I love the Bangkok food scene because it is so creative in modernising / re-interpreting traditional Thai cuisine while honouring its spirit and essence at the same time.
It's a very fine balance between tradition and modernity which only the best chefs have been able to achieve. It's a very fine line between a heritage dish reborn and a fad that disappears with the next change of season.
Khao San Sek by Chef Pam is a fine example of nouveau Thai cuisine rooted in tradition. Newly opened but already in the limelight / spotlight.
Owner Chef Pichaya “Pam” Soontornyanakij was crowned World’s Best Female Chef 2025 at The World’s 50 Best Restaurants awards. She is a well known television celebrity and owner of another restaurant, Michelin starred Potong in Yaowarat, Bangkok's Chinatown.
Chef Pam's new restaurant Khao San Sek is in a restored shophouse at 1121 Song Wat Road, also in Yaowarat.
Yeah, I gravitate here (Yaowarat ) every time I am in Bangkok (which is at least once a year since decades ago).
Catchy mural on the side wall of Khao San Sek's building.
I love this rustic retro-chic design of the spaces inside Khao San Sek.
Khao San Sek has three levels, each dining space has its own design and character.
The original red brick walls at one level and at the next level, throw-around cushions evoked a casual, intimate ambiance in this psychedelic hippie themed space.
Access between levels is by stairs. It's like traveling or pilgrimage between time zones or spiritual spaces.
The eclectic decor reflects the nature of Khao San Sek's cuisine which is free spirited yet solidly grounded in timeless fundamentals of Thai cuisine (which in my opinion must be respected).
No boundaries, yet clear about where it stands.
Food travel by luxury elevator 🤭
The view from our dining space on the top floor.
The name Khao San Sek means spilled rice grains (during milling). It is a very mundane, common everyday thing and a shared experience of villagers of rural Thailand. These grains are collected and blessed by monks to ward off evil spirits.
The experience at Khao San Sek felt spiritual, a connection from me the diner, with the thoughtful minds and deft hands in the kitchen, to the unknown farmers, fishermen and transport workers whose toil brought forth the ingredients.
It's a deep experience well beyond the deliciousness of the dishes we enjoyed.
Khao San Sek's menu is created around five essential "sacred" ingredients of Thai cuisine - rice, chili pepper, coconut, fish sauce, and coconut palm sugar (we call it gula Melaka in Singapore and Malaysia).
We started with Catch of the Day / Sato crudo. Italian style raw fish in northeastern Thai E-san (Isan) sticky rice wine.
From rice fields and the mighty Mekong of northeast Thailand, Khao San Sek next swooped down to the warm breezy Andaman Sea of south Thailand.
น้ำพริกแกงปู่ Pulled blue crab meat with creamy umami loaded crab roe blended with Khao San Sek house made southern Thai nam prik (umami spice paste).
ปลาย่างราดซอสมะขาม Grilled catfish with caramelised coconut palm sugar glaze on wild tamarind leaves.
The Mekong River and its numerous tributaries that crisscross Thailand are rich with different species of catfish. So catfish dishes are ubiquitous across Thailand. They are loved for their soft tender moist white meat.
มัสมั่นซี่โครงแกะเม็ดกระบก Fall-off-the-bone tender juicy lamb rib, rich massaman curry with tamarind seed.
ดอกสะดุ้งเคยกากหมูกรอบ Crispy pork rind (chicharón) with crunchy juicy water spinach (kang kong), aromatic fried onion flower stem and umami loaded fermented shrimp sauce.
ซี่โครงหมูซอสสามเกลอน้ำตาลโตนด Slow-cooked tender pork ribs in "3 spice" sauce, coconut palm sugar and herb salad.
แกงกำสรวลกระดูกใบพาย Pork soft bone rib with chili, savoury fermented shrimp and aromatic basil.
E-san (Isan) Sun Dried Pork Jerky in spiced coconut milk soup.
Half young chicken stewed in turmeric spiced coconut milk, Petchaburi lime and tamarind leaves.
All dishes are served with crunchy garden fresh local greens.
Black sticky rice coconut cream brulée. Fusion of iconic French with a traditional Thai sweet dessert.
ชนมปำลัวยชอสตาสโตนด "Kanom-pum" steamed rice "cup cakes" with coconut palm sugar served dressed with lacey caramel glaze.
กรานิต้าน้ำปลาหวาน Fish sauce granita with mango, bilimbi (belimbing), pomelo, fried shallot.
Rice of the day (refillable). All dishes are served with freshly cooked rice because Thai cuisine revolves around rice and blessings of khao san sek.
Khao San Sek is a total experience, not just for the palate but of time (from ancient to contemporary Thailand) and space (it's a culinary journey across the land and seas of Thailand). Make Khao San Sek part of your Bangkok itinerary for a memorable visit.
Restaurant name: Khao San Sek ข้าวสารเสก
Address: 1121 1123 Song Wat Rd, Samphanthawong, Bangkok 10100, Thailand
Nearest MRT: Hua Lamphong station on the Blue Line
Tel: +669 7016 9824
Hours: 4:30pm - 11pm (opens at 11:30am on Sat, Sun & Mon)
Written by Tony Boey on 26 Feb 2026
Who is Tony Johor Kaki?
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