17
.The art of singing and dancing Kabuki Japanese Restaurant is another invader from Japan sharing the cake of the ever blooming Japanese cuisine market in Bangkok. First introduced to Bangkok with the parallel inauguration of the Siam Paragon Mall, Kabuki now showing Bangkok's J-food lovers authentic yet inexpensive Japanese culinary arts after its thirteen decades of success in Japan together with its sister restaurant Uttandon. Stepping into its second year in Bangkok the management of Kabuki opens a new branch in the Central World Plaza as the birthday gift to Bangkokians.
Kabuki targets the middle class of Bangkok white collars and tourists by offering traditional and authentic Japanese feast in modern presentation with the pricing just slightly higher than the local economy-class brands such as Fuji and Zen but far cheaper than those topnotch chains like AOI and Nippon Tei, with fares close to those served in Tokyo and ensured freshness for sashimi (raw fish) and other dishes.
Entering into the restaurant I spotted a fish tank with swimming lobsters, later to be served on my table as the first starters, live lobster sashimi (THB 900++) and lobster miso soup. The raw lobster meat was scrumptious and the miso soup with lobster shell was innovative. Further I had the wakame maki, a dish of seaweed sushi; maki mori, a combination of tuna, salmon, artificial crab meat and avocado sushi; sushi anago, a dish of grilled eel sushi; and chirashi sushi, mixed sashimi on a bed of mild vinegar rice. They all turned out without disappointment.
I have been informed that Japanese hot pot (shabu shabu) at Kabuki is good therefore I ordered the seafood shabu shabu, with a complimentary home made udon dish. The luscious soup base of the shabu shabu was prepared for hours with katsuobushi (dried fish) and kombu (kelp) flown in from Japan, without any MSG additive. My taste buds was once again entertained by the seafood served together with the shabu shabu soup which was fresh and tasted naturally sweet.
Regret that the portion of accompanied udon was too small, therefore I ordered the restaurant specialty - chilled green tea soba, with a nice hint of green tea flavor. Another specialty of Kabuki is the unagi rice (grilled eel on rice in a stone pot) of which cooked and seasoned the Japanese way, was almost as good as those served in Tokyo. My friend and I still had little room for the deep-fried soft shell crab, and chicken katsu, a fried breaded chicken cutlet. The cutlet had rich taste of real chicken (not those frozen ones) and the meat was tender, though the tonkatsu (fried breaded pork loin cutlet) version was even better.
Although I was very full, but steamed Japanese egg custard is my favorite dessert even though it is not a sweet item. The chawanmushi (steamed egg custard with ginkgo, shrimp, chicken, shitake mushroom and kamaboko) cooked on my table a la minute and it took about five minutes to be prepared. I was also served the green tea ice cream and raspberry sorbet, both were from the house.
To end with my plentiful lunch with my friend, I had a dish of papaya (complimentary again) and a pot of hot green tea to cleanse my palate that was full of overwhelming (nice) taste in a single hour. Besides green tea, a meal with sake either served hot or chilled is delightful, while my friend ordered the chilled one. Kabuki also serves a handful of imported beer and cold drinks.
Kabuki, the restaurant, hosted a pleasant lunch experience for us.
Kabuki Japanese Restaurant ***1/2
G-27 Ground floor, the Siam Paragon
991 Rama I Road
Pathumwan, Bangkok 10330
Tel.: 02.129.4423
Kabuki
Open daily : 11 am - 10 pm
Pay (food only for two): around THB 600
16
.The grill of BangkokWell-off locals and Japanese expatriates are all familiar with Nippon-tei, almost Bangkok's first standalone premium Japanese restaurant where people can find a treat of authentic Japanese feast. After more than twenty years of running a top Japanese restaurant chain with success, they created another brainchild to the world of gourmet last year, known as the Grill Tokyo.
Before I was told that Grill Tokyo belongs to the Nippon-tei group, judging by its Western-bound, chic and contemporary art-like interior, I did once thought if Grill Tokyo was another pretentious fusion eatery without the true value to fine dining, like those 'every meal is a show' or 'we search for only the best ingredients around the world (oops world where? in Klongtoey fresh market?)' restaurants that are distinctive on the bills but not on the food.
Hinted by the restaurant name and its interior, Grill Tokyo of course offers grill (steak) dishes, plus a variety of Western + Japanese fusion cuisine; but never forgotten the traditional Japanese fare. So there are different menus for us to study before a proper order can be placed.
Prior to my recent visit, I have been pampered with a real taste in Grill Tokyo for a few times. First time was a month after the opening of this remarkable eatery, I dropped by for a simple sashimi lunch. The catch was fresh and price was reasonable. I mean reasonable according to the quality. I have been told that there are more than thirty selections of only the best quality seafood being flown in everyday from Japan in dancing (fresh) shape. I had the toro (tuna belly), yellow tail, scallop, sweet shrimp and a whole giant sea whelk (THB 1,700++) with the shell being cleaned and packed for my souvenir. The quality can be as good as those offered in a shop right inside the Tuskiji Market in Tokyo.
Once I had the Australian steak set (with soup and dessert). Wow, the steak was more than moist and tender; its succulent tasty meat remained in my dream until the morning. For THB 550++ it is arguably the best value steak set in town. Ironically I had the piece of best value Aussie steak in Grill Tokyo but not in a steakhouse. Guess those steakhouse owners need some improvement or at least recalculate the cost!
