FV — Restaurant in Chakkrawat Subdistrict

‘I take what’s undesired and make people want it,’ says Opas Chantkam, founder of FV (Fruits and Vegetables), a low-key, high-concept juice bar in Bangkok’s Chinatown. The Thailand native left a career as a creative director in London and New York to return home to where, he says, ‘the balance was off’.

Irked by the fact that local farmers could barely make ends meet because modern food consumption requires unblemished, highly modified goods, he set out to make a difference. Working with natural farms and research groups, he re-grows Thai crops to prevent them dying out. The produce (shogun oranges, guavas, red tamarind) ends up in FV’s kitchen, where pulpy drinks bring out the fruit’s flavours. Even the ultimate unwanted flora make it onto the menu in weed juices, made from ivy gourd and sleeping grass.

This anti-industrial ethos extends to the interiors. Beneath the mirrored ceiling stands a reconstructed original, stilted Isaan dwelling; Buddhist art hangs on the walls; glasses are fashioned from discarded bottles. FV’s mission is admirable – it walks the locavore talk and provides a much-needed antidote to the city’s increasingly over-polished...

Words that I'd use to describe this place: quirky, peculiar, odd, out of place.

It feels more like someone's home and kitchen, than a cafe. It feels more like an art space, before being a place to enjoy tea and snacks. It feels very much like we are caught in an entire performing arts scene, throughout the entire time that I'm here.

The servers here are super nice, chill, doing their own things: rolling the dough balls, preparing tea, preparing the miangkiang. Even the lady boss is sorting out the paper work upstairs alongside where we were seated. Tea is calming and snacks are flavorful. We got the royal leaf wrap appetizer, pomelo salad served in a crispy golden cup, washing it down with the ice sleeping grass tea, and gotu kola tea served with edible essential oil.

Honestly, come with a lower expectation, and you won't be disappointed. I wouldn't intentionally come by this cafe, but if you're already along Song Wat road, then yes I'd drop by for a...

Significant portion of the cafe's clientele consists of teenagers who visit primarily for the sake of taking photos. While it may be visually appealing, the overall experience falls short of justifying any price to pay.

The culinary offerings at this cafe is poor , accompanied by an unjustifiably high price point reminiscent of a luxurious riverside five-star hotel. The herbal drinks served here lack any flavor profile, and the Thai shortbread cookie fails to capture the essence of authentic Thai desserts, tasting more like plain flour.

Additionally, the art displayed within the cafe is a chaotic and poorly organized mishmash without any theme or storyline. The buffet-style presentation and storytelling behind the artwork resemble the work of untrained amateurs rather than...