What is it?: A London-born haute-izakaya that now trots the globe, with locations in luxe beach destinations and sophisticated dining cities around the world and a Bangkok location at the St. Regis in Ratchadamri.
Why we love it: While you may think of sushi as being best enjoyed at quiet counters, in Los Angeles, for example, it’s just as much a party food. Accordingly, the mood at Zuma is almost like an LA nightclub, with low lights, throbbing music and a party-scene clientele. But even if you’re not among the beautiful people, it’s a social experience, and that is intrinsic to the cuisine. Bring a group and get down on the creative maki rolls (when we say creative, we mean actually creative, not merely novel), grilled skewers and hunks of seafood cooked in a Hokkaido-style robata, and try not to get a selfie stick to the face from the see-and-be-seen crowd.
Time Out tip: While you may think of izakayas and think beer and highballs, Zuma puts serious effort into their cocktail menu, and in fact we’d argue that their cocktails have been consistently some of the best in the city for the past couple of years.