Baan Khanitha

Baan Khanitha is a remarkable success story. Founded over 17 years ago by Khanitha Akaranitikul, a dress designer and owner of Khanitha Thai Silk boutiques, the restaurant consistently wins awards as Bangkok's best Thai restaurant and is noted for its extraordinary ambiance, excellent service, and food that is consistently of high quality.

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Although there is another Baan Khanitha on Sukhumvit Soi 23, the Sathorn Road outlet is the flagship outlet.

It is housed in an enormous, but exquisitely converted mansion that is packed with works of art from Khun Khanitha’s personal collection and rotating displays from local artists. In addition to the main dining areas that include a glass covered terrace, there are rooms for private parties and a newly opened coffee shop for those seeking a drink and a light snack.

Although the restaurant serves a wide variety of guests, including numerous tourists, this isn’t a tourist trap serving watered down versions of Thai food. “We serve food the way I like it,” says Khun Khanitha. “I find most people are now familiar with Thai food,” she adds. “They will order dishes they know they can enjoy. If they are unsure, our servers will guide them to dishes that aren’t too spicy.”

A significant part of the restaurant’s appeal is its consistency and the signature dishes that customers return to enjoy again and again. For this reason, the menu seldom changes and when it does the changes will only consist of a few dishes. Signature items include Yam som-o, a salad of pomelo, shrimp and chicken and Thai herbs and spices. The contrasts of sweet, sour and piquant flavors make this a real treat.

A favorite with beef lovers is Sirloin steak jim jaew som tam, imported sirloin steak served with northern style red chili sauce and papaya salad. The dish is a remarkable marriage of quality beef and Thai sauces and flavors.

The Thais are always good with fish and the signature Pla hima nueng manao, steamed snow fish with chili, lime and garlic sauce is always a winner. But then again, so is the Pla kapong raad prik gaeng, deep‑fried sea bass topped with red curry sauce.

A perennial favorite with the writer is the Phad ped yang a-ngun, a roasted duck curry with red curry sauce. If you like duck, this is a dish that shouldn't be missed. Thai duck is excellent and this is a rendition that does it justice.

Everyone seems to enjoy mangoes and they are at their best in the Khao neao mamung, mango and sticky rice, served at Baan Khanitha. The restaurant goes to great lengths and expenses to insure it has the best mangos available.

The service at Thai restaurants can be unpredictable, but this is definitely not the case at Baan Khanitha. Most of the staff have been with the restaurant for years and are proud of its reputation. They go out of their way to meet customer needs and are extremely knowledgeable about the menu. The inevitable questions by foreigners about a dish will always meet with a precise and accurate answer.

The wine list deserves special mention. Over the years as Thais have come to appreciate wine, the wine list at the restaurant has grown from just a few offerings to a full-blown wine list. Selecting the wines is done by Khun Khanitha’s son and he has created an admirable list of wines from around the world in all price ranges that match well with Thai food.

Baan Khanitha is the owner’s love and passion; it is a reflection of her commitment to creating an excellent restaurant of signal quality. It consistently provides excellent food and service in beautiful surroundings that are peaceful and unmistakably Thai.

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