On my recent visit to Grill Tokyo with friends, we ordered the 4-course lunch set of which I have been long missing it. Began with the appetizers, we had izumi-dai capaccio (sea bream), katsuo salad (green salad with bonito sashimi), and the pork shabu salad with spicy bean sauce. The sashimi were fresh and the pork was moist and tender, all of them were tasty.
Moving to the second course (a grill dish of seafood) we had tusbodai nitsuke (fish stew), deep fried soft shell crab, ugagi kabayabi (grilled eel with teriyaki sauce), and buri teriyaki (grilled yellow tail with teriyaki sauce). They were all heavily seasoned in sweet and salty note that made them taste truly Japanese.
Came to the mains (a noodle, spaghetti or rice dish) we had mabo nasu don (rice topped with ground pork mabo style), hiyashi chuka (chilled cold noodle Chinese style), and karu bi don (rice topped with grilled pork). All of them served with miso soup. We concluded the lunch with Grill Tokyo fabulous home-made ice cream, taste we had were chocolate, Earl Grey and mango. Also good was the black sesame pudding.
Now no more secret to everyone; it doesn't have to be well-off to dine at Grill Tokyo, the lunch set at THB 390++ is probably the cheapest deal for a 4-course premium lunch set in town. Not necessary to tell you how good the lunch set was but just to confirm that I will keep returning to Grill Tokyo if the standard remains.
Grill Tokyo Japanese Grill Room ****
G/F The Siam Paragon
991 Rama I Road
Pathumwan, Bangkok 10330
Tel.: 02.610.9487
Grill Tokyo
Open daily : lunch 11:30 am - 2 pm, dinner 5:30 - 10 pm
(all-day-dining for Saturday and Sunday)
Pay (food only for two): around THB 3,000
weekdays 4-course lunch set THB 390++
15
.Tea with bunches of bouquets So Langsuan is Bangkok's most favorite destinations for people looking for chic style fine dining. Adding on the list is a gift to Bangkokian where a sixty-year-old grandma house renovated into this white home-sweet-home tea room and flower shop houses the High Tea and Ruern Boossaba (House of Flower).
A brainchild of renowned florist Panitan Tongsatit, High Tea sits harmonized with Ruern Boossaba tastefully decorated in all white and minimal interior with great charm. Welcoming scents of floral slowly flowed into the lounge brings customers peace of mind while sipping a cup of French-style flavored tea or cappuccino on the elegant couch in a lazy sunny afternoon. It is a real chilled-out sanctuary in the hustle and bustle of Bangkok.
High Tea offers more than cakes and tea, there is a limited but delicious hot meal items have been added on the menu. Star of the starter was salmon salad in spicy lemongrass sauce so it was what I started for lunch with a friend. The sauce was not really too spicy, instead it was a good mix of lemongrass, herbs and chili. The pumpkin soup was aromatic and rich and stomach filling.
I also sampled the tuna spaghetti with black olive, it was cooked medium soft with the al dente texture, simple but good; and my friend tried the prawns fettuccine, the dish came with three big river prawns and the sauce was from a secret recipe of High Tea, both aromatic and spicy.
For mains, I opted for boneless duck with chill and tomato sauce, the duck meat was so tender and the sauce was not spicy despite chili mentioned, and my friend picked pork chop with apple and raisin sauce, a piece of tender country rib with a hint of sweet and aroma from the apple. They are as good as the High Tea famous pastries and cakes.
Finally pastry fan likes me came to the desserts. Best sellers are the dark chocolate cake, and the white chocolate cheese cake; and I opted for the dark chocolate cake served warm, first. I voted this dark devil the best in Bangkok surpassing the Oriental's and the Peninsula's chocolate cakes. Need to say more! Other delighted desserts were the dark chocolate mousse, the chocolate crepes, and the peach panna cotta. For cheese cake lovers another star of High Tea couldn't be missed were the white chocolate cheese cake with blueberry, and the white chocolate cheese cake with cherry. I would have regretted if I didn't order any. My friend and I shared them.
I ordered High Tea's French-style flavored tea to accompany the cakes. Summer was the flavor I always wanted to have a return cup.
Perhaps High Tea and Ruern Boossaba is an extraordinary tea room where I can take time to kill my entire afternoon, to appreciate the flowers and bouquets, to enjoy the atmosphere, and then to roam about the front porch, the outdoor terrace, the lounge and the dining area with my favorite pastries and tea or coffee.
High Tea @ Ruern Boossaba ***1/2
68/1 Soi Langsuan
Lumpini, Bangkok 10330
tel.: 02.652.1244
Open daily : 9 am - 10 pm
Pay (food only for two): around THB 1,000
(Notice: High Tea has been relocated to 45/4 Langsuan Road, join hand with Mokka Old Fashioned Cafe and Restaurant. It is near the Starbucks Langsuan. New phone number is 02.354.5699. Pity that food is not as good as before, and my favorite warm chocolate cakes shrink in size. Mokka has a wide range of alcohol drinks and wine list so its it a pub-cum-restaurant with a Western and Thai menu, while High Tea still serves desserts and tea. Updated on 2008-08-01)
(Update on 2011-02-01: High Tea is now a history, while Mokka moved to continue its booze and noisy pub business elsewhere.)
14
.Brings Mediterranean closer to BangkokIn Bangkok, people argue that Crepes & Co. serves cuisine of Morocco, Spain, or Greece, and many had been told that it is French. My answer is, all of them. It is Mediterranean, it is fusion. Crepes & Co. brings crepes dancing tanks to its owner and head chef Serge Bruttin's non-stop creations. Mr. Bruttin had been a resident of Morocco, Spain and Greece which ensured his fundamentals in the Mediterranean states' culinary skills.
