Hungry in Bangkok

Duc de Praslin @ The 9 community mall

2012-02-03T20:21:00.000-08:00

We had lunch at the new community mall 'The 9' on Rama 9. After lunch I had a feeling for something sweet after lunch. We noticed a Belgium chocolatier opened a chocolate & dessert place on the first floor. Since I am a chocoholic....we needed to try it out.

The chocolate & dessert place is called 'Duc de Praslin (pronounced pralin with out the 's'). The concept & philosophy of Duc de Praslin is bring the 'true & classic' way of making Belgium chocolates to Thailand.

Duc de Praslin brings in the best cocoa mass from around the world like Ecuador, Costa Rica or Peru (plus many more) and makes the different types of chocolates here in Thailand...amazing!

The architecture and design of Duc de Praslin (in my opinion the best at The 9) is simple but has so many details. Such as the elevated floor, wooden beamed ceilings and sanded down wooden floors. Plus the unique lighting fixtures of upside down pails on poles which adds a bit of fun & quirkyness to a place that is serious about making fine chocolates.

I ordered the warm chocolate cake set. For 139 baht the set came with the warm chocolate cake and a hot chocolate. What is very nice about the place is that they were very flexible when I asked if I can have the set with a hot Lavazza coffee instead; they were very kind to allow so.

The warm chocolate cake was moist & plump. The cake had a rich taste of chocolate and the lovely added topping of a caramel cream. A nice mixture of tastes and textures (the chocolate chunks on the sides).

Duc de Praslin has a big menu of chocolate smoothies which are so much better, richer and more flavourful than say Au Bon Pain or even Starbucks.

But what is really interesting is the large selection of 'hot chocolate' recipies that are served at Duc de Praslin. I think it is the only place in Bangkok or even Thailand that has the most selection of hot chocolates to choose from. Each one is so different from the other but all have one thing in common...rich chocolate taste and a smooth & think feel in the mouth.

What's more impressive is that they are not overly sweet which I hate. This is due to that the fact that they do not use powder chocolate but real chocolate. You choose the percentage of chocolate cocoa you want in your hot chocolate. Amazing!

A wide selection of home made praslins for any one who has a chocolate obsession.

More chocolate selections for anyone who does not want praslin. My ultimate favourite are the Orangettes in dark chocolate. I eat that stuff by the kilo.

Desserts to choose from. From left to right....Home-made brownies, apple crumbble (my personal favourite...so so so good), chocolate souffle and clafoutis. I heard from the staff that Duc de Praslin will be bringing different desserts every month. That's not fair to my diet.

The huge selection of chocolate bars. The chocolate bars are made with the chocolate of origin and different percentage of cocao...for example Costa Rica or Peru with 64% or Ecuador with 71%.

Overall; a really nice place at The 9 for a cup of coffee; hot chocolate, desserts or chocolate passion. The place has really interesting design and decor. The staff is so friendly and efficient. The store manager K'Koko (a huge coincidence) is a very nice and really knows her desserts. She really understands what hospitality really means.

My goal is to try every hot chocolate on their menu as well as try as many desserts they have...oh did I mention that I am a chocoholic?

The 9 Mall

999 Rama 9

Bangkok 10110

02 619 7167 907

Meert (Paris, France)

2011-09-24T22:44:00.000-07:00

After lunch; we decided to walk to one of the oldest candy shops in Pairs for dessert…Meert. It has been open since 1761….quite amazing!

Why would we walk to a candy shop for dessert you ask? Well; Meert has something that is very unique and absolutely delicious. Something that is rare in Paris.

One of the lovely window displays of their fine, delectable and beautiful products. The hint of why people all over Paris walk to Meert is at the bottom left of this photo.

The very cute & adorable seasonal window display. In those red boxes are the amazing & delicious reason why the store was packed when we arrived.

Here are the culprits of our journey to Meert. The freshly home made Gauffres (waffles) sandwiched with either a raspberry or vanilla cream. These are not the same waffles you get on the streets of Paris. These are fine, thin and soft. We chose the vanilla cream because it is the classic flavor (you have to eat these amazing waffles right away…they do not travel well).

I also could not resist buying several packages of home made bonbons and caramels (uummm; which cost me my life's savings…it is amazing how expensive caramels are).

Overall: Meert was a beautiful confiserie. for some reason you can feel the heritage of the brand: the fun & beautiful detailing of the shop included drawings on the walls of different sweets, the tall glass jars nestled with sugar coated goodies, the glistening packaging with colored foils and shiny satin ribbon, or the dizzying array of confections including flavored colored marshmallows, chocolates, caramels, confitures, spice bread, cookies, biscuits, jelly candies, candied chestnuts, glazed fruits, and chocolate covered orange peel & whole oranges. No matter what your heart desired to satisfy your sweet tooth; they had it.

One of the reasons why I love Paris are these hidden beautiful gems which are scattered all over Paris and have something really wonderful to offer. While everyone or every tourist goes to Ladurée and to wait in queue for an hour just for macaroons…I would rather walk to Meert and have one of these scrumptious gaffers any day. Can't wait to go back for more.

Address: 16 Rue Elzevir, 75003
Phone: 01 49 96 56 90

Metro: Saint Paul

Glou (Paris, France)

2011-09-20T02:44:00.000-07:00

We were in Le Marais area to do some shopping...we wanted to have a quick, inexpensive but good lunch. We always liked Glou so decided to go there again. Lucky for us they had a table available because the place is normally packed for lunch.

The decor is simple & nice. Light wood tables contrast with dark wood chairs. The wall decor is a great idea in terms of show casing the wines and specials of the day. The room is spacious and has high ceilings and lots of sunlight coming in for natural light.

We took the lunch menu at 15 euros which consisted of a starter & a main dish.

We both stared with the Quinoa salad. The quinoa salad was ok...nothing special. It actually could have been from a 'ready' made pack from Metro. A disappointing start.

My friend had the Bonito tuna with braised leeks. My goodness; the tuna was sooooo overcooked that it was hardly eatable. You do not have to be a great chef to know that you never over cook fish. What on earth was this chef thinking or not thinking at all. Simply awful. The leaks were mushy...like baby food. Whaaaaaa (that is a crying baby sound).

I had the Pork fillet with fried potatoes. Luckily for the chef...the pork was a bit better but was also overcooked. Oh my! The pork was of good quality though. But this was no dish to write home about. Too bad!

Overall; we were really disappointed in the quality of the cooking at Glou this time. For some reason; there was not much attention to details as there used to be. The service was still friendly but not as attentive as it used to be. This is a shame and we have decided this gives us good reason to try other places now in Le Maris so that we can find a place that has consistent good food & service and of course reasonable prices.

Address: 101 Rue Vieille du Temple, 75003
Tel.: 01 42 74 44 32
Open Daily 12pm-2:30pm, 8pm-11pm
Subway: Saint-Sébastien - Froissart

L'Agapé Substance (Paris, France)

2011-09-18T01:06:00.001-07:00

We have heard soooo much about L'Agapé Substance that we had to try it. The buzz was all around that it was one of the most highly anticipated 2011 restaurant openings in Paris, the new L’Agape Substance was one of the most exciting new contemporary French dining venues in the city.

It was a lovely Parisian night with good weather; the streets of St. Germain was swarming with people having drinks on the side walks as we leisurely walked to our dinner destination. L'Agapé Substance is tucked away in a sleek, modern and intimate space in Paris’ Saint Germain district. The restaurant was so discrete that I walked passed it at first. The front windows are frosted so I actually did not see or even notice that it was a restaurant.

Once entering the restaurant; we noticed how small but long the space is. Another aspect of the place is that it is very modern in design. Steel, glass & wood. With only 24 seats, no wonder you have to reserve a table several weeks in advance. All the tables & chairs are raised so it is like counter sitting.

The highly talented young chef, David Toutain, brings serious cooking credentials to the table through his time working in some of the world’s best kitchens – from the incredibly famous Marc Veyrat, to L’Arpege, Mugaritz and New York’s Corton.

L'Agapé Substance only offers a 'carte blanche' 14 course dinner menu (11 savoury & 3 sweet) at 99 euros (not including wine)....OUCH! But hey; we are in Paris, its a lovely evening, the reviews have been fantastic and we live once...so why not INDULGE?

The amuse bouche was Persil; an aromatic plant of the Jura made into a sponge and mousse.

The next dish was Gazpacho with basilic powder and a wild root of liquorice.

The next dish was a Perfectly cooked Fresh hen egg, verveine foam and fresh almond.

The next dish was Spoonful of delectable Crab, consommé of North sea grey shrimp & pomplemousse confit.

The next dish was Oyster topped with pain grillé mousse.

The next dish was Green beans, eel with red miso.

The next dish was Baby carrot with an emulsion of galangal & carrot leaves.

The wine that accompanied our meal was a 2009 Morgan.

The next dish was Filet de Rouget with artichoke & miel doux.

The next dish was Seasonal mushrooms with fresh hazel nuts.

The next dish was Pigeon with emulsion of corn, turnip and wild cumin.

The break in the meal was Laguiole.

The pre-dessert was Pear and salt.

The pre-pre-dessert was Basil cream with red fruits and a ginger biscuit.

The dessert was Chocolate dirt.

Because the restaurant was long and narrow; they did something that was very clever and something I have not seen in Paris...mirrors on the ceiling so that customers can see the chefs making their masterpieces. A great talking point and entertaining part of the evening.

Overall; Chef Toutain brought equal measures of creativity, technical precision, surprise and restraint throughout the delicious evening “carte blanche” tasting menu which showcases the season’s finest ingredients.

Like gastronomic ninjas, the black-clad chefs construct exquisite creations in the state-of-the-art open kitchen; it was amazing how silent and graceful they were at work. The food was amazingly delicious...be it the crab with grey shrimp consommé; or a melt-in-your-mouth rouget; all the dishes were cooked to perfection. The fresh ingredients, herbs & spices were thought-out and added great contrast of taste & flavours in each dish. The multiple desert courses were equally interesting, beautiful & sublime.

