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Bangkok Best Palate Service
My Favorite Lunch deal - LE NORMANDIE
For the section of Best Lunch deal, I struggled between a THB 360++ Italian 4-course lunch set vs Normandie's 3-course set at THB 980++. I choose the latter one. Although the price gap is a wide THB 600, but considering the persistence of Normandie's quality, impeccable service, stunning view by the River of the King (Maenam Chaopraya), and retrieving ambiance, I surrender to the Normandie of the Mandarin Oriental Hotel Bangkok.
Lunch set menu changes every month. All dishes cook and present the same way you would enjoy from the Normandie's dinner offer. So at THB 980++ ($30++) it is considered a steal from the real gourmet scene.
The Normandie
Mandarin Oriental Hotel
48 Oriental Avenue
Soi 40 Charoen Krung Road
Bangrak, Bangkok 10500
Tel.: 02.659.9000
The Normandie
My Favorite Thai Canteen - SA NGUAN SRI
In Bangkok, there are a few old-fashioned canteens with nostalgic Thai fare as good as your grandparents (if they can cook) home cooking to offer. But only Sa Nguan Sri's air-conditioned dining room is bright and clean without any strange smell to discourage your appetite, and food prepared in a relatively hygienic kitchen. Also the canteen is sited on a convenience downtown location - Wireless Road, that everyone shall not pose any hassle to find it.
There we must not miss the spciy and aromatic green curry, khanom jeen nam ya (thick Thai vermicelli in minced fresh fish dipping), braised five-layer pork and belly with eggs in rich broth, and hor mok bai yor (steam ground river fish curry souffle with bai yor leaves). If you are a somtum lover, then its sweet and sour somtum is what you couldn't afford to miss. Most dishes cost you THB 60-100, only!
Sa Nguan Sri Restaurant
59/1 Wireless Road
Ploenchit, Pratumwan
Bangkok 10330
Tel.: 02.252.7637
SaNguanSri
My Favorite Thai Restaurant - THON KRUENG
My friend asked why I pick Thon Krueng as the Best Thai Restaurant, where doesn't serve Bangkok best tomyumgoong (spicy and sour prawn soup). My answer is Thon Krueng, as well as Thailand, has more than just tomyumgoong to offer.
The charm of Thon Krueng laid on its easy and busy ambiance with unpretentiously comfort. Although she doesn't have a single outstanding dish to be named, but all of them are at average quality suitable for all ages and all walks of life. There you encounter a restaurant having you feel like eating at home, within easy access around the town, name that your favorite restaurant too!
Thon Krueng
239 Soi Thonglo
Sukhumvit Road Soi 55
Wattana, Bangkok 10110
Tel.: 02.391.8703
Thon Krueng
My Favorite Seafood Restaurant - TANG JAI YOO
To choose the Best Seafood joint is challenging, as not only to name a restaurant that I really like, but also I have to choose from a cuisine. Shall it be Western (Lord Jims of Mandarin Oriental Hotel)? Thai (Sompong on Praditmanutham)? Chinese (Ah Yat Forum)? or Thai-Chinese (Tang Jai Yoo)?
When quality meets with the value of money, the verdict read.
Very few reasons I go to the maze-like shabby dirty so-hate Yaowaraj area; a visit to Tang Jai Yoo is one among them. For years, her authentic Tieo-chew o-suan (pan fried oysters with eggs in tapioca flour), or sea crab a la mode, or steam live fish, or stir-fried river prawn with Thai herbs, or even suckling pig has never let me down. Not even once! A feast at Tang Jai Yoo leaving the taste linger into my dream.
However, don't expect you eat with absolute comfort (if refers to your taste buds only, then yes), sometimes you may even have to dine al fresco on the sidewalk (yes that shabby Yaowaraj sidewalk). If the Princess doesn't mind about this, why should we?
Tang Jai Yoo
83-85 Soi Yaowa Panich
Yaowaraj Road
Sampantawong, Bangkok 10100
Tel.: 02.224.2167
Tang Jai Yoo
My Favorite Chinese Yum-cha Joint - CHINA PALACE
Bangkok is the hub of global kitchen. What couldn't be missed is definitely Cantonese yum-cha (or dim-sum lunch).
Prince Palace Hotel, where houses the China Palace Chinese Restaurant, is away from the central business district and tourist area. It is in an area surrounding by wholesale markets (for fruits and garments) and rundown shop-houses.
Two major reasons brought China Palace Chinese Restaurant to the Best Yum-cha list. First, it's view. It is the only restaurant in Bangkok, we manage to take a close panorama view (not by binoculars) of the Grand Palace and 200-year Rattanakosin Island (old Bangkok city), including a view to the Parliament and the UN Building. Second, it's awesome traditional Hong Kong dimsum with good value for money.
Anyone fancy a quality Chinese meal with a view, here is the choice!
China Palace Chinese Restaurant
Prince Palace Hotel
488/800 Bo Bae Tower, 32nd Floor
Damrongrak Road
Klong Mahanak, Bangkok 10100
Tel.: 02.628.1111
China Palace
My Favorite Barbecue Restaurant - KINTAROU
Kintarou Japanese BBQ Restaurant
4/5-7 Sukhumvit Soi 33
Sukhumvit Road
Wattana, Bangkok 10400
Tel.: 02.662.3858
Kintarou
My Favorite Fine Dining Choice - D'SENS
D'Sens French Restaurant
Dusit Thani Hotel
946 Rama IV Road
Bangrak, Bangkok 10500
Tel.: 02.200.9000
D'Sens
My Favorite Al Fresco Dining - VERTIGO
The Vertigo
Banyan Tree Hotel
21/100 South Sathorn Road
Sathorn, Bangkok 10120
Tel.: 02.679.1200
Vertigo
My favorite Afternoon Tea - AUTHOR'S LOUNGE
The Author's Lounge
Mandarin Oriental Hotel
48 Oriental Avenue
Soi 40 Charoeankrung Road
Bangrak, Bangkok 10500
Tel.: 02.659.9000
Author's Lounge
My favorite Riverside Dining - BANN KALABOK
Bann Kalabok is an alternative to downtown riverside dining, with choice of an upcountry live river view to a relax within the Metropolitan area. As a bonus, the cuisine is some kind of rare Thai food with ancient recipes (ahan boran).
Overlook the Koh Kret Island in Pak Kret we enjoy a real local riverside scenic, but such experience does cost us a little journey!
Bann Kalabok
Chaeng Wattana Road
Wat Sanam Neua Pier
Pak Kret, Nonthaburi 11120
Tel.: 02.963.5467
My favorite Buffet Bites - LORD JIMS
Arguably best lunch buffet in town, no matter so many hotels try hard to copy her!
Lord Jims
Mandarin Oriental Hotel
48 Oriental Avenue
Soi 40 Charoenkrung Road
Bangrak, Bangkok 10500
Tel.: 02. 659.9000
Lord Jims
My favorite Roadside Dining - SAMYAN
Samyan hawkers and shops
along Rama IV Road
section Saphan Lueng, Samyan
Bangkok
Samyan