Mediterranean crepes are not popular in Bangkok, and I am not a fan of crepes; but I don't limit myself to innovative dining, as Crepes & Co. is one. I read from an article claiming that eating at Crepes & Co. is not just a meal, but rather exiting experience of the Mediterranean treat and crepes. Besides his regular menu, Mr. Bruttin from time to time introduces his new creations, his crepes are never just a layer of batter with stuffing like so many others do. They are thin and crispy with balance taste of batter, not too sweet. It is sensational.
When my friend suggested to have crepes last week, Crepes & Co. at once came into my mind. We started with a glass of healthy papaya juice and almond smoothie while browsing the menu, the selections were plentiful. Before the crepes being served, we had a salad and the tomato-orange soup, just like the menu described, the name sounds weird but its taste was heavenly delicious. The kick off of our lunch was not bad.
Further we shared the seafood Provencale, crepes stuffed with prawn and squid in tomato and wine sauce; and the crepes Christine, crepes stuffed with champignons (mushroom), onions fondue, tomato, feta cheese and oregano. Like I mentioned, crepes layer were thin and crispy, with hints of aroma from the batter. The stuffing, natural goodness of ingredients was covered by the overwhelming taste of salt, had no excitement in taste and was rather salty than tasty.
To conclude our lunch, we ordered the choco-Cointreau, it is crepes flambe with rich chocolate fillings and vanilla-orange ice cream flambe in Cointreau liqueur, the server was supposed to flambe or light a fire when liqueur was slowly poured down onto the crepes; however, he didn't. When I questioned him about it, he simply suggested that we eat the crepes in the way he served! So for our crepes flambe choco-Cointreau at Crepes & Co., shall we eat the crepes and drink the liqueur?
After lunch, my friend told me he was not impressed of the culinary skills there, they were too generous in using of salt and the ingredients lack of its taste naturally (probably deep-frozen too long); added that the sissy acting waiter was neither skillful nor polite in handling of our order and the crepes flambe. I admired the enthusiasm the owner brought crepes and Mediterranean cuisine to the culinary scene into Bangkok, but it is sad that his team of chefs didn't follow it. We left the place with much disappointment.
Crepes & Co. ***1/2
18 Sukhumvit Soi 12
Klongtoey, Bangkok 10110
Tel.: 02.653.3990
Crepe & Co.
Open daily : 9 am - midnight
Pay (food only for two): around THB 1,500
13
.An affordable palace diningFor decades Benjarong has been a culinary landmark in Bangkok, a recent revisit confirmed its status as one of the most established eateries serving authentic royal Thai cuisine an ancient chef in a royal kitchen would have prepared the same. Benjarong not only earns countless credits from local and worldwide food critics, but also received the pride to provide the members of the Royal family dinner the superb royal Thai touch.
The restaurant in elegant surrounding with outdoor dining overlooking the sparkling waterfall from the patio, offers a comprehensive selection of excellent dishes. My all time favorite is the Hor-mok goong-mankrong, this steamed curry souffle in banana leaf cup (hor-mok) is usually blended with minced fish while the Benjarong version is mixed with minced lobster. Freshness of lobster meat and the aroma of Thai herbs mingled with prik chee fa chilies made the souffle so remarkable.
My appertizer was Khanom jeep Thai (minced pork wrapped in rice flour dumpling). Main dishes were Chuchee kam-poo (crab claw in red curry sauce), Pla kapong tord phad nam ma-kam (deep-fried seabass in sweet and sour tamarind sauce), Phad pak yod mara (stir-fried bitter gourd stem), Tomyum goong (spicy and sour prawn soup with Thai herbs), accompanied with Khao ob sapparot (baked seafood fried rice in whole pineapple, yellow curry infused) and Phad Thai goong-sod (Pad Thai noodle with fresh prawn).
Benjarong is the perfect venue for entertaining friends and business associates, as well as dining alone. It is one of my most favorite hotel's Thai restaurants in town. Thais, equally as important as the taste in each recipe is the presentation. There, dishes are served in intricately designed and hand painted Banjarong crockery made from fine bone China after which the restaurant is named - Benjarong.
Benjarong Royal Thai Cuisine ****
Dusit Thani Hotel
946 Rama IV Road
Bangrak, Bangkok 10500
Tel.: 02.236.9999
Benjarong
Open daily : lunch 11:30 am - 2:30 pm, dinner 6 - 10 pm
Pay (food only for two): expect THB 2,500
12
.
4-stagioni in Bangkok
Opening a restaurant these days is a challenging experience especially given the amount of money needed to create a first-class restaurant in today’s economy. In Bangkok there are some restaurateurs who have the magic touch when it comes to new and successful restaurants. Zanotti, an Italian fine dining facility, has an extraordinarily sure hand when it comes to catching the dining mood of Bangkok’s public. After years of success Gianmaria Zanotti, the man behind the successful of Zanotti, has opened a humble pizzeria on Sukhumvit Soi 11 where lots of expats live, the one opts for family dining.
In contrast to the quite formal Zanotti, the Pizzeria Limoncello is casual. Mediterranean touch, naughty and colorful, lots of limoncello and of course pizzas groom the new establishment of Gianmaria Zanotti into a fun and relaxing eatery. The food esp. the pizza and pasta are superb so they don’t need extra advertisement and promotion to boost the sale, for three years regulars know where to get a good treat when they think of pizza not limited to the Sukhumvit residents.