The service is spot on (though I thought a bit pushy on the expensive wines rather than suggesting something that more accompanies the food), very friendly and patiently explained all the dishes to the excited customers. They were also playful by showing or demonstrating the fresh herbs they were using.

I thought the lighting in the room was waaayyy to bright (which was great for my photo taking) so making the atmosphere in the room more harsh, which is already cold from the modern decor. The high tables & chairs does add more drama to the whole experience but since our dinners last for up to three hours; it is not comfortable at the end.

An amazing experience just because it was so different. However; I have to say this was the most expensive dinner we have had a in long time in Paris. A 99 euro 'carte blanche' menu is a rarity in terms what we are willing to pay for...comparing to all the places we often go to. But; we just had to experience this once and it was so worth it.

Address: 66 rue Mazarine, 75006
Tel.: 01 43 29 33 83
Open Tuesday to Saturday for lunch and dinner
Metro: Odeon
Site: www.agapesubstance.com

Domaine du Pas De L'Escalette (Poujols, France)

2011-09-07T00:05:00.000-07:00

We needed to pick up some wines at what is considered one of the best vineyards in the Languedoc...Domaine du Pas De L'Escalette. Lucky for us that the domain is only a 25 minute drive away from where we are. It was a lovely sunny day for a drive and to visit a nice domaine.

Domaine du Pas De L'Escalette's methods, processes & philosophy: Ten hectares (25 acres) of vines are planted on stone walled terraces known locally as 'clapas', nestling in the 350 metre (1150 ft) hillsides at the foot of the Larzac plateau. We care for the limestone scree covered land as naturally as possible using plant based infusions. We work the soil and pick the grapes by hand, carrying them in small open weave baskets to the winery where they are sorted and de-stemmed. Fermentation takes place in wooden conical casks. Half the wine is then matured in vats, the remainder in oak casks.

The gorgeous cave made of Pont du Gard stone. We only heard how beautiful the cave; finally, we got to see it for our own eyes. It reminded us very much of being in Napa or Sonoma Valleys where the caves tend to be more modern in form, visually eye catching and yet blends well into the surroundings.

The cute domaine labradors...11 year old Syrah (in the back standing) and little puppy Grenache (in the front laying).

The wine maker Delphine took us on a tour of their plots which are scattered all over the mountains. They are so post card perfect. Lush, green and stunningly beautiful.

The vineyard's features, combined with the altitude, the deep limestone and clay soil and temperate climate make it a perfect place for great wines to thrive. (www.pasdelescalette.com)

A view of the valley where some of their plots are located.

The view of the plots facing the top of the mountain.

The vineyard with limestone.

The wines that are on offer at the vineyard. The price and quality ratio for these wines are amazing...meaning; such affordable wines with the highest quality. So so good.

Julien Zernott & Delphine Rousseau are the wine makers and owners of Domaine du Pas De L'Escalette. They are some of the nicest wine makers and people you will ever meet. They greeted us with friendliness and were charming. Even though they are very busy people (it is almost harvest time for them); they took us on a tour of their vineyard and talked to us about their wines whole time we were there. Their passion for wine is catchy and intelligence about wine is incredible. No wonder they are making some of the best wines in the area. They deserve all their success.

Site: www.pasdelescalette.com

Domaine Alain Chabanon harvest Pt.2 (Montpeyroux, France)

2011-09-05T00:53:00.000-07:00

In part one of Alain Chabanon's harvest we were in the vineyards. In part two; Alain allows us to watch what is happening in the cave. The process here is they will hand sort the grapes before they go into the vat.

The grapes waiting to be unloaded onto the conveyer belt.

The team that is carefully working with and watching over the grapes so that no foreign substances go into the vat.

After the first check, the grapes will fall onto another conveyer belt.

Down they go!

The grapes fall into the swirling machine that will gently separate the grapes from the stems.

The separated stems are escorted out from one exit and the separated grapes fall onto the conveyer belt where another person hand checks to make sure that only the best grapes go into the vat.

This is the white wine fermenting. It actually looks disgusting! It is alive and moving. It looks like it is a monster from a horror movie or a giant oozing brain....believe me it looks disgusting. But what is amazing is that the best white wine will be coming out of this stuff. Can't wait.

www.alainchabanon.com

La Table d'Aurore (Saint-Guilhem le Désert, France)

2011-09-04T09:50:00.000-07:00

We had friends visiting from Geneva so we decided to play tourists and take them to the world famous and UNESCO protected Saint-Guilhem le Désert. But before taking them on a tour of the Saint-Guilhem le Désert...of course we had to have a nice lunch. The only good restaurant in the area is La Table d’Aurore in the Hôtel Le Guillaume d'Orange.

La Table d'Aurore has indoor & outdoor dinning; but in the summer of course everyone prefers to sit outside in the terrace under the shade of lovely ancient plane trees.

We all took the 3 course lunch menu at 28 euros.

My dish was persillade écrevisses. The écrevisses are from the river near by; so I wanted to have a local dish. The écrivisses were cooked in a white wine with garlic and persil. The meat of these little beast was so tender and juicy. The garlic and persil added the wonderful flavour. Of course eating any shell fish is a messy job; but, it was a finger licking good mess.

My friend had the Bone marrow. The bone marrow was enormous (my labradors would have loved it as well). The combination of the bone marrow on lightly toasted bread is a pair made in heaven. Very yummy.

My other friend had the Terrine of fois gras. The fois gras we firm yet soft & creamy. The flavour of the fois gras was pleasant and it went very well with the toasted bread.

La Table d'Aurore is always full when the weather is nice.

We all had the Fillet steak. The steak was of good quality and was cooked to what we asked for. The meat was tender & juicy. Nothing to complain about...well actually, I know ratatouille is an easy thing to make for a side dish because the vegetables are plentiful and abundant in the area. But, I find this side dish not appetizing.

The regional cheese platter. As usual; its difficult to find bad cheese around here, so we were glad they served some good cheeses from the area.

The lovely ambiance and views of the mountains behind.

The very cute guard dog welcoming all the guest.

Overall; as usual, a lovely atmosphere and ambiance. The views the mountains and lush greenery all around add more to the stunning view. The setting is charming, the food is good and the service is friendly. However; since the place was packed, the kitchen could not keep up with the orders. Our three course lunch ended up to be three hours. That was waaayyy tooo long. But then again, we were on holiday...sitting under trees in the south of France, so we did not gripe too much.

Address: 2 Avenue Guillaume d'Orange, 34150 Saint-Guilhem-le-Désert

Telephone: 33 4 67 57 24 53

Site: www.guilhaumedorange.com

Folia- Château de Flaugergues (Montpellier, France)

2011-09-03T09:28:00.000-07:00

We just heard that the Folio Restaurant Château de Flaugergue in Montpellier was really good. We had to go to Montpellier anyway to do some errands so we decided to have a nice lunch in the city as well.

Built at the end of the XVII century, Flaugergues is one of the so-called 'Follies', built in the countryside around Montpellier. 'Houses in the Foliage', they were the result of a new order of aristocracy, whose wealth came from their service to the King. Planted in the heart of rural domains, they are surrounded by magnificent gardens. They would also become the summer residences of the rich and famous of Montpellier during the XVIII century (www.flaugergues.com).

Folio Restaurant itself was born of a meeting between the talented chef, Thierry Alix, and the landowners, the Colberts. The Folia is Flaugergues’ only restaurant. Their philosophy is to strive everyday to offer their customers a market cuisine. The products are fresh and the menus are made in accordance with the seasons.

I took the 3 course lunch menu at 19.00 euros.

The first dish was Tomate confit with blue cheese. This was one of the most amazing dishes I had in a long time...and it was just a cold tomato. Go figure! But the taste of the tomato was out of this world. It was so fresh and so full of flavour. All the ingredients complemented each other. The dish was so so simple and so so good!

My main dish was Veal stew with pappardelle pasta. Another simple dish and was it was hearty & tasty. The veal was so tender and the pasta soaked up all the flavourful sauce. I always love and enjoy these kind of dishes.

My friend had the Steak tartare (15.00 euros). The hand chopped steak tartare was amazingly yummy. The raw meat was of the highest quality & very tender. The flavours were Asian influenced with ginger & lemon grass with a slight taste of sesame oil & soy sauce (plus all the other normal ingredients that go into making a tartare). We thought this was one of the best tartares we have had in a long time...not just because of the quality but because of its uniqueness in using Asian flavours. Really really good.

Overall; the food was really good at Folio. Simple, seasonal and tasty. Prices were so reasonable; the price/quality ratio was just right. The service was friendly & efficient. The atmosphere was easy-going & cozy. This is going to be one of our 'to eat' places in Montpellier for sure.

Address: Folio Château de Flaugergues - 1744, avenue Albert Einstein - 34000 Montpellier

Telephone: 04.99.52.66.35

Open from Monday to Friday: Services from 11:30 am to 2:30 pm

Site: www.folio@flaugergues.com

Domain Alain Chabanon harvest (Montpeyroux, France)

2011-09-01T09:03:00.000-07:00

The main reason we are in the south of France...in the beautiful Languedoc region is because the harvest of the Domaine Alain Chabanon vineyyard. The domain is in the small town of Montpeyroux.

Today; early in the morning, we visited the Merlot grape plot. It was a beautiful, sunny, clear sky with a light breeze day. It is so wonderful to be in the south of France.

Alain prunes his vineyards very hard and use no fertilizer which means not only that the goodness is well concentrated in top quality grapes, but also that his yields are very low, varying between 23 and 30 hectolitres per hectare.

The hand-picked Merlot grapes in buckets ready to be taken to the cave for hand sorting.

I could not resist eating the Merlot grapes...they were so sweet and juicy.

Alain grows five grape varieties for red wines : Syrah, Mourvèdre, Grenache, Merlot and Carignan. The vines vary from 6 – 30 years old, and he selects the grapes very carefully depending on the character of each wine : their age and exactly where they grow really does make a difference!

