Tang Dynasty

492
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Dynasty of Silom

Tang Dynasty, a bistro style restaurant with the specialty of Chinese provincial cuisine, is a recent addition to the restaurant scene at Silom/Surawong area. 

Tang Dynasty ***1/2
128/7 Silom Soi 6
Bangrak, Bangkok 10500
Tel.: 02.634.4199

Open daily : 11 am - 1 am
Pay (food only for one): around THB 300

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Viet-Hue Kitchen

340
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Color of health cuisine

Been there, Viet-Hue Kitchen, a six-table home-cook Vietnamese eatery in Silom/Chongnonsi district. The food is definitely home-style, authentic, prepare a la minute (therefore need a little patience to wait), with very reasonable price. However, the side, fresh vegetables were not quite fresh. Three visits (out of all three), I found rotten part among them. Even if it is not of e-coli concern, the restaurant shall (still) care for ingredients freshness and hygiene. Therefore Viet-Hue has room to improve until she wins the heart of CBD's residents.


bo la lot (grilled seasoned beef rolled in betel leaves wrapper) THB 100
banh cuon gio lua (rice flour rolled cake, Vietnamese sausage) THB 120

side, (not so) fresh vegetables, complimentary (click to enlarge)

chao tom (fried minced shrimp paste on sugarcane stick) THB 150
pho bo (Vietnamese noodle soup with beef) THB 60

Viet-Hue Kitchen ***
185/14 Naradhiwas-najanagarindra Road
Sathorn, Bangkok 10500

Open daily : 11 am - 9 pm
Pay (food ony for two): around THB 300

Feuang Nara

BANGKOK AMAZING GOURMET
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Dine at White house

Feuang Nara - the most recent addition to Silom already bland Thai restaurant scene, turns out to be the kind of unnecessary to exist.

The house painted in white is beautiful. The interior is smart. The owners are friendly. The vibe is comforting. But, not the food! Does mom always says - don't judge someone by his/her/its appearance (and the "it" applies to Feuang Nara), that will save some disappointment.


1. larb moo (spicy Issan ground pork salad) THB 120+
(the first dish, not impressive, neither bad, it is average)
2. yum wunsen (spicy glass noodle salad with seafood) THB 85+
(my nightmare of the night begins, the salad, normal bad though not extra bad)

3. one of Feuang Nara specialty, deep-fried prawn in tamarind sauce, THB 350+
(prawn over-cooked, sauce sweet but no aromatic, one of my most favorite sauce -
ma-kam tamarind sauce, totally spoiled in the hand of Feuang Nara's chef)

4. stir-fried baby corn in oyster sauce, THB 75+
(cheap oyster sauce, one taste, salty; baby corn were rotten, high-so place use of garbage-grade ingredients; no anti-diarrhea pills provided as amuse-bouche)
5. hor-mok NZ mussels (steam curry souffle with minced fish), THB 250+
(sorry to say that, any roadside hor-mok vendors serve better minced fish curry souffle)

6. another house specialty (OMG), deep-fried sea bass with herbal dressing, THB 350+
(too small fish fillet dice for my big mouth; taste? bland, so bland, too bland, very bland)

7. tom-kha-gai (Thai galangal and coconut cream soup with chicken), THB 120+
(ready-made tom-kha-gai pack found in supermarket tastes more authentic than this)
8. tom-yum-goong (Thai spicy sour and spicy soup with prawn), THB 150+
(arguably best shot of the night, didn't kill my palate, thanks Feuang Nara has mercy)

On my second visit, the restaurant even over-charged approx. THB 500 (found out after I checked the bill at home) out of THB 1,804. I sent my personal aide to hear for a reason. The answer is - lack of experience and a workable billing system. My aide therefore was benefited from a glass of very delicious (he said) icy cold mango smoothie and a 15% discount VIP card (and the refund, of course). To me, not convincing enough since the restaurant is already in full (charged) operation.

Since Feuang Nara has a charming interior, friendly owners, and pleasant wait-staffs, I will revisit them later the year, to see if there is any improvement. My opinion is, Feuang Nara shall get rid of the current chef (with so-called prior hotel working experience; what hotel? love hotel perhaps!) before this charming restaurant vanished from the Silom restaurant scene.

I like this restaurant, but just couldn't stand for her food. Sad!

