The stitch and bitch concept is alive and well in Bangkok (well, the stitch part at least!) at niche knitting cafe Bigknit. It has to be one of the cutest places I’ve found in my wanders (near Samitivej Hospital, on Sukhumvit Soi 49) – a cafe offering knitting lessons from a Japanese knitting queen along with coffee, Thai food and homemade desserts (a cosy combo, don’t you think?).

The cafe serves as a hangout for well-heeled Thai and Japanese ladies who lunch, as they whip up creative pieces at the long, central table or on one of the knitted cushion-strewn couches.

You can’t help but be inspired to get crafty being surrounded by all the colourful and multi-textured balls of wool lining the walls and the crazy knitted bags, toys and scarves adorning the space. So much so, my mum’s decided to join the knitting frenzy and is now making our impending new arrival something wild and woolly!

Last weekend we decided to give my visiting mum a taste of a more colourful part of Bangkok, away from our boutiquey little Thonglor ‘hood and the mall-topia that is Siam. Our destination – a little patch of Southern India in Silom.

First stop was the Sri Mariamman Hindu temple on the corner of Silom Road and Soi Pan. The temple is dedicated to the goddess Uma and was built by Indian settlers in Bangkok in the 1870s. Just as gaudy and colourful as any Hindu temple you’d see in India, it was packed with a mixture of Thai and Indian worshippers offering garlands of jasmine flowers, bunches of bananas and platters of coconuts in exchange for blessings. The scene offered a sensory feast of fragrance, colour and life.

We then ate at Chennai Kitchen just down the road – a deceptively simple looking eatery with outstanding (and cheap!) South Indian cuisine. We had masala dosas, uttapams and vadais, with slightly salted lime juice and masala tea. Each dish came with delicious chutneys, sauces and sambals – all highly spicy yet very more-ish.

Two doors down was a North Indian restaurant featuring an eye-catching array of Indian sweets out the front, but after a big lunch we chose to admire them rather than indulge (too many iberry trips…too much sugar consumption!).

We then ventured across the road to the quirky, charming, apple green-coloured Kathmandu Gallery. Owned by Thai photographer Manit Sriwanichpoom, the restored shophouse features his personal photography and art collection on the ground floor (plus books and Indian bits and pieces for sale). I particularly liked this kitsch little statue of ‘Pink Man’ from one of the owner’s previous exhibitions:

Upstairs houses rotating exhibitions, and during our visit an exhibition by French photographer Claude Estebe called ‘Japanese Legs’ was showing. I have a fascination with all things Japanese, particularly street fashion photography, so it was right up my alley. This was one of my favourite shots:

Overall it was a fun and colourful exploration of an interesting and very vibrant little pocket of Bangkok – one that’s well worth visiting!

Cafe nirvana may have been found at whimsical white tearoom Agalico (thanks LUXE guide!). Featuring marble floors, white birdcages, comfortable sofas, a cabinet full of tea tins and vintage kitchenware, Agalico has an opulent, colonial style. Outside is a lush garden complete with water features and a gazebo, and there’s even a fluffy white resident cat to match.

Inside, the counter features a delectable display of homemade cakes and quiche – the cakes include chocolate, green tea, banana and a particularly delicious coffee caramel variety (that’s the one pictured above). On the beverage front there’s a full array of posh English teas plus strong, tasty coffee.

Located down a narrow, unassuming street off Sukhumvit Road (at 20 Sukhumvit Soi 51), Agalico is an all-white oasis of tropical grandeur. It’s one of the most charming and relaxing cafes we’ve been to in Bangkok and is well worth seeking out for some homemade baked treats in a fairytale setting – the perfect spot for cake lovers (and dreamers!).

NB: It’s only open Friday, Saturday and Sunday from 10am til 6pm

Spring…a glass-fronted retro villa with contemporary decor and tasty Thai food. Summer…a cosy chocolate dessert restaurant with much sweet temptation. Winter…a loungey lawn bar strewn with huge cushions and low tables for cocktails under the stars. This chic triumvirate form the very cool Spring-Summer-Winter – an almost other-worldly dining experience for this Phnom Penh resident.

After some outdoor lounging we had a Thai feast in Spring dining room with PP friends Virginia and Duncan, including soft shell crab with curry sauce, massamun chicken, fried calamari, chicken with chilli and lemongrass, tasty Asian greens and my favourite – shot glasses of ‘crispy coconut prawn salad bites’. In adjacent building Summer we indulged in some rich chocolate desserts such as the BTS (Better than Sex) – a chocolate cupcake with a hot molten centre, rich chocolate mousse and whipped cream – amazing!

Overall the food and the setting were divine, with the only drawback being the really slow service (though it was a busy Friday night heaving with patrons…). Fellow drinkers and diners were mostly glamourous Thais, including a girl toting a tiny dog in her handbag. Though only an hour’s flight away from Phnom Penh, Bangkok really is a different world!

Ka-nom is a self-described ‘fashion bakery’ with several outlets found in Bangkok and around Thailand. It appears to have developed something of a cult following for their delicious egg tarts, and for good reason. We’ve already been back to Ka-nom several times – the tarts are deservedly revered for their crispy, flaky pastry and fresh eggy custard filling. The cafe and bakery also serves Lavazza coffee and some pretty tasty Thai dishes too. Hmmm…more tempting eats conveniently located in our neighbourhood (at 122 Sukhumvit Soi 49).

For lovers of Southeast Asia’s sweet tasty fruits, it’s the perfect time of year. Piles of purple mangosteens and spiky red rambutans can be found all over Bangkok (and in the markets back in Phnom Penh too). For those who come from lands where apples and oranges are the norm it’s hard not to over-indulge. In Bangkok street stalls and even supermarkets both fruits are currently being sold for under US$1 a kilo. So when my iberry obsession dies down I can indulge in the real thing with added health benefits too!

One of the first places I visited after arriving in Bangkok is one of my favourites – iberry at J Avenue on Sukhumvit Soi 55 (Thonglor). A Thai homegrown success story, the chain was founded by two Thai siblings and has grown into a much loved ice-cream empire, albeit only found in Thailand (so far!).

Featuring delicious ice-creams, icy fruity drinks (‘Smoothberries’) and bakery treats at the Mousses & Meringues counter, the J Avenue iberry is a cool, all white haven from the heat with some whimsical vintage-look touches. The Thai inspired sorbet flavours (like mangosteen) are particularly good, and next time I might try the tamarind or salted plum. Luckily (or dangerously) I’m staying within walking distance so can return whenever the mood strikes – which could be daily!

Last night I ate at Romdeng Restaurant’s new location on Street 174. Run by the street kid charity Mith Samlanh Romdeng is one of the classiest (and tastiest) restaurants serving Cambodian food in Phnom Penh.

Its new home is an impressive two-storey colonial building complete with a small swimming pool on the grounds. While definitely grand the restaurant’s interior features the same cheerful paintings and warm wooden furniture of the old spot, and the ever-charming and efficient staff add to the casually elegant atmosphere.

As for the food the menu remains the same, with its mix of traditional and slightly more innovative Khmer dishes. We had the pork and taro spring rolls, the rice and chive cakes with papaya salad, the Khmer beef salad and the fish amok, topped off with coconut and pineapple-chilli sorbets – delicious!

+ Lasagne at Pop Cafe

+ Chocolate Rainforest icecream at Swensen’s

+ Metro fries at Metro – it’s all about the chilli salt seasoning

+ Goat cheese salad at Van’s Restaurant

+ Beef burger at Garden Centre 108

Note the unhealthy bent and appalling lack of Asian dishes due to pregnancy cravings!