Baan Ice Thonglor บ้านไอซ์

Baan Ice occupies the ground floor of the Somerset building opposite Market Place Thonglor, about 600 metres from BTS Thong Lo. It is the southern Thai restaurant of chef Supaksorn 'Ice' Jongsiri, who went on to open Sorn, now one of Thailand's three-star restaurants; the recipes here come from his grandmother and arrive at full southern heat unless you ask otherwise. The dishes people order are gaeng tai pla at 232 baht, yellow curry with sea bass at 378 baht, khua kling minced pork at 342 baht, stink beans stir-fried with shrimp paste and prawns at 342 baht, crab-roe chilli dip at 427 baht, and the stir-fried bai liang leaves with egg that reviewers keep naming as the sleeper hit. The steamed egg custard at 146 baht is the gentle option. Expect 350 to 700 baht a head, more than a shophouse southern place but with consistent sourcing. Open daily 11am to 10pm with both air-conditioned and open-air seating, and it takes families and large groups without fuss. Rare for Thonglor, the building has parking: stamp your ticket at the restaurant for four free hours. Some dishes are seasonal, so phone ahead if you want a specific one.