To kick off our journey, we had the 1) 4-Stagioni Pizza (generous slices in four different toppings on the thin dough, the ham, mushroom, salami, and olive as the 4-seasons) exciting though; the 2) Zanotti Pizza (parma ham, mascarpone cheese, and rocket leaf) were the best creation, and the 3) Vegetariana Pizza without cheese. All pizzas were prepared in the brick igloo in paper thin and crispy style naturally scented by the wood fire, yummy!
We further ordered the 4) Insalata Mista, its actually green salad, simple and not outstanding; and the 5) Spaghetti Vongole, home-made angel hair with clam in white wine sauce, basic enough but excellent.
Then we had the 6) Roasted Spring Chicken with rosemary herbs, the 7) Pan-fried Sea Bass with shitake mushroom, and the 8) Mussel and Seafood in Rich Tomato Sauce. Probably the best sping chicken I had sampled in a pizzeria.
To wind up the dinner we has the (9) Tiramisu, portion was generous and taste was heavenly aromatic thanks to the balance in espresso, mascarpone cheese, bittersweet chocolate, and amaretto liqueur. Yes it really made me happy with the tiramisu.
Wine selection in Limoncello is rather extensive and of good value. Large selection of Mediterranean wines to South American as well as Australian labels is available. You can surely find something that suits your pallet and your wallet.
In Limoncello, the chef was dancing, the food was dancing, we were dancing, our dinner was a playful and cheerful experience. Want to dance with limoncello?
Pizzeria Limoncello ***1/2
17 Sukhumvit Soi 11
Wattana, Bangkok 1o110
Tel.: 02.651.0707
Limoncello
Open daily : lunch 11:30 am - 2 pm, dinner 6 pm - midnight
Pay (food only for two): around THB 1,000
11
.
Chinese herbal menu
Browsing on Soi Langsuan, where my relatives stayed, to find a restaurant for us to eat, coincidentally Top-menu Chinese Restaurant appeared to me while its name also flashed in my mind. I had been sampled her delicious Northern Chinese (Beijing and nearby provinces) provincial food they prepared in the healthy way before. Without hesitation I found a nice window seat in this bistro style restaurant to do dinner with my relatives.
The Chinese logo of the restaurant written that 'medicine and food come from the same source', which is true to Chinese wisdom that eating is the most basic health care step. When I was a child mom used to cook meals depending on my health condition. For example, when I was hot, my mom cooked me a meal with those cooling ingredients and herbs so to avoid the development of sore throat and flu. In Top-menu some soups and dishes are cooked with Chinese herbs to counter customer's concern of headache, kidney, stomach, or even heart broken. No, the last one doesn't exist and is my imagination.
I always cook healthy herbal soup at home, therefore at Top-menu I focused only on favorite native Northern Chinese street cuisine that we hardly find elsewhere with the same quality; and I don't cook them at home either. Chinese dumpling is always one of my favorite choices in those Beijing houses so I made two orders of them at Top-menu, steamed dumplings stuffed with pork and celery (zheng-jiaozi) the first order, and pan-fried dumplings stuffed with ground pork (guotie/gyoza) being the second. The dish I also couldn't wait to order was the pan-fried scallion pancake (cong-you bing). They all tasted the true Beijing standard only with less fat meat inside and less oily. Thumps up!
In a Chinese (and Thai) dining table, we share dishes (if we don't dine alone), and eat with rice (or noodle in some cases). The next orders were cold cut beef the Beijing style, and shredded potato mixed salad, I simply ordered a bowl of plain noodle soup to accompany these traditional sides dishes. Beef cut in paper thin sheets without any seasoning, tasted naturally just what good beef should be. The potato salad was somehow so-so.
For mains we ordered the deep-fried Naning pork ribs with sweet and sour sauce, braised pork knuckles, stir-fried bitter gourd leaves, and stir-fried pak Taiwan veggies. Last two items ordered were dumplings soup, now all of you believe how much I love dumplings, and shrimp fried rice of which the taste was disappointed and shrimp hahaha hardly found them existed. There are two exciting dishes I missed, stir-fried long beans Beijing style and stir-fried mutton in running oil, simply sold out when we dined at 8 pm.
Top-menu does not offer customers Peking duck. Instead it is a kind of bistro offers true Beijing street cuisine both delicious and healthy way.
Top Menu Chinese Restaurant ***1/2
34/1 Soi Langsuan
off Ploenchit Road
Lumpini, Bangkok 10330
Tel.: 02.251.1438
Open daily : 11 am - 10 pm
Pay (food only for two): around THB 700
* (update on 15/Feb/2010: Top-menu now expands to Sukhumvit Soi 24, near the President Park)
10
.Midnight eating pleasureI assume Bangkok has surpassed Singapore of ASEAN shopping paradise as shopping centers here are more creative tend to offer shoppers pampered services. Merchandise is diversified and creative, not just those boring brands we see everywhere. The only setback is the air-conditioning is always too cold (in any major shopping mall). We didn't shop for international brands but focus on those creative and unique local designer labels and home decor stuffs. However, we still couldn't resist the Lacoste sale with eight big bags carried back home. After a tired day we took a nap and moved the dinner to 11pm.
