FOOD

To say the food and drink scene in Bangkok is vibrant is a bit like saying the ocean is wet: true, but far from adequate to describe the depth, the colour, the dynamism, the diversity and the sheer funky deliciousness of it all. This place is Shangri-la for lovers of flavour, and while Thailand’s food has tantalised the tastebuds of the world for a generation, the still youthful and less lauded cocktail culture here is equally exciting.

Much of the international attention on Bangkok’s bars tends to focus on rooftop venues — places that, while boasting views perfect for the ’Gram and travel mag listicles, typically offer mediocre, overpriced cocktails. But down on ground level, amid the crazy traffic and overwhelming jumble of street stalls, a new generation of young local bartenders are bringing a decidedly Thai flavour to the city’s stunningly original craft cocktail scene.

Leading the charge is Ronnaporn Kanivichaporn, the co-owner of the cocktail bars Mahaniyom and Nuss in central Bangkok. Mahaniyom has the honour of being the first Bangkok bar to make it onto the World’s 50 Best Bars list that’s actually owned and operated by Thais rather than Westerners, and both bars represent the pinnacle of mixology here. The newly released list at Nuss is dedicated to locally produced Thai spirits, a first in a country where craft spirits production is still in its infancy. Each of the four signature cocktails changes seasonally, and each represents a different style of drink and a novel array of traditional Thai flavours.

The Ma Prao — Go Go cocktail showcases the tropical flavours of coconut and cacao with local Sod Chaeng Coconut Rum, brandy, artichoke liqueur, chocolate bitters, cacao husk syrup and fresh lemon. The combination is bright and refreshing while deeply complex and incredibly well-balanced. Tu-rian Colada is the dessert-style drink on offer this season, riffing on a piña colada with durian, Scotch, local pineapple spirit and a topping of pandan coconut foam. Despite the bold ingredients, these drinks aren’t over the top, each perfectly balanced for drinkability and representing the all-too-rare ideal of approachable creativity.

There’s a humility to these cocktails which seems to represent something special about the Thai character. Kanivichaporn isn’t trying to shock anyone or prove how clever he is, he just wants to share the best local flavours through his chosen craft. In part, that freedom in Bangkok’s cocktail scene comes from a lack of tradition, which leaves the door wide open to experimentation.

“The culture of cocktails is still new for Thai people,” Kanivichaporn says. “In Western culture, drinking cocktails has been part of the lifestyle for a long time, so people have their drinks that they like to order — I’m an old fashioned guy, I’m a Negroni guy, et cetera — so they might not explore different flavours.” Classic cocktails are “not that interesting” to Thai consumers, he continues, “because we don’t have the same cultural context for those drinks. So you need to come up with something that’s outstanding and creative.”

At Mahaniyom, each cocktail is based on a single natural product used in Thai cuisine, every element of which is teased out for its unique flavour and character. Some read relatively safe, such as a drink based on various parts of the banana plant, but still offer big surprises. The simply named Banana cocktail sees a base of grilled banana leaf-infused rye whiskey combined with sun-dried banana vermouth and green-banana-infused Campari. It’s a savoury old fashioned-style drink that exhibits a dry, nutty flavour instead of the usual overripe sweetness associated with banana; a dark chocolate bitterness through the finish leaves you wanting more, with notes of wood and smoke, and none of the astringency you might expect of banana skin. For the brave, there are also next-level drinks here constructed using products from beef, duck and squid. The Cow cocktail is subtle and not at all confronting, despite its nose-to-tail approach to drinking. It involves a red wine, Thai mulberry and miso milk punch, beef fat-washed rum and peppercorn-and-brown butter brandy, and is garnished with a foam of blue cheese and sake — light, fruity and totally unexpected.

Hidden up an unmarked staircase in Bangkok’s Chinatown, a bar called Tax inhabits an old warehouse with multicoloured layers of paint flaking from the walls. Here, the cocktails come with a side of politics. While Thailand relies heavily on tourism as a source of income, with drinking and dining a major draw, the government here still takes a somewhat draconian approach to alcohol taxation. In response to these rules and through experimentation with homemade vinegar made from leftover beer and wine during lockdown, the owners of Tax decided to open a bar with an entirely vinegar-based menu, partially dodging the government’s usual taxes on spirits. A standout is the cocktail Hops, a bittersweet combination of mango gin, a pineapple, passionfruit and hops shrub (a kind of vinegar-fruit syrup), house-made lager vinegar and honey. The current menu at Tax also includes a section of tea-inspired cocktails such as Oolong, with tequila and roasted cashews, and another, surprisingly, devoted to Guinness-based cocktails. The latter includes the Black, Dark & Stormy, which combines the draught-poured Irish stout with rum, ginger cordial and lime, making for the very darkest of stormies. To be able to balance wonderful ambience and service with a high level of creativity, a political message, tongue-in-cheek playfulness and genuinely delectable cocktails is no mean feat. Here, it feels instinctive.

