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Killing me softly with your Roll
Kyo Roll En is the latest exercise of ambition of the Kacha Brothers after the opening of a few Sfree and Parferrio dessert cafes in recent years. The new J-style dessert cafe is aimed at offering (also) frozen yogurt and cream roll desserts in a much fancier manner than its siblings.
I have never praised either Sfree or Parferio, but for Kyo Roll En, I couldn't wait longer to give my thumbs up to her.
Kyo Roll En Lifestyle Cafe ****
M/F The Gateway Ekamai
982 Sukhumvit Road
Prakanong, Bangkok 10110
Tel.: 02.108.2660
Open daily : 11 am - 10 pm
Pay (dessert only for one): around THB 200
* To follow Bangkok closely, please 'friend' Thaisclub in Facebook!
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.Au Revoir to All That The name Alain Ducasse, a celebrity French chef who is behind over a dozen of award winning haute cuisine restaurants in the world, took me curiosity to (finally) visit the almost one-year-old Bonjour on Sukhumvit Road.To be precise, Alain Ducasse has nothing to do with Bonjour. It is chef Thierry Enderlin, who is responsible for Bonjour's kitchen, gave interview to local media that he used to cook alongside with the double three-star chef.
Bonjour is a fine dining French restaurant. So it is wise not to do the walk-in.
The receptionist who took my reservations, couldn't handle it in English so I switched to speak my clumsy Thai and spell my name to her letter by letter in English.
The dining area for this proclaimed fine dining venue is bravely paved with PVC tile flooring, with 'matching quality' furniture probably bought from a night bazaar.
The ingredients, claimed the use of quality free range meats and line-caught fish from France happened to be true. Finished products, eatable though we found no shadow of Alain's on any of our orders. The ingredients were satisfying but the food quality (esp. sauce) not on par with other fine dining French restaurants. So we wondered who did the cooking that night!
Unless you open a bottle, the house wine sold here is of very cheap quality. The owner (claimed to be a wine merchant and sommelier) shall stock better house wine for choices. Indeed, who minds to pay a little more if the quality matches the bill.
-amuse bouche and bread(suppose a chef to show off his culinary skill and enthusiasm on cooking at the begin of a gastronomic journey, our amuse bouche was something without efforts)
-organic green salad Baht 380++
(weird presentation we ever got from any fine dining French restaurant)
-mushroom soup infused with truffle oil Baht 890++
(most pricey soup in BKK, even Reflexions of Plaza Athenee and Normandie of M.O. no soup over Baht 700++; mushroom soup is nice, but no trace of any aromatic from truffle; so we paid $32 for just a bowl of mushroom soup without truffle? crazy!)
Gl. Alexis Merlot
- roasted duck breast with confit of its leg Baht 1,350++
(quality duck, breast nicely prepared, confit of leg & sauce didn't live up to expectations)
- slow cooked Bresse pigeon Baht 1,980++
(Bresse pigeon, good preparation, nicely slow cooked, good flavor, best shot that evening)
- chocolate fondant Baht 290++ vanilla ice cream Baht 180++
(chocolate is of so-so quality; ice cream not Bonjour's home-made)
-petit four (complimentary)
(something anyone can get from the Siam Paragon)
The restaurant, gave us absolute privacy to enjoy our meal, as we were the only table served on a Tuesday (whole) evening. Service (by a junior waitstaff and a busboy; as the waiters and manager maybe busy in the office making calls, and sommelier was not on duty) is sincere and friendly though not professional.
Thanks to Bonjour! Now I may reconfirm that the Normandie is consider a bargain in fine dining, making the rest in Bangkok not comparable. Of course for a bit informal yet romantic choice I always buy Le Banyan, and for home-style cooking that shall be Le Bouchon.
Bonjour French Restaurant ** 1/4
1217/2 Sukhumvit Road(behind Fullerton Condo)Wattana, Bangkok 10110Tel.: 02.714.2112BonjourOpen daily: 11am - 10 pm (lunch, afternoon tea, and dinner)
Pay (food only for two): expect THB 7,000
103
.The GardenToday, I went to Bangna district's Soi Udomsuk with a good friend from Hong Kong. Udomsuk area is about 40km southeast of Bangkok city center, a humdrum residential area. We took the BTS skytrain to On Nut terminus, caught a taxi to Soi Udomsuk. Total travel time was an hour from my friend's hotel located on Sukhumvit Soi 8 in the major tourist area. My friend couldn't hold his curiosity to ask, "Do we have to dine this far while our stomach is singer?", and his question had not been entertained. In my mind was 'hey, you will see'!