Where in Bangkok can still offer us with a decent dining near midnight? The answer is, the Green House at the 4-star Landmark Hotel. The Hotel has ten F&B outlets in the compound offering gourmet around the world. Green House is the hotel's coffee shop serving the hungry of us not only Western and Thai fare but the best keep secret in Green House is they also serve authentic and ho-mei (delicious) Cantonese light meal. It is a perfect match to have such a meal at late night as it is light.
The Chinese menu at the Green House is those family kind with a focus in bistro specialty and barbecued meat instead of some grand fare such as Peking duck (anyway Peking duck is not a Cantonese dish), shark fins soup, steamed live fish and braised abalone. Just some typical tea-room and street side dishes Hong Kong people eat around the corner in their everyday routine. We didn't want to eat too heavy that night, so we ordered four mains to accompany with rice and noodles. Our first order was barbecue honey glazed pork, the meat was tender and the taste is naturally sweet with hints of aroma from barbecue. Followed by soy sauce chicken, a highly recommended dish from me; just taste as good as we eat in Hong Kong I therefore wondered if the chef abandon the use of local soy sauce for Hong Kong one. Both dish has its sauce served separately. Came next were poach pak kwang-tung veggie with oyster sauce, fair but not outstanding; and stir-fried grouper fillet with Chinese celery, another dish got my thumbs up. The deep-fried fillet was fresh, crispy outside and flesh was soft, then stir-fried again with celery and other ingredients brought out the taste of celery and seafood sweetness in a good balance.
To accompany with the mains, we had rice roll noodle filled with barbecue pork, a dim-sum type food, the rice roll noodle here was not very thin but acceptable; noodle with braised beef brisket, chunk of meat was braised in its perfection and seasoned to exactly like those prepared in Hong Kong; noodle with wontons (dumplings Hong Kong), consisted of five big wontons with fresh whole shrimps; and noodle with braised pork knuckle, another dish that is outstanding. The Pork knuckle braised in broth for hours was tender and aromatic, seasoned with fermented bean curd (pink) paste, a secret weapon in Cantonese culinary.
Hainanese chicken rice in Green House served with three kind of sauces known as sweet soy sauce, ginger and chives oil, and sour chili sauce. There are not many places in Bangkok serve such marvelous sauce of the same quality, so we ordered one even we were quite full.
Judging that there are many sophisticated-looking locals out of a few tourists tucking into great mounds of good food here, I assumed that Green House already earned a reputation in causal dining among Bangkokkians. Green House also serves Western and Thai fare. I will review them in a separate post in the near future.
Green House Coffee Shop ***1/2
The Landmark Hotel
138 Sukhumvit Road
Klongtoey, Bangkok 10110
Tel.: 02.254.0404
Landmark dining
Open daily : around the clock (yes 24 hours)
Pay (food only for two): around THB 600
9
.
A taste of Betong*
I spent the whole afternoon roaming in Bangkok's trendiest lifestyle street - Thonglo (Soi 55 Sukhumvit Road), shopping in the Playground, searching for antiques and premium grade handicraft and souvenirs in various standalone shops, getting ice cream and cakes in the J-Avenue, visiting my favorite Thai spa treatment in a nice spa really made my day fulfilling. Or perhaps one may add taking wedding photos in a choice of some 25 strong Thailand top wedding studios alongside on Thonglo.
Quality does come with its appropriate price tag and 'cheap' could never been associated in the Thonglo society. Except there is one unpretentious Chinese restaurant near (Thonglo) Soi 17 the food is food and inexpensive. An An Lao operated by a Thai-Chinese family originally from the Southern Thailand is famous for its Peking duck among the Thonglo society and Japanese expatriates and their aunties, also quite a number of unique Thai-Chinese dishes.
Revisit with friends. We started with the shop specialty An An Betong chicken, the chicken was soaked in boiled broth until well done instead of over boiled like those served in most other local eateries, therefore the meat is moist and tender, naturally sweet preserved, the taste of chicken got locked in. Sauce for the chicken is a secret recipe from An An Lao. Another house specialty is the An An kuay-teow-lawt (rice roll noodle wrapped on deep-fried flour rolls), with meat, dried shrimp, deep-fried flour rolls, and sausage filled in the kuay-teow-lawt an interesting alternative to the Cantonese cheong-fun, sauce for it is sweet soy sauce with a bit of spicy, unique enough!
It is a sin not to order the owner heavily recommended dish, the Peking duck. Quality is so-so but the good point is on the price, Baht 280 (US$8) for a half duck including a complimentary stir-fried duck meat or duck soup with preserved vegetables, really couldn't ask for more. Flour wrapper and condiments that go with the duck skin was very hard, dry, and cold on arrival. Instead soup with duck meat and preserved vegetables was surprisingly luscious and we almost would like to order another duck just for some extra soup. Also sampled the stir-fried mushroom in oyster sauce. Again, so-so.
Further we ordered more dishes to go with rice. First, deep-fried Thai sea bass in sweet plum sauce. Live fish from the tank, then deep-fried with a hint of using fresh oil, result to golden in outside and inside flesh was succulent worth the applause from us. However, the hot-plate pork with preserved bean curd sauce was quite disappointed. Meat was not fresh in the first place and the overuse of seasoning a real setback to the dish. For veggie we picked the stir-fried asparagus with prawn, and stir-fried watercress. I do appreciate the offer of watercress vegetable as it is less common in Bangkok restaurants.
To end the dinner we ordered some fruits which promote us better health.
Wine selection is poor in An An Lao, so Chinese tea and beer should be better choices to accompany the dinner.
