495
.
BBQ of the Gangnam style
One of the first (and also one of the best) Japanese yakiniku cum Korean BBQ specialty restaurants at Thonglo community, Seoul BBQ Restaurant; its glorious reputation has never faded away year after years.
Seoul BBQ Restaurant ***1/2
Sukhumvit Road Soi 55 (Soi Thonglo)
Wattana, Bangkok 10110
Tel.: 02.392.6046
Open daily : lunch 11:30 am - 2:30 pm, dinner 5 - 10 pm
Pay (food only for one): around THB 400
* To follow Bangkok closely, please 'friend' Thaisclub in Facebook!
490
.
Killing me softly with your Roll
Kyo Roll En is the latest exercise of ambition of the Kacha Brothers after the opening of a few Sfree and Parferrio dessert cafes in recent years. The new J-style dessert cafe is aimed at offering (also) frozen yogurt and cream roll desserts in a much fancier manner than its siblings.
I have never praised either Sfree or Parferio, but for Kyo Roll En, I couldn't wait longer to give my thumbs up to her.
Kyo Roll En Lifestyle Cafe ****
M/F The Gateway Ekamai
982 Sukhumvit Road
Prakanong, Bangkok 10110
Tel.: 02.108.2660
Open daily : 11 am - 10 pm
Pay (dessert only for one): around THB 200
* To follow Bangkok closely, please 'friend' Thaisclub in Facebook!
476
.
The falling sun
Tokyo Shokudo is another fast food style Japanese restaurant that serves mediocre food, of which there is already an over-supply in Bangkok.
Tokyo Shokudo Japanese Restaurant **1/2
B1 Floor, United Center
Silom Road
Bangrak, Bangkok 10500
Tel.: 02.237.6717
Open daily : 11 am - 9 pm
Pay (food only for one): around THB 300
* To follow Bangkok closely, please 'friend' Thaisclub in Facebook!
454
.Eat like King Kong at a small cost
One of the youngest yakiniku chains in Bangkok, King Kong, gains momentum to be Bangkok's most popular Japanese BBQ restaurant!
King Kong Yakiniku Buffet Restaurant ***1/2
Silom branch
3/F United Center
323 Silom Road
Bangrak, bangkok 10500
Tel.: 02.238.1877
* more branches at Ekamai, Rama 9, Mengjai and Langsuan
Open daily : 11 am - 11 pm
Pay (all-u-can-eat yakiniku for one): THB 470 net (incl. free-flow drinks)
* To follow Bangkok closely, please 'friend' Thaisclub in Facebook!
453
.Gone with the J-taste
Bekku, probably the first, and the best tonkatsu (Japanese deep-fried battered pork cutlet) specialty eatery in town; recently relocated (yes, again!) to Sukhumvit Soi 22, which is a short walk away from its old President Park's location, has lost its original charm and characteristics as a Japanese salaryman hangout and tonkatsu heaven. Now the once famed restaurant is looking more like a Beijing dumpling eatery than a Japanese tonkatsu joint. Food wise, the deep-fried battered pork cutlet is still 'eatable' but the tidbits (side dishes) that come with it (optional, at extra charge) both looked and tasted like some leftovers. I doubt that if the original owner (Khun Mitsutoshi Bekku) still runs this place!
yucky side dishes set, Yuushoku (large) THB 160+, Nagomi (small) THB 120+
tonkatsu curry rice, THB 240+; not-as-good-as-before sauce
tonkatsu set (incl. side dishes, rice, soup, and desserts), THB 499+ for two 
tonkatsu filet THB 200+ (with side dishes, rice, soup and ice cream THB 320+)
Tonkatsu Bekku Japanese Restaurant ***
318/1 Sukhumvit Soi 22
Klangtoey, Bangkok 10110
Tel.: 02.663.0318
Open daily : lunch 11:30 - 2 pm, dinner 5:30 - 10 pm
Pay (food only for one): around THB 300
*To follow Bangkok closely, please 'friend' Thaisclub in Facebook!
447
.World-class Beef BowlThe hundred and twelve year-old Yoshinoya, which is renowned for its Beef Bowl one-dish meal (cooked sliced beef on rice) with over a thousand and six hundred branches in Japan, North America and Asian countries, finally relaunched in Bangkok after it had been absent for a decade.
Yoshinoya maybe a newbie to Thailand (even though it had once opened in Bangkok, unsuccessfully); but it has a close tie to the United States. Since 1973, the main ingredient of its renowned Beef Bowl - beef, is sourced from the States. And just like most famous Japanese fast food chains, Yoshinoya also set foot in the US market for almost four decades already. Fans of Yoshinoya may not be aware that the Japanese 'beef bowl specialty restaurant' even has its own college in Los Angeles - the Yoshinoya College, the group's international training center.
Back to Thailand, having waited for a long time, the Yoshinoya has (finally) made its come-back to Bangkok. Though I eat at Yoshinoya quite often (whether it is in Los Angeles, Hong kong, and now in Bangkok) I almost treat her as my breakfast canteen; but, honestly said, its Beef Bowl is not gourmet but it is one of my comfort foods.
Yoshinoya Restaurant 吉野家 ***
4/F The Terminal 21
288 Sukhumvit Road
(corner Sukhumvit Soi 19)
North Klongtoey, Bangkok 10110
Tel.: 02.108.0770
* also at Central Plaza Ladprao, Central Plaza Grand Rama 9, and Central World Plaza
Open daily : 10:30 am - 10 pm
Pay (food only for two): around THB 400
441.Export vs. importWhile almost every top Japanese restaurant in Bangkok claims that they import all main ingredients from around the world (beware: that means including China), Kuroda tells you that they sourced them locally; its long-time famous char-grilled, free-range, chickens are raised in its own farm, in Korat province, to serve at their five branches in Thailand, and to export to Japan.
Once in a while I eat at Kuroda, mainly with a craving for her famous self-raised free-range chicken; it is true that her poultry dishes are far better than the sashimi and sushi dishes. In order to stay strong in severe competition, Kuroda also offers an all-u-can-eat menu which is at a good value, not the best, but definitely a gift for big eaters who are fans of Japanese food.
Kuroda Japanese Restaurant 黑田 ***Ekamai branch:5 Sukhumvit Soi 63 (Soi Ekamai)Sukhumvit RoadWattana, bangkok 10110Tel.: 02.392.4933Open daily : 11 am - 11 pm Pay (food only for two): around THB 800* all-u-can-eat dinner THB 450 net per person 
416
.The last emperor's fried Bangkok's long standing katsu specialty restaurant, the Katsu King, offers a selection of katsu (deep-fried battered meat) menu with a traditional Japanese twist, such as rosu katsu (korubota pork loin) curry, hire katsu (korubota tenderloin) curry, hive katsu don, and selections from a seafood katsu menu. Recently I visited her branch at K-Village, the service was laid-back, and the food was just average.
tonkatsu set, THB 265 net 
Katsu King Japanese Restaurant ***
2/F K-Village
93 Sukhumvit soi 26
Klongtoey, Bangkok 10110
Tel.: 02.661.2933
Open daily : 11:30 am - 9:30 pm
Pay (food only for two): around THB 550
