Marriott Cafe buffet

335
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Rusted award

Marriott Cafe claims to receive the Bangkok Best Buffet Award for many consecutive years. Is it worth that credit? My view is a NO though some people may love the buffet especially those paid advertorial food critics.

Uncertain if I am more fussy these days or chefs have a very limited budget to do the buffet at Marriott Cafe! My most recent visit to its dinner buffet found out the quality of food was poor while the price increased. Not only the choice of food was poor, didn't justify with the buffet price (THB 1,450++), but also the quality was low. Though price increased, but snow fish fillets that I enjoy several times there were missing. That night, I had fishy king crab leg, non-fresh oysters, watery and tasteless sashimi in stingy thin cut, chewy prime rib, and even the pan grilled lamb chop was not tender (so difficult to have hard-to-chew lamb chop in a decent restaurant, bravo JW Marriott Bangkok)!

That night, back home, I suffered from loose bowel (a.k.a. diarrhea).

Marriott Cafe, buffet ***
JW Marriott Hotel Bangkok
4 Sukhumvit Road, Soi 2
Klongtoey, Bangkok 10110
Tel.: 02.656.7700

Open daily : opens at 6 am all day dining, lunch buffet 12:00 noon - 2:30 pm, dinner buffet 6 - 10 pm, Sunday brunch 11:30 am - 3 pm
Pay (food only for two): around THB 3,400 (dinner buffet)

Jok Prince

BANGKOK AMAZING GOURMET
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Congee not (just) for a prince

Eating in a shabby little alley is always not my preference; Jok Prince (Prince Congee), example of an exceptional case.


Bangkok famous pork congee from Jok Prince, THB 30


Jok Prince Congee Shop 王子粥品 ****
sidewalk Soi Prince Theater
between 1391 and 1393 Charoenkrung Road
Bangrak, Bangkok 10500
Tel.: 02.234.9407

Open daily (except Monday): 6 am - 10 am, 5 pm - 11 pm
Pay (food only for two): around THB 100

Gindaco

BANGKOK AMAZING GOURMET
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Balls for queuing

Gindaco is originated from Japan, a takoyaki (grilled octopus ball) specialty shop established in Tokyo's Tsukiji. In 2005 Gindaco opened its first branch in Thailand at Esplanade Lifestyle Mall Bangkok, and since, queuing in front of the shop is a standard procedure for takoyaki lover to purchase a boat (or more) of grilled octopus ball made from the best (and complex) ingredients.




Gindaco ****
Lower ground floor, The Esplanade
99 Ratchadapisek Road
Din Daeng, Bangkok 10400

Open daily : 10 am - 9 pm
Pay (grilled tako balls only for two): around THB 200

Grossi

332
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Make my meal easier

Last year was the year a few celebrity chefs from the kangaroo Kingdom came to open their restaurants in Thailand. Among them, there is one comes to inspire Thais how to cook and eat Thai cuisine the long lost "real" way (according to him). And hopefully we also have Guy Grosssi, the respected Italian chef from Melbourne, that proven to Bangkokians that we have better choice then Zanotti and Gianni.

Last night, I went to Grossi with a friend. The single page seasonal menu is still simple, comprehensive and appealing. And the quality of food, of course, double delicious though not wow. The fact is why do we need a wow for just a simple meal! The wow shall go to the dining with a friend and the chit-chatting.



I started with minestrone (THB 320++), my friend took the signature duck confit tortelli (THB 390++), and we shared the pizza margherita (THB 320++) as starter. Most eateries in Bangkok present their minestrone with sour cum watery texture, yes salted boiled water with vegetables, not soup! Grossi delivers the simple vegetable soup with no mistake; rich in texture, taste not too salty, neither bland, but flavorful. The margherita, all we need is a good crust with hints of quality dough, fresh tomatoes, and quality buffalo mozzarella and olive oil; and so (at Grossi) it did. For mains I opted for the abbacchio (slow-cook young lamb stew with anchovy) (THB 750++) and my friend took the pan-fried barramundi (THB 650+). Both are of outstanding quality. Our side was salad of fennel beetroot orange rocket and ricotta (THB 190++). An excellent salad. Desserts? Grossi's signature panna cotta with berries sauce (THB 250++) is a perfect choice, and it is always that perfect.

