The best restaurants, bars and cafes in Phrom Phong

Bangkok’s culinary scene has gotten just a little bit more exciting. Award-winning Korean-American chef Akira Back introduces Thais to his brand of cooking at his namesake restaurant in Bangkok Marriott Marquis Queen's Park hotel. Soaring above Sukhumvit on the 37th floor of the five-star hotel, Akira Back breaks new ground by offering cuisine that fuses Japanese, Korean and Western influences. Avid foodies would know who Akira Back is. But in case his name doesn’t ring a bell, Back is a US-based chef whose fame travels across continents. Prior to becoming a world-renowned culinary figure, he was a pro snowboarder and a part-time cook at local restaurants in his hometown of Colorado. Severe injuries from a snowboarding accident prematurely ended his career in extreme sports. Another door opens when one closes; Back decided to shift his path towards the kitchen, starting out as a prep cook at Kenichi restaurant in Aspen. This was soon followed by a senior position at the famed Yellowtail restaurant in Las Vegas, which eventually led to a decision to venture out on his own and launch his namesake brand.  Akira Back’s Bangkok outlet is a study in sleek, contemporary Asian décor. Japanese shinto ropes hold up elongated arches and provide an interesting canopy to the entire space. Abstract paintings by the chef's mother adorn the walls. The posh restaurant is an expansive space that can seat up to 100 diners at a time, composed of a main dining room, sushi bar, omakase bar and f

Posh hotel bars that serve great cocktails are, in most cases, rare in Bangkok. (We usually encounter juice-heavy numbers that skimp on booze). But new waves of establishments, including Bangkok Marriott Marquis Queen’s Park, are doing their best to change this situation. Launched alongside the highly anticipated Akira Back restaurant, ABar impressively combines style with substance by pulling off well-rounded libations in two distinct venues: a Victorian-themed drinking palace and a rooftop drinking space up above. Upon entering the bar, your eyes are met with awe-inspiring, moodily lit interiors that make the most of dark wood, black marble and brass details to pay tribute to Victorian London aesthetics and gritty retro-Manhattan elements. (The whole thing looks like something straight out of the film Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them.) The outdoor terrace, fitted with apothecary-like cabinets, provide an area for puffing on vintage cigars while looking out to Sukhumvit’s glittering skyscrapers. The bar is helmed by Rojanat Chareonsri, who honed his skills at Nopa Kitchen + Bar in Washington DC and Fillets in Bangkok. The cocktails put the focus on premium dark spirits, so expect whiskey, rum and cognac to make their way into your drink (though we also noticed a couple of gin-based items). Study in Stone is a sour with Nusa Cana rum, sherry cream, citrus oleo saccharum (macerated lemon oil) and lemon (B415). Another offering, The Oxford, smartly reinvents the class