Park Sathorn Restaurant

In my last trip to Bangkok, I managed to find some time to venture beyond the usual restaurants and found some new popular cafes

A newly opened cafe and restaurant in the Sahorn area, Park Sathorn, is a newly opened, highly popular and “Instagrammable” dining destination in Bangkok. A restored villa, the restaurant is designed feel like a secret garden and an enchanted forest  tucked away among the skyscrapers of the Sathorn district

The first area you enter from the old architecture-inspired building is like the main dining hall with air-conditioning. Filled with Roman pillars and a centrepiece staircase, this was perfect for intimate wedding events or parties. Full of fake flowers, greenery and Italian sculptures, the hall feels very Italian in atmosphere

From the doors leading to the outdoors, you are taken into an entirely different fairytale world of green landscape with multiple ponds, koi fish, diverse flora and a misty atmosphere, creating a romantic and whimsical escape from the chaotic city

Just when I thought that was it, I continued walking and discovered a different area which housed birds, a real, flowing, artificial waterfall, small Hobbit houses, which was a bar, beach hut styled area serving mostly local delights and many different houses for private functions and parties. I took a good 20 minutes exploring and taking pictures before returning to the main dining hall. It also seems like there are multiple entrances, as I witness locals coming in through different areas

When it comes to the menu, the restaurant offers a mix of authentic Thai, Italian, and brunch-style dishes, and the prices are definitely higher than those of other restaurants. I spotted an interesting drink and ordered it. They had the coconut espresso coffee, which I have recently fallen in love with, and since we are in the land of coconuts, this must be sweet and delicious. The whole brown coconut was served with a small cup of espresso and an empty glass, so you can do your own mix of coconut water with coffee. The coconut water was sweet and paired well with the bitter yet smooth espresso

I ordered a sun-dried pork neck with glutinous rice, as this was one of my favourite local dishes. The price is about THB 400, which is typically higher than at basic Thai restaurants. The pork was well-cooked with authentic flavours, and the chilli had a nice tangy spice, which paired well with the pork strips

We also had the grilled pork neck slices with Thai salad and glutinous rice. I personally liked this chilli dip better as it was more Thai flavoured with fish sauce, chilli powder, and chopped onions. The grilled pork slices were more tender and soft compared to the sun dried one. In terms of flavour, both were authentic enough

Overall, Park Sathorn has a great atmosphere and a real fairytale-like environment for people to find an escape in the middle of the bustling city. The food is ok in flavour, just slightly more expensive than other Thai restaurants. It could be a good place to idle away the afternoon and escape the heat with a drink or more

Address: 24 Chuea Phloeng 2 Alley, Thung Maha Mek, Sathon, Bangkok 10120, Thailand

Opening hours: 9 am to 11 pm