Sip the list

Khao San is all about the food. So set aside any expectations of an exotic and challenging drinks list and instead let this compact assortment adequately slake your cravings. While the cocktails and beers might be on the safe side (although Three Boys and Emerson’s do inject some “craft love”), there is a collection of classic cocktails and even a choice of hot, cold, still and sparkling sake to keep things shuttling along in the sipping department. Also good to see that all wines are available by the glass and bottle, including crunchy sauvignon blanc from Marlborough, aromatic pinot gris from Nelson and rosé from the Barossa ... wait, what? Moving along, there’s spicy, savoury pinot noir from Marlborough (Misty Cove) and Central Otago (Locharburn) and a velvety little Te Awanga Estate merlot cabernet rounds up the reds. The Misty Cove Pippa Sparkling Marlborough rosé is the only sparkling that they’re serving by the bottle ($60) and glass ($13), so I’m assuming that’ll be the one featured in the “Dozen Oysters and Bottle of Bubble (sic) Combo” for $65. If true, that’s exceptional value.