This is what the wine maker Alain believes in: we pick all our grapes by hand – and we pick in the morning (even the reds) from 7am until midday to be sure they stay fresh. Then they are taken to the winery in small open weave baskets, where we hand sort them meticulously on sorting tables to be quite certain that no bad grapes or foreign bodies enter the vats.

Because of Alain's philosophy in wine making; I personally think Alain makes some of the best wines in the Languedoc.

www.alainchabanon.com

La Crèmerie (Paris, France)

2011-08-31T08:42:00.000-07:00

We wanted to have lunch at Le Comptoir at St. Germain (one of 'THE' bistros in town). But first, we parked the car at Le Bon Marché to take a look at the épicerie (it is something we always do when we are in Paris). We walked from Le Bon Marché to St. Germain. After a nice walk, passing Eglise St. Sulpice, when we turned around the corner, we were shocked to see a queue of people waiting for a table at Le Comptoir. There are no reservations at Le Comptoir; its first come first serve. It looked like it would take at least an hour before we would get a table.

We were too hungry to queue for a table. But my friend remembered that there was a quaint little restaurant 50 meters away. The place is called La Crèmerie. It is a very well known secret among the foodies who want very good but very simple food. We were very lucky that there was a table available for us and we were actually glad that Le Comptoir was too busy. It gave us a chance to finally try La Crèmerie.

La Crèmerie get its name because the restaurant used to be a crèmerie. There are still traces of it's former glory as a crèmerie such as cows on the faux stained ceiling (which was very cute by the way).

La Crèmerie is a very small place. It has only five tables and a counter with four high stools. There are sausages & hams hanging, there are wines on the walls and there are canned and preserved foods on the shelves.

The concept of the place is that first of all...the food is to be shared. No single dishes exist or is allowed. The portions are copious. The food served are cold cuts, smoked fish or meats, pates, cheeses, etc. There is no cooking involved. However; the food that is served is supposedly the very 'best' that France has to offer. Therefore; the prices are a bit higher.

The first dish was Smoked Tuna with crème fraîche (19 euros). This has been the first time we had smoked tuna in Paris and it was an amazing treat. The tuna was so tender and flavourful.

The second dish was Ham (24 euros). We could not believe the amount of ham that arrived at our table but no one was complaining that was for sure.

Display of some of the food they serve in the restaurant.

The very nice design & atmosphere of La Crèmerie.

Overall; we really felt like we were in Paris. This is really a homey, cozy & unique restaurant in the St. Germain area. The owner who was working also as the 'chef' if you can call him that; and I am supposing the lady serving was his wife were very easy going about the whole thing. It was really like eating in their home.

The prices seem high but as mentioned, the owner only serves the very best hams, sausages, cheeses, smoked meats & fishes, etc. etc. that France has to offer. At the same time; the portions are so big that as you can see; we could only eat two dishes for our lunch...and we were stuffed (well the delicious bread & fresh butter also helped in doing that).

Opening hours: Monday to Saturday - 10h to 22h. Closed Sunday and Monday

Address: 9, rue des Quatre Vents, Paris 75006

Métro: Odeon

Telephone: 01 43 54 99 30

Site: www.lacremerie.fr

Septime (Paris, France)

2011-08-28T08:19:00.000-07:00

We decided already where we wanted to eat our first dinner back in Paris...Septime. A friend of ours tweeted that he just ate at Septime and that it was one of the best meals he has ever had in Paris. Our friend is a very trusted foodie, so with a 'tweet' like that...we had to try Septime.

There's plenty of buzz around this new restaurant from young chef Bertrand Grébault, who climbed the ranks at L'Arpège before going on to earn a star at his own at Agapé at the tender age of 27. He was awarded a 10,000 euro grant from Evian-Badoi to realize his vision for Septime, where he hopes to "democratize" haute cusine (parisbymouth.com).

The decor was post industrial ambiance with a simple bistro flare. Wooden tables and chairs with strategic mood lighting but candles on each table added warmth to the room.

We chose the 5 course menu at 55 euros.

The first dish was Tuna from St. Jean de Luze with mousse of cucumber and capers with lemon. The tuna was so fresh and had a vibrant red colour, at first I thought it looked like watermelon slices. The tuna had such a lovely texture and the mousse of cucumber added the sweetness and capers with lemon added the acidity, sourness and saltiness to the tuna. Just lovely.

The second dish was Squid with leeks in squid ink and grilled chorizo. The squid was so fresh and tender. The leeks added a slight bitterness and the chorizo added saltiness. A great combination of flavours.

The third dish was Merlu with broccoli and mousse of pumpkin. The merlu was cooked perfectly. It had a great texture and taste. Such a simple dish but the seasonal flavours & colours really stood out.

The fourth dish was Poularde jaune cooked two different ways with cream of corn, radish balls and grilled bell pepper. The two different cooking ways made this dish very interesting. The poularde was so tender & juicy. The accompanying sides were light in texture but amazingly powerful in flavour.

I had the dessert which was Chocolate fondant with vanilla ice cream. Back to simplicity...no over clever dessert here. The chocolate was of very good quality and the fondant was cooked just perfectly. With the slight touch of my spoon, the melted chocolate oozed slowly onto the plate. A great sight to behold...and taste.

My friend had the special cheese selection. The cheeses were of very good quality, texture and taste. I did forget to ask from which region the cheeses came from.

Even though the restaurant was full...the open kitchen which was amazingly quiet & calm...for all that delicious food coming out it. Very zen!

Overall; this indeed was one of the great meals we have had in Paris. Septime is one of the leaders of a new movement in Paris that focuses on the ingredients and the soul of the food itself. With the culinary genius and an approach to cooking that breathes life into traditional French cooking, chef Grébault is already a favourite of many foodies.

On top of the food, the service of the highest standards. It is rare to come across service that is a total combination of professionalism yet genuine, helpful, friendly, knowledgeable (of the food and especially of the wines) and finally even have a sense of humour...very rare indeed.

The total combination of the most delicious food, reasonable prices, great ambiance and superb service...Septime is now on our regular 'to eat' list!

Address: 80, rue de Charonne, Paris 75011

Telephone: +33 1 43 67 38 29
Métro : Charonne

Toh-Tiew-Toon

2011-08-16T03:43:00.000-07:00

We decided to go see the newly opened community mall on Rama 9 road...The Nine.

Here is how BK Magazine describes The Nine: "Tropical garden-esque and village-themed, The Nine is a semi-outdoor complex with three sections: the Market Village, the West Village and the East Village. But while The Nine has numerous exciting options for eating and drinking, it just can’t compete on the shopping front".

After walking around the mall and looking at all the restaurants; we decided to eat at Toh-Tiew-Toon.

Toh-Tiew-Toon is a Thai Suki restaurant; where you cook your meat & vegetables at your table. The decor is minimalist; creamy white walls with blonde wood & steel legged tables and benches. The tables are cleverly designed with hot pots build into the tables.

So; the idea is you choose either a la carte or set menu. We chose one real Kurobuta pork set (280 baht) and one imported Chuck Eye beef set (280 baht).

The sets included fresh vegetables and herbs to put into the broth. The vegetables & herbs added a nice flavour to the broth and texture to the dish.

The real Kurobuta pork and the pork broth.

The imported Chuck eye beef and the beef broth.

The sets also included rice noodles topped with garlic.

Toh-Tiew-Toon was having a special promotion. If you ordered two sets; you get one 'chuck eye or wagyu beef'. So we took the wagyu beef since we already ordered the chuck eye.

The special home-made sauce. It was really tasty...but really spicy (which was a good thing).

The pork & beef broths starting to boil...so we were ready to cook...and we could not wait eat!!!

Overall; the restaurant was very easy-going & cozy. The meats were very fresh and tasty. Both the pork & beef broths were rich & flavourful. The vegetables & herbs were fresh and crisp. The service was good and the prices were very very reasonable. With a combination like this...no wonder Toh-Tiew-Toon was packed when we were there.

Address: 999, 999/1-4 Rama 9 Rd (second floor)
Phone: 02-716-7845
www.facebook.com/toh-tiew-toon

D-Sens (guest Chef Girard from Whisk Mira Hotel Hong Kong)

2011-08-14T04:31:00.000-07:00

We decided to splurge for dinner and reserved a table at D-Sens at the Dusit Thani hotel because they had a special guest chef in town. Chef Girard from the very famous Whisk...the critically acclaimed fine dining French restaurant at the Mira Hotel in Hong Kong was cooking from the 10 - 14 August.

Here is a clip about the chef of the Asia Tatler: Chef William Girard has worked at some of the finest restaurants in France: Le Bristol, L’Elysee and Taillevent are just a couple. More recently, he was working at the Al Mahara, the Burj Al Arab Dubai’s fine dining restaurant. His cooking philosophy is contemporary French with an Asian twist and he always makes sure not to mix more than three flavours in a dish. Chef Girard hails from the French Basque country.

There was a choice between a 5-course Découverte Menu at 2,400 baht + + and a 7-course Découverte Menu at 2,900 baht + +. Of course we took the 7-course (we are gluttons).

The amuse bouche was a fois gras cream.

The first dish was Tourteaux Crab Cannelloni (avocado, tomato, mango).

The second dish was Steamed Escargot (spinach, red radish, horseradish).

The third dish was Green Asparagus Velouté (smoked salmon maki, quail egg, pistachio pesto).

We were pleasantly surprised that the chef decided to give us one extra dish to try...so the fourth dish was Pan fried scallop (caviar, celery purée).

The wine we decided to pair with the food (which was mainly seafood) was a 2000 La Grande Année Bollinger Champagne. The Bollinger La Grande Année is much more than a simple vintage. It is the interpretation of an outstanding grape harvest. La Grande Année had a majestic feel to it (small bubbles are a good thing), and was intense, rich and had complex aromas...the Bollinger paired so well with the seafood. Tasting a bottle of La Grande Année added to the memorable experience of the evening.

