497
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The great mini
Bangkok's foodies lover - the Minibar Royale has a mini Minibar at the Emporium (for a few years already), and it is, arguably, the most creditable full service cafe in the entire Bangkok's mall food scene.
Minibar Deli ***3/4
5/F Food Hall
the Emporium Shopping Complex
622 Sukhumvit Road
Klongtoey, Bangkok 10110
Tel.: 02.259.8826
Open daily : 10 am - 10 pm
Pay (food only for one): around THB 400
*(Updates (2015-Feb): Minibar Deli had vacated her outlet at the Emporium.
* To follow Bangkok closely, please 'friend' Thaisclub in Facebook!
485
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Cheerful and playful
Thailand's first London-meets-New York-meets-Bangkok gastro bar - the Hyde & Seek, was arguably the best gastro bar in Krupthep Mahanakon (the City of Angels), when I reviewed her one year ago! Food wise, not as good today as her booze offered!
Hyde & Seek Gastro Bar ***
65/1 Athenee Residence
Soi Ruamrudee
Lumpini, Bangkok 10330
Tel.: 02.168.5152
Open daily : 11 am - 1 am
Pay (food only for one): around THB 500 (there, booze is the hero anyway!)
* To follow Bangkok closely, please 'friend' Thaisclub in Facebook!
462
.
Top burger in the Top City
I like to eat burgers, but most of the burger joints in Bangkok are of so-so standards, whether there is an issue of their buns, or the sauce, or the patties, and there is always an issue that doesn't make my taste buds feel happy. Then I have heard that at Soi Chaiyot (Sukhumvit Soi 11) there is a pub, cum restaurant, that offers real (good) burgers and Tex-Mex goodies; my thought was that 'you must be kidding, good burger served in a pub that focuses on booze!? and even its shop name doesn't promote that it may serve decent food'; it is the Firehouse.
The first time I went to Firehouse I had an agenda to see how uneatable her burger(s) would taste. I was beaten. As soon as the burger (that I ordered) was sent to my table, I realized that my prejudice was naive, and I was glad that I visited this place to sample her burger (given that my first intention was so evil). The burger comes with a light-seasoned (healthier and let us sample the burger but not the seasonings) meaty patty that is ground from local Thai-French Pon-yang-kham 30-day aged beef, has a firepower flavor of the cattle without the backfire of frozen taste that could be found in imported meats, and with a texture that is just right - not greasy and not dry; served with crisp lettuce, tomato, onion, homemade mayo and ketchup in a satisfying Kaiser bun. The potato wedges that comes with the burger may be a bit greasy, but the must-try house preserved pickles may help us cut the grease. Besides burgers, Firehouse also offers a Tex-Mex and firefighters' inspired menu; among them, the New England style clam chowder, of which could be a meal by itself, is outstanding.
Firehouse's burger, judging from its quality, taste, portion, price and service, it is arguably the best burger in town!
sliders set with condiments and potato wedges, THB 280++
real potato wedges, and excellent house preserved pickles
I ordered my burgers to be prepared in medium-well, and they were, thanks Chef!
New England clam chowder, cup/THB 110++; beef taco, THB 150++
premium burger, 180 g Thai-French 30-day aged beef patty, THB 195++
Firehouse Pub and Restaurant ****1/4
3/26 Sukhumvit Soi 11
Klongtoey-nua, Bangkok 10110
Tel.: 02.651.3643
Firehouse
Open daily : 11:30 - 3 am (except Sunday and Monday until midnight)
Pay (food only for one): around THB 500
* To follow Bangkok closely, please 'friend' Thaisclub in Facebook!
457
.Factory of gourmet burgers What would be better than to have a bite of a burger (real one!) on July 4th for us whose living overseas! My friend and I went to Burger Factory today, a newbie burger specialty restaurant on Soi Ekamai, only to please our taste buds.
There, the nicely prepared burgers were made from patties that are house-ground daily from parts of Australian grain-fed beef; good patties need not have excessive seasonings otherwise the taste of the beef would be spoiled (those who like a heavy seasoned burger may go to get one at CP Fresh Mart, or those local fusion restaurants, such as one at the K-Village); at Burger Factory they do it right.
I ordered the BF BBQ Burger (THB 300+), the succulent patty was rich in natural beef flavor, with a hints of smokey scent from its flame-grilled process, sandwiched in a home-baked bun, slightly browned on both sides, and sided with potato salad that was good but not the best. My friend ordered their signature burger - the Factory Burger (THB 290+), with curly fries, which was very satisfying as well. Overall it was a pleasant burger lunch and it would be better if the owner sent the staff-in-kitchen to A.U.A. to learn the English meaning (not Issan meaning) between medium and medium well!
both my friend and I asked for medium-well, and they were ..
