501
.
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.
* To follow Bangkok closely, please 'friend' Thaisclub in Facebook!
480
.
A matter of tea
My favorite coffee shop at the Emporium - Salon de L'Oriental had gone, and is now replaced by the TWG Tea Salon and Boutique, a Singaporean tea vendor since 1837. There they offer food that can be elegantly stuffed into our stomach (breakfast, lunch, dinner, and afternoon tea) with a manner of a tea infused touch and a hint of French., besides their renowned selections of tea.
My friends and I found that their food was generous in sodium and pastries were high in sugar (higher than today's Bangkokian standards, and very high against top patisseries standards). Price is modest, and service is flawless since they kept the original team from the Salon de L'Oriental, except the trainees need an intensive training for their face movement - smile.
TWG Tea Salon and Boutique at the Emporium is definitely 'my cup of tea' to meet friends (or even to tea alone) during an afternoon tea hour at the Sukhumvit area, though it may not be my first choice to dine at.
TWG Tea Salon and Boutique ***1/2
G/F the Emporium Shopping Complex
622 Sukhumvit Road
Klongtoey, Bangkok 10110
Tel.: 02. 259.9510
Open daily : 10 am - 10 pm
Pay (food with tea for one): around THB 800
* To follow Bangkok closely, please 'friend' Thaisclub in Facebook!
465
.
Shadow of Jamie Oliver
Gastro 1/6 is about (true) European style all day (though only until 3 pm) countryside brunch dining in downtown Bangkok (almost at your backyard if Sukhumvit area is where you lodge); it is in a pretty laid-back mode - both the servers and the customers. If we are not rushed to do the eating, we will enjoy it, and I do. And to enjoy the pleasure of an utmost laid-back excursion, do bring a novel, or your 3G compatible smartphone that can 'line' with your friends, or a tablet with you to kill time while waiting for your order and the food to be prepared.
chilled milk; iced choco drinks (both norm brand from any supermarket)
poached eggs, sauteed mushroom, Parmesan cheese, with truffle oil, THB 320
French toast, seasonal fruits, honey (i wish if it was maple syrup), THB 195
nice cappuccino; an excellent starter - potato salad THB 150
Gastro 1/6 @ RMA Institute ***1/2
238 Soi Sai-nam-thip 2
Sukhumvit 22 Road
Klongtoey-nua, Bangkok 10110
Tel.: 080. 603.6421
Open daily (except Monday) : 10 am - 3 pm (opening hours may change, it depends)
Pay (food only for one): around THB 600
* To follow Bangkok (the Word Best City 2012) closely, please 'friend' Thaisclub in Facebook!
459
.Under the stairs
Unbelievably this tiny, under-the-stairs, Italian pizzeria, offers real Italian food in a sinfully delicious manner.
grilled vegetables, THB 150+ 
lentils, cannellini beans, spelt soup, THB 220+
bolognese, THB 210+
risotto salsiccia, THB 240+
tiramisu, THB 120+
Pala Pizza Romana ***3/4
Room A, MRTA Sukhumvit Platform
(MRT Sukhumvit link to BTS Asok)
1 MRTA, Asok Road
Klongtoey-Nua, Bangkok 10110
Tel.: 02.259.1228
Open daily : 10 am - midnight
Pay (food only for one): around THB 600
*To follow Bangkok closely, please 'friend' Thaisclub in Facebook!
451
.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!