The fifth dish was Maine Lobster (celeriac, raisin, curry emulsion).

The sixth dish was Turbot from Atlantique (zucchini, aioli, Bouillabaisse sauce).

The seventh dish was M4 Wagyu Beef Sirloin “Rossini” (spinach subric, maxim’s truffle potato).

The red wine that accompanied the meat dish was a 2000 Le Merle Aux Alouettes by Alain Chabanon. Today Chabanon is rightly regarded as one of Languedoc’s greatest producer. Le Merle is made from very low-yielding Merlot, and Grenache with a long maceration followed by 24 months in barrique. The 2000 Le Merle was a deep, vivid red colour. The wine was still rich, spicy, dusty nose is distinctively southern France even for a 2000. Quite a chunky, spicy palate with rich fruit and good tannins. Oh one more thing, the 2000 Le Merls was sooooo yummy! Am I allowed to describe wine like that?

The eight dish was Vanilla Mille-feuille “A La Minute” (raspberry sweets & raspberry ice-cream)

Petit fours (lemon tart, lavender marshmallow, chocolate truffle & pistachio macaroon) to accompany the tea or coffee.

Overall; the total experience was very nice. The newly decorated D-Sens now has a better feel to it. It is more cozy, intimate & refined but yet has kept is modernity & has a slight edginess to it. The new colour scheme is calming with ivory, beige, white & cream. The design & architecture is a mix of straight lines yet are broken up with strategic curves...a good contrast. The service was very professional and very good.

The food was the star of the evening. Chef Girard has an amazing talent to wake up the senses with his beautifully crafted food. When the dishes were brought out to the tables; they were a beautiful sight & had pleasant aromas. At the first bite, all the amazing flavours and textures hit the taste buds with a delightful bang. Truly lovely.

Address: 946 Rama IV Road, Bangkok 10500
Phone: 66 (0) 2200 9000

Kuu

2011-08-05T03:27:00.000-07:00

We decided to have lunch at Kuu because they have a very good dish that we like to eat. Kuu is at the very popular K-Village.

The main dinning room was full so we were seated in the back dinning room, which was not bad at all because there was much more natural lighting. The decor is simple and main colour scheme was grey, brown, ivory & black.

My dish was Tonkatsu Ramen (180 baht). The tonkatsu ramen consisted of thick pork bone broth ramen with a deep fried pork cutlet on the side. This broth was rich in flavour and had a smooth texture. The condiments of bamboo, half egg and seaweed added texture and flavour. The tonkatsu that accompanied the dish was nicely deep fried to a golden brown. It was very crispy & flaky on the outside but tender & moist on the inside.

My friend's dish was Kuu Ramen (180 baht). The Kuu ramen consisted of spicy chili and sesame ramen soup served with deep fried pork & minced pork. When the dish was served; we noticed that it was not the normal Kuu ramen that we normally order. Normally; the dish has a deep red colour to indicate the spicy chili and the ground pork was missing from the dish as well.

We called the waitress to complain and told her we have had this dish many time but we don't know what the dish was in front of us was. So; we told her to take back this dish and replace it with what we ordered.

This was the second Kuu ramen that was served. This was the right colour (deep blood red) and spiciness level. We don't know what happened in the kitchen. We noticed that the Japanese chef was not there, perhaps he was on holiday. Therefore, that is probably why there was no 'quality control' when the dishes were leaving the kitchen.

Overall; Kuu's atmosphere & decor is pretty nice, the space is good in terms of volume and height. The service is a bit off balance. The staff is friendly enough; but they need more training. The menus were falling apart and the drink menu was in a disgusting condition. The food is good (when they get it right). We have had better ramen; but the Kuu ramen are unique and that is why we keep returning to Kuu; but they will need to watch the 'quality control' of the food that comes out of the kitchen even when the Japanese chef is not around or they will start losing customers...like us.

address: K-Village, 1st floor, zone A, Sukhumvit soi 26
Bangkok, 10110
phone: 02-661-3840

BKK Bagel Bakery

2011-07-23T08:07:00.000-07:00

Many people have asked me..."Have you been to the bagel place"? And; my answer has always been..."Not yet, but very soon". Anyway; we were having a dim-sum/peking duck lunch at Gaysorn with friends and the discussion came up from the friends we were having lunch with..."Have you been to the bagel place"? That's it! I decided that after our dim-sum/peking duck lunch that we were going to 'the bagel' place for a coffee and a bagel even if we stuffed our faces with too much Chinese food.

The bagel place is called...BKK Bagel Bakery. It has such a following in town (especially with Americans living in Bangkok who I am assuming miss their bagel fix) that when we arrived at BKK Bagel Bakery; there was no seats for us. The place was packed (with Americans).

But then again, the place is very easy to fill up. BKK Bagel Bakery itself is very small (space wise)...I think around 25 square meters, has only five very small tables and a counter with four tall counter stools (this is where we ended up sitting). There is not much decor or ambiance to the place. It is just a cozy hang-out place. No one cares for atmosphere...they come to BKK Bagel Bakery for one thing...the BAGELS.

Since we sat at the counter; we had the perfect view of the chalk board menu as well as the 'special bagel sandwiches' that were printed out on paper and pasted under the chalk board menu. All the bagel sandwiches looked really good & yummy. But, we thought they were on the expensive side...the Tuna melt or the Reuben cost 225 baht. Or the Open-faced tongue sandwich at 200 baht.

Though we were all stuffed from our lunch. We still decided to try a bagel. We first wanted to order one of the bagel sandwich choices, but decided not to order one because it just felt so wrong to be such gluttons. So, instead we decided to share one bagel.

We chose a Sea-salt bagel and a salmon & capers spread to go with it.

Of course; we needed dessert after our big lunch. We had a New York Cheesecake topped with blueberry (95 baht).

The selection of the bagels of the day. I bought two sea-salt bagels for our breakfast (35 baht each bagel).

The selection of the spreads for the bagels. I bought two pots of basic cream cheese to go with our bagels (30 baht each pot).

The selection of daily home made sweets...chocolate cookies (20 baht) on the left, short bread lemon squares (45 baht) on the right and chewy brownies (45 baht) in the back.

It was a big coincidence that one of our lunch friends was visiting Bangkok from New York. So; of course she was THE expert on bagels. At first she was skeptical that Bangkok could have authentic bagels like in New York. But after we tasted one bagel she started to believe.

On top of that; we talked to the owner (a New Yorker). He told us that he did try all the bagels places in New York. But there was one specific place that he thought had the best bagels and wanted to emulate them. The popular bagel place is called Absolute Bagels; a bagel shop on Manhattan’s Upper West Side and you will not believe who actually owns and runs the Absolute Bagels...Thais, that's right...Thais. We thought this was cool & funny at the same time that Thais are running the best bagel bakery in Manhattan.

Overall; we are amazed that it has taken this long to have a decent bagel place in Bangkok. BKK Bagel Bakery does promise proper, boiled-then-baked bagels just like in New York. So no wonder that BKK Bagel Bakery has such a huge American following...but I am sure the rest will follow. The service is friendly but a bit blur (maybe because the place was too busy for them to handle); but I ordered one iced coffee and they brought me two. My friend was kind enough to drink & pay for their mistake. The prices are reasonable for some items but expensive on others. But in the end; from what I saw, no one really minded paying a higher price for bagels in Bangkok than in New York.

Address: G/F, Maneeya Center, 518/3 Ploenchit Rd.
Nearest BTS: Chit Lom
Phone: 02-254-8157
Opening Hours: Mon-Fri 8:30am-6pm; Sat 8:30am-12:30pm
www.bkkbagelbakery.com

99 Restaurant

2011-07-19T20:56:00.000-07:00

One restaurant that has been getting a lot of PR lately is the brand new 99 Restaurant. I am not joking when I say; I practically saw a write-up or story about 99 Restaurant in all the print media I got my hands on in one week. With so much hype...we had to try it.

99 Restaurant is an in-house restaurant of a super duper upscale residence (all owned by a hi-so family) out on Patthanakarn...at first; I had to say 'where?'. It truly seemed like the restaurant was up-country. However; once we arrived, we were pleasantly surprised how lovely the place was.

The concept of 99 Restaurant is to serve Western & Thai comfort food developed by chef Ian Kittichai (one of Bankgok's celebrity chefs) who has made Hyde & Seek famous. The style of the food at 99 Restaurant is very similar to Hide & Seek.

99 Restaurant has a huge (I really really mean huge) tropical garden where there is out-door dining area but it was raining the evening we went so we had to eat inside. The long room is furnished with dark stained garden furniture; which is a smart idea to extend the concept from the outdoor garden to the inside decor.

The floor is covered with dark stone; the walls are covered with dark woods and the restaurant is surrounded by large glass windows. The lighting is strategically placed to give the restaurant a dark & somber ambiance.

The first starter was Organic new seasons green salad...kirk's hydroponics farm, poached egg, asparagus, creamy balsamic (220 baht).

The second starter was Crispy calamari...semolina crusted, zucchini, capers, garlic aioli (230 baht).

The first main dish was White fish of the day...pan-seared whole fish fillet, organic baby vegetables, seafood bisque (395 baht).

The second main dish was The first main dish was Salmon fillet...pan-seared Atlantic salmon, buttered sugar snap peas, safflower-volute (395 baht)..

The dessert was Hot green tea chocolate fondant...green tea creme anglais (120 baht).

Actually; after sitting in the dining room for a while, we realized that the dining room looked like a modern green house.

The entrance of the restaurant has a round wooden table show casing the desserts of the night. Very clever idea to temp us right away when people enter the restaurant.

Then entrance to the restaurant (my camera lens was fogged leaving the restaurant..but I liked the effect to the photo).

The large sign outside to let customers that they have arrived.

