The restaurant Salt, down Ari Soi 4 is old news among Bangkok foodies, but Ari is so long from the usual habitat I frequent, when I’m in town, so it wasn’t until recently, I actually went there with my partner in crime, AC.
Ari is supposed to be one of the hottest, up-and-coming areas in Bangkok right now, so we asked the cabbie to drop us off at Ari BTS station, as we wanted to check out the area, before we had dinner. Turned out that Ari had already gone to bed, when we arrived. All the stores were closed, the streets were empty and the alleys looked dark and uninviting. Ok, we arrived a bit late (around 22), but still. It was Saturday night! Come on Ari, get your red dress on..
Luckily, it seemed like those still up and awake in Ari had all decided to gather at Salt. The restaurant was packed, but we managed to get a table at the wonderful outdoor seating area, which came with a direct view of the large, wood-fired pizza oven. No way we could get away with not ordering pizza.
AC wanted the salsiccia pizza, while the one with prosciutto and mascarpone was screaming my name. We didn’t want a whole pizza each, as we weren’t that hungry, so the staff suggested that we could have one half with AC’s choice and one half with mine. The pizza had a thin crust and just the right amount of topping. As perfect as a pizza can be, and without a doubt, the best pizza I’ve ever had in Bangkok.
We also had lobster, because it was so cheap, and chocolate ice cream, because no meal is complete without chocolate. The lobster was nice with lots of garlic and butter and the chocolate ice cream was rich and had an intense, deep flavor.
Salt opened back in 2011, and the hip restaurant with the good food and the loyal local fan base is easy to love, so even though Soi Ari (Soi 7 on the busy Phahon Yothin) is a bit far from the usual tourist habitats, Salt is well worth a visit.
Salt describes the cuisine as Japanese and Italian, but I would add international with a touch of Thai to the story.
Salt is known and loved for their wood oven-fired pizzas, and so far, I haven’t found a better pizza place in Bangkok. Try the one with mascarpone and prosciutto, and I’m sure you will agree.
Another tasty menu item is the Sea Salt Yuzu Crudo, which is a generous serving of 3 different kinds of sashimi. The dressing is Thai-spicy, so handle with care.
The most popular tables among the local, très chic clientele are the ones inside the big glass-and-concrete cube facing the street, and this spot is pretty much out of reach for walk-in guest, but otherwise, getting a table isn’t a problem, even on a Friday night. Personally, I prefer the al fresco tables on the terrace in front of the pizza oven.
• The pizzas are around 300THB for a small and 400THB for a large. Most mains are in the 300-1000THB bracket, and desserts are too cheap to skip. The Japanese part of the menu includes sushi and sashimi and is harder on the wallet. Service charge (10%) and VAT (7%) is added to your bill.
• Salt is located a quick walk down Phahon Yothin Soi 7, which is also known as Soi Ari. Soi Ari also has several different Sois, and Salt is on the corner of Soi 4 on Soi Ari. Confused? Check the map below.
Salt is good for: Friday night, dinner with cocktails, girls night out
Salt, 112/2 Soi Ari (corner of Soi Ari 4), Phahon Yothin Soi 7, Ari, Bangkok (nearest BTS: Ari)
