UPDATE (13FEB23): Estacio Bistro is no longer in operation.

I recently had the opportunity to check out Estacio Bistro (official Facebook page) near the Udom Suk BTS station. This is nowhere even close to where I live, but it was a good friend who encouraged my visit with the promise that “it’s great food and it’s worth the trip!”. He’s the fella who introduced me to the best English breakfast I’ve had in Bangkok so I listened. That was a wise move on my behalf.

Their cuisine is inspired by the owner’s experiences at friendly bistros in Barcelona, Spain. The menu features an incredible selection of inventive seafood and meat dishes. The portions are very substantive and fairly priced for the amount and quality of what you receive. The bottom line: it is worth the extra BTS stops to get there!

But let me share with you the pretty comprehensive tour of their menu our table of 6 guests experienced so you can see what I mean. Let’s dig in!

Let’s dig in!

From the sea…

Estacio Bistro’s menu is equally represented by dishes that are seafood or meat-based. We aimed to get a fair sampling of both, but as I write this now I can see that we may have been a little more enthusiastic when ordering from the seafood selection. There’s just a lot to choose from and it’s hard to zero in on just a few items.

The mussels, clams, and oysters are all imported and the prawns are purchased fresh daily from the local market. If you’re a fan of seafood you’re going to dig this place.

Let’s begin with some starters.

Appetizers

Trio Tartar (399 baht)

We began our meal with a few tasty starters. The Trio Tartar (399 baht) was our introduction to some seafood dishes best served cold. This dish consisted of 3 different bowls of seafood. The first being a tuna tartare marinated in sesame seeds and oil and tossed with avocado. The second was a bowl of chilled cooked shrimp, halved and served with diced apple and citrusy orange. The third bowl was a tangy ceviche. This is a great starter for sharing.

Shrimp Cake (190 baht)

The lightly crispy-skinned Shrimp Cakes (190 baht) with a sweet dipping sauce further whet the appetite. I enjoyed the crispy outside with the springy minced shrimp inside.

Gavelox Salad Roll (280 baht)

Finally, we had the Gavelox Salad Roll (280 baht) dish which reminded me of those fresh Vietnamese spring rolls except that it was also filled with slices of cured salmon along with prawns and veggies. The wasabi cream sauce is an amazing dipping sauce!

My kind of seafood salad…

Pomelo Salad (320 baht)

On the menu, you have to read closely to see that this Pomelo Salad (320 baht) comes with prawns. A more appropriate name for this dish would be “Prawns with Pomelo Salad” because the giant prawns dominate this dish. The prawns are tossed with chilies, roasted coconut, and ground cashew nuts mixed with chunks of juicy pomelo. This is a dish I highly recommend!

It also worked up our appetite for more seafood, which is probably why we next ordered it by the bucket.

A bucket of yummy!

Seafood Bucket (300 baht)

The Seafood Bucket (300 baht) contains a generous sampling of lightly battered shrimp, squid, and clams. Squirt a little lemon juice on it and dip the crispy bites into the dill tartar sauce!

Pretty much anything the Estacio Bistro kitchen fries up is going to put a smile on your face. But their grilling skills are excellent as well!

Hot off the grill…

Grilled Squid (190 baht)

This whole Grilled Squid (190 baht) tastes as amazing as it looks. The meat is tender, not chewy in the least, and it’s seasoned to garlicky, buttery perfection!

It was after this dish that we started getting some heavy-hitting seafood dishes…

Now it’s getting serious!

Estacio Seafood Chowder (380 baht)

The Estacio Seafood Chowder (380 baht) is one of their signature dishes. It is brimming with poached prawns, squid, and shellfish…how is it priced this low? The chowder is made with creamy potato champagne velouté which is much lighter than your New England style chowders, but worth mopping up with the thick slices of garlic bread accompanying the dish.

The next seafood dish was my absolute favorite. It’s packed with both seafood and flavor. If you don’t mind spicy then I highly recommend it!

Something spicy this way comes…

Spaghetti Thai Seafood (380 baht)

This was one of those “love at first bite” dishes. The Spaghetti Thai Seafood (380 baht) reminds me of those Tom Yum fusion kinds of pasta but it’s so much more. This Thai style spaghetti is loaded with prawns, clams, squid, and mussels. Seriously, look at it. How is this only 380 baht?

The sauce is a creamy mix of coconut milk and Thai curry and chili spices. It packs some heat that will drain your sinuses. But with all that amazing seafood you won’t be able to help yourself to bite after spicy bite!

