Aksorn — Restaurant in Bang Rak Subdistrict

I loved this restaurant. I could leave it at that but I won’t. Let me explain.

I have eaten in 3 Michelin Starred Thai restaurants in Bangkok now. First one was a 1-Star in January 2023 and it was genuinely delicious and amazing and left me with great memories.

I then ate at a 2-Star Michelin restaurant in Bangkok in December 2023. Aksorn served better food than that restaurant at much cheaper price. Sure, the 2-star deployed lots of theatre (making the Tom Yum soup at the table for example, was still Tom Yum) whereas Aksorn has none of that. In fact, neither did the restaurant in January 2023.

It’s a nice restaurant. Sitting on the terrace was really nice and pleasant and quiet. All the staff are super nice and friendly and just make the evening so relaxed.

But the food is the star. I have added my own photos (mainly to authenticate I did visit) and they replicate other posts. But I will say best dish for me was the green chicken curry, 2nd was the mussel salad and 3rd place goes to the deep-fried pork and betel leaves. But honestly, everything was amazing.

I love the way they keep it traditional, no theatre.Just excellent food which is placed in the centre of the table to share. Such an Asian way to serve food and I absolutely love that. Western people (farangs) should take heed.

I have seen reviews saying this is messy and not what you expect in a 1-star Michelin restaurant. Well, this is traditional and that is what this restaurant experience is about - old fashioned traditions. Love it. Also, I read one saying the portions weren’t big enough. I ate TEN dishes from appetisers to mains to desserts, mains accompanied by steamed rice (my favourite). I have a big appetite and I practically rolled out the place. There is plenty of food served.

I also noted someone said too salty. I am salt intolerant (I genuinely get sick from too much salt) and this food was seasoned to perfection. Every dish, not one was too salty. So I disagree with any review that says too informal, too salty, insufficient helpings etc. That was not my experience.

I am fortunate and have eaten at several Michelin starred restaurants in multiple countries. Aksorn has smoothly moved into 2nd place on my all time list, beaten only by an amazing 2-Star 15-course tasting extravaganza in Berlin in 2018 that still gives me goosebumps when I think about it. But that was a different experience to Aksorn.

So, my conclusion. This restaurant has been my best Michelin Starred meal in Bangkok, followed very closely by the other 1-Star from January 2023. 3rd place goes to a 2-Star that spent far too much energy on theatrics to the detriment of the food. And cost me nearly double the price. You are there to eat the food, not watch a show. Just my humble opinion.

Before I forget, cocktails are also really good, and strong so watch you don’t become Mao Maak.

At 5,000THB for a person (£112 or US$142 for that standard of food, 2 cocktails and a couple of bottles of sparkling water, that’s a...

Aksorn offers perfectly executed Thai food, making it a good choice if high prices aren't a concern. However, if you're expecting the Western fine-dining experience typically associated with a Michelin-starred restaurant, you may be disappointed—as we were.

Michelin asserts that its star criteria are applied globally and uniformly. We certainly paid what we would have paid for in the West (around $160/€150 per person, without indulging on drinks), setting an expectation that the experience did not meet. This is particularly notable considering the lower local costs for key drivers like staff salaries. I would also assume that local ingredients are cheaper. And keep in mind that they are doing Thai cuisine so they don't need to rely on expensive western imports.

Our expectation, therefore, was for the experience to align with a top-tier (one star) European establishment.

The issues began with fundamental elements of fine dining:

Tableware: At this price, you expect high-quality silverware and plates. Ideally, we anticipated exquisite Thai silverware and porcelain, which would have suited the restaurant's narrative. Instead, the collection was a bit of a hodgepodge, and the cutlery felt distinctly cheap—I have better (heavier) silverware at home.

Narrative: Fine dining is about crafting and conveying a compelling narrative. Aksorn's concept—recreating traditional Thai recipes using modern methods—is strong, but they failed to convey it effectively during the meal.

Entree: While the dishes tasted good, their presentation lacked flair. More critically, the entrees arrived at varying times with delays, making it difficult to enjoy the course together.

Main: The main course was placed on the table all at once. While I understand this is the traditional Thai way, it meant we couldn't truly appreciate the nuance of each individual dish. There's a reason for the Western system of having courses.

The Ending: The meal ended abruptly after the main course with just two simple desserts. It didn't really feel like a rewarding conclusion to a culinary expedition to Thailand.

The menu's overall structure and presentation could have been much better. A Michelin-level establishment typically offers unforeseen surprises from the kitchen beyond the welcome amuse-bouche.

Conclusion Ultimately, we left only moderately satisfied. While the food was undeniably nice and the view was great, the overall experience did not live up to either the Michelin-star expectation or the rather high price point. It’s hard to imagine Aksorn retaining its star if it were judged against its European...

Gonna write a detailed review because the restaurant deserves it, but the TLDR is this is a 4.6. Everything you want if you are looking to experience authentic, uncompromising, historical Thai cuisine. Don't come here if you are going to whine about prices, vrs street food, tasting menus, or spice level.

Ok let's get to it. Aksorn executes it's mission statement extremely well from the minute you walk in. It embodies modern Thai fine dining without the pretentiousness. If you are choosing between David's restaurants (Nahm or here) Aksorn is a no brainer. I assume the menu frequently changes but the one I had was a revelation on historical Thai recipes with modern sophistication. There is a bit of roughness around the edges with some unrefined knife cuts not representative of the Michelin level (shallots in the canope, vegtebles in the main) but frankly who cares when the food tastes like this.

Thai is supposed to be an explosion of flavors from many ingredients all harmonizing together and you feel that in every course. The whelk, 5 spice egg, plum jam, and jungle curry, and durian pudding are all exceptional. Understand when you dine here what you signed up for is authentic, uncompromising, Thai. This food is not made for white people. It is not cooked for Chinese. It is made exactly how it's meant to be. You might not love some dishes as can happen with this many flavors, but if you understand food at the very minimum you will appreciate them.

The biggest disappointment of the night was the wine pairing. As a Somm it's simply lazy. The blanc de noir to start the night is just a discounted sparkling that lacks balance, the Sancerre is miss paired and a classic example of someone reading a book and pairing rather than tasting each dish and component the wine will be poured with. The Italian Chardonnay is "ok" but we could have gone with something far more creative given the dish. I'd love to see an Omachi sake here. The saving grace is the Austrian spatlese in the dessert course, but by that point it almost doesn't matter. You'd be better off ordering a couple cocktails and skipping the over priced uninspired pairing.

Thank you to the Aksorn team for having me. I finally have a restaurant I can confidently call the best Thai...