Baan Ajarn Rangnam

440
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To sir with food

Baan Ar-charn (literally house of teacher, or Ar-charn's Place), is a tourist-palate-friendly Thai restaurant on Rangnam Road, an emerging tourist and residential belt at the edge of downtown Bangkok.

Last week my friends and I went to Rangnam Road with a carving for some nice local food. The original plan was to eat at Tida E-sarn, an Issan eatery highly recommended by one of my foodie friends; however, the eatery was closed on that night. Therefore, we walked a few meters towards Rajprarop Road, and settled at Ar-charn's Place. Though the restaurant enjoys an army of tourist clients and the food could be very tourist palate friendly, it is also good for locals, at least my (local) friends love it.






Ar-charn's Place ***1/2
107/7 Rangnam Road
Phayathai, Bangkok 10400
Tel.: 02.247.1682

Open daily : 11 am - 10 pm
Pay (food only for two): around THB 700

E-sarn Loom Yen

431
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Hard to feel cool

With more new hotels and luxury condos built at the Victory Monument area and its vicinity, the nearby Nangnam Road seems to enjoy a blooming restaurant scene; patrons are now not limited to budgeted armed force personnel and university students, but also includes middle-class residents and international tourists.

There is always devil and angel in the restaurant business. For E-sarn Loom Yen, one phase to describe this Issan (Thai Northeastern) restaurant, is mediocre food at best.



E-sarn Loom Yen Restaurant **1/2
Rangnam Road (corner Soi Loet Panyu)
Phayathai, Bangkok 10400
Tel.: 02.248.2295

Open daily : 8 am - 10 pm
Pay (food only for two): around THB 500

Kuang Seafood

365
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Sea in tanks

Advertorial for Kuang Seafood doesn't appear frequently in local medias, probably Kuang doesn't need any! Unlike a seafood diners' trap near Big C Superstore Rajdamri branch, Kuang's offers fresh (and some live) seafood at a reasonable price. Every night Kuang Seafood is packed with local and foreign customers, sharing a night of feast in cheer.

One of my visiting friends is a cockle lover, not only is he quite strict on freshness (of seafood) and hygiene but also he is lazy to travel far from his hotel to eat. In this case Kuang Seafood and my friend are the prefect match. Every time when he is in town, we go to Kuang Seafood for his cockle and seafood dishes. Though the food is far from outstanding but definitely worth every buck I paid. The fare is tended to be of Thai-Chinese accent; stir-fried dishes (incl. curry crab) and steamed fish are all expertly prepared, while the gaeng and tomyum dishes shall give way to Thai restaurants. In Phayathai and Pratunam area, Kuang Seafood is arguably the best shot for inexpensive seafood dining with comfort and quality; however, service maybe a bit sluggish.



Kuang Sea Foods Restaurant ***1/2
107/12 Soi Rangnam
Phayathai, Bangkok 10400
Tel.: 02.642.5591

Open daily : all-day-dining 10 - 2 am
Pay (food only for two): around THB 700 without crab
(live crab THB 600-1,000 each)

Deja Vu

BANGKOK AMAZING GOURMET
.

A jamais vu dining

Although Déjà Vu is not the restaurant I already-seen in a dream, but she is definitely a quality restaurant I expect Accor Hotels should deliver to Bangkok residents (and tourists of course) after my disappointment with its Bangkok flagship hotels F&B venues, Sofitel Silom and Novotel on Siam Square.

Déjà Vu is a trendy bistro cum wine house, pretty large in size with very high ceiling, decorated in modern comfort, tables on red. Cuisine is Continental on the French side. Ambiance is easy going, service is attentive, and the bill is wallet friendly.

On the occasion while France celebrated its 220th Bastille Day (la Fête Nationale) on July 14, I joint my friends to Déjà Vu. Unlike previous visits, menu of tonight was tailored, and fun. The 30-course la Fête Nationale Tasting Menu was actually 30-mouthful bites (yes, tapas alike) consisting of Starters tasting menu, Soup tasting menu, Seafood tasting menu, Meat tasting menu, and Desserts tasting menu. Accompanied with wines, of course.

The way Deja Vu served the 30-course la Fête Nationale Tasting Menu didn't deliver a WOW factor to diners; however, quality of food and taste were marvelous!

Déjà Vu ***3/4
Pullman King Power Hotel
8/2 Rangnam Road
Ratchathewi, Bangkok 10400
Tel.: 02.680.9999
Deja Vu

Open daily : 7 pm - 11 pm
Pay (food only for two): around THB 3,000