When one Bangkokian tells another that a restaurant is “perfect for tourists,” we know that she means it as a backhanded compliment. Slightly better is one described as “a nice place to take your visiting friends”—this means it’s good but either the spices are toned down or the prices are on the high side (or both). To our surprise, Ruen Urai is a step above this: it’s definitely ideal for out-of-town guests but also a place we might visit with even some of our friends who live here. In nearly every way Ruen Urai exceeded expectations, which to be honest, weren’t that high to begin with. The first shock is seeing such a beautifully well-preserved traditional teakwood home after walking the gauntlet of Suriwongse beer bars, massage parlors and construction equipment. The next is how skillfully the century-old two-story house has been decorated and outfitted, a rare tasteful blend of contemporary furniture and Thai crafts. (The funky music they play might be too much for some people, however.) The menu is similarly not at all what we anticipated. It’s polished and even reads well and contains not just obvious dishes like green curry and pad Thai but also ones that aren’t familiar to most tourists such as naam prik and miang, plus a few modern creations with ingredients like salmon and soft-shell crab. Food-wise, we were again pleasantly surprised with Ruen Urai. Though far from perfect, and often slightly too “international,” the ingredients are of high quality and the food—curry pastes and sauces, most importantly—tastes like it is made from scratch. Of the dishes we sampled, our least favorite was salmon in yellow curry (B250); the fish was pan-seared first, which is the right idea, but the meat was overcooked. We also would have appreciated more soup to accompany the four plump river prawns in the tom yam (B350); but the taste, even though the “creamy” version (we prefer a clear broth), was excellent—not too sweet as is too often the case these days. The miang with red snapper (B180), a signature dish, is terrific; if you order it, though (and you should), request a side of (dry) betel leaves. For the sake of presentation, the leaves come arranged in a circle with the fillings, which are pre-mixed (like a yum) on top of them. This non-traditional look is pretty, but unnecessarily messy. Fortunately, requests such as extra leaves are happily met at Ruen Urai. The restaurant has only been open for four months, and the servers, while in need of more time with customers, are very eager to please. Unfortunately, on the night we visited, there was only one other table being served in the downstairs dining room (so they didn’t even need to open the gorgeous upstairs room, which can be used for private functions). It’s a nice, cozy place but can be a bit depressing when you’re the only ones there. We’re certain Ruen Urai would attract more people in a different, more accessible location. Still, on the right occasion, we think it’s worth making the effort to find it—even for those of us who live here.