Feuang Nara Thai Restaurant **3/4
69 Narathiwas Rachanakarin Road, Soi 3
Silom, Bangkok 10500
Tel.: 02.233.2410

Open daily : 11 am - 10 pm
Pay (food only for two): around THB 1,200

Boon

BANGKOK AMAZING GOURMET
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Where chefs eat

Whenever crave for Chinese Cantonese food, I choose (to eat) from a short list of Bangkok's top five-star hotel's Chinese restaurants due to hygiene measurement and quality of ingredients. Also because of those Chinese chefs (in five-star hotels) are mostly "imported" from Hong Kong while a few from Singapore and Mainland China, to ensure authentication of the cuisine they serve.

One question always wandering in mind, as, where do those Chinese chefs eat after work? I assume they might go to a pub to have a couple of bottles of beer and snack, or sing while they eat at a karaoke, or just eat at their hotels. While I have a chance to chat with (any) Chinese chef, I quest for the answer.

Survey says, Boon Chinese Restaurant on Silom Road near Narathiwas intersection is where they enjoy a late night feast and gathering with fellow chefs after a day of sweat in kitchen.


stir-fried mutton with CN celery; deep-fried and braised tofu in gravy

steamed eggs Canton style
(silky texture as smooth as silk, best that I ever sampled in Bangkok)

steamed live sand goby (bamboo fish) in warm soy sauce

pot baked live frog in CN wine and house sauce; stir-fried sugar peas

Boon Chinese Restaurant 食得福 ***3/4
152/18 Silom Road
Bangrak, Bangkok 10500

Open daily : 11 am - 3 am
Pay (food only for two): around THB 600

DEAN & DELUCA

BANGKOK AMAZING GOURMET
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A taste of SoHo in Bangkok

I have many dreams. I dream that two world finest grocery and gourmet markets, FAUCHON Paris and DEAN & DELUCA New York, may come to Bangkok. Now one of them just landed (to Bangkok).

It is DEAN & DELUCA.

A sample meal may start with minestrone (THB 150+), follow by mouthwatering roasted beef sandwich (THB 170+), concludes with a cup of coffee (THB 65+) and vanifon's aristo (cup) cake (THB 90+). Before temporary farewell to DEAN & DELUCA, get some D&D kitchen herbs, bread and a bottle of truffle oil for yourself or loved half. That was what I did yesterday.



DEAN & DELUCA ***3/4
Mahanakhon Project

92 Narathiswasrachanakarin Road

Silom, Bangkok 10500
Tel.: 02.234.1434
DEAN & DELUCA

Open daily : 7 am - 8 pm
Pay (food only for two): around THB 500

Suntawa

240
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Gems in an epicure slum

I always complain that Bangkok C.B.D. (Silom and Sathorn) doesn't not have a sufficient of non-tourist-oriented or non-commercial (Thai) home cooking venue in sight; indeed it is a mercy for anyone to find an "eatable" Thai restaurant in the area.

To crave for a real feast, we need to drive to the old city or off the C.B.D., time consuming when traffic is bad (and it is always bad).

Except Suntawa, one of a very few gems in the epicure slum - Silom!


1. grandma recipe yum hua-plee (spicy banana blossom salad)
2. authentic home-style goong chae nam pla (raw shrimp in bird-eyes chilies and fish sauce)

3. aromatic moo yang Issan (grilled pork with selective fresh vegatables)
4. pungent hot gaeng baa nuea (villagers' jungle curry with beef)

5. Suntawa pla kapong nung manao (steamed sea bass on broth with chilies and lime)
6. freshy phad pak dtum-lung (stir-fried ivy gourd stems and leaves)

Suntawa Thai Restaurant ****
Silom Soi 3 (Soi Pipat)
Bangrak, Bangkok 10500
Tel.: 02.233.0940

Open daily : 11 am - 9pm
Pay (food only for two): around THB 600

Yi-jia Ging

BANGKOK AMAZING GOURMET
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We-are-family Bistro

Minimized decor Shanghai Yi-jai Ging Chinese Bistro is where we crave for authentic home-style Shanghaiese cuisine but not luxury dining. From my favorite Shanghaiese wonton soup to fear-factor dishes, they have them all.


1. shredded radish with jelly fish salad
2. stir-fried river shrimp with "lon-jen" tea leaves

3. braised white eel in casserole
4. fried whole live frogs on sizzling hotplate

5. stir-fried silk gourd (buap-liam) with Shanghai hairy-soybeans
6. steamed sea bass in heavy meicai sauce (preserved vegetables)

7. Shanghaiese wonton soup
8. deep-fried sweet sesame balls in red bean fillings

Yi-jia Ging Chinese Bistro 上海一家親小館 ***1/2
128/7 Silom Soi 6
Silom Road
Suriyawongse, Bangkok 10500
Tel.: 02.634.4175

Open daily : 11 pm - 12 am
Pay (food only for two): around THB 600