Somtum Der

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





 





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Khao-moo-daeng Lao Yang

345
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It is moo!

A 'talk-of-the-town', a khao moo daeng (barbecue pork on rice with gravy) vendor on Silom Road, Lao Yang, happens to be average. Its bamee nam (egg noodle soup) with wanton and barbecue pork toppings is much better.

For barbecue pork, within this price range there are many better choices in the city.


khao moo daeng with gravy THB 35; khao moo daeng without gravy THB 35

bamee nam with crab meat, wanton, and barbecue pork THB 35

wanton soup with barbecue pork THB 35; bamee han with barbecue pork THB 40

Khao-moo-daeng Lao Yang 老楊勝英發 ***
207 Silom Road
(near Silom Complex)
Bangrak, Bangkok 10500
Tel.: 02.235.1680

Open daily : 8:30 am - 7:30 pm (Sunday closed at 5pm)
Pay (food only for two): around THB 100

La Table de Tee

275
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La table of tasting

Click 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

somtum

265
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Seasoned with dust

A friend in London asked me why he didn't see roadside somtum dishes were reviewed in my blog.

Here we go, my roadside somtum feast. A no-frills dining experience.

Available anywhere in Bangkok and throughout Thailand. (I got mine on Silom Road near Saladaeng.)



somtum pla raad (raw papaya spicy salad with fermented fish dressing)

il cielo

225
.

A taste of Tuscany in Bangkok

I did review many of Dusit Thani outstanding outlets such as Benjarong (royal Thai cuisine), Hamliton's (steakhouse), and D'Sens (French), so it is time for its Italian restaurant, il cielo.


classic minestrone THB 330++
(assorted root vegetables and tomatos with pasta and basil)
porcini cream soup THB 350++
(with fresh ricotta cheese and a drizzle of hazelnut oil)

appetizer tasting platter THB 970++
from left to reght, they are (beef carpaccio with arugula, lettuce, porcini mushroom and cubes of duck liver; Param ham with sweet honeydew melon and figs; tuna tartar with artichoke, olives, sun-dried tomatos and Trout caviar; marinated goat cheese with garlic, chili and olives; garlic bruschetta with mozzarella cheese, anchovies and black truffle; pan-fried duck liver with crispy Coppa ham; pancetta and sage wrapped prawns with lemon dressing; deep-fried calamari with tomato and lemon)

al granchi THB 510++
(tomato, mozzarella, crabmeat, caper berry, black olive, Trout caviar)

al pomodoro THB 390++ (tomato sauce, basil and olive oil)
pan-roasted corn feed spring chicken THB 620++
(braised in white wine and tomato with black olive, capers, thyme and baby spinach)

braised wagyu beef rib in Borolo wine THB 880++
(with small risotto, mushroom emulsion and rosemary jus)
marinated and pan-roasted snow fish fillet THB 790++
(served on root celery mousse, red pepper coulis, Italian basil and selected vegetables)

tiramisu THB 350++
(Italian mascarpone cheese cake flavoured with coffee and Kahlua)
panna cotta THB 290++
(cream and vanilla pudding served with raspberry sauce crunchy almond pastry)

il cielo Italian Restaurant ***1/2
Dusit Thani Hotel Bangkok
946 Rama IV Road
Bangrak, Bangkok 10500
Tel.: 02.200.9000 ext. 2299

il cielo, were the appetizers good? were the food good?

Open daily : lunch 11:30 am - 2:30 pm; dinner 6 - 10:30 pm
Pay (food only for two): around THB 3,500

A&W

222
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The great American cough syrup

During college years, one blue night with tears in my eyes, I landed at a fast food restaurant in British Columbia, stayed for a while, then left the shop with smile, slept well that night. Since then, A & W Restaurant had walked through many blue nights with me in the old school days.

A & W root beer and friend chicken, the comfort food in need, and a friend in time!



A & W Restaurant ***
Silom Complex Shopping Plaza
191 Silom Road
Bangrak, Bangkok 10500
Tel.: 02.231.3120

Open daily : 10 am - 9 pm
Pay (food only for two): around THB 300

Little Home

221
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Too big too be little

A Bangkokian bakery since 1951, the Little Home turns 60 next year.

First time I passed by Little Home, the impression was OMG another local owned pancake and bakery shop without merit. As time goes by, the bakery turns restaurant is one of my loved eating hut for late lunch.

The menu is big and food taste nostalgic. From delightful Thai fare of traditional recipes, to Western cuisine and American old school bakery items (taste adjusted to the Thais palate), my hut has them all. Little Home is simply too big too be little!



Little Home Bakery and Restaurant ***
413/10 Soi Thonglo
Wattana, Bangkok 10110
Tel.: 02.185.1485
Little Home

Open daily : 9 am - 9 pm
Pay (food only for two): around THB 400

D'Sens

195
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Fine dining by Jacques and Laurent Pourcel

I was told that fine dining is the combination of arts through opulent or hip decoration with higher cost material, elegant ambiance, use of selective fine china and glassware, impeccable service and of course dedicated cuisine.

Therefore we should not see dinnerware bought from a weekend market, lamp and lighting from a local night market, uncomfortable chairs made by low-cost material, decoration that one may feel 'cheap', and unqualified service staffs in a fine dining restaurant.

Proclaimed as a fine dining venue, D'Sens at Dusit Thani Hotel makes no mistake. Stepping out of the lift (elevator) we float on the sea of elegant custom knitting carpet and were ushered by beautiful receptionist with smile to our table, sit comfortably. Despite the breathtaking panorama view, ambiance in the restaurant is relax and elegant. Dinnerware is by Rosenthal. Wait-staffs are attentive, the restaurant manager hovers between tables to ensure diners of utmost pleasure dining at D'Sen, and the chef is listening to feedback.

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Although the Pourcel brothers seldom do the cooking, but dishes are prepared by D'Sens highly-talented team of chefs. We have heard that the former sous-chef now opens his own restaurant on Soi Thonglo, and after his departure D'Sens delivers better quality dishes to diners. A re-visit to D'Sens prove that the food is exquisite!

D'Sens French Restaurant ****
Dusit Thani Hotel
946 Rama 4 Road
Bangrak, Bangkok 10500
Tel.: 02.200.9000 ext. 2499
D'Sens

Opens Monday - Friday : Lunch 11:30 am - 2:30 pm
Opens Monday - Saturday : Dinner 6 pm - 10 pm
Pay (food only): expect THB 6,000 for two (lunch set 2-course B590++ each, 3-course B770++ each)