Four Thai restaurants that will take you back to Bangkok

Ruam Thai

Enter from Ship Street up a narrow staircase and you find yourself in a lush, tropical bar area on the first floor. Welcome to Ruam!

The restaurant’s name comes from the Thai word for “gather”, and it reflects the warm Thai welcome you get. There are two dining areas: inside, the long room offers views of the partially open kitchen; we were seated outside in the garden. It’s a rustic and charming spot, reminiscent of an alfresco restaurant you might find tucked down a quiet soi in Bangkok.

There’s a fun and laid-back vibe here. The staff are super helpful and friendly, starting with manager Jeff who recommended we try a cocktail; we both chose Oh Yeahhh, a cheeky gin number infused with lemon and fresh ginger.

Turning our attention to the menu, there’s a “feedme” option perfect for group sharing – and great value at $298 per person. However, we opted to choose from the à la carte menu, which is split into six sections offering a varied range of soups, salads, curries, meat and seafood dishes. The wine list has a good selection of reds and whites by the glass and bottle.

To start, we chose Kor Moo Yang ($118), grilled pork neck served with a spicy jim jaew sauce, and Gai Ping ($98), perfectly charred succulent chicken thigh skewers with a delicious peanut sauce balanced with tangy arjad (cucumber and chilli). These two dishes hit all the right notes: spicy, sweet, salty and sour.

The evening’s showstopper was the Gaeng Massaman Ka Gae ($284), slowcooked fall-off-the-bone lamb shanks in a rich Massaman curry with potatoes. The flaky roti paracha was the perfect accompaniment to soak up the decadent sauce.

Another favourite was Gai Pad Med Ma Muang ($158) – stir-fried chicken and cashews served with steamed rice, simple yet delicious. This one’s quite mild, so ask the team if you prefer more heat.

One top tip: leave room for dessert. We had the Banana Roti ($88), which came drizzled with chocolate and served with coconut ice cream. Delicious!

Ruam is all about friends and family gathering for some excellent food, drinks and fun.

1/F, J Residence, 60 Johnston Road, Wan Chai 3160 8535 | ruam-thai.com