Wild & Company, created by a team of young-blood restaurateurs that has converted the old hippy hangout into a jungle-themed studio-cum-bar focusing on meat dishes (particularly game meat), classic cocktails and good music.
A newly built glasshouse functions as the main restaurant. Surrounded by huge trees and festooned with stuffed, mounted heads, the space feels like a camping settlement somewhere in the middle of the forest. The man behind the kitchen is none other than Chatphon Thavornvanit of smoked sausage brand Munchies BKK. Here, he sends out huge sharing portions of meat dishes that use local produce. Apart from maximizing local meat options, Chef Chatphon is also into local herbs and vegetables so expect Vietnamese coriander (pak-paew), centella (bai-bua-bok) and olive leaf (yod-ma-kok) in your salad and main dishes.
Start off your meal with a light dish like the Quail Salad (B390), a recipe that brings together seared French quail, poached eggs and organic greens. Another favorite is the Rabbit Roll (B690) that sees tender sous-vide French rabbit wrapped in bacon and served with greens and a savory sauce. Bone Marrow (B450) spreads well on a warm baguette—each portion comes with a flavorful herb crust and tangy olive leaves. Carnivores will find gastronomic pleasure in the eight-hour smoked beef ribs (served with homemade pickles, coleslaw and tortilla bread, B2,490) or the juicy Australian Angus Tomahawk served with truffled potato puree and grilled vegetables (B3,290/1.2kg). Come in at least a group of four to enjoy more dishes as the portions are seriously huge—don’t say we didn’t warn you.
Move to the old house after dinner for a tipple or two. The drinks list focuses mainly on a spirits-forward selection of classic cocktails like Negroni (gin, campari and sweet vermouth, B320) as well as forgotten classic like Rusty Nails (Scotch whiskey and Drambuie, B320) and Vieux Carre (rye, cognac, sweet vermouth, Benedictine D.O.M. and bitters, B320). The aim to support local products carries over from kitchen to bar. Chalawan pale ale and Chatri IPA are the main beer options while small batches from local brewers are also available on occasion—ask the barman for the evening’s brews before placing an order.
Did we mention that there's a small golden bell by the bar that you should, by all means, keep your hands away from? Otherwise, get ready to go wild.