Foodie paradise Bangkok is full of tantalising options.Terrence Guo singles out a few that not only serve excellent cuisine but extraordinary ambience as well
It’s easy to be swept away by the myriad gastronomic offerings of Bangkok.As in many of the great food capitals, debates rage endlessly over which establishment serves a particular dish best. Of course, no one ever wins this good natured jousting, except the diners,who simply tuck in and depart with huge smiles of satisfaction. Eating out in this forever frenetic Thai city is a 24/7 experience - there’s always some place open for a quick bite - not easily forgotten and constantly revisited when thoughts turn to memories of epicurean adventures. From the roadside eateries to stylish dining rooms, there is something for everyone and their budget, but this line up highlights places with that plus factor. You may have your own list, this is ours.
A DASH OF PARIS
LE DALAT INDOCHINE
14 Sukhumvit 23, off Sukhumvit Road
tel 66 2 2617 9678
The feeling of serenity is instantaneous once you enter the driveway lined with lush but neaty trimmed foliage that ends with a charming two-storey 60s-era house. Named after that Vietnamese city, affectionately baptised by the French as “Le Petit Paris”, the restaurant is a classy blend of French and Asian influences.While waiting for friends, sit in the glass-encased patio and enjoy an apertif.
When you’re ready, the maitre ’d, dressed in the traditional Vietnamese ao dai, leads the way to the cosy dining room made more welcome with planters, ambient lighting and old world knick knacks. The theme is classic blue and white, from table linens to furnishings. which showcase at every opportunity, the lotus flower.
THE CUISINE: Goi Sen, an appetiser made of seasonal young lotus tossed with pork and prawn, is an excellent way to start. Served with delightful shrimp crackers, the salad emits a playful nutty fragrance. Follow this up with Pho Bo, consisting of a side dish of wafer-thin raw beef slices and a little hot pot of boiling broth for dipping and cooking to your preference.
For the main, there can be only one choice –crispy fried river carp propped upright by stems of lush garnish.After being skillfully sliced by the wait staff into fillets, the fish is ready for wrapping in glassy rice paper along with basil, mint and banana slices to be doused in a tangy plum sauce. End the meal on a sweet note by ordering a light and fluffy Franc Brulee with ice cream or the Amarettolaced Tiramisu.You’ll leave feeling beatific.
THE DRINKS: The restaurant offers an extensive list of cocktails, mocktails,wines and reserves. Sample owner Madam Hoa’s refreshing concoction of rum,Malibu, blue Curaçao, Cointreu, lime and pineapple juice served in a tall glass shaped like vamp and adorned with a straw umbrella, orchid and cherry. The wine cabinet, carrying reliable Australian reds from Jacob’s Creek and French Mouton Cadet Bordeaux Rouge, ensures a wealth of pairing opportunities. Feeling drowsy, ask for authentic Vietnamese coffee guaranteed to perk you up – and how!
VERDICT: The staff are polite, warm and eager to recommend dishes and portions to suit the group. They are attentive but never obstrusive and quick to respond to guest needs. Le Dalat is made for quiet business lunches or dinners. A definite must for those used only to the finest.
PRICE: Considered pricey but still reasonable, considering what you are paying for. A meal for two with a cocktail, desserts and coffee costs about 2,000 baht (US$53). The most expensive bottle of wine in the house is the Leasington Bin 61 Shiraz at 4,500 baht (US$119). A glass of house wine costs 200 baht (US$5.30).
Opening hours are from 1130 to 1400 and 1800 to 2200 daily.
TOP OF THE WORLD
SIROCCO
The Dome at State Tower
63-68 Fl, State Tower Bangkok
1055 Silom Rd, Bangrak
tel 66 2 6249 576
A breathtaking panoramic view of Bangkok city elicits gasps from guests descending the lighted steps from the classical white-washed dome to the al fresco dining deck, perched 63 stories up above the urban bustle.At the far end, a parquet platform extends further out like an outstretched palm luring patrons to the stunning Sky Bar. In the evenings, a three- piece band plays continuously, adding spice to an already spectacular top-of-the-world dining experience.