“The most interesting story in the cocktail scene here is how a whole generation of bartenders are learning by making mistakes,” says Rob Scott, the Asia Pacific brand ambassador for Flor de Caña rum and an Australian expat living in Bangkok. “They’re breaking rules because they didn’t learn them in the first place, and the end result is very creative and outside the box of normality or expectation in so many ways.”

A frequent disappointment for me, as a longtime lover of cocktail culture, is the homogeneity of the bars declared the world’s “best”. Often, a country’s most lauded cocktail venues say little about their location; once you walk through the doors and sit down, you could be anywhere in the world. That’s what’s so exciting about the craft cocktail scene in the Thai capital. Being here, tasting these drinks, experiencing this decidedly Thai style of hospitality, you could be nowhere else except beautiful, delicious Bangkok.

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Macpherson Street in Bronte has suffered some notable losses in the last few years. Locals said farewell to Three Blue Ducks’ original restaurant, followed by popular acai spot Bowl’d Out. And then it was Orchard Street’s hole-in-the-wall Elixir Bar, in a devastating closure for the business as a whole.

But recently, there has been an exciting buzz about the coastal suburb—just in time for the warmer months. The famed Iggy’s has undergone a refresh, now serving its buttery croissants on weekdays, Café 143 has opened in part of the old Three Blue Ducks space, and ThreadX, a preloved fashion boutique, has set up shop across the street. Joining this promising revival is Table Manners, a European-inspired restaurant and bar that seems to perfectly fill a gap in the Bronte’s hospitality scene.

Located in the former Wet Paint site, which retains its green tiled facade, Table Manners marks the first solo venture of Sydney hospitality veteran Alex Cameron. Known for his roles as general manager at Franca and Parlar in Potts Point and Armorica in Surry Hills, Cameron has partnered with head chef Luke Churchill, formerly of Parlar and Oncore by Clare Smyth, to bring his vision to life.

“To work alongside Luke has always been on the agenda, we previously worked together [at Parlar] and his talent caught my eye back then,” he says.

The atmosphere at Table Manners is effortlessly relaxed, and the opening menu is seafood-centric—making it an ideal summery spot for a post-beach meal. Go for tuna belly toast, Hervey Bay scallops with nduja butter and macadamia, and a standout Moreton Bay bug club sandwich.

Cameron has curated a diverse 400-bottle wine list featuring both classic and emerging producers, with 30 wines available by the glass. There’s also a BYO option for all lunch services. For those in need of something stronger, opt for the signature dry Negroni with grapefruit sherbet or try the Sgroppino, spiked with vodka, champagne, and mandarin and lemon sorbet.

The venue’s interiors enhance the coastal charm. Renowned designer Blainey North, known for her work in marble architecture and design across Australia, New York, and London, has created a space reminiscent of a chic New York bistro blended with a Mediterranean gallery. The design features hand-painted murals of martinis, octopuses, and sea creatures by Sydney artist Bec Fernon. And decorative pieces by Australian designers Sarah Ellison and Rachel Donath are dotted around the space.

Slink into the elegant banquet seating, the tables dressed in white linen, or stop by for a quick drink in the relaxed lounge area, where you can soak in the sea breeze through retractable windows. With outdoor seating on the horizon, Table Manners is set to become the Eastern suburbs go-to summer hotspot.

Table Manners is open for lunch Friday to Sunday from 12pm, and for drinks and dinner Wednesday to Sunday from 5pm. tablemanners.com.au.

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• The $25 Pasta Specials at Shell House’s Menzies Bar Are Worth Braving the Cold For

Earlier this season, Shell House’s Brad Guest delighted us with his cheesy prawn risotto recipe, making it easy to enjoy a restaurant-quality meal in the comfort – and warmth – of our own homes. But now it’s time to leave the cooking to the experts, with a new pasta series, “The Hits,” running at the stylish restaurant’s sister venue, Menzies Bar.

Pull up a chair in the golden-lit room and savour a new pasta special each week, carefully crafted by Shell House culinary directorr Joel Bickford and his team. The rotating lineup includes hearty braised pork maccheroni, creamy bucatini cacio e pepe, and a risotto made with fresh clams. Each bowl is available for $25, and to make the experience even more inviting, glasses of wine are priced at just $10.

The offer is available now for lunch and dinner on Monday through to Saturday. “The Hits” runs until August 24. shellhouse.com.au.

