Le Vendome

283
.

Modern French power lunch

How much do you think this superb 3-course lunch set at one of Bangkok most exquisite and prestige French fine dining restaurants shall cost?

It is THB 380++. A steal of the century for the connoisseur.


1st course (choice of appetizer)
potato leek soup, crispy bacon infused with fresh herbs and garlic cheese tortellini
/or smoked red snapper salad, with herbs, aging white balsamic & shallot vinaigrette

2nd course (choice of main course)
milk fed lamb shoulder, five-hour braising, served with baby veggie and natural jus; or/

poached ox tongue in aromatic broth, potato moussline garlic with herb infused pan jus
0r/ pan roasted pompano, with white bean puree and baby squid

3rd course (choice of dessert)
roasted pineapple, with dark rum sauce & pineapple cream cheese
or/ canel mint ice cream, in a pool of white chocolate carrot cream soup

complimentary mocha and bread

Le Vendome ****
267/2 Soi Sawasdee (Sukhumvit Soi 31)
Wattana, Bangkok 10110
Tel.: 02.662.0530

Le Vendome

Open daily : lunch 11:30 am - 2:30 pm, dinner 6 - 10:30 pm
Pay (food only for two): around THB 6,000 (lunch set THB 380++)

Les Quatres Garçons

239
.

Le boys wanna have fun

What happens if four connoisseurs from different walks of professional life sat down and asked for a baby? Les Quatres Garçons was born.

4 Garçons is about traditional French fare prepared with care.

Although I realized the existence of 4 Garçons for months, I was hesitant to pay the new restaurant a visit. In my mind it was "oh, another toy restaurant by those 'Yes We Can' high-so kids in Thonglo"! Perhaps it is that I was prejudiced before (later proven that I was wrong) and I made the first visit to 4 Garçons a month ago with the (high) recommendation from a friend, a foodie and a retired professor, now an adviser to the dean of a faculty of one of the top-three universities in Thailand.

This place is lacking a celebrity chef (or even a native chef from France); instead an amateur, if we consider the head chef's day time physician (yes, medical doctor) job as full time. However, this restaurant still promotes a number of reasons for me to love it.

At 4 Garçons, the food show glimmers of the excellent chefs who are seriously prepared with a fine dining twist, presented in a bistro ambiance, which is good because Thonglo is chic and playful in nature. I love French fine dining (e.g. the Normandie) but I also hate dressing up for a feast; 4 Garçons bridges the gap. My third reason of loving 4 Garçons is that, for almost fine dining quality, the charge is modest and very wallet friendly.


1. traditional French onion soup THB280++; 2. baked figs with blue cheese THB300++

3. sauteed frog legs THB290++; 4. well prepared duck leg confit THB550++

5. braised oxtails THB580++; country lamb stew THB580++

7. fresh (real) fig tart THB180++; 8. fresh (whole) apple tart THB180++

No matter which renowned cooking school on earth you may attend, and no matter if it is Jamie Oliver or Wolfgang Puck as your instructor, they will all tell you that best ingredients are the fresh ingredients sourced locally. At 4 Garçons chefs are supporters of LMF, meaning they source fresh produce and ingredients locally (as much as they possibly can). For instance, figs are brought in from a Royal Project farm in Chinagrai. Compared to imported figs which are three fold in price, these fresh Royal Project figs avoid massive preservatives and harmful chemicals, ensuring that they taste fresher and we eat healthier, helping our globe with less damage from carbon emission.

Tired from reading reasons that I changed my mind about this newbie French bistro? Then you need to see it for yourself. Beware that you may bump into the kingdom's most respectable food critics, celebrity chefs, royalty, M.L. or me sitting next to you. So make sure you behave well. (No dress code though!)

Oooops - one more sentence. 'Wine and dine' goers please note - If you don't take the whole bottle, house wine is not just one red or one white to choose from, there are six from Bordeaux and the new world. Happy?

4 Garçons Brasserie & Patisserie ****
Oakwood Residence Sukhumvit Thonglor
113 Thonglo Soi 13
Sukhumvit Road Soi 55
Wattana, Bangkok 10110
Tel.: 02.713.9547
Les Quatres Garçons

Open daily : lunch 11 am - 3 pm, dinner 6 - 11 pm
Pay (food only for two): around THB 2,500 (lunch set THB 580++)

Deja Vu

BANGKOK AMAZING GOURMET
.