Overall; the restaurant had a nice atmosphere, ambiance and a certain charm to it (though it was freezing inside). The decor was well thought out for the lay-out of the place. The food was not the most sophisticated but it was honest comfort food with a twist. The raw ingredients were fresh and of good quality. The food was cooked well and presented well. The flavours of the dishes we had were well balanced and delicious. The prices were reasonable for such a hi-so place. And finally the service was friendly and efficient. All in all; with a combination like all that I mentioned; this was really nice & pleasant place to go. We are already planning to go back so that we can experience the garden dining.

Address: 99 Rama 9 Soi 41
Phone: 02-300-4339
Opening Hours: daily 11am-11pm
www.99-rest.com

Iza

2011-07-15T08:32:00.000-07:00

Every time we drove down soi Thonglor; we noticed that a new Japanese restaurant opened. It is next to The Orient (a Thai restaurant that I need to blog about as well) and is across the street from Tops shopping center. The new restaurant is called Iza which is short for Izakaya.

Iza is a sushi restaurant, part barbecue place and part sake bar all rolled into one, Iza is trying to do it all. The decor is modern & plush; with comfy sofas & chairs, granite tables, chocolate hard wood floor and mood lighting with backlit walls filled with ceramic sake jars, lots of glass, wood and metal. The colour scheme revolves around, chocolate, browns, beiges and black.

Iza has an impressive spiral staircase leading up to the second floor yakiniku dining room. We decided to sit downstairs but did take a sneak peak at the second floor. We were surprised how small the room was compared to the size of the restaurant downstairs.

Iza has a very interesting photo book menu detailing their choice of fusion-focused sushi. Some of the most interestingly named & looking sushi.

The first dish was Maguro Avocado Temaki (180 baht). The tuna, avocado & rice were of good quality, nice textures and good taste. The problem was that the sushi chef did not toast the nori seaweed. So the nori seaweed was limp, soggy & too chewy.

The second dish was Spicy Wonder...salmon, tom-yum, onions, nori (140 baht). This was one of the choices of 'roll of the month'...it sounded interesting so we decided to try it. After having popped a roll into our mouths; at first it had a unique texture & flavour but after chewing, it turned out that the tom-yum was too over powering and salty (not a good thing).

The third dish was Druken Dragon...spicy tuna, asparagus, topped with avocado (380 baht). This was a good & fun looking dish, the ingredients were fresh & good and it tasted very nice.

The next dish was Beef Teriyaki...150 g. (450 baht). The beef was cooked right (which means not over cooked), it was tender & juicy. The only issue we had with this dish was the teriyaki sauce was absolutely yucky. It was too sticky & gooey and it tasted industrial. We think the sauce was not home made and from a bottle...really bad.

The last dish was Grilled Kurrobuta Pork...150 g. (350 baht). The pork was cooked nicely, it was tender & juicy.

Overall; the food was not bad but not the best in town. They did use good raw materials & presented the food well; but when it comes down to the details, Iza was not strong. From the soggy nori seaweed to the horrible industrial teriyaki sauce, these small things will catch up with Iza. People are not stupid and will start talking if Iza does not improve.

On top of this; Iza has an army of staff (actually, I have never seen so many people walk in & out of the kitchen) but for some strange reason, the service is a bit chaotic. No one is talking to each other; after we ordered, two other different staff came to our table to ask if we wanted to order. We ordered hot green tea but it never arrived, so I had to ask another staff.

We probably would think twice to return to Iza...not that it was horrifically bad. It just was not a memorable experience.

Address: 1/F, Somerset, soi Thonglor
Phone: 02-712-7836
Opening Hours: daily 11am-3pm, 6pm-midnight

Sustaina

2011-07-13T04:52:00.000-07:00

We read about a Japanese organic vegetarian restaurant/grocer in the BK magazine. I think it is the first of its kind in Bangkok and probably in Thailand. The restaurant/grocer is called Sustaina. Since we are big supporters of the organic/bio-dynamic eating & drinking movement; we wanted to see what Sustaina was all about.

The grocer is on the first floor and the entrance to the restaurant is on the second floor by using a curved staircase. Sustaina has an orderly & neat atmosphere; everything is so precisely placed and the place is very very clean. The restaurant is plain in terms of decor; they use wicker chairs and wooden tables. The colours are browns, beiges and yellows. Nothing special stands out here. It is just clean and orderly.

The concept of Sustaina is about natural & locally grown organic produce. The restaurant has an extensive menu that is very healthy with options that feature a mix of Japanese and international dishes and NO meat on the menu. The local fish is caught in Rayong.

My friend had a fresh Carrot juice (75 baht) and I had a herb cocktail (photo above) Pineapple & mint soda (65 baht).

My dish was Home made curry with deep fried tuna (medium size 210 baht). You can always tell a home made curry due to its 'thinner' consistency as well as its natural sweetness due to all the fruits and vegetables used for the sauce...which by the way is a lovely way of making the curry. The deep fried tuna was fried to a golden brown; crispy on the outside and tender on the inside.

My friend's dish was Tuna & tofu steak with grated okura (270 baht). The tuna and tofu was really good in term of the texture and flavour. The taste of the dish was nice from the herbs and spices. The only bizarre thing was the grated okura; it made the sauce too slimy...actually, it was simply weird.

For dessert we chose the Sustaina's 'choose any 4 combination petit sweets' (70 baht). Starting from top left (going clock wise); cheese cake, gateau chocolate, fruits pound cake & pumpkin pudding.

The organic grocer with fresh organic fruits, rice, etc. Besides fresh produce; they also have organic dish washing detergent, cleaning products or even 100% natural herbs anti-mosquito incense coils with key ingredients of Lemongrass, Citronella & Bergamot (I bought one for 70 baht...it really smells good).

They have organic shampoos, lotions and soaps...the soaps came in different varietal mixes; Lemongrass mixed with another ingredient or Lavender mixed with something, etc. (I can't remember all of them now...I am getting old), I bought a Aloe vera, Kaffer lime & Olive oil soap (120 baht).

The organic vegetables...all the vegetables found here come from the Harmony Life Organic farm up in Pak Chong, Nakhon Ratchsima. There were Japanese sauces, dressings, home made breads & desserts, etc., etc. And on top of that; organic eggs...we bought a dozen (120 baht).

Overall; since we always have Thai organic vegetarian food, this was a good chance for us to try for the first time, Japanese organic vegetarian food (fish is included in this). It was not bad at all. The food was very fresh, well prepared and was large portions. The juices were very fresh & tasty and the desserts were made with good ingredients (they were not too sweet...which is a good thing) and they were yummy. The staff was attentive and friendly and overall prices were very reasonable; especially for the juices and desserts...super reasonable.

The great thing about Sustaina; (even though it is a Japanese owned restaurant/grocer) is that they not only support organic produce & practices but that they are growing the produce in Thailand. They have their own farms so that they can teach the farmers what 'organic' farming is all about. This in the long run is good for everyone. The farmers will know that this kind of farming is good & healthier for themselves as well as for their land. So...its a win win situation for everyone...especially the end consumers like us.

Address: 2/F, 1/40 Sukhumvit Soi 39
Nearest train: BTS Phrom Phon
Tel.: 02-258-9766
Opening Hours: daily 10:30am-2pm, 5-10pm

Krua Im-Aroy

2011-07-11T03:07:00.000-07:00

It is very rare that my entire department can have lunch together due to everyone having meetings out of the office. So; it was great that the majority of the team was able to have lunch together. We decided to enjoy a good lunch at Krua Im-Aroy.

Krua Im-Aroy is actually not really a restaurant but the chef/ owner turned her home into a lovely restaurant. Once we walked into the drive way; all of a sudden we saw the outdoor kitchen where a car is suppose to be parked.

The chef of Krua Im-Aroy and her team cook up some of the yummiest Thai food around our area. All that lovely food is made in this 'made-up' kitchen. Absolutely amazing.

We reserved the 'sala' for our department; it actually fit all 12 of us. The house has a huge pond and the sala sits right in the middle of the pond.

The first dish was Deep fried Crab omelette.

The next dish was Gaeng-som.

The next dish was Stir fried pork.

The next dish was Stir fried squid & shrimp with vegetables.

The next dish was Curried shrimp with egg yolk.

The next dish was Som-tum with salty egg.

The next dish was Glass noodle with ground pork.

The next dish was the Fried chicken (house specialty).

The next dish was Stir fried pork with thousand year old eggs topped with fried sweet basil.

The next dish was Fried tofu with ground pork & mushrooms.

Krua Im-Aroy turned the patio into the main dinning area of the restaurant.

The Krua Im-Aroy's doggy taking a rest under the kitchen counter.

Overall; not the prettiest restaurant around; but no one cares. It does have its charm due to it having the natural & simplistic touch. The menu is so extensive that it is so difficult to choose what to eat. So in the end; we just ordered a lot of food so that we can taste as much dishes as we could.

The food is and always going to be the star at Krua Im-Aroy. Authentic, simple, tasty and ridiculously cheap...we ordered 2x the dishes that I have shown in the photos above as well as drinks & ice; and the bill came to only 150 baht per person...amazing! Oh and on top of all that; everyone who works at Krua Im-Aroy is very friendly. A great place for a lovely lunch with the team.

Address: house #1 Yen Akat soi 1
Tel.: 02-2491872

Fuwawa Baumkuchen by Bowcake (Bon Marché)

2011-07-09T06:44:00.000-07:00

After having lunch at Red Basket; we had one more walk around Bon Marché and discovered that they had a Fuwawa Baumkuchen cake shop...ooooohh, I was very excited to try it since I never had the chance to. I thought the packaging design & colour were great. Very Japanese...simple, serene and pretty.

My friend told me that Baumkuchen is a kind of layered cake. It is a traditional dessert in many countries throughout Europe. But, I am also assuming with the name like 'Fuwawa'; the Baumkuchen is also a popular cake in Japan. The characteristic rings that appear when sliced resemble tree rings, and give the cake its German name, Baumkuchen, which literally translates to "tree cake" or "log cake.

Traditionally, Baumkuchen is made on a spit by brushing on even layers of batter and then rotating the spit around a heat source (the spit in the photo was a mock-up...which was too bad, it would have been really cool to see a Baumkuchen actually being made).

