477
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Salad of Issan
Somtum Der is a clean and modern somtum (spicy shredded raw papaya salad of Issan style) joint with her debut in Silom area few months ago; the air-conditioning and comfortable ambiance do not wash down the authentication and genuine flavor of this Issan street food - somtum.
Somtum Der ***1/2
5/5 Soi Saladaeng
off Silom Road
Bangrak, Bangkok 10500
Tel.: 02.632.4499
Open daily : 11 am - 11 pm
Pay (food only for one): around THB 400
* To follow Bangkok closely, please 'friend' Thaisclub in Facebook!
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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!
275
.La table of tastingClick to read CNNgo, BK, and Bangkok Post talk about London Roussillon trained chef Chatree (Tee) Kachorklin and his La Table de Tee in Bangkok. Praised by media and foodies have made La Table de Tee flies loose. A revisit last night I found that the restaurant made some changes (but not necessary sound improvements).
The dining room, from smart and well lighted ambiance we enjoyed last time, now becomes deadly dim. This is to make sure those LED sexy girls nasty dancing in the box been seen.
The 5-course (not seven, unless we also count the bread and petit four) dinner rolled out directly with its first course (a soup), skipping that amuse bouche most French restaurant may do. Also skipping was the sorbet to cleanse taste in between a course being served.
Last night, I didn't see chef Tee came out from the kitchen to check if customers enjoy the dinner while La Table de Tee claimed to be Bangkok's true chef table according to media! And, waiters hesitated to announce the food and briefly explain what were on the plate upon delivered to my table.
So La Table de Tee does make some "changes" from my previous visit few months ago. I agree with Bangkok Post's khun Vanniya said that "there are a number of absolute hits and definite misses at La Table de Tee"; in my view both food and service.
1st course - Sweet corn and garlic soup
2nd course - Tofu tempura and cumin salad 
3rd course - (choice)
Risotto in vegetable stock and white wine, sauteed seaweed, sweet basil & lime sauce
/or Salmon with coriander paste, sauteed mushroom & kale, coriander curry sauce
home-baked bread
4th course - (choice)
Chicken breast stuffed with herbs, crispy rice tuile, lime and tomatoes chicken jus/or Duck breast with lemongrass oil served with cooked vegetable and duck jus
desserts - Chocolate fondant and coconut ice cream
petits fours
If it wasn't that destructive LED eyes-sore from Shanghai (hanging on the wall) spoiled my appetite, Tee deserves a four-star rating in this post.
La Table de Tee ***1/4
69/5 Soi Saladaeng, Silom Road
Bangrak, Bangkok 10500
Tel.: 02.636.3220
LaTableDeTee
Open Tuesday-Sunday : 6:30 pm - 10:30 pm
Pay (5-course tasting menu): THB 750+ per person
* no a la carte menu served
judging from the LED sexy pictures hanging on the wall, my friend said he suspects that La Table de Tee is a sex club if I didn't tell him that it is a restaurant in the first place 