A jamais vu dining

Although Déjà Vu is not the restaurant I already-seen in a dream, but she is definitely a quality restaurant I expect Accor Hotels should deliver to Bangkok residents (and tourists of course) after my disappointment with its Bangkok flagship hotels F&B venues, Sofitel Silom and Novotel on Siam Square.

Déjà Vu is a trendy bistro cum wine house, pretty large in size with very high ceiling, decorated in modern comfort, tables on red. Cuisine is Continental on the French side. Ambiance is easy going, service is attentive, and the bill is wallet friendly.

On the occasion while France celebrated its 220th Bastille Day (la Fête Nationale) on July 14, I joint my friends to Déjà Vu. Unlike previous visits, menu of tonight was tailored, and fun. The 30-course la Fête Nationale Tasting Menu was actually 30-mouthful bites (yes, tapas alike) consisting of Starters tasting menu, Soup tasting menu, Seafood tasting menu, Meat tasting menu, and Desserts tasting menu. Accompanied with wines, of course.

The way Deja Vu served the 30-course la Fête Nationale Tasting Menu didn't deliver a WOW factor to diners; however, quality of food and taste were marvelous!

Déjà Vu ***3/4
Pullman King Power Hotel
8/2 Rangnam Road
Ratchathewi, Bangkok 10400
Tel.: 02.680.9999
Deja Vu

Open daily : 7 pm - 11 pm
Pay (food only for two): around THB 3,000

Reflexions

BANGKOK AMAZING GOURMET
.

French into Pan Asia affairs

I confess. I almost forget a review on one of Bangkok best wine and dine venues, Reflexions. There we expect innovative French cuisine with intense flavors and the use of finest seasonal produce from talented young chef de cuisine Thibault Chiumenti.

The French moderne Reflexions is an exquisite combination of nouvelle cuisine and traditional French fare, with unusual fun on-the-wall and transcontinental vibes as the addition. I enjoyed my evening there with delectable cuisine in a romantic ambiance and incomparably attentive service.

If one feels that French cuisine is insipid in Bangkok, prepare to have ones taste-buds evolve at Reflexions.


1. amuse bouche; 2. sea urchin cream soup with poached oyster and truffle

3. degustation de hors d'oeuvre - sea bass carpaccio, duck raviole, foie gras terrine, roasted frog leg, and sea urchin cream with poached oyster

4.complimentary tequila vodka sorbet on ice

5. roasted pigeon breast and leg in duck liver pastilla, and black truffle
6. grilled Andaman tiger prawn, Sardinian couscous, fava beans and lobster sauce

7. freshly baked French bread variety; 8. desserts sampler

Reflexions ***1/2
Plaza Athenee Hotel Bangkok
(a Royal Meridien hotel)
10 Wireless Road
Lumpini, Bangkok
Tel.: 02.650.8800
Reflexions

Open Tuesday - Saturday : 6 pm - 11 pm
Pay (food only for two): expect THB 6,000



-
The passion of contemporary French cuisine is limitless; my food is a culinary journey to discover. Thibault Chiumenti

D'Sens

195
.

Fine dining by Jacques and Laurent Pourcel

I was told that fine dining is the combination of arts through opulent or hip decoration with higher cost material, elegant ambiance, use of selective fine china and glassware, impeccable service and of course dedicated cuisine.

Therefore we should not see dinnerware bought from a weekend market, lamp and lighting from a local night market, uncomfortable chairs made by low-cost material, decoration that one may feel 'cheap', and unqualified service staffs in a fine dining restaurant.

Proclaimed as a fine dining venue, D'Sens at Dusit Thani Hotel makes no mistake. Stepping out of the lift (elevator) we float on the sea of elegant custom knitting carpet and were ushered by beautiful receptionist with smile to our table, sit comfortably. Despite the breathtaking panorama view, ambiance in the restaurant is relax and elegant. Dinnerware is by Rosenthal. Wait-staffs are attentive, the restaurant manager hovers between tables to ensure diners of utmost pleasure dining at D'Sen, and the chef is listening to feedback.

.
Although the Pourcel brothers seldom do the cooking, but dishes are prepared by D'Sens highly-talented team of chefs. We have heard that the former sous-chef now opens his own restaurant on Soi Thonglo, and after his departure D'Sens delivers better quality dishes to diners. A re-visit to D'Sens prove that the food is exquisite!

