Disclaimer: In exchange for a review, I was invited by the lovely Ann at The Marcom Pro to enjoy dinner and cocktails at this restaurant.
Eat Me Entrance
Located at 16 Convent Road, slightly detached from the major expat and nightlife scene in Silom, Eat Me stands out for its design and its cuisine.
2nd Floor Dining Room
1st Floor Courtyard
Since its founding in May 1998 by Darren and Cherie Hausler, the 120-seat (including 28 outdoors) Eat Me has established itself as one of the go-to trendy choices on the burgeoning Bangkok restaurant scene. Its post-modern and stylish decor, international blended with pan-East Asia menu, pleasant waitstaff, and unique cocktails have earned Eat Me numerous accolades and awards, including a repeat presence on Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants list between 2013 and 2018.
Indeed, Eat Me’s chef/owner Tim Butler, who joined as Executive Chef in 2010, has clearly played a major role in the restaurant’s success, having already proven himself at highly-rated restaurants in New York City and Los Angeles.
Right, let’s have a look at the food:
As a special amuse-bouche from the chef, Ann and I started off the delectable journey with Chico Bay (Washington state, US) oysters and caviar. Nice combination of salty and sweet, and served at just the right temperature.
Clams with nam (Northern Thai) sausage in a lime coriander broth. This tasty plate packed quite the diverse flavor profiles, bringing in a saline sweetness from the clams, a smoky umami in the sausage, and a citrus sweet and sour floral bite from the broth. I could have asked for more, but there was so much broth left over that I was really craving…
…bread to lop it all up. For a region that doesn’t excel in baked goods, this bread was quite alright, and served with olive oil, and a nutty, smoky (I tasted a lot of cumin) blend. Ann kept advising me that we still had much food to tackle, so I eventually abandoned this photo in favor of mains.
Charred whitlof (chicory) with burrata, preserved lemon, and cecina, or salted dried beef. Although this wasn’t among my favorites, I quite liked the seldom seen bitter chicory – a member of the endive family – meshed with Mediterranean flavors. More importantly, everything tasted fresh, in spite of being four rarely used ingredients in Thailand, and the burrata was homemade. Mmm.
This spicy wagyu tartare with onion, chili, sesame seeds, coriander, and egg might have been my most enjoyable non-dessert of the evening. Though I was slightly nervous to try uncooked meat, due to potential health consequences, clearly I wasn’t nervous enough. The flavors were all so simple and delicate, but paired excellently with the quality cut of Japanese beef. In fact, it was that rare moment I didn’t even want to eat bread, as the tartare was damned good by its lonesome.
Lobster bucatini (Roman pasta with a hole running lengthwise through the noodle). The lobster was sumptuous, and the bucatini cooked just right. I suppose my only issue with this dish was that it didn’t have more wagyu tartare hidden somewhere.
Straight outta Spain, here we have grilled Iberico ham with hazelnuts, leeks, and Argentinian chimichurri. Quite rich, and a treat for those who can’t get enough pork. Though, as someone who can’t eat much garlic, I was oddly disappointed that the chimichurri wasn’t heavy on the healthy bulb. Spicy tip: if you want some heat, ask for the chili garlic sauce, which might have been called nam jim jaew. Fiery, but worth every tear.
Red wine poached pear with goat cheese ice cream. The ice cream had a very strong flavor, and wasn’t particularly sweet. Whereas I liked the pear because it reminded me of autumn, I felt that the goat cheese lingered a bit too long, and overpowered the rest of the plate.
Sticky date toffee pudding with butterscotch and vanilla ice cream. Now we’re cooking with gas! This is Eat Me’s signature dessert, and really should be offered on the menu no matter where I’m eating. Although it’s a filling and very flavorful dessert, have a coffee or an aperitif between the mains and this. Many of you will be glad you did.
But wait…we haven’t even discussed the cocktails yet. Eat Me’s Buntanes “Pop” Direkrittikul is one of the more widely recognized bartenders/mixologists in Bangkok. What kind of crazy and avant-garde drink ideas has he come up with?
For starters, the Laab Moo. Pop uses his native Thailand’s gastronomic influences to create otherworldly cocktails, such as this one made of ingredients from the spicy northern Thai staple, laab. This one has mint, shallot, cilantro, serrano bacon, lime, roasted rice, and Ketel One vodka. With laab being one of my choice Thai dishes, I can say that this drink was on point.
My mouth is still on fire from this one. Kaeng tai pla, Though tai pla refers to the southern Thai condiment of fish entrails, Pop simplified this one by removing that, and instead employing shallot, lemongrass, kaffir lime leaf, curry, and Buen Bicho Mezcal. Asking for it “peht peht” (very spicy) might have been a mistake. Considering the quality of the drink, I only half regret it.
Khow Nhew Ma Maung…or a “mango sticky rice” cocktail. Mango, nut milk, coconut oil, and Phraya Rum? That’ll do! Next, I should pair this with the actual mango sticky rice for a superlative effect.
Another haute meal in Bangkok, another very satisfied stomach. Eat Me would certainly merit a repeat visit, both for its gastronomy and its nuanced drinks. Though it did get a bit loud at times, I quickly refocused my attention on the next dish.
If you’re looking to stop by, Eat Me is open daily from 15:00-25:00. The menus can be found here.
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