THE FOOD: Standouts in the appetiser department are the Sauteed Wild French Snails bathed in a creamy rich white wine sauce, studded with generous chunks of chorizo and smelling delightfully of almonds; and the Pan Seared Foie Gras d’Oie, nesting tenderly on a bed of spinach and a glazed Williams pear with sherry sauce. Bite through the light and crispy caramel crust and be immediately overwhelmed.
Seafood fans will certainly zero in on the Grilled Jumbo Tigers Prawns, whose firm flesh provides a perfect counterpoint to the tender texture of the risotto and peas. The Pan Seared Australian Beef Tenderloin with asparagus and topped with smoked Scarmozza cheese that melts in the mouth is definitely for avowed carnivores. Its sauce, a beautiful reduction of Port wine, leaves behind the unmistakable aftertaste of good character. A lemon sorbet brings the cloud-piercing experience to a sweet end.
THE DRINKS: The Sky Bar serves a fantastic cocktail aptly named Blue Sky, which combines the lightness of vodka with the exoticness of blue Curaçao and fizz of Sprite. If you prefer something non-alcoholic, try Bangkok Wonder, a clever mix of pulpy rambutan and juicy orange. Sirocco has a fairly decent collection of wine, which includes the red Beaujolais Villages 2003 from Louis Jadot, Burgundy, France and the white Semillon-Sauvignon Blanc 2004, a yellow label from Wolfblass, Australia. If you desire something more bubbly, go for the trusted Moet & Chandon Champagne.
VERDICT:Nicely coinciding with the elevated location is the service which approaches the highest standards. The wait staff are extremely polite and try their hardest to fulfill every whim with good grace, despite occasional lapses due to unfamiliarity with English. Take an important business contact here to discuss that deal or host a spectacular dinner celebration with local counterparts. Either way, you’ll impress.
PRICE: Starters range from a simple salad at 350 baht (US$9.27) to a classic salmon at 1,390 baht (US$36.85).Main courses start at 820 baht (US$21.73) for a pan-roasted pork tenderloin to 2,880 baht (US$76.35) for a grilled Maine lobster. Treats from the dessert display table cost from 450 baht (US$12), while ice-creams and sorbets go for 90 baht (US$2.38) per scoop. A glass of wine costs about 450 baht (US$12), while a glass of the Laurent Perrier Cuvee Rose NV Champagne costs 1,100 baht (US$29). Dinner for two persons with wine is about 7,000 baht (US$185.58).
Opening hours are from 1800 to 0100 daily.
CHEERS, BANGKOK STYLE
AD MAKERS RESTAURANT & PUB
51-51/1 Soi Lang Suan Ploenchit Road
tel 66 2 652 0169
Touted as the Bangkok watering hole by both locals and resident expats, Ad Makers buzzes with unmistakable good vibes.Much of the electric atmosphere is courtesy of the threepiece live band, which performs superb covers from the Beatles, Bee Gees and Eagles as well as requests from the audience. The white plastered walls, displaying vintage newspaper prints and posters, matched with square wooden tables, brick pillars and pottery hype up the nostalgic 60s and 70s, and provide a relaxed setting for friends and associates to let down their hair and catch up.
THE FOOD: If you can’t relate to the setting, you’ll probably click better with the menu, which features at least 82 selections, 37 types of salads, 34 items of fried food, 29 flavours of soup and 26 vegetarian options. Evergreen favourite Tom Yam Khoong soup,with its trademark fresh shrimps, straw mushrooms and chilli and spices, is available as is the Red Curry Chicken,which we found tender and redolent with a rich coconut taste. Our other order, the Crispy Cat Fish Salad featured tossed roasted ground nuts, onions, green mango strips and chunks of crispy cat fish drizzled with a sweet and sour plum sauce. This, being a Thai meal, the dessert had to be warm sticky rice with its inevitable companion, half of a juicy mango.
THE DRINKS: The drink list is comprehensive and carries all the basics and then some.A unique feature of the pub is the small table, found alongside each dining table, which caters to those who’d like to order several bottles and line the up in their own “private bar”. The gimmick allows for smoother pourings and flow of conversation. For those preferring to BYOB, there is a corkage fee of 400 baht (US$10.60).