Each layer is allowed to brown before a new layer of batter is poured. When the cake is removed and sliced, each layer is divided from the next by a golden line, resembling the growth rings on a crosscut tree. A typical Baumkuchen is made up of 15 to 20 layers of batter. However, the layering process for making Baumkuchen can continue until the cakes are quite large [I took the liberty to look at wikipedia for a better description of a Baumkuchen].

Like any Japanese establishment in Bangkok that serves food; there is a plastic mock-up of the food being sold or served. In the glass case/counter; there were plastic mock-ups of the round yellow Baumkuchen (in the middle), a chocolate Baumkuchen (on the left; but for some reason its not round but shaped like a bamboo) and a vanilla Baumkuchen (on the right).

Yummmm; we could not resist! We ended up buying the large gift box; which contained one round yellow Baumkuchen as well as one chocolate & vanilla bamboo shaped Baumkuchen (540 baht).

As the sign showed; Fuwawa Baumkuchen was brought to Thailand by Bowcake. Bowcake is a Thai pastry shop/chain as well in Thailand. They are famous for all types of pastries (the menu in the photo).

The red colour & design of Bowcake and the aqua colour & design of Fuwawa in one shop was confusing at first. But; once we got over the initial confusion; we understood that Bowcake was the distributor or franchisee of Fuwawa Baumkuchen.

Sorry to say; that I did not buy any of Bowcake's offerings. But there is always a next time.

Prachaniwet 1 Rd, Lat Yao, Chatuchak, Bangkok, 10900
www.bonmarche.co.th

Red Basket (Bon Marché)

2011-07-08T06:21:00.000-07:00

After walking around Bon Marché; we got hungry. Walking around we walked in front of Red Basket...Vietnamese restaurant. My friend told me that he knew about this restaurant because he has seen their other branch in Central World. I have not had Vietnamese food in a long time so it was time to have some of it again.

The restaurant is large and it's on the corner of a large side building overlooking the large water fountain. The restaurant has enormous glass windows , which filled the restaurant with tons of natural light. With three main eating areas there's plenty of seating (inside & outside).

It does not have the typical or expected Vietnamese paintings with natural scenes of Vietnam or with Vietnamese girls dressed in their Áo Dài (thank goodness). It actually can be any type of restaurant with its decor, its simple with basic colours of beige, brown and yellow. The light theme is carried on throughout the restaurant, with beige tiles on the floor and yellowish wood accents around the restaurant. The dark wood tables and chairs added contrast to the light colours.

The table setting is simple; but we were reminded immediately that we were in a Vietnamese restaurant when they placed a container full of fresh herbs and a small dish of nước chấm fish sauce condiment dipping sauce.

The starter was Bánh cuốn...steamed Vietnamese ravioli (80 baht). The raviolis arrived steaming hot. The rice skin was moist & soft, the filling for ground pork & minced wood ear mushrooms and was tasty due to herbs and spices. For more texture & flavour the raviolis were topped with deep fried shallots and chả lụa (Vietnamese sausage). Really satisfying.

My main dishes was Bún thịt nướng...Vietnamese rice noodle with bbq pork (90 baht). One of my all time favourite dishes due to its simplicity yet also due to its complication in the blend of flavours; sweet, sour, spicy, herbs & smoky bbq as well as in the textures; soft, crunchy, crispness, smooth & rough. So so good.

My friend's main dish was Phở bo...beef phở (90 baht). The phở had a good taste & flavour as well as having a good portion of rice noodles and the beef was semi-raw (a very good thing). It was a decent made phở. I am very very very finicky about my phở; but, the one at Red Basket is not bad at all.

Overall; nothing to complain about. The food was not bad at all. The food arrived very quickly, it was presented nicely and it tasted good. The service was efficient and prices were reasonable. I probably would go more often if there was a branch closer to my home.

Prachaniwet 1 Rd, Lat Yao, Chatuchak, Bangkok, 10900
www.bonmarche.co.th

Bon Marché Market Place

2011-07-07T04:48:00.000-07:00

One of the most popular shopping areas in Bangkok is a place called Bon Marché. We heard it is owned by one of the princesses of Thailand and has a variety of shops, market stalls, restaurants, and coffee shops. It was my first time visiting the market; but I had a feeling that it's a hi-so market, where the affluent and trendy in Bangkok go do their shopping and eating.

Called the market, you can find all types of fresh foods here. It is trying to compete with the world famous Or Tor Cor food market. However; unlike Or Tor Cor, you won’t see a wet market here. The market has several zones - Bon Market, Bon Food Court, Bon Restaurant, Bon Service, Bon Plaza and Bon Jewelry.

We were impressed with the number of cars trying enter into the parking lot; believe me it was a lot. But what was more surprising was that...when we entered the market, the place was not cramped with people. Perhaps because the market is huge or just well spaced, whatever the case, it was very comfortable walking around.

The market is very clean and perfect if you want to buy fresh ingredients for cooking, to have a delicious meal, shop for cloths/jewelry/furniture/ accessories, etc. etc., you can even do banking transactions, have a Thai massage after walking so much! What ever you feel or want to do; they have it here. But for me...it was the food that interested me the most.

One of the food court dinning areas with the view of the enormous pond with fountain.

A stall selling dried shrimps.

A stall selling grilled bananas.

A stall selling grilled sausages.

A stall selling lemon juice...not from concentrate. I bought a six pack (160 baht).

A stall selling grilled pork satays and e-sarn sausages.

Stall after stall selling fresh seasonal fruit.

A kiosk selling coconut ice-cream.

A small kiosk selling deep fried bananas. I bought a small box which which consisted of around 10 pieces (25 baht).

Another food court dinning area.

Overall; I still think Or Tor Cor is the best food market in town. However; I for sure cannot complain about the selection of fresh produce and cooked foods available at Bon Marché. I swear, I wanted to eat everything I saw. I wish I lived closer to Bon Marché, I would visit it everyday!

Prachaniwet 1 Rd, Lat Yao, Chatuchak, Bangkok, 10900
www.bonmarche.co.th

Le Café Siam

2011-07-05T06:14:00.000-07:00

We were meeting a friend whom we have not seen for a long time. Our friend who is a fan of Le Café Siam wanted to meet there. So, we decided to meet him at the restaurant for dinner.

Le Café Siam is a beautiful restaurant in a re-stored colonial Thai house (I am guessing 1920s). The decor is classic colonial Thai; even the light fixtures & ceiling fans brings you back in time. However; the atmosphere was quite depressing when we were there because we were the only guest in the restaurant.

Chef & owner Paul Quarchioni is no stranger to Thailand. He was formerly the chef at the Normandy Grill at the Mandarin Oriental Hotel. He decided to go on his own and bought this stunning house and opened the restaurant.

Chef Paul's cooking philosophy is to be simplistic, yet have meticulous care exerted in each dish's preparation and each and every one of them are hand delivered by Mr. Quarchioni to the table.

Chef Paul wants to have a balance between haute cuisine and bistro cooking. Learning from his experience at the Oriental, that today’s savvy dining crowd are slowly straying away from extravagant presentations and heavy saucing, and are simply craving genuine good cooking at a fair price, and that is what he is trying to deliver at Le Café Siam.

The first starter was Duck rillette for two (680 baht).

The next starter was Iberian ham (680 baht).

The next starter was Ceasar salad with anchovy & aged parmesan cheese (320 baht).

The next starter was Warm goat cheese salad (680 baht).

The next main dish was Sea bass, caviar sauce (980 baht).

The next dish was Imported duck leg confit, red wine jus (880 baht).

The next main dish was Crispy suckling pig, grain mustard sauce (480 baht).

The side dishes that accompanied our main dishes...sautéed green beans, carrots and potato gratin.

The dessert was Vanilla ice-cream with seasonal red berries.

Overall; a beautiful and stunning house (I have to say well done in the decor & atmosphere). As mentioned before; the ambiance was sad being the only table the whole evening we were there. The staff was friendly and professional (bored as well). The price of the food is affordable. The outdoor dinning area is lovely with the view of the well groomed tropical garden, but they will have to do something about the mosquito problem or no one will want to sit outside.

As for the food; first of all; I have to say that the crispy suckling pig is out of this world...simply amazing and absolutely delicious. Though I have read many good reviews of Le Café Siam, I was a bit disappointed in the execution in some of the food. No issues in the presentations; but the details in the food itself was somewhat of a let down. For example; the salads we had, either the Ceasar or Warm goat salad, the salad leaves were limp, soft & no crispness to them.

I have no idea how many previous evenings were as quiet as the evening we were there; but I have a feeling since there was no rotation of customers, the salads were not being used fast enough. Therefore; the lack of life to them. Maybe; I should not even care too much in details like this, but the question is...should we as diners accept this?

The main courses...I felt the duck confit was too dry and lacked seasoning or the sea bass was presented very strangely with the salad in the middle. I am not sure what it was; but maybe the chef was also in a sad mood due to the lack of customers.

In the end; Le Café Siam has so much potential due to the beautiful atmosphere. I am sure that chef Paul can & does make wonderful french bistro food. But, I think something has to improve because the location of Le Café Siam, is indeed off the beaten track. It is already difficult to convince people to go to this location due to the horrific traffic in the area and the very scary parking situation in this area (it is dimly light in an isolated street).

I am no restaurant manager, owner or chef. I just eat & drink. So what will Le Café Siam have to do to convince me (and other customers) to return to eat there? Maybe consistency, maybe more love & care to the cooking, maybe more care in the raw materials....I don't have the answers but hopefully, Chef Paul will.

Address: 4 Soi Sriaksorn Cheu Plerng Rd.
Sathon, Bangkok
Tel.: 02-6116499
www.lecafesiam.com
Open Monday-Saturday 6pm-11pm

Isao

2011-07-03T08:56:00.000-07:00

We have heard a lot of about a fusion Japanese restaurant/ sushi bar from friends. They say that Isao is now one of the best on Sukhumvit and even in town. Oh really??? That meant we had to go try ourselves and see that all the talk is about.