An An Lao Chinese Restaurant 安安樓 ***
331/1 Soi Thonglo (corner Soi 17)
Soi 55 Shukumvit Road
Wattana, Bangkok 10110
Tel.: 02.392.6447
An An Lao
Open daily : lunch 11 am - 2 pm, dinner 6:30 - 10 pm
Pay (food only for two): around THB 600
* Betong is a border city on the Thailand and Malaysia border in the south of Thailand.
8
.
Once upon a time cuisine
Tonight my friend brought me and our visiting friends from the States to a Thai restaurant in downtown Bangkok's busy Pratunam area. Entering into the venue I wondered if it was a garden in the city center, or it was a museum, or it was a gallery; it is all of them plus a lovely eatery, and it was Once Upon A Time Thai restaurant. A visit to this restaurant gave me a clear picture that why so many people cherish Thai cuisine around the globe.
Welcome by a beautiful garden with lush green (and mosquito) divided two Thai houses with the interior that a traditional Thai house would have looked like. We were entertained in the right corner house with air-conditioning instead of the al-fresco dining in the garden that is most farang (Western foreigner) customer's preference. Generously use of rich brown wood, heavy furniture from the generation of grandpa, numerous antiques (and even a show 'bedroom' of Lanna Thai), old fashioned toys, big framed photos on the wall, traditional Thai utensils and flow of Thai classical music decoration our dinner could never been more delightful. Once Upon A Time is not about Thai cuisine for the local but rather for the non-Thai palate (tourist) in a rural setting with wait-staffs wearing jong kraben (traditional lower Issan costumes).
Feel like eating in a museum did improve our appetite for dinner. In Thailand the drink that goes best with Thai food is never wine or beer but fresh young coconut juice therefore we ordered some. Our dinner kicked off with chicken satay which was probably the most straightforward appetizer; the version in Once Upon A Time had the chicken meat marinated with turmeric, galangal and lemongrass, and was tender, delicious and sweet, and had a nice taste of smoke from the barbecue; its dipping sauce had a balanced taste of coconut milk, peanut, red curry paste cooked with palm sugar, tamarind juice and little salt was great and never spicy. An accompanying salad of cucumber, shallots, and chili adding pre-cooked rice vinegar with a little sugar did go well with the chicken satay. We therefore couldn't couldn't resist to reorder another one.
Dishes to accompany with rice were; grilled chicken with full aroma of herbs from QUAT secret recipe was really another great chicken dish that night; and pla smalee tord (deep-fried king fish with green mango dip) was deep-fried to golden outside and soft inside brought us the texture of soft crispy skin and tenderly smooth flesh. Serving next was hor-mok talay maprao-on (steamed seafood with sweet and sour sauce in young coconut), this dish usually cooked with curry but since my visiting friends didn't eat hot therefore we asked for the sweet and sour version, and it came out delicious. The goong ob wensen (baked glass noodles with prawn in a pot) was very popular on any Thai-Chinese dining table but didn't know since when it was also popular in most Thai restaurants until today.
The phad pak ruam-mit (stir-fried mixed vegetables) there was unique as the pak (vegetable) included young coconut shoot, asparagus, and snow peas putting into one dish which was uncommon in other Thai restaurants. Gaeng (a curry soup) is part of a Thai meal. We sampled gaeng kieo waan gai (green curry with chicken meat) and it was satisfying. Rice in Once Upon A Time was not special but the bowl that contented them was beautiful.
After a full meal we had no room for desserts, or actually we didn't like to eat sweet before bedtime. So we skipped the desserts that night.
Once Upon A Time is one interesting Thai restaurant with good food (especially for Western palates) and multi character whether we shall call it a restaurant or a museum worth our unlimited returns.
Once Upon A Time ***1/2
32 Soi 17 Petchburi Road
Pratunam, Bangkok 10400
Tel.: 02.252.8629
Open daily : 11 am - 11 pm
Pay (food only for two): around THB 800
7
.Cuisine of Jim ThompsonSaladaeng Cafe, a Thai restaurant operated by the Thai Silk Company better known as the Jim Thompson after the name of the co-founder American merchant James Harrison Wilson Thompson who promoted Thai silk to the whole world after WWII while the then government was yet aware of this piece of great national treasure. Jim Thompson was also a prominent figure behind the reorganization of the Oriental Hotel Bangkok during that time. After Jim Thompson had mysteriously disappeared in the Cameron Highlands, Malaysia in 1967, the Thai Silk Company is managed by a foundation with various investors and sponsored by the Royal Thai Government.
James HW Thompson had a reputation as 'Bangkok's leading farang (Western foreigner) host', during his time in Bangkok James entertained countless of noble guests in his charming house by the Klong Maha Nag Canal (known as the Jim Thompson House), his guests enjoyed a delightful evening by the feature of savoring Thai cuisine of a classic feast. Those once talk of the town evening events at the Jim Thompson House were now recreated in Bangkok. Today Jim Thompson has four commercially operated eateries in Bangkok, while Saladaneg Cafe is settled in a historical house in downtown area that seats more than 150 diners inside and outside. Both the decor and the culinary creations tend to preserve the glory of the Jim Thompson House and the guests in the old days with a modern twist. The restaurant features both open-air and enclosed air-conditioned elegant dining room decorated in heavy Indo-Chinese influence while the fare serves authentic Thai cuisine the classic way and essential Western selection plus the mouthwatering pastry as some bonus to the patrons. Top quality ingredients packed in small bag or jar, for anyone would like to try of Thai cooking at home, from lemongrass to brown rice was on the shelves for sale.