VERDICT: Don’t be put off if no one greets you at the door or shows you to a table at once. Most nights are unbelievably busy with the wait staff kept on their toes filling orders coming fast and furious.
But generally, service is quick and efficient and the waiting time is usually about 10 minutes. The menu is in English and numbered, so just point to what you want. Bangkok’s own version of the Cheers (the name of the bar in the long-running American TV comedy) is an excellent way to get under Bangkok’s skin and avoid the usual tourist traps.
It will bring you quickly in contact with several interesting characters – take our word.
PRICE: Very reasonable, costing under 2,000 baht (US$53) for a meal for two persons, including drinks.
Opening hours are from 1700 to 0100 daily. Music starts from 2200.
CULINARY GEM
CELADON
Sukhothai Hotel
13/3 South Sathorn Road
tel 662 344 8888
Elegantly occupyng a corner of The Sukhothai hotel grounds, culinary gem Celadon evokes artistic traditions going back thousands of centuries. Black cast-iron stupas provide a stunning counterpoint to the white-washed columns flanking floor-to-ceiling windows that offer picturesque views of the lily pond embracing the restaurant. The main dining room,whose parquet timber floors gleam brillantly with constant polishing, is spacious enough to host 108 diners in air conditioned comfort. The outdoor terrace seats another 68.
THE FOOD: The restaurant offers set menus such as Dok Kluaymai, proferring seven courses, as well as a special one for vegetarians. Its Tom Yam Goonglai soup sums up the surprise of Thailand, embodied by the vigorous effect of chilli on the tongue but tempered by the delicious shellfish and straw mushrooms swimming in rich broth. The Green Curry Pork with Thai eggplant simmered in rich coconut milk and served with coin-shaped rice crisps, minced pork and shrimp, make for a superb segue, along with the steamed Tiger Prawns halved and presented on a nest of vegetables. There are also rice and noodles dishes and favourites from various regions around the Kingdom. The cold and classic Tab Kim Krob – rice-flour coated chestnut dumplings and jackfruit in coconut milk – is a winner.
THE DRINKS: There’s a wide assortment, including red guava juice and specially mixed Champagne cocktails like the Sukhothai Royale as well as mocktails, aperitifs and liquors. The reds come from the New World as well as the Old, notably the Lussac Saint Emilion 1996 from France. There’s even the locally produced Monsoon Valley Malaga Blanc 2003 for the adventurous.
VERDICT: Chic interiors, enhanced with strains of cool jazz music wafting in the air, set the mood for perfectly unrushed dining, and the wait staff are more than willing to blend into the background, reappearing only when needed.Celadon exudes classy cuisine and with a capital C.You simply cannot go wrong booking a table here, that is, if you can get one.
PRICE: Unexpectedly reasonable for such a lauded establishement,with appetisers from 180 baht (US$4.77) for a salad and 390 baht (US$10.33) for the Celadon Appetiser Selection.Mains cost about 260 baht (US$10.33) for most dishes and desserts priced at 180 baht (US$4.77) each. A glass of wine costs about 450 baht (US$12), while a cup of coffee costs 160 baht (US$4.24).
Opening hours are from 1130 to 1400 and from 1830 to 2230 daily.
BEDTIME STORY
BED SUPPERCLUB
26 Sukhumvit, Soi 11
Sukhumvit Road, Klongtoey Nua
tel 66 2 651 3537
Gliding up Bed Supperclub’s walkway leading to the entrance, some metres above ground, is somewhat like heading for lift off. The cylindrical shaped structure, housing Bangkok’s still talked about night magnet, stands out from its staid neighbours as it was always meant to. Inside, cool reigns with house music bouncing off the synthetic white walls that act as a canvas for the medley of changing lights.
On either side of an open dance floor, two long giant beds, covered with snowy sheets, beckon guests to lounge as languorously as they wish and enjoy their meal from tabletrays. Behind the DJ console at the far end, broad stairs lead to two galleries furnished with similar oversized divans, plump pillows and small tables.Minimal and futuristic is the word – and select. Be sure you’re dressed stylishly and aren’t below 20 (they may ask you to produce an ID should your fresh faced looks make people doubt you) because this establishment follows strict rules, given its rather “adult” concept.
