Sonie's
Sukhumvit Soi 31 (by Silom Village)
Bangkok
Tel: 02 260 8386

Japanese cuisine is a style I have really not got into. I have the occasional sushi dish and I certainly like some fish tartares. But my experience of that gastronomy is strictly limited. So when a friend said, try Sonie's, it is a sort of farang Japanese fusion style and I am sure you will like it, I was immediately inclined to do so. I like different food and different styles and Sonie sounded a guy with an interesting attitude to it.
In fact Sonie describes his food as Italian Japanese fusion and it has proved immensely popular over the years with a highly successful restaurant in Soi 39 that has morphed into a Thonglor restaurant as well as this small place adjacent to Silom Village, Sukhumvit soi 31. The downstairs looks more like a cafe than a restaurant and even upstairs (mezzanine level) has only seven or eight tables. The downstairs clue to restaurant status is the wine fridge, more than the sushi counter, as well as a few subtle decorations; I liked the elephants!
After getting a sensibly priced bottle of wine on the table I sat down and studied the menu. At first sight I was thinking mostly Japanese but once I had studied the offering, the more diverse I realised the dishes were. I think my friend's description of farang Japanese was more accurate that Italian Japanese.
There was a wealth of appetisers augmented by a big section of Sonie's special rolls. The appetizers included tar tar tuna, yaki gaki and shrimp cocktail. But the Sonie roll section included oh my god roll (tuna, chilli, green onions and avocado), caterpillar roll (eel, avocado topped with teriyaki sauce) and Sonie sushi pizza (shrimp, tempura batter, with avocado and baked); a wealth of choice and some suitably weird names as well as ideas. In the end I had a couple of rolls, one off the special menu that included rock lobster, avocado, gobo, ebiko and green seaweed and Queen roll (fresh salmon, avocado and salmon roe). Both rolls were good and fresh in addition to being well presented, but I suppose my main impression was the size of the portions. There were two of us so I presumed two rolls would be a reasonable starter, and I nearly ordered more. In fact these two rolls would have almost passed as a main course.
We did however wait until after the arrival of the starters before we ordered mains. There was a section clearly marked mains which seemed to owe more to New Orleans influences than Italian with three Cajun styled dishes and the ubiquitous Hamburg steak with melted cheese and Japanese sauce.
However there was also a pasta section that included a wafu pasta sub section. In the main part I was interested to note an anchovy and garlic olive oil sauce among the more normal cabonaras etc.
On wanted beef so she had Argentine rib eye and I had pork fillet from the specials menu. Again good sized portions and nicely cooked and presented.
The rather sparse decor and entrance to Sonie's belittles the interesting and varied food that is served inside. The clientele seemed to be mainly Japanese, however the food range is suitable for all tastes and for the adventurous this is a positive playground.