Thai food is immensely popular in the United States, but there’s nothing like trying this flavor-packed cuisine in its country of origin (and branching out beyond pad thai). During our trip, we had incredible meals featuring classic ingredients like lemongrass, betel leaves, coconut milk, bamboo shoots, turmeric, chiles and ginger, and we discovered local restaurants that fused these flavors with influences from other countries. Here are three memorable restaurants we discovered in Bangkok.

Coba

If there’s a sexier spot in all of Bangkok, I haven’t found it. A dinner at this Latin-French-Thai restaurant near lush Lumpini Park verges on sensory overload. Tropical plants spill from the ceiling and cloak the windows, while a glamorous singer slinks from table to table belting out standards like “La Vie en Rose.” My first cocktail, a sultry Black Velvet made with bourbon, roasted cashew, chile and coconut, captured the essence of the place in a glass. But we were there for the food, courtesy of Michelin-starred chef Olivier Limousin, formerly of Joël Robuchon. We began with the Exclusive Tapas Experience for two, delivered on a moss-covered branch like an offering from Mother Nature. We relished the bite-size prawn tartare with trout eggs in a mini-corn taco, fresh tuna tataki with mango chutney and a crunchy hand-held wagyu French toast. The crispy braised duck, shaped into a patty, was more presentation than punch, but the luscious blue-lobster ravioli was worth the wait. As we were leaving, the bartender urged us toward the red-light district, while a host called out after us: “You don’t want to stay for lady drinks?”

» Go for: the cabaret and cross-cultural cuisine.