Suikin

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Suikin 水琴

If you're in the mood for mouthwatering fresh (raw) fish and seafood, Suikin is the next best thing to a trip to Tokyo’s Tsukiji Market. Occupying a tailor-built Japanese mansion near Bangkok downtown Ploenchit intersection, this cozy restaurant is built in ZEN exudes a relaxed and homespun atmosphere.

Suikin is the most comfortable izakaya (I’ve been to in quite awhile) with tasteful and modern zen decoration in a nice balance between luxury and casual, with stone surfaces and heavy wood adding an element of solidity. The atmosphere is intimate and cozy. You can take your dinner at the counter downstairs to join the action while you chat with the chefs, upstairs private rooms fitted with tatami let you feel like you're visiting friends or relatives at their house as you enjoy the best of the day's offer.

Although prices are a little more expensive than other izakayas in Bangkok, the food is nice and tasty so worth to dig the pocket deeper.

Fishes and sashimi are not the only focus here, the tofu remains the star. Suikin specializes in tofu dishes. Sukui Dofu was a fresh and fluffy homemade tofu. They make it fresh everyday and serve in front of you as soon as it's cooked. The Goua Dofu, homemade sesame paste tofu, was very interesting and made our palate quite happy. Mineoka Dofu was tofu with cheese, innovative and the taste was cheesy good. Kumage Yuba, homemade soymilk skin, an inviting alternative to the Chinese tofu skin. The star, Hiya Yakko (冷奴, chilled tofu), was homemade pressed tofu served chilled. This is a kind of basic tofu dish in any tofu specializing eateries. Simple, unpretentious, and delicious!

Besides the mouthwatering tofu dishes, my lunch with a friend included the Kaisen Don Soba Zen (B300++) consisting of diced sashimi sushi bowl and hot buckwheat noodle and the Gindara Udon Zen (B360++) consisting of grilled snow fish with teriyaki sauce and wheat noodle.

Suikin is for people who want to enjoy fine (Japanese) food and sake in a relaxed atmosphere. Its sake and shochu selection are extensive, a paradise for wine-and-dine lovers.

Our Ratings (1 to 5 the higher the better): Suikin has [4.1]
(Ratings are based on Food, Service and Ambience, with Price taken into account in relation to Quality) Food =4, Service=4, Ambiance=4.5, Money Worth=4

Price range for two without drinks (incl. local water) in Thai Baht = BBBB
(B=below 200, BB=201-500, BBB=501-1,000, BBBB=1,001-2,000, BBBBB=over 2,000)

Details: open daily lunch 11:30am-1:45pm, dinner 6-10pm
Suikin Japanese Restaurant, Embassy Park Plaza, Ploenchit Road, Bangkok; Tel.: 02-2522202

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