Isao was inspired by the master of sushi, ‘Isao,’ from Green Tea Restaurant in Chicago, the leading-edge females, Chef Karuna Sangaroon and Manager Pornsawan Semangoern, hatched the à la mode sushi bar named after the master himself.

We decided to go on a Sunday to Isao for lunch around 13:30 (no reservations), walked into the shophouse and was shocked that the place was packed. Luckily for us; there was one table available on the second floor.

The simple decor from basic wooden chairs & tables to the bamboo and contemporary styled paintings hanging on the walls of the first and second floor, can surely boost your mood for the show that was about to begin...the food.

One of the nice aspects of Isao...the cold green tea. They put a big pitcher of the stuff on your table so that you can serve yourself.

The first dish was Spicy Tuna roll...220 baht. The appearance of the roll was simple and well portioned. No fuss; just the lovely roll on a white plate. The tuna was fresh and had good flavour. However; the seasoning was not well balanced and it was not 'spicy'. I also thought the consistency of the tuna was too much like baby food. It was too 'mushy'. I am used to the 'chunky' spicy tuna rolls where the tuna is hand chopped and has a kick with the first bite.

The next dish was Spider roll...240 baht. The spider roll was beautifully presented; the roll was well made and compact sitting on a lovely painted Japanese dish. The colours of this dish surely stood out. The crab was deep fried perfectly & still had a nice crispness to it and the other ingredients such as the avocado, etc. were fresh and the whole combination made this dish really good.

The next dish was Sushi set A...480 baht. The 7 sushi set was a colour feast to the eyes. Each sushi was prepared well and were nicely portioned pieces. The fish were fresh and had good tastes. However; I thought the fish was too warm; which made me wonder how they stored their fish. I am not assuming anything bad, it could have been that the dish was just sitting on the counter too long before being served. But whatever the reason; my personal feeling is that fresh fish like this should not be served warmer than room temperature.

The entrance of dinning room on the second floor.

Located on the very busy street of Sukhumvit soi 31. Since Isao does not have parking, parking can be a hassle.

Overall; honestly its good, but personally I do not think it is the 'best' in town. We have had better spicy tuna rolls and sushi (though the spider was was amazing). However; I understand why Isao is the talk of the town; the food is good, the sushi menu is so extensive & very very creative that its mind blowing from the choices, the service is good & friendly, the atmosphere is pleasant and the prices are just right. A combination like this...no wonder its so popular.

Address: 5 Sukhumvit 31,
Tel.: 02 258 0645,
www.isaotaste.com.
Open Mondays-Fridays 11am-2.30pm for lunch,
5.30pm-10pm for dinner,
Saturdays and Sundays 11am-10pm.

Duc de Praslin

2011-07-02T08:30:00.000-07:00

Gallothai has been the leading Belgian chocolate manufacturer in Thailand since 1993 with offices in Bangkok, Phuket and Chiangmai. Gallothai makes all types of chocolates and their high-end chocolate line is called Duc de Praslin.

Duc de Praslin has their main chocolate shop/ bar on Sukhumvit 33. We were in a mood for something chocolate, sweet and decadent. So we decided to treat ourselves to one of Duc de Praslin's famous chocolate smoothies. They have an extensive list of different types of chocolate smoothies.

The space is quite open with selective sitting areas; one space has very comfortable and large sofas, the other space has high table and tall chairs, another space is a hidden corner for secret talks over chocolate drinks. The atmosphere is bright with natural lighting due to the large floor to ceiling windows. The decor is classical french country with a modern twist. The main colour scheme is baby blue, chocolate browns and beiges.

The Milk chocolate and hazelnut smoothie (110 baht). The chocolate & hazelnut smoothie was rich, thick and creamy. The taste of chocolate & hazelnut was intense. So so good!

After the smoothie; it was time for a black coffee (the coffee is actually very good as well...75 baht). Every drink that is ordered at Duc de Praslin comes with two yummy tasting praline & truffle. You never know what flavour you get but that is the fun part of it.

The chocolate counter where customers get to select/ choose/ mix from the different types of hand made pralines and truffles. The idea is that customers get to choose the size of the gift box depending how much they want to buy.

Some of the pralines that you can choose from: pistachio, lemon & coconut ganache, cinnamon, coffee crunch, pepper, etc. The list goes on and on.

Some of the truffle selections: cassis, orange, raspberry, caramel, lavender and the list goes on and on. I am assuming that the flavours change either depending on season or availability of ingredients.

Duc de Praslin's healthy line of chocolates containing high anti-oxidents.

I could not resist...I purchased a box of dark chocolate covered coffee beans (on the left...145 baht), dark chocolate covered macadamia nuts (on the right...185 baht) and a chocolate supreme cookie (55 baht). They looked so yummy.

Overall; Duc de Praslin is a comfortable & cozy place to meet friends and spoil yourselves with some of the finest pralines, truffles & smoothies in town. Duc de Praslin is peaceful & quiet that you can also go alone to work or to relax over soothing chocolate. It sounds so good that I just convinced myself that I should go again to treat myself.

Address: ground fl. Fenix Tower, soi 31, Sukhumvit Rd.
Website: www.gallothai.com
Phone: 02 258 3200
Hours: 9am - 9pm

Din Tae Fung

2011-06-26T06:18:00.001-07:00

Finally; Din Tae Fung opens in Bangkok. It was suppose to open several months ago but due to the Red Shirts burning down Central World shopping mall, Din Tae Fung postponed its grand opening.

Din Tae Fung started in Taiwan. It has been so popular and successful there that it has expanded all over Asia....Singapore, Hong Kong, Malaysia, Indonesia, Korea and even Australia. Din Tae Fung is considered one of the 'best' dumpling restaurant around.

It has been a huge success since day one of its opening in Bangkok! There is always a queue once the doors open at 12 noon. No matter what time you arrive at Din Tae Fung; you have to wait atleast 20 minutes. However; they have clever system to make things go faster. Once you get your number; you are also given the menu and an order form and you can fill out your order.

Once your number is called; you give your order form to the waitress and she leads you to your table. The food arrives fairly quickly.

You are able to see and decide what types of dumplings are available.

Here is the most amazing thing about Din Tae Fung. All the dumplings are hand made on premise. Here is the woman rolling out the dough for the dumplings.

Here are the men who are steaming the dumplings.

Every dumpling is lovingly rolled out, stuffed and folded precisely before our eyes.

Din Tae Fung is enormous and there are so many service staff running around. For sure you will not complain that the service is slow.

We started with hand made noodles with a spicy sauce.

The Pork dumplings.

The Vegetable dumplings.

The Shrimp dumplings.

The Crab dumplings.

The Chinese Vegetables.

Overall; fantastic! The dumplings were so so good. The skin of the dumpling were thin yet strong to hold in the juices and the stuffing. The filling; either the pork, shrimp or crab, were all fresh and tasted very good. The dumplings were steaming hot, moist and juicy. The service is quick and friendly. I don't think Din Tae Fung needs to try very hard to convince people in Bangkok to try their food; there is always a huge following and I am one of them.

CentralWorld Shopping Centre
Level 7,
Rajdamri Road, Patumwan,
Bangkok 10330
TEL:66-02-646-1282

La Régalade (Paris, France)

2011-06-09T05:40:00.000-07:00

This is our last evening in Paris and we met our Thai friends for dinner. We wanted to take them to one of the best bistros in town...La Régalade. Anyone who is a foodie will know and have been to La Régalade. It is an institution for foodies and is one of the pioneering bistros that brought us 'bistronomiques'.

The bistro is very small so it is highly recommended to reserve a table a month in advance (I am not joking). The decor is made up of wooden chairs & tables, tiled floors and photos on the walls. The main colour scheme was browns, beiges & yellows. It is always busy but always has a comfortable feel about the place.

We all took the La Régalade menu at 32 euros which included a starter, main dish and a dessert.

This is the most dangerous part of eating at La Régalade; their Pâté de campagne ‘La Régalade’ et cornichons. They put this terrine on the table after you order your food. It was so good that we had to control ourselves because we knew a big dinner was coming.

One of the starters was Royale de fois gras de canard, bouillon crémeux d'asperge vertes ou cresson.

The other starter was D'asperges blanc (which was in season and 5 euros extra).

The other starter was Paleron de boeuf braisé longuement au vin rouge de Touraine, carrottes fondantes et petite oignons comme un Bourguignon.

One of the main dish was Paleron de boeuf braisé longuement au vin rouge de Touraine, carrottes fondantes et petite oignons comme un Bourguignon.

The other main dish was a Entrecôte de boeuf persillé à souhait juste rôtie, servie uniquement soignante d'environ 450g. pour une personne (12 euros extra).

The other main dish was Veau de Corrèze cuite au soutoir et beurre demi-sel, cuisine de petite pois à la française (10 euros extra).

One of the dessert was a Reblochon, A.O.P. affiné par les soins de Madame Dubois.

The other dessert was Fraîcheur de rhubarbe, fraises guariguette, fromage blanc battu à la vanille.

The other dessert was Soufflé chaud au Grand-Marnier.

Chef Doucet truly does amazing things with food but keeps it simple. Every time we go to La Régalade we are never disappointed and always want to come back for more. The atmosphere is always fun & lively, the service is always spot on & friendly and the food is simply delicious.

49 avenue Jean-Moulin, Paris 75014
tel: 0033 1 45 45 68 58

La Fête du Vin (Montpeyroux, France)

2011-06-08T05:27:00.000-07:00

We main reason we went back to Montpeyroux was because it was La Fête du Vin. This special occasion only happens every two years. So we for sure could not miss it. There are 18 wine producers in Montpeyroux; the concept of La Fête du Vin is that all the wine producers of the area open up their caves for free tastings for the public.

People buy a wine glass for 6 euros and with this wine glass they can take it to all the wine makers and try all their wines. The whole village participates in this event; there are musicians, food stalls, clowns and wine fairies.

