Tucked behind Sukhumvit’s gleaming One City Centre — and no, not The One, let’s not start that confusion — is E-San, a surprise dining destination that’s as cheeky as it is cleverly conceived. You wouldn’t expect a slick glass-fronted office plaza to be hiding a Thai-Izakaya fever dream, but that’s exactly what makes this place so good. From the outside, it’s all clean lines and corporate polish. But step inside, and you’re immediately immersed in a comic-book collage of corrugated iron, pastel patterns, and pops of orange and purple furniture. It’s chaotic, it’s colourful, and it’s very intentional — much like the food.

The master minds behind this?. Chalee Kader, Bangkok’s go-to guy for gutsy, ingredient-driven eateries like Wana Yook, 100 Mahaseth, Frans, Mikey’s Diner, Mahaniyom and SOMA, has teamed up with none other than Gaggan Anand, the culinary provocateur whose namesake restaurant dominated the top of Asia’s 50 Best list, on and off for years. Together, they’ve created a place that doesn’t just bend the rules of Thai and Japanese food — it turns them into a full-blown graphic novel of flavour.

The food walks a fine line between comfort and creativity, and it nails it. Think traditional Isaan flavours seen through the zany, precise lens of Japanese izakaya. There’s ant larvae beef tartare — yes, ant larvae — laced with herbs and a bold fermented funk that hits like a culinary uppercut. The hamachi ceviche in citrus is clean, zesty and almost too pretty to eat, while the fermented shiitake mushrooms offer a slow-building umami punch that lingers in the best way.

One of the standout dishes is the chicken wing takoyaki — a Frankenstein hybrid of fried chicken wings stuffed with shiokara, ginger, spring onion, and nori. They’re salty, rich, weird and wonderful — a must-try. Then there’s the kai yaang, grilled tableside in a bamboo sheath, infused with lemongrass, orange and turmeric — aromatic, juicy and show-stopping.

Other favourites? Don’t skip the sup nom mai (bamboo shoot soup with miso and fish), the ridiculously addictive jaew bong with mochi puffs, and the yum tamarind leaves — tart, textural and unlike anything else in the city right now. It’s the kind of menu that’s built for sharing and full-on snacking, where every plate surprises without alienating. You still recognise the soul of each dish, even if it’s wearing a very funky outfit.
And then, there are the prices, which make E-San even more irresistible. Skewers start from just 49 THB, which means you can stack your table high with grilled goodness without second-guessing. Asahi draft pours for just 99 THB, and their highballs — bright, boozy and brilliantly balanced — start at a chill 169 THB. It’s giving full izakaya energy without the pretension or the price tag.

Lunchtime sees local office workers pouring in, hungry for a hit of bold, brainy cooking that doesn’t cost a fortune. And while the glass-and-steel setting might feel a little buttoned-up for a dinner vibe, the food’s chaotic charm more than makes up for it. With prices this good and food this smart, E-San is the kind of spot you’ll want to bring your gang to, order half the menu, and crack open a cold one (or three). I already have my eye on a return visit — preferably in a louder shirt and with a bigger appetite.

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