Thai food at Saladaeng Cafe is truly superbly delicious, especially to a foreigner palate. I started with the Thompson sampler plate consisting of prawn spring rolls, chicken spring rolls, and shrimp paste cakes; also well worth trying were the lemongrass salad, of which the strong aroma of lemongrass that dominated the salad was a mouthwatering treat, and the namtok moo yang (grilled pork with fresh mint in spicy Issan namtok sauce) one of my favorite appetizer dishes was doing quite well there. Since the deep-fried shrimp cakes in the Thompson sampler plate were so good therefore I opted for a full order of the tord mun goong (deep-fried shrimp paste cakes) for my friends to eat some more of them and that didn't let us down either.
Gaeng or soup was essential on a Thai or Chinese dining table. For soup I ordered the tom yum goong (sour and spicy prawn soup), and tom khai gai (chicken soup in coconut milk with galangal root) to share with my friends. They were both prepared in an authentic way that a Thai grandmother would agree with.
Main dishes I sampled were the grilled chicken set, the steamed cotton fish with herbs, the stir-fried mixed vegetables, and the stir-fried cauliflower with shrimp. The grilled chicken and the cotton fish were less impressive than I had sampled two years ago. The vegetables had a generous use of MSG. Eaten them with plain rice may dilute the overwhelming taste of seasoning, and we did.
My friends and I ordered whole coconut juice and beer to accompany our dinner. The host also offers a wide selection of fruit smoothies and wine from around the globe but wine was not popular among diners here. Home made cakes and desserts were highly recommended after meal and a cup of infusion tea or coffee was also a wise choice.
Saladaeng Cafe by Jim Thompson ***1/4
120/1 Saladaeng Soi 1
off Rama IV Road
Sathorn, Bangkok 10500
Tel.: 02.266.9167
Saladaeng Cafe
Open daily : 11 am - 11 pm
Pay (food only for two): around THB 800
6
.Very Thai and tourist friendly When I first passed by Nara Thai I thought this was just another ordinary arcade restaurant, especially Nara Thai's contemporary Thai decor, trendy utensils and location promoted my further thoughts that this one was among some 'tourist class' restaurants with no taste of authentic, only expensive. My mom told me not to judge by one's appearance, her words saved me almost a miss of a treat.
The restaurant is set in a semi open-air (in the arcade) elegantly decorated in contemporary Khmer style, and a lovely outdoor terrace seating with the little waterfall to be a friend while dine alone. I received warm welcome from the waiter, chilled hand towel, a heavy metal cover menu, and a glass of refreshing lemongrass drinks (oh, I ordered that, not complimentary).
To kick off the lunch, I had three spicy Thai salad as starters to share with friends. First one was yum hed (mushroom salad), next one was yum wunsen talay (seafood and glass noodles mild spicy salad), and the third salad was yum som-o (spicy Thai pomelo salad with prawn). Excellent taste of lime, palm sugar, fish sauce and nice heat were mixed of native ingredients. The fourth dish was five-kind hors d'oeuvre consisting of chicken satay, fish cakes, pearl ball with pork stuffing (sakoo), Thai grapefruit salad with prawn, and deep fried flour stick with Thai dip.
For soup of course I ordered the maybe national soup tomyum goong (sour and spicy prawn soup), it came without disappointment. The hot and sour taste had reached a good balance. Yummy! I also ordered pearl ball with pork stuffing (sakoo) as the sample portion in the hors d'oeuvre definitely not enough for four (persons) in my table.
To go with rice, I sampled the gaeng kieo waan gai (green curry with chicken meat), plamuk phad kai khem (stir-fried squid with salty egg), fried soft shell crab in chili and lemongrass, goong tord nam makam (fried prawn in tamarind sauce), and pla samlee tord (deep-fried king fish with green mango sweet and mild spicy dip). These family dishes were nothing special, simply delicious and seafood were fresh.
Spotted there is a real-boat noddle station at entrance, offering Ayutthaya boat noodle I certainly couldn't afford to miss. The noodle broth was neither too salty nor spicy, but full of aroma and a little welcoming natural sweet from the bone the broth was made. I was surprised that one of the best boat noodles I couldn't get at those floating markets but instead at Nara Thai.
I spent less than Thai baht 2,000 for the lunch. Considering we had ten good quality dished and drinks for four persons, the price is rather cheap.
Many restaurants don't realize the importance of having servers trained to do the job right, those are the samples of failure in restaurant business. Nara Thai does not copy their mistakes, service in Nara Thai is friendly, prompt and attentive. Adding the aroi (delicious) tastiness and casual atmosphere made my dining at Nara Thai a true pleasure. Nara Thai is worth the well recognition by both native and foreign clients.
Nara Thai Cuisine ***1/2
Erawan Bangkok branch
Lower level, Urban Kitchen
494 Ploechit Road
Pathumwan, Bangkok 10330
Tel.: 02.250.7707
Nara Thai
Open daily : 10 am - 11 pm
Pay (food only for two): around THB 900
5
.Moonlight bean bag dining Over the holidays I was brought to eat at so many wonderful restaurants at a result that costs me a few bucks on weight-control program now. Most of the restaurants were good while some are remarkable. With quality of food and price as judging factors I suggest that Thailand shall position itself as a world gourmet capital.
