WIANG is a contemporary Khao Soi restaurant in Bangkok that explores how one of Northern Thailand’s most recognisable dishes has evolved through movement, trade and cultural exchange. Created by Chef Kongwuth Chaiwongkachon, the restaurant draws on his study of Lanna and Upper Mekong food traditions. Rather than looking at Khao Soi as a single recipe, WIANG explores the people, places and influences that have shaped it over time.
At the heart of WIANG is Khao Soi 5 Eras, a culinary journey told through five interpretations. The experience begins by looking back at early noodle traditions and the movement of ingredients and ideas along historic trade routes. It then follows the influences of Yunnan, the Shan States, India, the Islamic world and Lanna as they gradually became part of the dish’s story.
Each chapter offers a different perspective on how Khao Soi may have evolved. From its early foundations and the arrival of spices to the use of coconut milk and the expression familiar in Northern Thailand today, the journey eventually looks ahead to what Khao Soi could become in the future. The Five Eras are presented as Chef Kong’s culinary and cultural interpretation rather than a definitive historical conclusion.
As evening arrives, this Khao Soi restaurant transforms into a Khaosoi & Grill Bar. Northern Thai flavours meet charcoal grilling, shareable dishes and wines selected with the restaurant’s sommelier. The menu brings together smoke, spice, acidity and texture, creating a more relaxed expression of the same culinary story while remaining rooted in the ingredients and traditions of the North.
The name WIANG comes from the Northern Thai word for “city.” Within Chef Kong’s wider culinary journey, it becomes a place to pause, gather and exchange stories, much like a resting point along a caravan route. Here, guests come together over food and wine while discovering Northern Thai cuisine as something deeply rooted in tradition, yet always capable of moving forward.
