Baa/ga/din is the Thai street food style restaurant which is famous for the unique menu that developed the idea from Thai local and exotic foods. This charming of Thai local food has ignited the idea and become the source of restaurant design and inspiration. Besides Thai culture, norm, belief and Thai daily routine are also shape the style and strengthen the concept of this restaurant. This Thainess together with the contemporary design has contributed the “Modern Thai Street” concept.

The designer team have traveled through the old time and research for the grandpa game. They fascinate in Thai local sport and game like Thai boxing or evening the classic gambling game as Siamese fighting fish and fighting cock. These are very charming and interesting among the designers’ eyes. They adopt the concept and reflect it on the branding and logo of the restaurant.

The front area of the restaurant, next from the car park, was mainly built from the Mon craft brick. It illustrates the scenery of Thai local alley in the old time which make customer feel comfortable and intimate with the restaurant. Furthermore, the designer team yet simply use the brick but have twisted the concept by using new technique of the brick construction. The front wall bricks are arranged in the 45 angle and also rhythmically laid with empty space which cause a unique pattern.

When walk through the main entrance of the restaurant, we portray the picture of Siamese fighting fish and fighting cock, which is the restaurant iconic, together with the horizontal window slats (Ban Gled) that is widely see from the Thai local house. The window slat was covered with the Siamese fighting fish and fighting cock pattern sticker. This cause the illuminate image and lead the eye to the focus point inside the restaurant inviting customer walking into the inside area.

Then customer will walk into the open roof platform which there is the outstanding tree as a foreground and roof tile as a background. The various color patterns of tile reflect the colorful kites in the sky which is inspired from the Thai local game “Chula kite Flying”. Furthermore, this platform is the center amount two different parts of the restaurant which are divided into red and blue corners that inspired from the corner color of Thai boxing ring.

“Red” and “Blue” corners represent “Grill” and “Bar” area. The red corners of grill is under theme of fighting cock while bar theme is adopted from Siamese fighting fish. The designer use very ordinary local material like galvanized sheet from the old town factory and a handmade wickerwork. Besides, polished stone has also been applied for the table top which is the classic material in Thai local house. Last but not least, when we look through the window, we would find the highlight gimmick which is the fortune number teller wall.

This wall was inspired from the Thai belief in gambling. Thai that belief in fortune number are normally find the lucky number from the surrounding environment such as big tree, special feature animal or even old wall. Some scratch the wall until it reveals number. This belief has transformed into the restaurant design by using the technique of low bas relief sculpture of Thai number. They also make the sculpture look real with the scratch surface by erode them with the acid.

When customer dining at Baa/ga/din, they will feel joyful with Thai culture and soul together with the stunning flavor of Thai street food taste. This preserve the local Thainess combined with the twist concept of contemporary design. Customer will indulged and fascinated with the restaurant that hardly feel like somewhere else.

Designed by party/space/design
Photography by F Sections