Table talk in Bangkok (August 20-26)

Phuket’s Old Town heads north for two nights as Carito hands its kitchen and bar to Local Canteen, Dibuk House and shhh. Head Chef Korn brings Southern Thai cooking, including khao-yum Local Canteen with a family-recipe Thai anchovy relish, Ko-Lae lamb, Phuket-style prawn fritters and grilled Thai tajima wagyu bavette with Southern tamarind chilli sauce.Dibuk House and shhh. handle the drinks with four Phuket-inspired cocktails. That’s two nights, three Phuket names and every reason to arrive hungry.

28-29 August, 6pm-11pm, across Carito’s and Toma y Toma, Sukhumvit 22

Soma’s seasonal menu now has 13 new dishes spanning Thailand’s central plains and northern hills. Head Chef Pak’s sour orange curry pairs oil-poached barramundi with salmon roe and crispy vegetables, following his grandmother’s recipe. Fried beef brisket with house-made soy sauce takes nearly 48 hours, moving through brining, sous vide, cold smoking and deep-frying. Golden trevally crudo heads north with prik larb and herbs, while peach tree sap gives pomegranate and pomelo granita an extra lift.

Available now. Soma, Siam Pathumwan House

Crossing the river remains a small commitment, but Tense.bkk in Khlong San makes a persuasive case. The standalone casual-dining house builds each menu around evolving ‘Chapters’, reworking familiar food with modern techniques and playing with past, present and future. Three dishes join the current chapter this August – duck croquette, pocket rocket and classic vanilla – all available at dinner. Familiar, but twisted just enough to make the cross-city journey worthwhile.

Dinner Tue-Sun, 4pm-10pm; weekend brunch Sat-Sun, 10am-3pm. Tense.bkk, Khlong San

Singapore’s Burnt Ends brings Chef-Owner Dave Pynt’s fire-driven cooking to Waldorf Astoria Bangkok for two days in September. The takeover covers Bull & Bear, The Champagne Bar and The Loft. Bull & Bear hosts lunch and dinner menus with wine pairings, while The Loft gets a Burnt Ends guest-bartender experience. Lunch costs B10,000 net per person, dinner B15,000 and the bar experience B2,500, including two cocktails and four bites. If you like dinner with a little smoke, book early.

9-10 September, Bull & Bear, 55/F, The Champagne Bar, 57/F and The Loft, 56/F, Waldorf Astoria Bangkok, Ratchadamri Road

The blue bottle has landed. Blue Bottle Coffee opens its first Thailand outpost at Dusit Central Park on 21 August, followed by EmQuartier later this month. Dusit Central Park is built for everyday coffee runs; the EmQuartier flagship puts more emphasis on hand-brewed pour-overs, seasonal offerings and the ritual of a good cup. The brand’s Japanese kissaten influence, fresh roasting and made-to-order brewing now join Bangkok’s increasingly serious coffee scene. There’s your next weekend coffee stop.

Dusit Central Park, from 21 August; EmQuartier, opening later in August

Tea Lounge at Capella Bangkok has joined forces with Valrhona for Éclat de Cacao, a limited-run afternoon tea by Executive Pastry Chef Paulo Bairan and Valrhona Regional Pastry Chef APAC Guillaume Lopvet. The menu explores chocolate in different styles and intensities, served in classic afternoon-tea form against a backdrop of Chao Phraya River views.

It begins with a chocolate-and-citrus welcome drink before moving through scones, pastries, petits fours and mignardises. The creations range from bright cacao flavours to richer dark chocolate, accompanied by tea and herbal and floral infusions. Bringing together Capella’s pastry kitchen and Valrhona’s chocolate expertise, the menu plays with cacao through contrasting flavours and textures.

August 8-October 9. Éclat de Cacao Afternoon Tea B1,800++ per person or B3,500++ for two. Tea Lounge, Capella Bangkok

The Siam Tea Room at Bangkok Marriott Marquis Queen’s Park has launched Ocean Fish: Essence of Thai Flavors, a menu inspired by Chef Aoi Supattra Kammai’s home-style recipes. Fresh ocean fish meets Thai herbs, spices and sauces across everything from light appetisers to hearty curries and soups.

Highlights include spicy sea bass salad with mixed herbs and seasonal vegetables; baked golden snapper with herbs and fermented-fish chilli dip; and giant trevally stir-fried with red curry paste, fingerroot and baby aubergines. There’s also a hot-and-sour soup with silver mullet and young tamarind leaves. Dessert takes a more unexpected turn: snow-white palm juice served with candied makrut lime and smoked fish powder for a sweet-savoury finish.

Until September 30. Daily, 11am-10.30pm. Dishes from B190. The Siam Tea Room, Bangkok Marriott Marquis Queen’s Park

Sichuan cooking is about far more than heat. Man Ho’s new Summer Sichuan Selection focuses on freshness, fragrance and balance, pairing green Sichuan peppercorns with pickled chillies, citrus notes and premium ingredients. Standouts include steamed bamboo fish with fresh peppercorns, poached Australian beef in aromatic chilli broth and sliced abalone with Sichuan peppercorn dressing. It is a seasonal menu packed with flavour without relying on fiery spice alone.

Until August 31. From B690++. Man Ho Chinese Restaurant, JW Marriott Bangkok

A long dim sum menu can be intimidating, so Xian Yuan has done the choosing for you. Its new tasting sets offer either five classic steamed favourites or five signature fried selections, each paired with a cocktail or mocktail. It is a straightforward way to sample the restaurant’s Cantonese cooking without committing to a tableful of dishes, whether you are visiting for the first time or simply cannot decide what to order.

Until October 31. B488++ per set. Xian Yuan, Dusit Central Park

Summer truffles may not have the cult status of their winter cousins, but they still bring that earthy, unmistakable hit. Akira Back Bangkok is making the most of the season with four limited dishes built around truffles sourced from the French Alps and Italy. The menu includes the restaurant's signature AB Truffle mushroom pizza, seared Hokkaido scallop with miso cream butter, Kagoshima A5 ribeye with truffle beef jus, and a black truffle macaron to finish. Available at lunch and dinner, it is a tidy excuse to add a little more truffle to the season.

Available until August 31. From B390++ per dish. Akira Back Bangkok, Bangkok Marriott Marquis Queen’s Park, Sukhumvit Road