A liberal use of wood, vaulted ceilings, terra-cotta tiled floors and faded pink napkins gives this 18-year old establishment a Thai country house ambiance.
At first glance, the menu seems uninspiring, full of classics like “nuea pad nam mun hoi” (beef stir-fried in oyster sauce, 190 baht) and “sai ua” (northern style sausage, 165 baht), but Baan Khanitha doesn’t skimp when it comes to quality ingredients.
The meal begins with a delicate plate of complimentary “miang kham” (a traditional leaf-wrapped appetizer).
A small selection of traditional desserts includes “bua loi nam king” (sweet sesame dumplings in ginger syrup, 95 baht) and the perennial Thai favorite “kao niow mamuang” (mango and sticky rice, 195 baht).
Diners have a choice of seating: multiple indoor sections, al fresco under the shade of red parasols or in the Thai sala (pavilion).
Cocktails are 210 baht, and include the standard range from margarita to mai tai. The majority of wines — from France, New Zealand, California, Chile, Argentina — are around 2,500 baht per bottle, and the list includes some surprisingly rare vintages.
The tom yum standard: 240 baht for a “small” portion big enough to share between two, includes two large whole river prawns floating in a thick flavorsome soup.
36/1 Soi Sukhumvit 23, Sukhumvit Road. +66 (0) 2258 4181. Open daily, 11 a.m.-11 p.m. www.baan-khanitha.com