Saffron

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Happy New Year Bangkok
Saffron @ Banyan Tree Hotel

There is a hidden Thai treasure on the 52nd Floor of the Banyan Tree Bangkok.

Banyan Tree's signature restaurant, Saffron, offers Thai-inspired flavors. Located on the 51st and 52nd floor, the views are fantastic, the furnishings eclectic, and sophisticated live entertainment plays into the night.

The menu at Saffron is comprehensive containing the Kingdom’s most popular dishes. Food is not as outstanding as the view and service, but it is fair and not bereft of the spices and flavors making Thai food unique.

The restaurant’s complimentary snacks were Soft Shell Crab Puff and Khao Tan (seasoned crispy rice cake with crab meat curry dipping) came after the lemongrass scented hand towel and a glass of chardonnay was definitely pleasant to start the dinner. They were good.

Our appetizer served on expensive celadon earthenware, was the Kanom Bueng Chao Wang (traditional Thai egg crepe served with shrimp roe, roasted coconut, peanut, bean sprout eaten with tamarind palm sugar dressing). Followed was Yum Makhua Yaoo Goong Maenam Pao (spicy eggplant salad with grilled river prawn), the presentation of this dish was not good but the taste of the grilled eggplant and river prawn was yummy.

Gaeng Keao Waan Khai Kem Look Chin Pla Kray (green curry with salty egg and fish ball) was an innovative green curry dish. Gai Hor Bai Toey (crispy fried marinated chicken fillet wrapped in pandanus leaf) was outstanding and Pla Hima Neung Manao (steamed snow fish with coriander and chili lime sauce) was somehow bland.

For desserts, we had Woon Matoom Loi Kaew (bale fruit jelly in sweet iced syrup) and Fresh Ripe Mango, followed by the Whole Coconut Juice.

The service is good and the waiters hover, waiting for our every request. It was cheerful to start our 2008 New Year’s day with a superb dinner with a view at Saffron. Cheers!

Snugly conjoined with Saffron, the Latitude Lounge & Bar is the ideal haunt for an after-hours fix of fiery cocktails and chilled down tempo grooves. Lounge outside among the stars at 51 floors above the steaming bowers of 'the city of angels.' A must for those who love being at the top.

Our Ratings (1 to 5 the higher the better): Saffron has [4.1]
(Ratings are based on Food, Service and Ambience, with Price taken into account in relation to Quality) Food =3.5, Service=4.5, Ambiance=5, Money Worth=3.5

Price range for two without drinks (incl. local water) in Thai Baht = BBBB
(B=below 200, BB=201-500, BBB=501-1,000, BBBB=1,001-2,000, BBBBB=over 2,000)

Details: Open daily Lunch: 11.30am - 2.30pm; Dinner: 6.00pm - 11.00pm (Latitude Lounge and Bar 5pm-1am)
Saffron, Banyan Tree Bangkok 52nd Floor, 21/100 South Sathon Road, Bangkok 10120; Tel: 02-6791200
http://www.banyantree.com/bangkok/facilities/dining/saffron.html

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