Ruea Thong

401
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Meal on the golden boat

Bangkok's hip and chic Thonglo area is growing at light-speed in recent years. On its restaurant scene, we witness the never ending opening (and never ending closing down) of fancy newbies, and boring chains, sprawl into Thonglo soi by soi for the pre-partying clubbers and the high-so(ciety) hipsters. Nevertheless foodies in the neighborhood still stick to a few trusted old names, like Ruea Thong, which is a small shop-house eatery (on corner of Thonglo Soi 17) that is honored by time, the food there made her standing strong in the area for season after seasons.

For a place that Thais will find their grandmas' recipes and to please the palate throughout a meal, Ruea Thong is always one of the top choices in Thai cuisine; Ruea Thong (literally boat golden) is one of my favorite restaurants to crave for scrumptious home-style cuisine.


nam-prik ong makam, THB 100, fresh vegetables with tamarind relish dipping
pla salid tord, THB 130, salid fish, deep-fried to perfection, crispy but moist

yum makheua yao, THB 100, eggplant salad with spicy fish sauce dressing
pik gai tord, THB 90, deep fried chicken wings, crispy, light and aromatic

gaeng khua hoy khom, THB 90, red curry with small sea cockcle
(classic curry dish, easy to cook, difficult to have it good, key is in the paste, eight
out of ten restaurants in Bangkok do awful gaeng khua, but Ruea Thong's is superb)

phad yod fak meaw, THB 90, stir-fried chayote leaves, young and crispy
a portion of Thai pomelo, complimentary

gaeng som cha-om-tord, THB 90, sour curry with fern-leaves omelet, yummy!

Ruea Thong Thai Restaurant ****1/4
351/2 Soi Thonglo (corner Thonglo Soi 17)
Sukhumvit 55 Road
Wattana, Bangkok 10110
Tel.: 02.185.2610

Open daily : lunch 11:30 am - 2 pm, dinner 5 - 11 pm
Pay (food only for two): around THB 400

Artur

400
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Art of meat

Artur Kluczewski, the person who is responsible for a few successful restaurants in Bangkok, now runs his own steakhouse in the heart of downtown Bangkok; yes, it is that talk-of-the-town Manhattan style steakhouse with a Parisian touch on Soi Tonson - the Artur. Someone called it a retro French restaurant that serves excellent New York style steak. Either way, Artur is the rare culinary gift to Bangkokians.

Just like most luxury restaurants will do a budget luncheon to keep epicures aware and to lure non-regulars to their dinner, Artur offers two lunch sets, a weight-watcher lunch set at THB 290++, and a 3-course business lunch set at THB 490++. Both are great value for money. And the food, impeccable!



Artur Restaurant ****1/4
G/F Bliston Suwan Park View
9 Soi Tonson
Ploenchit Road
Pathumwan, Bangkok 10330
Tel.: 02.658.6288

Open daily : lunch 11:30 am - 2pm, dinner 6 - 10 pm
Pay (food only for two): expect THB 6,000
(weekdays lunch set from THB 290++)

Chu

399
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Experimental dough

Chu, probably from the name churro, the snack joint that has been claimed to be the only churros specialty in Bangkok, had its debut a year ago at Asok intersection's Exchange Tower. Churro, a.k.a. Spanish doughnut, a deep-fried dough snack that is very popular in Spain, Latin America, and the southern border States of the US, especially in Southern California, where Latin Americans have a strong hold in the areas. It is probably the Spanish answer to Thailand's infamous (an enemy to health conscious diet) bak-tong-kou, and Hong Kong's yau-ja-gwai, both go well with the jok (congee) for breakfast.

Chu also claimed to have a chocolate specialty, with the ingredients sourced from France. I found that the 58% dark chocolate drink was lacking in aroma, though it was strong enough for a chocolate lover like me. The hot chocolate got along well with my order of churros with cinnamon icing, which was nicely deep fried, crispy outside, but watery soft inside without a little chewy texture of the dough; the dough was lacking of the aroma that it should have. Perhaps the chef should take a Christmas vacation to Los Angeles, which is the temple of churros in the US, to sample some.

As for the other desserts and drinks, some were good while a few were horrible. I hope that the owner doesn't run an experimental kitchen and have customers paid to be his guinea pigs.

Service in Chu is slow, robot style and pretentious.


French 58% hot chocolate, THB 120+, rich but not aromatic!

bratwrust and onion sandwich, THB 110+ half, stingy serving of sauteed onion, pale
bratwrust (not grilled) chopped into CN style small pieces, someone who doesn't eat
sandwich did this, so we can tell how much they understand about making a sandwich!

churros, THB 90+, a familiar name, but not the familiar texture and taste!

Chu chocolate truffle cake, THB 135+, no comment, just won't eat it again!
facebook crepe cake with berry sauce, THB 120+, the sauce is better than the cake ..

vanila mikeshake, THB 120+, I like it, because it has a very '60's Dairy Farm' taste
dark chocolate, THB 120+, not ugly, simply Chu has a good ice cream supplier

Chu **1/4
Unit 204, 2/F Exchange Tower
388 Sukhumvit Road
Klongtoey-nua, Bangkok 10110
Tel.: 02.663.4554

Open daily : 7:30 am (Sat & Sun 9 am) - 9 pm
Pay (food only for two): around THB 500

Palazzo

398
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Palace of a shabby-genteel raja

Bangkok has a carnival of around two hundred Italian restaurants in town, some run by native Italian restaurateurs, others owned by enthusiastic local or foreign investors. No matter which one they are, furious competition is a common obstacle in the running of them. Many high end restaurants roll out quality lunch sets at a bargain price to keep customers aware and to lure them into dinner, which has more expensive menus.

Palazzo Ristorante and Wine Bar, a popular wine and dine joint in Thonglo for the high-so(ciety) locals who love wine at an affordable price, does a four-course lunch set at just THB 350++. The set consists of an all-you-can-eat antipasti, a soup, a choice of mains, and desserts followed by coffee or tea.

Those who still do a two-course lunch set at THB 500 or more shall feel the heat!









Weekdays lunch set ***1/2
Palazzo Ristorante and Wine Bar
335 Thonglo Soi 17
Sukhumvit Soi 55
Wattana, Bangkok 10110
Tel.: 02.712.9900

Open daily : lunch 11:30 am - 2:30 pm, dinner 6 - 11 pm
Pay (food only for two): around THB 3,000 (lunch set THB 350++)

397

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

Witch Pie Factory

396
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Bewitching taste in every pie

If people call this place the Bangkok Best Pie, I would have no objection!






The Witch Pie Factory ****1/2
14/45 Sukhunvit Soi 65
off Sukhumvit Road
Wattana, Bangkok 10330
Tel.: 02.391.1311
Witch Pie

Open daily : 9 am - 6 pm
Pay (food only for two): around THB 400