SoCal restaurant InterContinental Bangkok: Californian feel, cuisine ⋆ Happy Hour Asia

SoCal restaurant InterContinental Bangkok review: Happy Hour Asia harbours high hopes when the time has come to revisit one of Bangkok’s foremost hotels (following its extensive refurbishment), and explore one of its new flagship new dining and drinking attractions: SoCal. InterContinental Bangkok harbours this restaurant that showcases “one of the world’s most exciting dining cultures” – Californian cuisine – to diners in the Thai capital, presented with a vacation-oriented, summery Californian feel, just what one would expect from that part of the world.

“Expect an incredibly laidback atmosphere where close friends gather to share good food and good times,” SoCal promises. One couldn’t agree more! ‘Good Life’ by Inner City ought to be a very suitable soundtrack theme here when the DJ entertains.

Interior at SoCal restaurant

With its eye-catching interior SoCal means love at first sight, offering bar seating and dining tables both indoor and alfresco (and with its own street front entrance). And throughout the afternoon the sunbeams through the restaurant add to that holiday feel. It’s simply very appealing, also raising the expectations concerning its food and drinks.

SoCal is an airy, spacious, high-ceilinged eatery, with interiors dominated by colours of blond (wood), mustard yellow (furniture upholstering) and turquoise (tablets and pillows).

It comes decked out with plenty of wood: on parts of the walls, the bar, and as floor wood planks (which is “intercepted” by white marble hexagon floor tiles, resembling a honey bee pattern). The table tops have the same white-veined marble as on the floor, while curved armchairs have textile padding.

It offers cosy yet sophisticated seating, including corner wall sofas, with woven panels and woodwork above. In a corner there is even a suit hanger, and large living room-style lamps add to the cosiness.

There are also plenty of seats along the corner bar with round curved bar stools facing the illuminated bar’s wide marble counter and its front being designed in a brass-hued latticework, combined with green marble.

“California-style dining is more than a cuisine, but a whole culture. Expect a laid-back environment where fresh and high-quality ingredients are celebrated,” the restaurant introduces its offering.

SoCal mocktail

SoCal also takes cue from the fact that California is a melting pot of cultures from around the world, and that have all left their mark on its cuisine, ensuring a rich selection of dishes, including farm-to-table as well as Pacific seafood with vibrant flavours. Thus, this restaurant represents a discovery of new flavours and ideas.

There are also carefully crafted cocktails and a wide range of Californian wines. Beverage Manager Remi Torres also informs that SoCal will host monthly wine promotions events focusing on the U.S with wine also from Europe as it grapes were also brought over. Guests get to taste a Riesling from Oregon and one from Germany, for instance.

The wine list makes an interesting read with a selection from Napa Valley, California, Lodi, Washington State, and Central Coast etc. There are also no less than eight different Napa Valley sparkling wines by the bottle to choose from, along with seven rosé wine from France! Then find also a comprehensive biodynamic wine list!

For celebrations there is a Lombard Extra Brut Premier Cru, or a Rimarts Cava Brut Reserva to choose from by glass, as well as a selection of California reds and whites.

Californian creations in the open kitchen

During weekday lunchtime, chilled wine bootles are on display in a large ice bucket. The open kitchen allows diners to witness the action from the chefs at work preparing the Californian creations. A beautiful chef’s starter is offered at the table, presented in a bowl that has the colour of a chocolate dessert.

As appetizer, the choice falls on the Tuna Tartare (from the Seafood bar menu) and Grilled Octopus. The tuna comes as a beatifully presented dish on a plate which is painted with a sort of marine-green web pattern. It’s a melt-in-the-mouth flavourful tartare with ginger soy dressing, avocado crema, coriander, mango and cucumber, where the avocado makes it a bit creamy.

The Grilled Octopus is an irresistible beauty: well-grilled with coriander & lime gremolata sauce, baby potato and fermented jalapeno aioli – the aioli taking centrestage on the plate as a creamy circle on the plate’s blackish surface. It’s a really delicious taste combination!

SoCal Happy Hour

For main courses all eyes are on the ‘Signature Menu’ – which is full of temptations. Happy Hour Asia opts for the recommended Grilled chicken Asado and Baja fish tacos.

Now talk of coincindental coulour pairing as the choice of a cocktail along with the tacos happens to be a ’California sour’ – presented as kind ”Californian mulled wine” (borboun, lemon, raspberry wine reduction, egg white). Well, the drink’s colour turns out to exactly the same as the plate the tacos are served on! The drink’s taste is really refreshing in the tropical climate – served in a wider glass with a large patterned ice cube at its centre to keep it well-chilled longer.

The handmade soft corn tacos come with Chipotle aioli, pickled cabbage, and with Pico de Gallo (or salsa fresca with chopped tomato etc.) and lime slices as sides! Especially the aioli makes this dish yummy indeed.

Then, the half spring chicken is again well grilled, with quality meat that melts in the mouth, combined with an Achiote marinade and a large light greeen banana pepper. On the side are tortillas.

SoCal restaurant InterContinental Bangkok’s fluffy delicious pizzas

And – really! – one can’t come to SoCal and not try one of its many sumptuous pizza choices. And just the sight of one arriving to the table in such beautiful colours: what a delicious-looking beauty! Thick, flyffy bread with thin slices of Kabocha squash (a Japanese pumpkin), and then some pepperoni with sprinkled pumpkin seeds and cheese (absolutely superb Manchego and Ricotta cheese)!

To mention a couple of other mains, The SoCal double burger (Angus beef, Monterey Jack cheese, roasted onions, smokey chipotle aioli, dill pickle) or the Pan-roasted cod (Salsa Verde, sauteed edamame & red radish, potato crisps) also seems worth trying.

California Route 101 is a second cocktail chosen from the Signature Cocktails selection, which has tequila-infused wasabi, avocado, lime, agave (the plant used to make tequila) and cardamom spice as ingredients. Interesting and innovative indeed, especilly to use the very distinct wasabi flavour in a drink. But the wasabi is balanced out perfectly by the agave syrup and the result is a wholesome cocktail to sip on (obviously based on its ingredibnts) in a sort lime-green colour.

For mocktail fans the Summer Breeze is recommended along with dining, consisting in watermelon, coconut, lime juice and dragon fruit – using the fruits of the season.

PB&J ice cream sandwich dessert

For dessert the choice falls on a PB&J ice cream sandwich (with peanut butter parfait, berry jam, peanut praline). SoCal’s take on the peanut butter and jelly sandwich comes served as two tacos-looking crunchy sandwiches, with lots of cream. It’s a dessert perfect to combine with one’s choice of coffee actually to balance the sweetness with the taste of coffee beans.

It’s all top-notch, and the music soundtrack is also great for the setting. Guests can also enjoy regular DJ sets every Thursday to Saturday, from 17.00 to 23.00 hours.

To put it simple: SoCal has all the ingredients for joie de vivre moments. Celebrate life and remember where you are, remember those moments!