5
.Moonlight bean bag dining Over the holidays I was brought to eat at so many wonderful restaurants at a result that costs me a few bucks on weight-control program now. Most of the restaurants were good while some are remarkable. With quality of food and price as judging factors I suggest that Thailand shall position itself as a world gourmet capital.
I went to test my luck if I meet local actor cum chef khun Pol Thantastien, the owner of the Spring Dining room, a modern Thai and fusion restaurant located on Soi Promsri 2, between the maze-like Sukhumvit Soi 39-Soi 49. The restaurant is set in a 1950's house renovated into homely and inviting environment; the mezzanine provides couples for perfect hideaway for a date; during evening unlimited bean bags and over-size pillows jam in the front lawn for moon light dining. Funny, I expected Italian cuisine the first time I passed by this landmark house, and ended up it is Thai, though fusion.
The menu in Spring is big and interesting, both innovative and traditional dishes found on the menu. However, red meat is absent in the kitchen but only seafood and poultry available. While taking time to study the menu, I ordered the virgin mojito (drinks mixed of fresh mint, lime, brown sugar syrup and tonic water) tasted uniquely cool and later found out not even the Lord Jims (@ the Oriental Hotel) can match the same taste; friends ordered the weird saketini (cocktails mixed of sake, Bombay blue, and curacao) and smoothies.
We started with nachos, followed by poh-piah tord the Sping (spring rolls of Spring), spicy cucumber salad, yum ma-khuea-yaao (spicy eggplant and seafood salad) and squid cakes.
We also ordered the giant scallop and prawn and tomyum goong nam sai (clear sour and spicy prawn soup).
We further sampled the paak boong tord (morning glory tempura with prawn), snow fish, pla kapong khao tord (deep-fried battered sea perch), poo-nim phad prikthai dam (soft shell crab in black pepper sauce), and Japanese fried rice with salmon fillet.
While the portions may not satisfy everyone, the good point is that at least we have room left for desserts in the Summer Chocolate Bar the owner of Spring would like to please our taste buds once more after the scrumptious dinner. Diners may either order their desserts at Spring or enjoy Summer's freshly made desserts where warmer tones and a mouth-watering waft await in the little house next to the Spring.
Both Spring and Summer may seem slightly over-priced in local budget, but its large groups of regulars would disagree. Especially in the evening, all tables are occupied, so you should make a reservation before going there to avoid disappointment.
Spring Dining Room ***1/2
199 Soi Promsri 2
off Sukhumvit Soi 39
Sukhumvit Road
Wattana, bangkok 10110
Tel.: 02.392.2747
Spring and Summer
Open daily : lunch 11:30 am - 2:30 pm, dinner 6 - 11 pm
(Summer Chocolate Bar - open daily: noon to midnight)
Pay (food only for two): around THB 900
4
.Elephant can cookElephant in blue color? No, no, there is no such elephant in the Kingdom. In fact Blue Elephant is a group of Thai restaurants serving probably the best Royal Thai cuisine started in 1980, by a sweet couple Khun Nooror Somany and Mr. Kari Steppe, in Brussels. Today there are fifteen Blue Elephant restaurants worldwide and counting.
Blue Elephant in Bangkok is set in a historical house on the compound of the Thai Chine Building, South Sathorn Road in the heart of Bangkok.
Here are some of the a-roi (delicious) dishes I sampled during my recent visit to the Blue Elephant. Names of the dishes look fusion but I guarantee the taste are authentic Thai cuisine, they are spicy indeed.
I started with Somtum-moo-yang (shredded raw green papaya spicy salad with grilled pork in crushed peanuts dressing), Foie gras with tamarind sauce, and Pearls of the Blue Elephant (a selection of classic Thai favorites) always a pleasure if we have no idea where to start. It is also a good experience to sample the Thai traditional dips such as Tow-jiao-lone (a homemade dip of coconut cream with ground pork and a hint of tamarind sauce, served with salty egg and fresh vegetables).
For mains (serve with brown rice) I never limited myself to just one to two dishes; that night I picked Scallops and mangosteen salad (grilled US scallops, refreshing salad topped with sweet, sour and spicy lemongrass sauce and fresh mangosteen), Nam-tok tuna (seared tuna served with a combination of spicy Thai sauce, a chef Chumpol's creation), Running crocodile (stir-fried crocodile meat with chili, basil, fresh peppercorn and palm hearts, it is spicy), Bamboo fish (fillet of local sea bass marinated with Thai herbs, grilled in a bamboo case), Massaman lamb (a typical dish from southern Thailand of slowly braised NZ lamb in a medium spicy rich curry sauce), and the Forgotten beef curry (thick grilled kho-hun beef in mysterious curry, a recipe from the past), they are all very interesting dishes, and taste good. I love lamb and I like karpaow (Thai basil) hot sauce; so star of the night was, Lamb chop in karpaow sauce.
I didn't forget the soup. For Thai dining, soup goes with the main course and rice. I ordered the Tom-kha-ped-yang (a refreshing soup of roasted duck with young coconut flavored with lemongrass and galangal) instead of the most asked tom-yum-goong (the famous Thai spicy and sour prawn soup). Desserts? Dear, I was so full. But how could I miss the fresh Mango and sweet sticky rice with homemade coconut ice cream.
Blue Elephant has a good selection of wine. For Thai cuisine, I would suggest the red wine, approx. $30-$150, and the spicier the dish the sweeter the wine we should go for.
If you happened to drop by Bangkok and think of an exotic Thai gourmet experience, try Blue Elephant. There the menu is big. I have been there for over twenty times but never sampled all their yummy dishes. Usually I settled with $55 (Thai baht 2,000) without wine for two to three persons.
Blue Elephant Bangkok ****
233 South Sathorn Road
Sathorn, Bangkok 10120
Tel.: 02.673.9353
Blue Elephant
Open daily : lunch 11:30 am - 2:30 pm, dinner 6:30 -10:30 pm
Pay (food only for two): expected THB 1,600