Bring on the meat!

As you can see Estacio Bistro has an excellent selection of seafood dishes. For diners craving something a little meatier, their menu has plenty to choose from. We started off our sampling with a few meaty nibbles.

Meatballs (190 baht)

These Meatballs (190 baht) served with a rich tomato sauce and thick slices of garlic bread are an excellent starter for sharing.

Chorizo Love Bacon (190 baht)

If you believe that everything is made better with bacon then we belong to the same faith. This Chorizo Love Bacon (190 baht) is a shining example of how bacon just makes EVERYTHING taste better! The dish consists of chunks of baked spicy chorizo sausage wrapped in crispy bacon and is served on a medley of roasted vegetable slivers and a drizzling of tangy balsamic glaze.

Burger time!

Wagyu Beef Burger (290 baht)

Estacio Bistro has some great deals on meat. As an example, you can have a steak dinner with a 200-gram 100-day grain-fed Australian beef steak with roasted vegetables for a very reasonable 600 baht. They regularly have limited deals for 50% off steak dinners on their Facebook page so it’s a good idea to monitor that page!

Their burgers are also worthy of mentioning. During our visit, I sampled the Wagyu Beef Burger (290 baht). It’s a tasty marinated 150-gram wagyu beef burger patty with cheese, garden greens, sauteed onions, and special Estacio dressing. It also comes with chunky fries and is very fairly priced for Bangkok.

Save room for dessert…

We were able to sample all of the above because we were a table of 6 guests. It also meant that we had some room for dessert, though we opted to share these desserts. Luckily each of these sweet treats is sized for sharing!

Mango Panna Cotta (180 baht)

All of the desserts are beautifully presented and reasonably priced. But tastewise, the Mango Panna Cotta (180 baht) was my personal favorite. The mango top is refreshing and delicious mixed with the creamy panna cotta. This was one of those dishes I kind of squirreled away after everyone had sampled it. Mine!

New York Cheesecake (220 baht)

The New York Cheesecake (220 baht) is a great dessert for those who don’t want something too sweet. Made with a crumbly biscuit crust, it is a rich dessert that’s served with fresh fruit and a berry compote.

Creme Brulee (220 baht)

Finally, we enjoyed the creamy custard of the Creme Brulee (220 baht) with fresh berries and sheets of shattered crispy caramelized sugar.

What a fantastic finish to a tasty meal!

A chat with the owner…

Samrat, Estacio Bistro Owner

I had the opportunity to chat with Estacio Bistro’s owner, Samrat. Samrat remembers fondly her trips to Barcelona and the friendly bistros and amazing seafood she experienced there. Estacio Bistro opened in May 2019 and was originally called “Estacio Seafood Cafe” due to its strong focus on seafood.

But as the menu expanded to include some great meat dishes, she decided to change the name to Estacio Bistro. To Samrat, she feels the name change closely aligns with the original vision she had for the restaurant, a cozy bistro that makes guests feel welcome and serves amazing food at fair prices.

Samrat personally created each dish and though the menu includes a few Spanish items such as Valencia Paella (350 baht) and Spanish Style Gambas (260 baht) mostly what you’ll find is a mixture of East Meets West fusion dishes. Whatever you order you can be assured that the culinary kitchen wizards are laser-focused on cooking it perfectly for your enjoyment.

In Samrat’s words, ” You can’t focus on one thing to be successful in the restaurant business. You have to focus on everything.”. At Estacio Bistro the focus is on ensuring the guests are impressed!

I’m hungry. Where is it?

If you’re living anywhere in the Sukhumvit 101 area Estacio Bistro should be on your radar for a visit. But it’s not difficult to get to and worth the trip if you live outside that area. Its location on Udom Suk 1 Alley is only a two-minute walk from the Udom Suk BTS station.

On Friday-Sunday they have a great Buy 1 Get 1 Free special on all of their cocktails, and their cocktails pack a punch!

There is limited bar-style seating outside along the restaurant front if you want to enjoy some bar snacks and 60 baht large Heinekin beers while you people watch. For more comfortable dining, there is ample seating upstairs.

I want to hear from you!

Should you decide to visit Estacio Bistro I’d love to hear your feedback in the comment section below, directly to me, or via message on either the Chow Traveller Facebook page or Chow Traveller Instagram. However you choose, I’d love to hear from you!