Until recently, Bangkok's dining scene has largely consisted of cheap eats and street food or ornate modernist takes on Thai cuisine. These days, however, Thailand's capital is starting to fill out with hip, casual, but sophisticated mid-range dining options that are the envy of other culinary capitals in the region. For an idea of how far the city's food scene has come, take its performance in this year's Asia's 50 Best Restaurants list — five restaurants from Bangkok made the cut. Among them are Issaya Siamese Club, mentioned below, and modernist, molecular Indian restaurant Gaggan, which claimed the number one spot (good luck getting a table there). These are worth checking out. SOUL FOOD MAHANAKORN One of the many surprises in Bangkok's contemporary dining scene is that one of the best Thai restaurants is run by an American. Soul Food Mahanakorn in the trendy Thong Lor area, with its flickering lighting and floor to ceiling wood panelling has the feel of a traditional Thai house. The downstairs bar serves excellent basic cocktails but it is upstairs in the dining room where the real magic happens. Soul Food is just that, soulful; and it specialises in the kind of rich, deeply flavoured home-style Thai cooking that can send the uninitiated into a speechless rapture. Everything we tried on the menu, which lists dishes from all over Thailand, was excellent. But the hands-down must-try dish is the ecstasy-inducing gaeng hang lay: a Shan Burmese curry of pork belly, soured with tamarind and braised in ginger and garlic. For anyone accustomed to the sweeter, one-note curries from Thai restaurants overseas, this dish will be a revelation. Order more than you think is wise, trust us. Price: about 800 baht (HK$190), not including drinks 56/10 Sukhumvit Soi 55 (Soi Thong Lor), tel: +66 (02) 2714 7708, soulfoodmahanakorn.com ISSAYA SIAMESE CLUB This is one of the city's most exciting restaurants from that darling of the Bangkok culinary scene, Ian Kittichai. He's something of a phenomenon in Thailand, and like any celebrity chef worth their salt, he has his own television show. Kittichai started as a child selling street food from a cart in a Bangkok market, and that ethos — an unfussy presentation, and a focus on contrasting textures and bold, punchy flavours — still influences his cooking. This is apparent in his banana blossom salad, which is fresh, crunchy and succulent. If you don't mind getting your hands dirty, try the rich and seriously moreish chilli glazed baby back ribs. The Issaya Siamese Club is one of a handful of restaurants in restored historical mansions in Bangkok and is set in a lush garden. These graceful venues are one of the most charming aspects of Bangkok's restaurant landscape at the moment. Price: about 1,300 baht, not including drinks 4 Soi Sri Aksorn, Chua Ploeng Road, Sathorn, tel: 02 672 9040, issaya.com NAMSAAH BOTTLING TRUST This is another venture from Ian Kittichai and this list wouldn't be complete without it. Like Issaya, Namsaah is situated in an old mansion. If Issaya is a date night destination, then Namsaah fancies itself as more of a modern gastropub with a distinctly laid-back, party vibe. The towering colonial-style home is painted lurid pink and it is not uncommon on an evening to hear rock'n'roll wafting across the lawn. The quirky but classy bar — low lights, plush purple drapes, and a suit of samurai armour — is one of Namsaah's biggest draws, and it has a funky, sophisticated cocktail service. The food could not be more different from Issaya: it is a lot more casual, with an emphasis on flavours from outside Thailand, such as India and China. A dish of small duck tacos, the taco shells made with fried wonton skin, or pad thai with duck confit and foie gras are both representative of the cuisine, and very delicious. Price: about 1,000 baht, not including drinks 401 Silom Soi 7, Silom Road, Bangrak, tel: +66 (02) 636 6622, namsaah.com LE DU RESTAURANT + WINE BAR Le Du Restaurant + Wine Bar is the closest to a fusion restaurant on this list. The philosophy here is based on applying sophisticated continental culinary techniques to Thai ingredients. The results are refined without being overly fussy, while embracing a wide range of Asian flavours. Take the pork and shrimp mousse, it's a combination familiar across Southeast Asia, but served in a style more typical of chicken liver in high-end French restaurants. Another must-try dish is the Thai-style fish custard, with catfish flakes, basil and chilli gel. The dish — typically steamed and served in a banana leaf — is, at Le Du, presented with the care and modernist sense of style reserved for a fine terrine. There is a strict focus on locally sourced ingredients — even the proteins — whenever possible. Though the food is the epitome of fine dining, the vibe is casual and welcoming, a refreshing trend across Bangkok dining. Price: a four-course tasting menu costs 990 baht (HK$235), a seven-course is 2,300 baht (HK$547), not including drinks 399/3 Silom Soi 7, Silom Bangrak, tel: +66 (092) 919 9969, ledubkk.com LAY LAO Way off in the Ari district is one of this list's most casual restaurants and also one of our favourites. Lay Lao feels more like a neighbourhood coffee shop than a destination eatery with its super-casual decor and relaxed outdoor seating crowded with university students. But don't let that put you off the food, Lao Lay specialises in the intense and fiery cuisine of Thailand's northeastern region. Expect spicy-sour-bitter salads, grilled meats, and hearty small bites. Food is served in small baskets and much of it is meant to be eaten you're your hands. Battered and deep fried shitake mushrooms served with sweet chilli sauce are a must-order. Also worth ordering are the two types of sausages — though we prefer the sour variety from Isaan. To eat these you combine the provided herbs, chillies, peanuts, raw garlic and raw ginger with the sausages in your hand — then it's down the hatch. If any dish screams out more for a beer, we've yet to find it; luckily they have the good Beer Lao on offer. Price: about 250 baht, not including drinks 65-67 Paholyothin Soi 7, tel: +66 (02) 023 4521