Review

Burapa takes Eastern Thai cuisine on a culinary train ride into central Bangkok, as it follows a young woman’s journey to share the cooking of her home town. This theme flows through the three-storey setting. The first floor features a garden dining area and cocktail bar. The second replicates a vintage train carriage with wood-panelled booths and the third suits groups. Miang plakrapong pairs crisp seabass with betel leaf, roasted coconut, Thai herbs and tamarind sauce for a balanced bite of sweetness, acidity and crunch. Calamari from Koh Chang is deep-fried to a light, clean crisp. Thai wagyu short ribs in spicy curry is braised until tender, the beef holds its structure against the thick curry, with coconut milk rice completing the dish. Tiger prawns are deep-fried whole, served with a sweet-sour tamarind sauce that clings to the shell. Grilled red chicken, reminiscent of the snack once sold on trains, is laced with an-kak spices, carries smoke well, and is even better paired with chilli oil and jaew. Massaman curry arrives thick, with chicken and slices of unripe durian that provide gentle contrast. Do order kanom mo gang, a Thai pumpkin custard, paired with fried shallot coconut milk ice-cream and enhanced by a soft crunch from the roasted coconut underneath. The drinks list is varied and includes inventive cocktail creations.