D'Sens French Restaurant ****
Dusit Thani Hotel
946 Rama 4 Road
Bangrak, Bangkok 10500
Tel.: 02.200.9000 ext. 2499
D'Sens

Opens Monday - Friday : Lunch 11:30 am - 2:30 pm
Opens Monday - Saturday : Dinner 6 pm - 10 pm
Pay (food only): expect THB 6,000 for two (lunch set 2-course B590++ each, 3-course B770++ each)

Le Pre' Grill

172
.

Bouillabaisse Come to Silom

From Soi Langsuan to Chongnonsi, Le Pre' Grill has been in the Bangkok food scene for five years. Its pretty French name hints that what kind of cuisine Le Pre' Grill is on offer. Yes, it is about unpretentious French cuisine with a coffee shop touch. Food taste so-so as the price is modest.



Le Pre' Grill French Restaurant ***
2 Narathiswas Road
Surawong, Bangrak
Bangkok 10500
Tel.: 02.266.5899
Le Pre' Grill

Open daily: Lunch 11:30 am - 2:30 pm; Dinner 6 - 11 pm
Pay (food only for two): around THB 3,000

Bonjour

171
.

Au Revoir to All That

The name Alain Ducasse, a celebrity French chef who is behind over a dozen of award winning haute cuisine restaurants in the world, took me curiosity to (finally) visit the almost one-year-old Bonjour on Sukhumvit Road.

To be precise, Alain Ducasse has nothing to do with Bonjour. It is chef Thierry Enderlin, who is responsible for Bonjour's kitchen, gave interview to local media that he used to cook alongside with the double three-star chef.

Bonjour is a fine dining French restaurant. So it is wise not to do the walk-in.

The receptionist who took my reservations, couldn't handle it in English so I switched to speak my clumsy Thai and spell my name to her letter by letter in English.

The dining area for this proclaimed fine dining venue is bravely paved with PVC tile flooring, with 'matching quality' furniture probably bought from a night bazaar.

The ingredients, claimed the use of quality free range meats and line-caught fish from France happened to be true. Finished products, eatable though we found no shadow of Alain's on any of our orders. The ingredients were satisfying but the food quality (esp. sauce) not on par with other fine dining French restaurants. So we wondered who did the cooking that night!

Unless you open a bottle, the house wine sold here is of very cheap quality. The owner (claimed to be a wine merchant and sommelier) shall stock better house wine for choices. Indeed, who minds to pay a little more if the quality matches the bill.


-amuse bouche and bread
(suppose a chef to show off his culinary skill and enthusiasm on cooking at the begin of a gastronomic journey, our amuse bouche was something without efforts)

-organic green salad Baht 380++
(weird presentation we ever got from any fine dining French restaurant)
-mushroom soup infused with truffle oil Baht 890++
(most pricey soup in BKK, even Reflexions of Plaza Athenee and Normandie of M.O. no soup over Baht 700++; mushroom soup is nice, but no trace of any aromatic from truffle; so we paid $32 for just a bowl of mushroom soup without truffle? crazy!)

Gl. Alexis Merlot

- roasted duck breast with confit of its leg Baht 1,350++
(quality duck, breast nicely prepared, confit of leg & sauce didn't live up to expectations)
- slow cooked Bresse pigeon Baht 1,980++
(Bresse pigeon, good preparation, nicely slow cooked, good flavor, best shot that evening)

- chocolate fondant Baht 290++ vanilla ice cream Baht 180++
(chocolate is of so-so quality; ice cream not Bonjour's home-made)
-petit four (complimentary)
(something anyone can get from the Siam Paragon)

The restaurant, gave us absolute privacy to enjoy our meal, as we were the only table served on a Tuesday (whole) evening. Service (by a junior waitstaff and a busboy; as the waiters and manager maybe busy in the office making calls, and sommelier was not on duty) is sincere and friendly though not professional.

Thanks to Bonjour! Now I may reconfirm that the Normandie is consider a bargain in fine dining, making the rest in Bangkok not comparable. Of course for a bit informal yet romantic choice I always buy Le Banyan, and for home-style cooking that shall be Le Bouchon.

Bonjour French Restaurant ** 1/4
1217/2 Sukhumvit Road
(behind Fullerton Condo)
Wattana, Bangkok 10110
Tel.: 02.714.2112
Bonjour

Open daily: 11am - 10 pm (lunch, afternoon tea, and dinner)
Pay (food only for two): expect THB 7,000