Now this one’s for purists. Yondaime Kikukawa is the place where the chef still personally grills every eel over imported binchotan charcoal, and you can taste this precision in every bite. What makes this spot truly special is that the eel is imported but kept fresh in a pond right behind the restaurant before being prepared. The skin is blistered just right, with no trace of sogginess.
You get to choose between eel with or without sauce. The experience is crisp, fatty fish with a clean, smoky depth. This place also does something most others don’t, eel liver. If you’ve never tried it, it’s a revelation, slightly chewy, no fishiness, glazed in a sweet reduction. The unagi here is also noticeably large; it’s fresh, not frozen, and you can tell.
The HELIX SKY DINING, The EmQuartier, 5A03, 6/F, 693 Sukhumvit Rd, Khlong Tan Nuea, Watthana. 092-563-6222. Open daily 10am-10pm.