That's It! A New, Old-Style Restaurant Is The Place To Be

As a city grows and matures and the middle class grows with it, residential areas invariably swell and then mature too as they begin to accommodate the services that the new residents need - places to relax, to eat and to be entertained. As the Thai economy continues to expand, Bangkok inevitably grows with it and once-quiet residential backwaters are not quite so quiet nowadays, with the leafy Soi Sala Daeng off Silom Road a classic example of how the city is changing.

Once a quiet residential back street where you could walk your dog or push the pram, this broad soi just a brisk walk from Lumpini Park is now home to a myriad of new restaurants, shops, coffee shops, cafes and residential towers, and if you had just arrived back after a five year hiatus, you would hardly recognise the place.

But is there any music and food worth eating I must ask, as after all it is our business to know?

I seemed to recall that when That's It first opened a few years back, most of us old-timers thought what a strange ( read quiet, residential ) place to put a new restaurant. But the restaurant and the neighborhood have since had a makeover and the surrounding environs have aligned to perfectly suit the idea. Right opposite the classy and brightly lit venue is the newest, high-end residential tower in the area, so the location is very appropriate indeed these days.

Step inside the restaurant now and you will find a very tastefully decorated room in the style of old Siam meets new Thailand , thus the décor and theme is therefore underpinned with the old Thai penchant for all things wooden. And a delightful effect it has too, helping guests escape the concrete jungle and find this charming and well-appointed room, replete with a variety of indigenous timber tables and chairs.

The room is spacious and accommodates a nice-sized stage along the back wall and the guests can choose a vantage point from mezzanined levels or from upstairs. The seating varies from four-square table and seats to open-plan mezzanine lounge areas where you can relax on the floor or on cushions to be more exact – Thai style.

You can simply drop by for a few drinks and bit of music if you want, or you can go the whole hog and spend the night eating, drinking and soaking up the vibe and the tasteful music. It is suitably laid back and definitely somewhere to take the girlfriend or boyfriend for a restful evening and just get pleasantly plastered.

We did, and managed to squeeze in some lovely Thai food although the menu offers a wide range of international dishes including a handful of Japanese dishes, the range of steaks, veal or Vienna German sausages, pigs knuckle and ox tongue as well as all the salads you can recall. And there's pork chop Thai-style with green curry, baked baby clams and on and on. The service matches the quality of the food which was excellent and although the place was busy, we were never neglected which always adds to the occasion.

And cold beer did the trick while madam had the house wine by the glass. Oddly they were not perturbed at all when we were visibly and vociferously shocked to discover that there was no wine list. Oddly it is not a feature here and we were referred to the ‘wine tree' downstairs where all the usual culprits were on display. Would have thought this was the perfect place to get a nice bottle in, full as it is with the yuppie set anxious to quaff du vin of an evening.

No matter. Beer did the trick and there is a full list of quiet cocktails and a handful of well-known beers.

On stage that evening was Ot and Ut a duo who gave us some Thai classics and a few international hit ballads too with a hint of jazz. But the jazz came later with Bangkok Connection giving us an evening of jazzy R&B and blowing away the cobwebs with tasty arrangements and impressive chops. There is jazz Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights from 9 pm until 1 am and the gig is shared between Bangkok Connection and the That's It house band. The sound here is great with a good system and fine acoustics for live music. And they don't drown out your conversation entirely either.

It's a good night out for a meal and drink or just a nice place to drop by if you are in the neighborhood and reasonably prices too.

They have taken a lot of trouble to make That's It come alive again and it certainly is one of the best places I have visited in quite a while.

That's It
126 Soi Saladaeng 1.
Tel: 02-238 3328.
Open: 7pm-1am.(Fri-Sat until 2am). Music from 9pm.
Jazzy music from 9 pm to 1 am Thursday-Saturday
Acoustic duo from 7 pm most nights.
Credit cards accepted.