Grossi Trattoria and Wine Bar ****
Intercontinental Hotel Bangkok
973 Ploenchit Road
Pratumwan, Bangkok 10330
Tel.: 02.656.0444
Grossi Bangkok

Open daily : 11 am - midnight
Pay (food only for two): around THB 3,500

Tomyum Super

BANGKOK AMAZING GOURMET
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"Super" and then some!

Me, seldom have a crave for roadside eating, especially in the summer seasons of Bangkok. Hygiene is one major concern, and roadside dining in the summer cum rainy days is similar to eating in a sauna. However, I just did it last night. Can't help! Because the "super" noodle is superb.


bamee tomyum "super" THB 40
(Sukhothai style egg noodle soup in spicy and sour broth)

deep-fried wanton sheet, complimentary

senyai Sukhothai (Sukhothai style flat rice noodle in clear broth) THB 40

Tomyum Super Sukhothai Noodle ****
sidewalk 595/1 Ladprao Road
(between Ladprao Soi 1 and Ladprao Soi 3)
Chatujak, Bangkok 10900

Open daily (except Monday) : 6 pm - 1 am
Pay (food only for two): around THB 100

Hi-Ching

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Noodle in red

Arguably Samyan is one of the oldest gourmet hubs in Bangkok. One of my favorite (eatery) in Samyan - Hi-Ching Noodle Shop, its daily home-made fish balls, silky rice noodle and deep-fried taro are definitely on the foodies radar.


1. bamee yentafo regular THB 30
(egg noodle soup with fish balls, fermented bean curd paste)

2. egg noodle soup with fish balls in clear broth THB 40
3. fish balls special, dried, no soup THB 50


4. crispy fish skin THB 20
5. flat rice noodle soup with fish ball in clear broth THB 30

6. deep-fried taro balls THB 30

Hi-Ching Yentafo Noodle Shop ****1/4
357/4 Rama IV Road
Samyan, Bangkok 10330

Open daily : 4 pm - 1 am
Pay (food only for two): around THB 100

New Srifa 33

BANGKOK AMAZING GOURMET
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New age dining, old school cuisine

New Srifa 33 is a new kid to (Sukhumvit) Soi 33 community (since 2007) but quite an old friend to Bangkokians (since 1955).


1. yum five kings Thai salad THB 120, 2. yum eggplant Thai salad THB 100

3. deep-fried grouper with boran ancient toppings and sauce THB 450

4. deep-fried hoy-jor crab meat dice THB 150,
5. deep-fried lemongrass stick with tofu sheet THB 100

New Srifa 33 ****
12/19 Sukhumvit Soi 33
Sukhumvit Road
Wattana, Bangkok 10110
Tel.: 02.258.2649
New Srifa 33

Open daily : 5 pm - 3 am
Pay (food only for two): around THB 700

Somtum Maneeya

BANGKOK AMAZING GOURMET
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Roadside somtum, indoor comfort

Somtum Maneeya was one of the many restaurants doing business in the then demolished Bangkok Suanlum Night Bazaar. In the old days, I used to land at Maneeya to eat and wait for my friends whom doing their sweaty treasure hunting (for me, no treasure, but for the ladies, treasures) in the night bazaar. Food at Somtum Maneeya were good.

Sad! Bangkok Night Baazar had been relocated, to upper Sukhumvit area (Sukhumvit 101/1), as Siam Paradise Night Bazaar. Somtum Maneeya follows.

Since its relocation to Sukhumvit 101/1 Bang Chak district, too far so far very far, I never visited again. No more babysitting out-of-town guests to the new night bazaar - Siam Paradise. Then I miss spicy Thai-Issan salad papaya pok-pok at Somtum Maneeya.


sun-dried pork with condiments, nam-tok moo spicy grilled pork salad

somtum poo spicy papaya pok-pok salad with raw crab

tom-zaap spicy Issan hot & sour soup with pork ribs

gai-yang Issan grilled marinated chicken

stir-fried squid with salty eggs and yolk sauce, blueberry yogurt

Always have faith, always have luck! My regular gourmet feast at Somtum Maneeya has not been stopped. I continue the tangy Issan delicacies (incl. somtum of course) enjoyment at Somtum Maneeya Chongnonsi branch.

Somtum Maneeya & Seafood ***3/4
1669/33 Naradhiswas-rajanagarindra Road
(corner Narathiwas Soi 16)
Yanawa, Bangkok 10120
Tel.: 02.678.9891

Open daily : 11 am - 11 pm
Pay (food only for two): around THB 400