THE FOOD: It’s kept simple with a three-course menu.Kicking it off is the Roast Bell Pepper Broth with smoked chicken and fried oysters, followed by Crab and Asparagus Salad that includes rocket lettuce drizzled with a tangy and spicy mustard sauce, white truffle oil and mayonnaise. A buffet of five mains is available, including Sage Rubbed Veal Tenderloin sliced neatly and presented with fresh tomato puree and Tamarind Glazed Kangaroo Loin on Smoked Bacon. It will be painful to choose from the Green Tea Cake in Black Rice Cream, Warm Dark Chocolate Tart, tantalisingly decked with milk chocolate cream or Tamarind with Caramel Sauce.
THE DRINKS: For you and your bedfellows, the club has laid out some interesting concoctions,including the Silver Ball, a mix of Absolute vodka, lychee liqueur, grapefruit juice with a lychee fruit as accent. Also recommended are Cuban Skirt and Tong Lee. The drinks list also boasts shooters such as Blue Nitro, a mix of white rum, blue Çuracao, topped with whipped cream, coffee cocktails and San Pellegrino water.
VERDICT: While the concept makes you think “out of this world”, unfortunately, the indifferent attitude of the wait staff brings you back to earth with a thud. If not for the team of masseurs roaming the joint and offering their magic hands,we might have been tempted to gripe all night long. Instead,we decided to accentuate the positive, acknowledging the venue’s contribution to redefining nightlife in Bangkok. Still not sleepy? Diners can adjourn to the adjacent club and continue partying till they long for their own beds.
PRICE: Prices are not space high – the three-course menu costs 1,090 baht (US$28). Drinks go for 220 baht (US$5.76).
Opening hours for the restaurant are from 1930pm to 0100 daily with last orders at 2200. Bar opens 1930 to 0100 daily.
THE PERFECT STORM
TSU & NAMI
JW Marriott Hotel
4 Sukhumvit Road, Soi 2
tel 66 2 656 7700
Two highly original outlets occupy the refurbished lower lobby of the JW Marriott Bangkok on Sukhumvit Road. Taken together, they connote a culinary storm, and on their own, they make a statement for their striking contemporary interiors and hearty specialties boasting only freshest ingredients. Despite exuding different service points – Tsu does classical Japanese cooking,while Nami offers cool food on a hot teppanyaki plate – they complement each other well. Capitalising on the sprawling venue, local designer, PIA, installed a dramatic giant wave icon that runs through both restaurants, reinforcing the power of nature theme. Another shared feature is the Sake Bar, located between the two restaurants. At Nami, teppanyaki tables, seating between five to eight diners, plus two private rooms, fills up the room.
Tsu features a sushi counter, tables for general dining and four private rooms with Japanese style seating (two with a hole under the table to accommodate those not accustomed to this custom).
THE FOOD: The Assorted Sashimi Platter is ideal for groups and sets the tone for the feast ahead.Yummy sushi staples such as the California Te Maki and Okonomi Sushi Uni, conjuring up flavours of the sea, are guaranteed to be consumed in a jiffy.A Yasai Salad (seasonal vegetables) arrives with Japanese dressing on the side that adds a welcome tart note. For mains, there’s crunchy Ebi Tempura,Cindara Saikyo Shio Yaki (grilled cod fish marinated in Saikyo miso) and grilled beef and chicken skewers. A fruit plate brings the meal to a refreshing end.
THE DRINKS: Products of legendary sake houses such as Gekkeikan and Hakutsuru find their home in the Sake Bar, arguably the best stocked in the city.
VERDICT: Our orders arrived quickly and we were were served efficiently by the kimonoclad waitress.
PRICE: Our bill came to 11,000 baht (US$289), which may be quite a sum in a city of nice prices, but, at least, you’re assured of extremely fresh catch.
Opening hours are from 1130 to 1430 and from 1830 to 2230 daily.
