By the restaurant's facade appearance and clientele, I was once been misled that T.S. Cuisine is a 'tourist-class' restaurant. So for many years I didn't bother to give it a straight look, until my foodie friend reminded me that my prejudice is probably not realistic. Recently the Northern runoffs threatening the capital scared foreign tourists away from Bangkok, and it is locals eating at T.S. Cuisine; indeed it serves authentic and affordable Thai cuisine with a solid Southern twist on the home-cooking approach. Within a month, I went there several times, with my local friends and my visiting friends in separate occasions. They all love the food there.
deep-fried shrimp patties (tord mun goong) and fish patties (tord mum pla) THB180 fresh vegetables and fried chopped beef with chili and herbs (kua-kling neua) THB 100 salad, Thai fern, dried shrimp, minced pork in spicy dressing (yum pak-kud) THB 80 stir-fried sataw beans and chilies with prawns (sataw phad prik goong) THB 150 deep fried sea bass in chili sauce (pla kapong tord rad prik) THB 280 southern style red curry with seaood (chu-chee talay) THB 150 stir-fried liang leaves with eggs (phad bai liang) THB 60 brown rice, fish soup southern style (tom yum pla) THB 100 Krua Thaksin (T.S. Cuisine) ***1/2 The Co-Co Walk Ratchathewi Phayathai Road Ratchathewi, Bangkok 10400 Tel.: 02.656.6703
Open daily : 11 am - 11 pm Pay (food only for two): around THB 450
Malai Coffee House also has Western and Thai breakfast set and a la carte on offer, but usually it is the restaurant's renowned khao tom set that wins my order. Today, I intended to be rebellious on my routine at the Malai Coffee House and I ordered a breakfast set. I found it is not bad!
Breakfast set ***1/4 Malai Coffee House The Malaysia Hotel 54 Soi Ngamduplee off Rama IV Road Sathorn, Bangkok 10120 Tel.: 02.679.7127
Open daily 24 hours Pay (breakfast for two): around THB 250
The aging Malaysia Hotel in Bangkok's Sathorn district is definitely not on my list of recommended venues, but the midnight khao tom (boiled rice soup) set, on offer at its coffee shop - the Malai Coffee House, is one of my favorite supper choices due to both its good quality and very affordable price.
Midnight khao tom dining ****1/2 Malai Coffee House The Malaysia Hotel 54 Soi Ngamduplee off Rama IV Road Sathorn, Bangkok 10120 Tel.: 02.679.7127
Open daily 24 hours Pay (khao tom set for two 10 pm - 6 am): THB 150+ (choices of 3 dishes with a big pot of boiled rice soup)
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Cafe Primo, owned by a food enthusiast dessert chef - Ms Sandy, also a Le Condon Bleu graduate, had fixed me many meals while I lived in the nearby neighborhood few years ago. Since I moved to another corner of the C.B.D., I now seldom eat at this pond-side restaurant. Until recently I picked up a rumor from my business source, that the landlord - the Crown Property Bureau, of whom Cafe Primo leased the land from, will summon that the land and the Cafe has to be vacant before the end of December (yes, this year). A couple of days ago I returned to see my old friend - Cafe Primo, and did the last supper for the cafe.
Cafe Primo by Sandy *** Langsuan Soi 3 off Ploenchit Road Pathumwan, Bangkok 10330 Tel.: 02.632.1637
Open daily : lunch 12 - 2:30 pm, dinner 5 - 10 pm Pay (food only for two): around THB 700
The St. Regis Hotel, landed in one of the most premium locations in Bangkok, Rajdamri Road, offers prestige dining choices for the business elites and high-so(ciety) housewives. Most of the hotel's restaurant outlets are on the high floors, with spectacular views of the city and racecourse; even a low-so person like me would like to soak in the indulgence, at least for (just) an afternoon.
Afternoon tea set ***3/4 The St. Regis Bar and the Drawing Room The St. Regis Bangkok 159 Rajdamri Road Pathumwan, Bangkok 10330 Tel.: 02.207.7777 St. Regis Bar and the Drawing Room
Open daily : 12 pm (noon) - 1 am (Fri & Sat 2 am) Pay (afternoon tea set for two): St. Regis set, THB 950++
UCC Cafe, a Japanese brand, is probably Thailand's first foreign coffee chain established in Bangkok, long before Starbucks landed in the Kingdom. Besides coffee and drinks, UCC Cafe offers neo-Japanese cuisine, with selective Thai dishes in addition, and choices of classic comfort food for the high-so(ciety) Siam kids, but not for foodies.
Before Starbucks existed, UCC Cafe (Siam Center branch) was my regular 'meeting-point' with friends, due to its very convenient and visible location in Siam Center.
UCC Cafe' City 21 *** Shop H6, 1/F Siam Center 989 Rama I Road Pathumwan, Bangkok 10330 Tel.: 02.658.1716 UCC Coffee
(and branches throughout the Kingdom)
Open daily : 10 am - 9 pm Pay (food only for two): around THB 400
Secret Recipe, a chain cafe for casual dining and cake shop from Malaysia, has food of television-meal standard and their cakes were not great when they launched in 2004. Over time, the big-cut cakes have had nice improvements, though the food is still served as a punishment for my taste buds.
Secret Recipe *** G/F Siam Paragon Shopping Center 991 Rama I Road Pathumwan, Bangkok 10330 Tel.: 02.610.7626 Secret Recipe
and in major shopping centers in Bangkok and upcountry
Open daily : 10 am - 9 pm Pay (cakes only for two): around THB 250
