Su Tha Ros

501
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The Iron Chef's cuisine

With stunning view overlooking the Rajprasong lifestyle hub, Su Tha Ros, is an elegant and classy Thai restaurant at the Muse Hotel Bangkok that serves time-honored Thai cuisine with a modern touch. For a few visits I did over the year, young chef culinary presentation did live up to expectations. 

Su Tha Ros ***1/4
19/F Muse Hotel Bangkok
55/555 Soi Langsuan, off Ploenchit Road
Pathumwan, Bangkok 10330 
Tel.: 02.630.4000
Su Tha Ros

Open daily : 6 am - 10:30 pm (full Thai menu during lunch and dinner only)
Pay (food only for one): around THB 900 
(lunch set at THB 299++)

*Updates (2015-Feb): Su Tha Ros is now replaced by Babette's | the Steakhouse Bangkok.

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Summer Palace

483
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Another palace to dine at

I am a fan of the Iron Chef Thailand (and also Iron Chef America), a TV program that puts chefs in the cooking contest arena, which was originated in Japan by Fuji Television Network. Earlier this year, when I witnessed two Chinese chefs from one of my favorite hotel chains - IHG, Crowne Plaza's Xin Tian Di and InterContinental's Summer Palace, beat the Iron Chef of Chinese cuisine from the Iron Chef Thailand, I had a mixed feeling. 

I agree that Chef Lam of Xin Tian Di (Crowne Plaza Bangkok Lumpini Park) deserved the victory in the Iron Chef Thailand contest, as I always enjoy his culinary service at his restaurant, whether it is home-style menu when I dine alone, or a banquet feast that I celebrate with friends. And for Chef Khor of Summer Palace (InterContinental Hotel Bangkok), I have a neutral view on that. I do sometimes enjoy food there!

 















Summer Palace Chinese restaurant  夏宮金殿 ***
InterContinental Hotel Bangkok
973 Ploenchit Road
Patumwan, Bangkok 10330
Tel.: 02.656.0444
Summer Palace

Open daily : lunch 11:30 am -2:30 pm, dinner 6:30 - 10:30 pm
Pay (food only for one): expect THB 2,500 or more 

* To follow  Bangkok closely, please 'friend' Thaisclub in Facebook!

Xin Tian Di

451
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A comforting feast!

Xin Tian Di is the Chinese cuisine arm of the Crowne Plaza Bangkok Lumpini Park (formerly Pan Pacific Hotel), located twenty-two stories above the ground, and it is advertised that it has 'a stunning view of the Bangkok city skyline', and the fact is, patrons will only 'enjoy' a panorama hospital (Chula) view.

Last year, when IHG's Crowne Plaza took over the management of this former Pan Pacific's property near Saladaeng intersection, they also re-branded the Chinese restaurant; though the team of chefs (including the head chef) and the team of service staffs remain retouched; probably the (Crowne Plaza) executives realized that Hai Tien Lo (the name when it was under Pan Pacific's umbrella) didn't earn a good reputation among epicures. Now, Xin Tian Di (literally new sky earth, or the new era), does enter into a new era. Under the new management, the restaurant and the kitchen team are being revitalized, and the food enters into a new chapter of gastronomic journeys.

The restaurant now serves one of the city's best Peking duck (THB 1,100++), and Chef Lam's home-made tofu is a must-try; otherwise it will be like leaving a treasure hut without digging up a few gold nuggets to take back home with us!


double-boiled conch soup with black chicken, THB 300++;
double-boiled grouper filet soup with century eggs, THB 220++

Chef Lam's home-made fried tofu with XO sauce, THB 160++; portion of Peking duck

Peking duck, wrapping and ready to eat

roasted Peking duck with condiments, half order, THB 650++

Chef Lam's home-made tofu and seafood casserole, THB 320++

roasted marinated pigeon, THB 600++

stir-fried grouper filet with ginger and green onion, THB 350++;
veggie with golden & silver eggs (salted & century eggs) in broth, THB 280++

sweet and sour pork, THB 300++; stir-fried kale with preserved veggie, THB 280++

yang-chow fried rice, THB 300++; chilled lemongrass jelly, THB 150++

Xin Tian Di Chinese Restaurant 新天地 ***1/2
Crowne Plaza Bangkok Lumpini Park
952 Rama IV Road
Bangrak, Bangkok 10500
Tel.: 02.632.9000
Xin Tian Di
(Please don't mix up with that Xinn Tien Di at Gaysorn Plaza, which has been heavily presented in free guidebooks!)

Open daily : lunch 11:30 am - 2:30 pm, dinner 6 - 10:30 pm
Pay (food only for one): around THB 900




* To follow Bangkok closely, please 'friend' Thaisclub in Facebook!

yumcha @ Summer Palace

444.

