437
.Back to a mom's kitchen! Bangkok city Thai food restaurant - Ban Khun Mae (literally House of Mother), is always the rescue when diners are lost in the transition of the fusion and confusion food scene at the Siam area (Siam Square, Siam Center, and Siam Paragon).
During the late 90's, this mammy's canteen was a popular after-work beer-and-dine shelter for local white-collars, and also a temple for foreign Thai food enthusiasts due to its very convenient access for tourists. As time goes by, the glory might be faded, but the foreign visitors, many of whom made the restaurant enjoy a nightly full-house, are still the pillar of support for the restaurant.
somtum Thai (shredded raw papaya spicy salad) THB 70;
yum wunsen (bean threads/glass noodles spicy salad with minced pork and prawns)
sakoo sai moo and khao kriap park mor (tapioca pearl balls with minced pork
stuffing, and traditional steamed rice flour wrapper with stuffing) THB 120 
tord mun goong (deep-fried minced shrimp and pork patties) THB 170;
phad pak ruam mit (stir-fried mixed vegetables, oyster sauce) THB 90
steamed local sea bass on herbs and lime broth, with chili sauce served
separately for non-spicy eater) THB 280+
pla kapong neung manao (local sea bass on herbs and lime spicy broth) THB 280+;
tomyumgoong nam khon (hot and sour soup with prawns, w/ kati coconut milk)
Ban Khun Mae Thai Restaurant ***1/4
458/6 Siam Square Soi 8
Rama I Road
Pathumwan, Bangkok 10330
Tel.: 02.250.1953
Open daily : 11 am - 11 pm
Pay (food only for two): around THB 700
160
.Newlight 大來25 years ago when I landed on Siam Square, trend-setting young designers' fashions weren't there, the Novotel wasn't there, Hard Rock Cafe wasn't there, and the army of delicacy style eateries definitely weren't there, yet!
To eat, only decent food we could put into our mouth were from Baan Kun Por (closed, now Baan Khun Mae took over its glory), IATA (moved to Phetchburi Road) and Newlight.
How many of you would bring back some sweet-sixteen memory from this nostalgic Newlight Coffee House which still stand on Siam Square Soi 2, no matter how many times this area had gone through with several 'revitalization' changes during the last 25 years?Newlight Coffee House and Restaurant 大來酒樓 ***
426 Siam Square
(Siam Square Soi 2)
Rama I RoadPratumwan, Bangkok 10330Tel.: 02.662.251.9591 Open daily: (G/F Coffee House 11am - 10pm) (3/F Restaurant 11am - 2:30pm, 5:30 - 10pm)
Pay (food only for two): around THB 500 (G/F) or THB 1,000 (3/F)
154
.Marina HKMarina HK offers Hong Kong style tea-house feast such as beef brisket, beef entrails, fish balls, wonton, Hainanese chicken, roasted duck, BBQ pork, noodles, congee, and single-dish menu just a few examples from the restaurant 24 hours menu.
Marina HK ***1/2Siam Square Soi 1Rama I RoadPratumwan, Bangkok 10330Open daily : 24 hours
Pay (food only): around THB 400 for two
3
.Turkey day in BangkokI was told that the first American Thanksgiving was celebrated in 1621 in the Plymouth Colony to mark a harvest feast. In 1941, Thanksgiving became a national holiday for all Americans on every fourth Thursday of November. Although it has no special meaning to Thai people, but we as expatriates in Bangkok did look for some good deal for this once-a-year Turkey dining. Friends arranged the Thanksgiving dinner served not only turkey but also seafood, since they understand that I am not a bird person.
I went to Novotel Siam Square that night, where my Thanksgiving dinner was arranged in the Square Restaurant of the hotel.
By first glance upon arrival I wondered it was a turkey night or seafood one. There was no time for me to figure it out before more acid melted my stomach. Indeed the seafood selections were tempting.
I started with organic greens and Phuket rock lobster, accompanied by black olive and olive oil dressing. My salad dish was a satisfied one. Followed was the cold appetizer included rock lobster meat in cocktail sauce, crab meat in shell, a portion of blue swimming crab, and half rock lobster with salmon roe, After two courses of cold fare, I was thinking of the turkey which was the star for the night. The 3rd course, however, was a hot appetizer. Still it made sense as hot appetizer followed by the cold one. I had soft shell crab in black pepper and seafood sauce, too hot for me!
Pumpkin soup served after the hot appetizer helped cleaning the taste of unwelcome spiciness of the seafood sauce, and it was rich and aromatic. Soon after I finished the last drop of the soup the main course arrived. I got a generous portion of a turkey drumstick accompanied with a bit of the stuffing and vegetable. The meat was tender and seasoned to satisfy my taste buds.
While I was about to conclude the dinner with the orange sorbet in iced orange, aroma of grilled seafood passed by so I decided to accommodate one more dish. The mixed grill seafood included a piece of red snapper, sea bass, salmon, grouper, and two pieces of tiger prawn. All grilled to perfection. Dessert time was the orange sorbet in iced orange and some tropical fruits.
If I was not really full I would have sampled the fresh oyster from south of Thailand, or done it the tempura way. There were also sirloin steak, roasted duck, roasted ham, seared whole salmon, Japanese sashimi and more .. The selection of the seafood dinner buffet was big.
The square is where Novotel Bangkok offer quality seafood buffet for food lovers. Cost is THB (Thai baht) 930 net per adult.
The Square ***
Novotel Bangkok on Siam Square
392/44 Siam Square Soi 6
Rama I Road
Pathumwan,, Bangkok 10330
Tel.: 02.209.8888
Square
Open daily: 6:30 am - 10:30 pm
Pay (buffet dinner for two): around THB 1,800
