With Capella Bangkok opening this year after a lot of anticipation, we are starting to get a look at the hotel’s food and beverage options. We’ve previously written about Côte by Mauro Colagreco, the new collaboration between Capella Bangkok and world-famous Italian-Argentine chef Mauro Colagreco. Now, Bangkok’s new-age urban resort is lifting the lid on another riverside dining project, Phra Nakhon, which takes inspiration from the rich food history of the surrounding riverside area—there are dishes from across the whole country as well, so don't worry about variety. 

The project is helmed by head chef Wichian “Lek” Trirattanavatin, who has a lifelong connection with the riverside and Charoenkrung neighborhoods — touring the markets as a child with his father who was also a chef in the area for 40 years. The gist of this place is more old-world than experimental, in fact Lek has stated that one of his core missions is to “defend” old-world recipes and to bring guests back to bygone eras of the country’s culinary history. Since Phra Nakhon has historically been a port for traders from across Thailand, those old-world recipes comes from across the nation. Expect the likes of fresh-shucked oysters with house-made chili paste, Chiang Mai-style beef skewers, Southern-style wild-caught squid, chargrilled catfish topped with pomelo salad, sai uoa made with Kurobuta pork, and yum hua plee (banana blossom salad with a spicy coconut dressing). The amose bouche and petit fours experience change daily and include specials from the chef and his team.  

Whether it’s a fiery curry, wok-grilled plates or moreish noodle bowls, all of the dishes put a spotlight on local suppliers — cassia leaves from Chai Nat, duck breast from Trat, pork from Chiang Rai. You can also order a “fish of the day”, which comes baked or deep fried. 

All of the meals finish with some traditional Thai sweets, like caramelised water chestnuts, house-made ice cream (meant to mimic street food vendors you’ll find in Bangkok) and sweetened taro. 

There is, of course, also the restaurant's signature tasting menu, Sam Rub, charting the memories of old Siam with a range of sharing menus and lunch sets that follow the "old world" theme. The tasting menus come with wine pairings too. 

Phra Nakhon, Capella Bangkok, 02-098-3888. Open daily noon-3pm (Thai lunch), 6-11pm (Thai dinner); 11am-11pm (all-day menu with Western selection). Sunday Brunch from noon-3pm (International buffet with Thai dishes cooking a-la-minute)

For more info, visit:

Email: phranakhon.bangkok@capellahotels.com

FB: www.facebook.com/phranakhon.bangkok 

IG: @phranakhon.bangkok

Siam Center, which is making a big push to be a home of fashion and beauty among Bangkok’s Gen-Z crowd, is joining hands with two famous beauty bloggers to host a series of makeup tutorials to keep you looking fresh into the New Year. The tutorials are part of the mall’s larger and ongoing “Color of Siam” event, which has been highlighting everything from fashion to design and make-up. 

The first is Nisamanee lertworapong (IG: @nisamanee_nutt), who specializes in everyday looks (even though her IG sports a very glam bent), and is a former contestant on Miss Tiffany’s Universe 2012. 

The next is Juepak (IG: @juepakofficial), who is known for not only party-style make-up tutorials online, but also produces a lot of wacky content for YouTube and Facebook on top of her IG.

The two will do the tutorial using a bunch of makeup and skincare brands that are available at Siam Center right now, including Shiseido, Estee Lauder, Kiehl’s, Three Balancing Cleansing Oil R, @cosme, Jung saem mool, Sephora, Etude, M.A.C, and NARS.

For more information, call 02-658-1000 Ext: 3500

Marriott International is tipping its hat to thousands of its associates and guests through a new commissioned piece of art from Singaporean art collective Ripple Root. Marriott is dubbing the campaign “Your Smile Travels a Thousand Miles” to reflect the creation process, which apparently involved Ripple Root examining stories and images of guests who have stayed at the hotel over the previous year. 

Ripple Root, which was part of Sotheby’s first-ever online auction this year, is well-known in the region for their bold use of colors, defined strokes and playful patterns. This specific piece depicts a group of Marriott associates from across APAC, all from diverse backgrounds, who share a similarly radiant smile. The piece is anchored by botanical forms, like tree branches, which are meant to symbolize flourishing hope for the New Year. 

From now until Jan 6, 2021, guests can see the original piece at JW Marriott Hotel Singapore South Beach, while digital versions of the art will be found across Marriott International locations in Asia-Pacific. 

The hotel is also inviting guests to share “What makes them smile in 2020, and where would you like to travel in 2021” to the Marriott Bonvoy Asia Pacific Facebook page from now until Dec. 23 to enter a travel giveaway. 

To Date, associates from Marriott hotels in APAC have volunteered 85,000 hours of community service, such as supporting nearly 1,000 frontline workers in Wuhan with accommodation during that city’s harsh battle with the virus. In Bangkok, 25 hotels used linen and uniforms to produce 4,800 face masks for local charities when there was a global shortage. 

Siam Center is taking a bit of a break from the whole holiday season madness with a pop-up store that will tickle your fancy if you are into cutesy Japanese cartoons. Usagyuuun is a white rabbit of unknown origin that bounces through life with a permanent smile on its face, which it stuff with delicious food as often as it can. The cartoon itself is more of a branding mechanism to sell merch, which you can see a bunch of here, but it also makes for good pop-up shop fodder.

From now until Jan 31, there will be a Usagyuun pop-up at Siam Center as part of a global initiative that sees malls all over the world construct similar stores over the same time frame. The local pop-up shop here will sell all of the beloved goodies that Usagyuun fans usually have to purchase online, and will include some sweet treats like “Very Happy Cake”, “Chocolate Lava” and “Swiss Roll Vanilla Rainbow Macarons” if you feel the urge to feast like Usagyuun. You can find the shop at the Atrium 1, G Floor.

The pop-up is part of a larger event called “Siam Center Celebrates Play to the Full 2021”. There is more to the event than a damn-near ecstatic rabbit, there are also some activities put on by Siam Center. There are several displays throughout the mall meant to act as photo backdrops of sorts, as well as LED sculptures and special Christmas tress to feed you feed.

For more details, visit:

IG: @siamcenter

FB: /siamcenter

Italian-Argentine chef Mauro Colagreco has teamed up with Capella Hotels and Resorts to launch a new signature venture on the banks of the Chao Phraya River: Côte. The theme of the venue is “Riveria on the River”, basically alluding to a nine-course “Carte Blanche” tasting menu that mixes French Riviera and Italian Liguria cuisine together. There are also, smaller, three-, four-, and five-course tasting menus alongside a la carte offerings. 

The joint in Bangkok will have its own culinary team, but with direct oversight from chef Mauro on big-picture aspects of the food and experience. One of the people on that team is Davide Garavaglia, a former Chef de Cuisine of Mirazur — Mauro’s breakout restaurant in France that ranked number one in the World’s 50 Best Restaurants 2019 and currently holds three Michelin stars. 

Like most venues these days, Côte is making good use of Thai ingredients despite the fact the culinary traditions don’t overlap that much—so there are moments when you will taste the familiar flavors of ginger, lemongrass, kaffir lime and pomelo. However, the team says produce will be sourced “day by day” and the set-menu will be more fluid than the name implies. Part of that diversity comes from ‘Green House’ where the culinary staff also grows more than 100 different kinds of herbs for use in the kitchen.

Côte by Mauro Colagreco, 2/F, Capella Bangkok, 02-098-3888. Open Wed-Sun noon-2pm, 6-10pm.  

For reservations, email cote.bangkok@capellahotels.com or call 02-098-3888. 

FB: www.fb.com/cote.bangkok

IG: @cote.bangkok.