Apart from being a phase in Japanese, Tadaima, or “I’m home”, is just the latest new casual Japanese to roll up on Thong Lor. After years of studying and running a restaurant in the Land of Rising Sun, the owner Khun Krit decided to try his luck here in his homeland. Whether he picked the lucky number 88 – every dish costs a ‘plus-plus’ free B 88 – to increase his chances of success isn’t clear, but what is clear is that this is a very natty stab at an izakaya, especially for one in a mall. Concrete floors and chic walnut wood tables, chairs and funky tubular lamps are the rather minimalist motifs. We like the izakaya-style woodplank bar with row of seats at the back, too. Behind it, instead of the usual chefs slicing sashimi in front of shelves of sake, there’s an open kitchen where the dishes are rustled up. Don’t be afraid to order in a few dishes: portions may not be huge, but they’re good value considering given the quality.
Or so we thought on our visit. You could begin with some eringi butter yagi perhaps, then follow that with a sweet and sour Japanese salad. With its crispy veg and soft sashimi, it feels great on the tongue. Our pick of the signatures was the Sushi Sandwich: salmon wrapped in an elongated triangle of sticky rice topped with tobiko and crunchy fried tempura flour. Yum. Two other dishes that also had us scheduling our return visit – not something we do likely at a mall diner – were the aburi yakibuta (grilled pork with soy sauce) and buta bura (pork belly with miso sauce). Want to do the authentic izakaya thing? Wrap a tie round your head and miss the last train home? Drinks include the obvious, sake and glasses of beers like Asaki, as well as fruit flavour beers (B118) and sour Sawa Cocktails. The location takes a bit of getting used to, but this is a mall joint done right. Amornsri Tresarannukul
ทาไดมะ เอททองหล่อ ทองหล่อ ซ.8
WHERE Tadaima
LG F Eight Thong Lor | Thong Lor Soi 8 | BTS Thong Lo | 02-714-9883 | Facebook: Tadaima | Mon – Fri 11 am – 3 pm, 5 pm – 11 pm, Sat + Sun 11 am – 11 pm | B 88 for every dish
