The buzz: After taking foodie ideals to revolutionary new heights in Bangkok through its exclusive and expensive restaurant in Thonglor, The Water Library is now turning its focus to the new adjoining wine bar. Sporting an additional outdoor terrace, they’re set on introducing more creative cocktails courtesy of Italian mixologist Mirko Gardelliano while you can also choose from a wine selection boasting over 370 labels from all over the world, all at reasonable prices.

The décor: The new outdoor terrace provides a laidback setting with dark brown rattan sofas scattered over a fake-grass yard sexily lit by candlelight. Just across from the existing restaurant and bar you’ll spy a sliding glass door which is the entrance to the sophisticated, petite new wine bar, filled with proper leather sofas and floor-to-ceiling glass-enclosed wine cellars. The classily tasteful vibe is completed by the decorative wooden wine boxes that dot the floor.

The music: Jazz-funk lends a sensual feel to both the terrace and wine bar proper. They’re also planning to bring in a three-piece jazz act to perform live in the near future.

The crowd: Thonglor-Ekkamai middle-to-high income executives who know their wines and what makes a good cocktail.

The price: Unlike the original restaurant with its astoundingly decadent 12-course menu, the wine bar focuses on serving tapas dishes that really compliment your drink, like cold pasta (B150/260), foie gras spoons (B190) and curry sausage (B190). As for the drinks, the cocktails were ingeniously created by Gardelliano using a wide variety of interesting ingredients and molecular techniques. Try I Love BKK (B280), their newly-added Bangkok Cocktail (B280), and Malt Fantasy (B300). The wine list contains both old and new world selections at lower prices than elsewhere since they import the wine themselves. House wine by the glass offers the likes of Pinot Noir “All that Jazz” 2010 for red (B410) and Roero Arneis Matteo Correggia 2010 for white (B375). Most of the red wines come from the Napa Valley (B2,200-220,000), while the white wines start from Garganega Bianco IGT (B990) and go all the way up to Langhe Chardonnay Gaja&Rey 2009 (B11,500). There’s also Champagne, mostly from Louis Roederer (B2,900-B16,000).

Why you’ll come back: At B790, the three-course menu paired with three cocktails serves is a not-too-extravagant way to live it up. And face it; most affordable wine places come with no-nothing fools for sommeliers (if they have one at all). But among the team here are former head sommeliers at the Mandarin Oriental, which means you get top-level service, and a wine education. Vasachol Quadri

The buzz: The new sister branch of the original venue in Chamchuri Square is taking the high foodie ideals of its wealthy owner to new heights with something totally revolutionary for Bangkok: a restaurant that serves a maximum of ten diners per night, charges them big bucks for the privilege and then doesn’t let them even select what or when they’re eating. They’ve also assembled a dream team of mixologists, chefs and wait staff from all over the world to make it happen, and use only the very best imported ingredients to boot.

The décor: Understated but very sexy, from the darkly lit and sophisticated bar area downstairs, to the minimal but cozy dining room upstairs. There is a pleasant outdoor terrace for pre-dinner drinks, or if you want to drop in for a cocktail; and they are currently working on a high-end wine bar across the courtyard.

The food: This is a tasting menu with a difference. Service starts at 7:30pm and they wait for every diner to show up before starting on the 12-course menu. It’s part meal, part theater, with the team of chefs preparing the plates in front of you and then explaining the ingredients. These are mostly sourced worldwide, like the Irish oysters with seaweed and caviar, or the chicken that comes all the way from Bresse in France. Every dish looks very modern with the army of chefs (from Thailand, Europe and Singapore) employing plenty of gastro tricks like foams and emulsions to reinterpret the textures and flavors. The menu changes regularly and the current spring choice sees Pyrenean lamb and Japanese rockfish among the highlights. None of this comes cheap though with the price starting at B6,600 per person for only food.

The drinks: The bar has been set up by Italian Mirko Gardellino who spent years as a mixologist in Germany before being lured to Thailand. It means there’s an impressive menu of unique cocktails like the Bangkok Basil (B280) which uses homemade gin infused with basil, lemon, sugarcane and Haribo Goldbears. There’s also a large choice of spirits and an extensive wine list. Finally, you can have a wine pairing to go with the menu that will cost you an additional B1,800 and gets you six different wines or an exceptional pairing that costs an additional B10,200 and requires a minimum of five people.

The crowd: The well heeled, moneyed and connected come for the meal but downstairs it’s a little more egalitarian, covering everyone from advertising types to leading film directors. Nick Measures