Northern Thailand - Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos and Northern Thailand - page 815

best destination for authentic Seoul food. Go for the tasty prepared dishes or, if you've got
a bit more time, the excellent, DIY Korean-style barbecue.

Soul Food Mahanakorn
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THAI $$$

( 0 2714 7708; www.soulfoodmahanakorn.com ; 56/10 Soi 55 (Thong Lor), Th Sukhumvit; mains
220-300B; 5.30pm-midnight; ; Thong Lo exit 3) Soul Food gets its buzz from its dual
nature as an inviting restaurant - the menu spans tasty interpretations of rustic Thai dishes
- and a bar serving deliciously boozy, Thai-influenced cocktails. Reservations are recom-
mended.

Drinking & Nightlife
Once infamous as an anything-goes nightlife destination, in recent years Bangkok has
been edging towards teetotalism with strict regulations limiting the sale of alcohol and in-
creasingly conservative closing times, with most bars closing around 1am. Likewise, keep
in mind that smoking has been outlawed at all indoor (and some quasi-outdoor) entertain-
ment places since 2008.
The trick with nightclubs in Bangkok is to catch the right club on the right night. To
find out what is going on, check in with Dude Sweet ( www.dudesweet.org ) , organisers of
hugely popular monthly parties, or the listings mag BK ( www.bk.asia-city.com ) . Cover
charges for clubs and discos range from 100B to 600B and usually include a drink. Don't
even think about showing up before 11pm, and always bring ID. Most nightclubs close at
2am.

Ko Ratanakosin & Banglamphu

The area around Th Khao San is one of the city's best destinations for a fun night out.

Hippie de Bar
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( www.facebook.com/hippie.debar ; 46 Th Khao San; 3pm-2am; Tha Phra Athit (Banglamphu)) Our
vote for Banglamphu's best bar, Hippie boasts a funky retro vibe, indoor and outdoor seat-
ing, and a soundtrack you're unlikely to hear elsewhere in Top 40‒obsessed Bangkok.

BAR