For me Osaka is always the must-visit city in Japan, as epicurean knows it is the city of kuidaore (to become bankrupt as a result of one's overspend on eating and drinking), a word to describe Osaka people obsession with food. In Osaka, residents willing to spend more on food, thus became the center of gourmet in Japan.
Lucky (or unfortunate hahaha) in Bangkok we also have the chance for trying out kuidaore.
Nanohana, a fancy washoku restaurant with specialty on traditional Osaka cuisine, emphasizes on quality ingredients with the use of essential Osaka dashi (stock) and usukuchi shoyu (light soy suace) matching with skilled chefs culinary presentation. Enhanced by a sip of sake, a meal at Nanohana is both the upmost pleasure for our eyes and taste buds.
The less pungent and relatively sweet Japanese-style curry is always the welcoming alternative to Indian curry for people who have a soften palate on spicy food. CoCo Ichibanya, the J-style curry house with over 1,100 branches in Japan and overseas, has four huts in Bangkok, and counting.
Not only the J-style curry is subtly sweet in nature, but CoCo Ichibanya curries also let customers choose the flavor from mild to very hot in nine levels. So the heat and sweetness is on your hand!
pork cutlet curry rice, and deep-fried battered prawn curry rice Curry House CoCo Ichibanya **1/2 Ground floor, the Esplanade Ratchadaphisek Road Huai Khwang, Bangkok 10400 Tel.: 02.660.9283
Open daily: 10:30 am - 9:30 pm Pay (food only for two): around THB 550
Whether we are not a slumdog or a millionaire, all of us enjoy to be fed like maharaja (the greatest king), at least for a night. Pleaseeeeeeee!
Spicy MahaRaja, the restaurant with northern Indian accent in Central World Plaza (and a branch on Surawong Road) didn't offer royal service but brought us tandoori, curry, masala, and nan that we could enjoy in line with the privilege to a maharaja. Taste is friendly to all ages and nationals yet authentic. Spiciness in your dishes (esp. curries) is on your own hand, as simply choose from a 'spicy' scale of 0 to 50, namely from mild to super hot, that suit all-palate of liking. Level one is the kind of curry even a baby can eat.
Price is on the modest side and service is of those mall restaurants standard.
Spicy MahaRaja Indian Restaurant *** 7th Floor Central World Plaza 4 Rajdamri Road Patumwan, Bangkok 10330 Tel.: 02.646.1060 Spicy MahaRaja
Open daily : 11 am - 9:30 pm Pay (food only for two): around THB 1,200
* (update 2011-04-01: Spicy MahaRaja had been moved to Pratunam area, near Baiyoke Sky Hotel)
One of my friend from Athens also once a regular visitor to Thailand complains several times that Bangkok is almost off-limits in Greek cuisine in a "convenience" location, thus he gave up his trip to Bangkok since few years ago.
Never too late for some good news, finally Bangkok has one in the heart of where he hangs out day and night, Silom Soi 4.
country salad Baht 130+; pita bread (with imported ingredients) Baht 30+ eggplant dip Baht 110+ Souvlaki space souvlaki pork giros Baht 110+; lamb leg Baht 480+ moussaka Baht 280+ If you have never eaten in a Greek restaurant before, need not panic as the food is quite familiar to ours (though name is different). Souvlaki, consisting of pita bread wrapper in pork giros, tomato, onion and yogurt sauce, the Greek version of hot dog or shawarma. Moussaka is layers of aubergine (eggplant) and ground meat topped with bechamel sauce, baked. Seems it is the Greek version of lasagna. So aren't they familiar to you? Simply they all come from the Mediterranean family.
A friend from the West coast asked if there is any Californian cuisine available in Bangkok. CA? East meets west fusion twist in harmony!
Where in Bangkok we can find the likes of Mixed Sashimi, Pan-fried Goose Liver with Apple and Balsamic Vinaigrette, Fried Wonton Dumplings with Ginger Sesame Dressing, Angel Hair Pasta with Chiangmai Sausage, Grill Rib Eye Steak in Chipotle Chili Gravy and Deep Fried Grouper with Ponzu Sauce in one restaurant?
In Circle we found the answer.
The Asparagus Cream Soup, Baht 90++, thick and rich, a nostalgic taste so familiar with my old-school student lunch set at ABC Cafe. Came forward is the Spaghetti with Prawn and Ebiko in Vodka Sauce, Baht 250++. The dish is no more taste familiar to student lunch, pasta were cooked to al dente, sauce has layers of texture, a dish I may return for more. The miss is Circle shouldn't use CP frozen prawn as ingredients, who cares for a merely Baht 30 more in the bill. If we want something cheap, the noodle hawker outside the restaurant may serve such purpose.
Main course, the waitstaff recommended the Baht 320++ Crispy Half Chicken with double blanched Garlic Butter Sauce. The chicken claimed to follow the recipe of California celebrity chef Wolfgang Puck appears tender and flavorful, though compare to the Michelin two-star Spago in Beverly Hills our Crispy Chicken is definitely another story. But Circle only asked for $11, fair enough!
To round up the pleasant dinner, Home-made Green Tea Ice cream (Baht 120++) is the only choice of the night.
Service? Dee ma ma although a bit slow in reaction, but truly polite and the Siam-smile kind.
Circle California Fusion Cuisine ***1/2 20/27 Ruam Rudee Village Soi Ruam Rudee, Ploenchit Road Lumpini, Bangkok 10330 Tel.: 02.650.8047 Circle
Open daily : Lunch 11:30 am - 2:30 pm; Dinner 5:30 - 11:30 pm Pay (food only for two): around THB 1,200
Angelina Cafe in Central Chidlom is the century old Parisian pastry master debut to Thailand. Its divine hot chocolate and mont blanc cake are the house specialty.
1. mont blanc; 2. chocolate mousse Angelina at Central Chidlom Department Store from Angelina Paris 3. iced chocolate; 4. home-made ice cream Angelina Cafe of Paris (cakes and desserts) **** (salad and cooked food) ***1/2 3/F Central Department Store, Chidlom branch 1027 Ploenchit Road Pathumwan, Bangkok 10330 Tel.: 02.793.7793
Open daily : 10 am - 10 pm Pay (cakes/desserts only for two): around THB 400
Angelina on Sky's * update on September 15, 2010: Angelina Cafe says good bye to Central Chidlom.
When we think of Swiss cuisine, we probably think of cheese. When we think of cheese in Bangkok, we probably think of Chesa, arguably the only successful Swiss cuisine present in Bangkok - authentic and enthusiastic.
raclette kase Baht 520++ melting raclette cheese pour onto a baby potato spatzli; and our share of melted raclette on a baby potato Chesa is not just about cheese, it has a full menu of Alpine delicacies on offer. We sampled the bundnerteller of which consisting of pickled vegetables, quality air dried beef and excellent salami, though dry-cured ham is of supermarket standard. The spinach ravioli swimming on sea of brown butter with appealing lemon thyme is aromatic and sinfully aroi (delicious). To conclude the meal, I had vermicelles of chestnut, one of my most favorite desserts whether it is prepared in Japanese or Swiss recipes.