Dimsum for the Last Emperor

Summer Palace is a long standing Chinese restaurant serving a traditional Cantonese specialty menu in Bangkok. Just like any hotel's Chinese restaurant, Summer Palace also serves dimsum during lunch time (it is called yumcha in Hong Kong and Guangzhou, where Cantonese yumcha culture has its roots there).

Yumcha, or drinking tea eating dimsum (bite-sized food in small portions, usually served in a small bamboo streamer basket or on a small plate); at Summer Palace, of the Intercontinental Hotel Bangkok, it is set in an ambiance of opulence, with the choices of a la carte and all-you-can-eat. The dimsum dishes, enjoyable but not outstanding; and service is pleasant but not impeccable!

Cantonese yum-cha lunch ***

at Summer Palace Chinese Restaurant 夏宮金殿

InterContinental Hotel Bangkok

973 Ploenchit Road

Pathumwan, Bangkok 10330

Tel.: 02.656.04444

Summer Palace

Open daily : lunch 11:30 am - 2:30 pm, dinner 6:30 - 10:30 pm

Pay (yum-cha lunch for two): around THB 1,500

weekdays all-you-can-eat dimsum offer THB 638++ per person

Le Dalat

406
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Where French meets Vietnamese, Bon Appetit!

Le Dalat, offering Vietnamese cuisine with a little French accent, was founded by a Viet-French owner with her family recipes to offer. This is one of the fanciest stand-alone Vietnamese restaurants in Bangkok.

For a meal at Le Dalat I (usually) only order its traditional Vietnamese fare and skip the French-Vietnamese selections. It is a guilt not to mention Le Dalat's pho. At Thai Baht 180++ the beef pho comes with cooked beef in full flavor soup and raw beef with a separate running broth for dipping, and fresh vegetables to go with them. A bowl of pho at Le Dalat can give my blue day a lift, and followed by a serving of old-school flanc burlee may shine my day!

If one can afford (and willing to spend) the fine dining price (for Vietnamese food), dining at Le Dalat is definitely an exceptional experience. For most patrons this is not the place for frequent dining, so let's reserve Le Dalat, the restaurant, for dining on a special occasion.



Le Dalat ***1/2
57 Sukhumvit Soi 23
Sukhumvit Road
Wattana, Bangkok 10110
Tel.: 02.259.9593

Open daily : lunch 11:30 am - 2:30 pm, dinner 6 - 10:30 pm
Pay (food only for two): expect THB 3,000

Artur

400
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Art of meat

Artur 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++)

Smooth Curry

378
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As smooth as curry

Eating a Thai meal in a hotel's outlet may end up with disappointment in some cases, especially in those big names in five-star hotels. We pay more, and we deserve a better treat; but usually they are pale and bland without bright ambition and effort, as mentioned in the previous post.

Lucky that there is always an exception for the unfortunate. And I found Smooth Curry the savior in my taste-buds pleasure of eating Thai food in a five-star hotel.

Smooth Curry came to my attention when I (accidentally) discovered its once-in-a-year khao-chae (chilled rice soup in jasmine scented water) treat which happens to be one of best in the Kingdom. In theory, if a chef can do the rather complicated royal recipe khao-chae and the tidbits right, there is no reason that the chef couldn't cook a decent meal with a fine Thai twist.

I once invited a local friend, also a foodie, to eat at Smooth Curry; at first he doubted that we might enjoy a real Thai meal there, as he also lost faith in most hotel's Thai restaurants. After the meal, he booked a table for three weeks later, to sample more dishes with his friends. And he ended the 'introductory' meal with paying the bill as a gesture of thankfulness that I brought him to Smooth Curry.

The waitstaff at Smooth Curry will ask her customers if they want the food cooked the full scale spiciness or the tourist-palate-friendly mild version. So non-Thai visitors shall never find their tongue being burnt!


saeng-wa pla foo (deep-fried minced catfish with saeng-wa dips) THB 250++

amuse bouche (traditional Thai herbal drinks)
phla goong (herbal salad tossed with lemongrass and river prawn) THB 290++

hor mok talay (steamed curry souffle with seafood) THB 300++
yum pla salid (spicy salad with deep-fried salid fish) THB 250++

pla kapong sam rod (deep-fried local sea bass in sweet & spicy sauce) THB 550++

tom kha gai (chicken soup with Thai herbs and coconut cream) THB 250++
mussaman rue (Southern curry with beef in masaaman curry paste) THB 320++

chu chee goong (fried river prawn in chu-chee red curry sauce) THB 390++
phad pak fuk miew (stir-fried cayote leaves with fresh mushroom) THB 130++

khao-neaw mamuang (glutinous rice with ripe mango) THB 250++

Smooth Curry Thai Restaurant ***3/4
Plaza Athenee Hotel Bangkok
61 Wireless Road
Lumpini, Bangkok 10330
Tel.: 02.650.8800
Smooth Curry

Open daily : 6 - 11 pm
Pay (food only for two): around THB 2,000