The Garden is on the rooftop of the Executive Residence Apartment on Udomsuk Soi 18. In order to reach to the rooftop of this 15-year-old poorly maintained apartment we need courage (yes, I am talking about real courage) to pass through a shabby lobby armed with moth-eaten carpet and took the building's only outworn elevator to the top floor (just on 6th). When the lift (door) opened my friend immediately realized the difference between haven and hell. A scenic British garden of lush tropical plants and floras caught our first sight with my friend's generous read out 'Wow'! For the next two hours we were dining in a paradise that transportation can reach.
At 4 pm, we started our late lunch with Ox tongue in red wine sauce (THB 250+). The ox tongue was tender and the wine sauce followed exactly the original recipe, as very French. Next dish was Rainbow trout in white cream sauce (THB 350+); trout was truly fresh (from Royal project in Chiangrai) without marinated and extra seasoning thus brought out the natural sweet and goodness of the trout herself. The cream sauce helped to enhance the taste if one found it bland. Another marvelous dish was the Fried rice with salted fish (THB 150+); top grade aromatic slated fish pla kurau (four-finger-threadfin mackerel, or ma yau in Cantonese) was used as the ingredients with chopped kale and BBQ pork cubes. Fried rice was fried dry enough, a well balanced dish with appealing taste and presentation.
The garden has both indoor (air-conditioned) and al fresco dining option. If you choose indoor dining, you will encounter an European mini palace fittings with chandeliers and classic paintings on display, dine with lovely Cupids (sculptures) if not your honey. I always opt for the al fresco option with the surroundings of a botanic exhibition and a 16th Century inspired fountain.
We left the Garden with a promise to return as soon as possible.
The garden, beautiful!
The food, delicious!
The Garden, marvelous! Seeing is believing, go!
The Garden ****
6th Floor, the Executuve Residence Apartment
Soi Udomsuk 18
off Sukhumvit 103 (Udomsuk)
Bangna, Bangkok
Tel.: 02.361.7881
Open daily : 11 am - 11 pm
Pay (food only for two): around THB 800
View the Garden in a larger map
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Coffee Bean by Dao
@ Grande Centre Point Hotel and ResidenceThis family restaurant and cake shop first appeared in the Ekamai Thonglo neighborhood 11 years ago. At the beginning I was not quite aware of this wonderful eatery even I am one in the neighborhood, because Coffee Bean by Dao is hiding itself in a sub-soi (small lane). Even the location is not convenience to all, but its business is busy. People go there for the white chocolate cake and scrumptious western and Thai dishes.
I met the owner, Dao (Susri Pangputhipong), first time I visited her first branch on Ekamai Soi 12 wondering if she can run a restaurant and do the cakes, since Dao is an elegant lady dressed a bit fashionable, one of those who never-go-to-the-kitchen-before type high-so(ciety) figures. I can find ‘noble’ on her. So I had enough ground on the doubt if she can survive from the restaurant game or she just wants a toy to kill time. And as time goes by, she proofs to us that she does it well. Now she owns 5 branches and some cakes corners.
Last week I visited to Coffee Bean by Dao’s new branch at Grande Centre Point Hotel off Rajdamri Road with friends from the hotel. We began with the restaurant’s all time favorites Nachos and Vol-au-vents in Tuna Mousse. The soup I ordered was the Asparagus and Carrot Soup in tai-chi look, aroi (delicious). My friends preferred the Seafood Salad, Pork Satay, and Baked Baby Clam. For main courses we took the Fish and Chips, Spare Ribs, Wok-fried Flat Noodles, and my favorite Inked Spaghetti in Crème Sauce with Tiger Prawn. Our lunch rounded up with some cakes, including the restaurant renowned White Chocolate Cake. To me those cakes were too sweet but it is not her problem as Thais like sweet to very sweet, and my palate is tended to be on the mild side. When I visit Coffee Bean by Dao I adjust my sweet gauge upward, therefore I enjoy the desserts so much alongside with my Thai friends.
Coffee Bean by Dao is now a symbol of quality cakes, esp. white chocolate cakes and cheese cakes, and east meets west cuisine among Bangkokians.
Coffee Bean by Dao ***1/2
@ Grande Centre Point Ratchadamri
153/2 Soi Mahatlek Luang 1
Ratchadamri Road
Lumpini, Bangkok 10330
Tel.: 02.670.5000
Coffee Bean by Dao
Open daily : 6:30 am - 10 pm
Pay (food only for two): around THB 1,000
* Coffee Bean by Dao also has branches at Central World Plaza, Siam Paragon, and the Ruamrudee Village; while its main branch is on Ekamai Soi 12
* (update on 2011-05-10: its Grande Centre Point Ratchadamri branch had been closed)
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