Burger Factory ***1/2
Ekamai Shopping Mall
3 Ekamai Soi 10
Sukhumvit 63 Road
Wattana, Bangkok 10110
Tel.: 02.714.4249
Open daily : lunch 11:30 am - 2:30 pm, dinner 5 - 11 pm
Pay (food only for one): around THB 400
* To follow Bangkok closely, please 'friend' Thaisclub in Facebook!
400
.Art of meatArtur Kluczewski, the person who is responsible for a few successful restaurants in Bangkok, now runs his own steakhouse in the heart of downtown Bangkok; yes, it is that talk-of-the-town Manhattan style steakhouse with a Parisian touch on Soi Tonson - the Artur. Someone called it a retro French restaurant that serves excellent New York style steak. Either way, Artur is the rare culinary gift to Bangkokians.
Just like most luxury restaurants will do a budget luncheon to keep epicures aware and to lure non-regulars to their dinner, Artur offers two lunch sets, a weight-watcher lunch set at THB 290++, and a 3-course business lunch set at THB 490++. Both are great value for money. And the food, impeccable!
Artur Restaurant ****1/4
G/F Bliston Suwan Park View
9 Soi Tonson
Ploenchit Road
Pathumwan, Bangkok 10330
Tel.: 02.658.6288
Open daily : lunch 11:30 am - 2pm, dinner 6 - 10 pm
Pay (food only for two): expect THB 6,000
(weekdays lunch set from THB 290++)
394
.Thanks, turkey!Every year, I don't want to skip two very important meals, one among them is the Thanksgiving dinner. Though I am not a farmer, but I shall give thanks for being able to live so happily on earth.
I am not an enthusiastic turkey eater, and usually I eat the big bird only during very special occasions, such as the Thanksgiving. For nearly twenty years living in Thailand, I have always waited for a feast of truly impeccable turkey menu to celebrate with this festive moment, whether it is in an individual establishment or in a hotel's restaurant, but to no avail. But tonight my prayer was being answered, at Roadhouse, the roast turkey breast served in the Thanksgiving buffet dinner was so moist and tender with the rich flavor of the bird, and the flavorful giblet gravy enhanced the taste to a truly impeccable level. Surprise! The buffet offered scrumptious pumpkin pie as well.
For the once in a year festive meal, I didn't eat alone. Tonight, I ate with two friends, one of them is a foodie from the U.S. who really knows Thanksgiving menu, and he agreed that the dinner at Roadhouse is a very pleasant one.
Thanksgiving buffet dinner ****
Roadhouse Barbecue Smokehouse and Grill
942/1 Rama IV Road
Surawong, Bangkok 10500
Tel.: 02.236.8010
Roadhouse
Open daily : 10:30 am - 1 am
Pay (Thanksgiving buffet dinner): THB 895++
363
.Affordable luxury lunch deal
Madison is the steakhouse in the Four Seasons Hotel, which offers luxury beef cuts such as Matsuzaka and Kobe to Wagyu and USDA Prime, prepared in an American twist. It is one of the most luxurious steakhouses in Bangkok, and arguably the best in the 90's when the Four Seasons Bangkok was the Regent Hotel.
A meal for two at Madison may cost a local junior manager a month of his salary, say THB 20,000 with a bottle of nice wine, or half of the price without wine. Luxury does sometimes come with promotions, during weekdays Madison offers a tempting sixty-minute business luncheon deal, which is a 2-course lunch set below the mark of one thousand Thai baht, including Madison's renowned all-u-can-eat salad bar. It is a good chance for non-regular customers to sample Madison food and decide if it is justified to pay a luxury price for a-la-carte or dinner on another occasion.
Two weeks ago I revisited this once talk of the town steakhouse in Bangkok with an American foodie friend during lunchtime. The 3-course lunch set, THB 890++, consists of a soup or the all-u-can-eat salad bar, a main course with choices, and a desert with choices. It is a fairly good deal at this classy grill room. However the food didn't live up to expectations; the salad bar isn't as 'wow' as before, choices cut back and quality declined, for instance, scallops in one of the salad dishes had an artificial texture and tasted bland. Imagine the taste of an eatable rubber or Japanese fake scallops those kids eat! For mains I opted for pan-fried sea bass and it was quite good; but my friend wasn't as lucky as me. His grilled sirloin steak in black pepper sauce didn't have a decent beef flavor and was not tender, though not over-cooked. He described it as coffee-shop quality. The dessert, a creme burlee, was fine.
The food quality and taste aren't as good as last time I visited Madison, which was two years ago.
Madison ***1/2
Four Seasons Hotel, Bangkok
155 Rajdamri Road
Pratumwan, Bangkok 10330
Tel.: 02.126.8866
Open daily : breakfast 6 - 10:30 am, lunch 12 noon - 2:30 pm, dinner 6 - 10:30 pm, Sunday brunch 11:30 am - 3 pm
Pay (3-course lunch set without drinks): THB 890++
(a la carte 3-course around THB 8,000 without drinks)