I went to test my luck if I meet local actor cum chef khun Pol Thantastien, the owner of the Spring Dining room, a modern Thai and fusion restaurant located on Soi Promsri 2, between the maze-like Sukhumvit Soi 39-Soi 49. The restaurant is set in a 1950's house renovated into homely and inviting environment; the mezzanine provides couples for perfect hideaway for a date; during evening unlimited bean bags and over-size pillows jam in the front lawn for moon light dining. Funny, I expected Italian cuisine the first time I passed by this landmark house, and ended up it is Thai, though fusion.
The menu in Spring is big and interesting, both innovative and traditional dishes found on the menu. However, red meat is absent in the kitchen but only seafood and poultry available. While taking time to study the menu, I ordered the virgin mojito (drinks mixed of fresh mint, lime, brown sugar syrup and tonic water) tasted uniquely cool and later found out not even the Lord Jims (@ the Oriental Hotel) can match the same taste; friends ordered the weird saketini (cocktails mixed of sake, Bombay blue, and curacao) and smoothies.
We started with nachos, followed by poh-piah tord the Sping (spring rolls of Spring), spicy cucumber salad, yum ma-khuea-yaao (spicy eggplant and seafood salad) and squid cakes.
We also ordered the giant scallop and prawn and tomyum goong nam sai (clear sour and spicy prawn soup).
We further sampled the paak boong tord (morning glory tempura with prawn), snow fish, pla kapong khao tord (deep-fried battered sea perch), poo-nim phad prikthai dam (soft shell crab in black pepper sauce), and Japanese fried rice with salmon fillet.
While the portions may not satisfy everyone, the good point is that at least we have room left for desserts in the Summer Chocolate Bar the owner of Spring would like to please our taste buds once more after the scrumptious dinner. Diners may either order their desserts at Spring or enjoy Summer's freshly made desserts where warmer tones and a mouth-watering waft await in the little house next to the Spring.
Both Spring and Summer may seem slightly over-priced in local budget, but its large groups of regulars would disagree. Especially in the evening, all tables are occupied, so you should make a reservation before going there to avoid disappointment.
Spring Dining Room ***1/2
199 Soi Promsri 2
off Sukhumvit Soi 39
Sukhumvit Road
Wattana, bangkok 10110
Tel.: 02.392.2747
Spring and Summer
Open daily : lunch 11:30 am - 2:30 pm, dinner 6 - 11 pm
(Summer Chocolate Bar - open daily: noon to midnight)
Pay (food only for two): around THB 900
4
.Elephant can cookElephant in blue color? No, no, there is no such elephant in the Kingdom. In fact Blue Elephant is a group of Thai restaurants serving probably the best Royal Thai cuisine started in 1980, by a sweet couple Khun Nooror Somany and Mr. Kari Steppe, in Brussels. Today there are fifteen Blue Elephant restaurants worldwide and counting.
Blue Elephant in Bangkok is set in a historical house on the compound of the Thai Chine Building, South Sathorn Road in the heart of Bangkok.
Here are some of the a-roi (delicious) dishes I sampled during my recent visit to the Blue Elephant. Names of the dishes look fusion but I guarantee the taste are authentic Thai cuisine, they are spicy indeed.
I started with Somtum-moo-yang (shredded raw green papaya spicy salad with grilled pork in crushed peanuts dressing), Foie gras with tamarind sauce, and Pearls of the Blue Elephant (a selection of classic Thai favorites) always a pleasure if we have no idea where to start. It is also a good experience to sample the Thai traditional dips such as Tow-jiao-lone (a homemade dip of coconut cream with ground pork and a hint of tamarind sauce, served with salty egg and fresh vegetables).
For mains (serve with brown rice) I never limited myself to just one to two dishes; that night I picked Scallops and mangosteen salad (grilled US scallops, refreshing salad topped with sweet, sour and spicy lemongrass sauce and fresh mangosteen), Nam-tok tuna (seared tuna served with a combination of spicy Thai sauce, a chef Chumpol's creation), Running crocodile (stir-fried crocodile meat with chili, basil, fresh peppercorn and palm hearts, it is spicy), Bamboo fish (fillet of local sea bass marinated with Thai herbs, grilled in a bamboo case), Massaman lamb (a typical dish from southern Thailand of slowly braised NZ lamb in a medium spicy rich curry sauce), and the Forgotten beef curry (thick grilled kho-hun beef in mysterious curry, a recipe from the past), they are all very interesting dishes, and taste good. I love lamb and I like karpaow (Thai basil) hot sauce; so star of the night was, Lamb chop in karpaow sauce.
I didn't forget the soup. For Thai dining, soup goes with the main course and rice. I ordered the Tom-kha-ped-yang (a refreshing soup of roasted duck with young coconut flavored with lemongrass and galangal) instead of the most asked tom-yum-goong (the famous Thai spicy and sour prawn soup). Desserts? Dear, I was so full. But how could I miss the fresh Mango and sweet sticky rice with homemade coconut ice cream.
Blue Elephant has a good selection of wine. For Thai cuisine, I would suggest the red wine, approx. $30-$150, and the spicier the dish the sweeter the wine we should go for.
If you happened to drop by Bangkok and think of an exotic Thai gourmet experience, try Blue Elephant. There the menu is big. I have been there for over twenty times but never sampled all their yummy dishes. Usually I settled with $55 (Thai baht 2,000) without wine for two to three persons.
Blue Elephant Bangkok ****
233 South Sathorn Road
Sathorn, Bangkok 10120
Tel.: 02.673.9353
Blue Elephant
Open daily : lunch 11:30 am - 2:30 pm, dinner 6:30 -10:30 pm
Pay (food only for two): expected THB 1,600