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The stage lights burned into my eyes as a crowd of more than 100 focused intently on my every move, the heat causing sweat to bead on my temples. Above me, the vaulted ceilings of Petroff Palace, built by Catherine the Great, looked like the inside of a giant Fabergé egg. Everything was noise and light and heat. And then someone said, “Your time starts … now.”

It was 2014 and I was working as a bartender at Melbourne’s cocktail stalwart The Black Pearl. I had entered the Bacardi Legacy cocktail competition, never imagining it would lead me to a palace in Moscow. At the time, Australians were still getting used to cocktails as part of our drinking culture. A major driver of that uptake was competitions organised by spirits brands, which challenge bartenders to create original cocktails. As an aside, these are not the same as “flair” competitions, in which bartenders juggle bottles and set things on fire. Cocktail competitions are about the drink and the story behind it.

For competitors, these contests offer glamour and glory; the dream of the globetrotting celebrity bartender, known far and wide for their creativity and charisma. Prizes for the bigger competitions can be extravagant — around-the-world trips; thousands of dollars — but more important are the career opportunities they provide in a profession where upward mobility is often elusive. In the cocktail world, many folks with the “good” jobs, meaning executives, brand ambassadors and successful bar operators, earned their stripes in the crucible of competitive bartending.

Diageo’s World Class is perhaps the biggest and most prestigious of these competitions, and has launched hundreds of careers into the stratosphere. “A competition like Diageo World Class opens countless doors for bartenders,” says Kate McGraw, head of advocacy for Diageo Australia. “For the person who wins each year, their entire life shifts. They are given the title of ‘Australia’s Best Bartender’ and the work opportunities start the minute they put the trophy down.”

As well as delivering career advancement for bartenders, cocktail competitions have a big influence on the broader drinking culture. “Competitions like Diageo World Class are designed to push people,” McGraw says. “Creatively, technically and conceptually. These bartenders are trying to stand out, and they do that by using new ingredients and making technical innovations,” which trickle down into the drinks on offer at cocktail bars.

Back in 2014, after impressing the judges at the local level, I went on to compete at the national heat in Sydney against four other finalists, and won. The next step was Moscow to compete in the global finals against 26 other bartenders from around the world. It’s strange to think now, given the geopolitical situation, that in 2014 Moscow was a totally legitimate place to bring an international group of bartenders. We were treated like royalty, eating and drinking and staying at the city’s best venues. I ran around Red Square and mugged for Instagram in front of the candy-striped domes of St Basil’s, all because I had made a cocktail that people liked. It seemed absurd. It was absurd.

The morning of the global final, I woke up to spring snow falling silently over the rooftops of the city and a deep calm despite the challenge ahead. When my time started on that stage, surrounded by the beauty of 18th-century Russian imperial architecture, everything went quiet. I’m told I did a good job. I don’t remember. Adrenaline, I guess. In the end, I came second, always a hard pill to swallow, but I was proud. I had experienced the pressure and exhilaration of competing at the highest level, and it was a blast. And every once in a while, somewhere in the world, someone still orders my cocktail.

More expert Food and Travel coverage from T Australia:

• • • The Secret Ingredient In Brad Guest’s Risotto
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Earlier this year, Jackalope, Victoria’s luxury hotel nestled in a vineyard on the Mornington Peninsula, launched a six-month culinary series featuring some of the region’s top chefs. The series debuted with Julian Hills from the highly sought-after Navi restaurant collaborating with executive chef Michael Wickham at Doot Doot Doot. Together, they curated a spectacular multi-course menu highlighting native and local ingredients.

Now, the series continues with the return of Jackalope’s renowned yum cha, starting this month to warm spirits during the depths of winter.

In a modern twist on traditional yum cha, the banquet-style Saturday sessions will feature beloved Chinese classics such as prawn toast with XO sauce, roast duck dumplings, and steamed fish with coriander, ginger, spring onion and soy. There are also a range of innovative dishes such as black and gold prawn dumplings, pork and prawn shu mai with caviar, and fried sticky rice dumplings – best enjoyed alongside a variety of traditional Chinese teas.

To round out the experience, guests can enjoy a game of Mahjong, a traditional Chinese tile game, over a chilled Gimlet – a signature at Jackalope’s famed onsite restaurant Flaggerdoot.

Yum cha will run from Saturday July 20 for six weeks. jackalopehotels.com.

More expert Food and Travel coverage from T Australia:

• • • The Secret Ingredient In Brad Guest’s Risotto
    • Experience Total Alchemy at Jackalope, a Six Month-Long Culinary Series With Renowned Chefs
    • How Do You Build a Jungle?