The map of Montpeyroux town and where all the wine makers are located.

The main road of Montpeyroux heading to the place central.

The first open cave was Mas d'Amiel.

The second stop was Domain Chabanon...one of the best wine makers of the area.

Many people enjoying tasting wines.

The wines of Alain Chabanon; L'Esprit de Font Caude, Campredon and Trelans.

Moving on; we headed towards place central to see what was happening.

The place where people can rest and eat some food.

A beautiful day in Montpeyroux.

The wine fairies arriving to do the festive wine dance.

I had to start spitting by the fifth cave we stopped at. I did not want to get drunk and make a fool of myself.

La Fête du Vin of Montpeyroux is lovely and easy going event. We got to meet our neighbors and meet the really great wine makers of the area. The ambiance, the weather and of course the wines made it such a great day.

Boqueria (Barcelona, Spain)

2011-06-07T04:39:00.000-07:00

We were leaving Barcelona but before we left we wanted to have breakfast at the Boqueria. Anyone who has been in Barcelona knows where the Boqueria is; it is just one of the best markets anywhere. You can find the most freshest and amazing produce that the area has to offer. But one reason why we always go there is because of one specific place...Kiosko Universal.

For all the times we have eaten in Barcelona; Kiosk Universal is still one of our favourites. It is for sure not 'fine dinning' but oh my oh my is the food fresh and good.

The ambiance is the hussle & bussle of the Boqueria market; everyone knows each other and everyone either stops by for food, a coffee or something alcoholic. But the place has a very homey and friendly feel.

We love sitting on the counter to see all the fresh seasonal food that is available.

BUT; what caught our eye for breakfast was the amazingly beautiful display of different mushrooms of the season. It was an amazing sight to behold. Our mouths just watered looking at it.

The idea is that you choose either from the chalkboard menu or just point at something you are interested in to eat. The cooks will cook the dish in front of you.

The first dish was Fried seasonal mushrooms in a herbed olive oil. The mushrooms had amazing textures from the different types of mushrooms, as well as different tastes. Cooked so simple but the flavours of the mushrooms, olive oil, herbs and salt was a lovely combination.

The next dish was a Spinach omelette. The omelette was cooked to perfection; still runny in the middle. Again; so simple yet so so good.

The mushroom & omelette dishes was all we needed to start our day. Of course the coffee was really good as well. The total bill came to 12 euros. The quality and price ratio is absolutely outstanding.

After breakfast; we took a tour of the market to see what was new or interesting to take back to France. The seafood always looks so fresh, colourful and beautiful.

More wonderful seafood.

The bountiful seasonal fruits. But; what caught our eyes were the Morel mushrooms. These mushrooms cost so much in France so we were stunned how affordable they were in Barcelona...so of course we bought a big bunch.

The abundance of wonderful fruits.

One of the main reasons why anyone goes to Spain...Jamón ibérico, Iberian ham, also called pata negra. This stuff is so so good; but, also so so expensive. We wanted to buy some but decided not too because we were being too cheap. Next time!

The ham experts; slicing by hand the jam for customers.

We truly love eating and walking around the Boqueria. It was as usual; a great trip to Barcelona. It was time to drive back to France.

C/ LA Rambla, 91
08002 Barcelona, Spain
Tel.: 933 182 584

Coure (Barcelona, Spain)

2011-06-06T22:49:00.000-07:00

We drove down to Barcelona to meet some Thai friends who were in Spain for their vacation. We only had time to spend one night in Barcelona so we wanted to try a new restaurant. We heard from a friend who is a specialist about Barcelona that the restaurant of the moment was called Coure. Of course we reserved a table several days in advance because we knew how difficult it is to get a table at the best restaurants in Barcelona.

This basement restaurant just off the Diagonal is sedate in the best possible sense. A discreet entrance leads downstairs into a soothing space with white-painted panelled walls and antique cabinets. Chef Albert Ventura doesn't really advertise himself, and Coure has remained just under the tourist radar. Since this is the case; the menu was only in Spanish so thank goodness the waitress knew some English to help us understand some of the dishes. However; in the end, we decided to take the big special dinner menu at 60 euros...a huge bargain!

I have to apologise now...since our Spanish was soooo awful, I am going to try my best to explain all the dishes, but I cannot go into details of what each consist of. Just believe me that they were all very yummy.

The first dish was Squid with cucumber emulsion.

The next dish was Couteau (razor clam).

The next dish was Cod fish with eggplant caviar & spinach.

The next dish was Scallops with baby peas.

The next dish was Sea bass with artichoke heart.

The main dish was Pan fried duck with morel mushrooms.

The pre-dessert was Vanilla & honey foam with red season fruit compote.

The dessert was a Pear & almond cake with vanilla ice cream & chocolate mousse.

Overall; the blank canvas of Coure's surroundings ceded center stage to chef Albert Ventura's exceptionally good—and unexpectedly seductive—combinations in his cooking. He is a master at using the freshest & in-season ingredients and making them come alive in the dishes. All the dishes looked so simple yet stood on their own in terms of smell, colours and tastes. No wonder Chef Albert is the talk of the town right now...he truly knows what he is doing.

On top of this; the service was excellent. The young woman who was taking care of our table knew that we were did not understand the menu and she took her time explaining the dishes. She had a good sense of humor and was a delight. The total experience was a great experience.

20 Passatge Marimon
Barcelona, Spain 08021
Tel: 34 93 200 75 32

Le Cinq V (Paris)

2011-06-04T08:30:00.000-07:00

One of the most beautiful dinning rooms in Paris is at the Le Cinq V (Four Seasons Hotel). Once in a while when we feel like splurging on ourselves with a long, amazing & delicious lunch experience, we go to the Le Cinq V. Well...it was time to splurge on ourselves.

Le Cinq V is considered one of the best dinning experiences in town. It is a two star Michelin restaurant and the chef is indeed amazing. We prefer to have lunch at the two or three star Michelin restaurant because a) its waaayyy cheaper and b) its easier going.

The lunch menu was 85 euros which included a choice of entrée, poisson or viande and a dessert. We consider this a reasonable for the highest quality in terms of atmosphere, food, wine & service.

The decor of the Le Cinq V was spectacular...you feel the elegance & opulence the moment you walk in. The main colour schemes of gold, browns and yellow with a hint of reds, violets & fusia add liveliness to a place that could have been too overwhelming. The grand & large windows allow sunlight into the room that adds warmth.

The pre-amuse bouche was Deep fried calamari. These little things were cooked perfectly; lightly crispy on the outside and tender on the inside.

The fresh bread and butter....so so good and dangerous because I ate so much bread before the food arrived.

The amuse bouche was a large Prawn with Safron, Orange ball and Tempura shrimp tail.

My entrée was Bouillon de légumes printanier au gingembre, ravioles de foie gras de canard.

The colours of Spring and all the goodies that are so wonderful at this time of year were represented in this dish. White & green asparagus, turnips, peas, baby carrots, ginger & courgettes with the most delicate raviolies filled with fois gras. The vegetables were cooked perfectly and the bouillon had a light but long flavour. What a lovely dish.

My friend's entrée was Sardines fraîches de Saint-Gilles-Croix-de-Vie...tartare/ grillée/ petite bouille en gelée. The starter was sardines made in three different ways...each one had its own distinct flavour & texture...the dishes were fresh and original.

My main dish was Lapin Rex du Poitou...cuisiné aux pistes, bayaldi de légumes, jus au muscadet. The rabbit was cooked soooo right; it was moist and tender, which is not often the case when it comes to rabbit and the pistachios added texture and flavour. The sauce was fine yet rich.

My friend's main dish was Rouelle de lote bretonne...rôti au fenouil/ poutargue/ oignon grillée/ pomme de noirmoutier au beurre d'algues.

We seldom drink alcohol during lunch; but who could resist not to when the wine list at Le Cinq was a list that any wine lover could ever dream of. We decided to go with a 2002 Clos Du Val D'Eleon from Alsace.

The pre-dessert was Raspberry, coconut marangue & yoghurt ice cream.

My dessert was Profiterolles croustillantes...bananes fressinettes/ gingembre, sauce chocolat.

My friend's dessert was Fraises des bois...crème légère aux agrumes.

The beautiful trolley with mini treats with our coffee.

Our selection of mini treats.

Overall; what can I say???? Absolutely lovely from every aspect...the atmosphere, decor, service food & wine. The perfect combination to make a our afternoon pass by so fast (the lunch only lasted four hours).

We know some people who do not like going to these 'types' of establishments for dinning because they feel that it is is too posh and snobby. OK, I agree with the posh; but I disagree with the snobby aspect. It is the reverse, everyone is so nice & welcoming.

The only strange thing was that the gentleman sitting at the table next to ours, felt it was a bit warm in the dinning room and wanted to take off his blazer (which is required for all gentlemen eating at Le Cing), he was nicely made notice of the rule that he was not allowed to take off the blazer since it was a required item for all gentlemen. Now, I can see why some people refuse to eat at these types of establishments. However; that rule will not stop us from going back to Le Cinq and I truly can't wait.

31 Avenue George V,
75008 Paris'
Tel.: 01 49 52 70 00

Les Grandes Table du 104 (Paris)

2011-06-03T09:08:00.000-07:00

So, I thought nothing could get more interesting than the last post I did about La Cave de L'Os a Moëlle, a very good & memorable bistro in the 15th arrondissement. BUT that was until we tried Les Grandes Table du 104.

Les Grandes Table du 104 is an enormous restaurant that is situated in the old morgue of the 19th arrondissement. The old morgue has been renovated into a very cool cultural center. The center has art shows/galleries/installations, an enormous yet artsy carousel, performance areas, food kiosk, book shop, etc.

We found Les Grandes Table du 104 from www.omnivore.fr; a website that not only caters to people who love food & wine, what makes it really special is that the site is from some of the most up-and-coming, talented & young chefs all over France.

The concept from the 'Omnivores & Les Grandes Tables' is that every month a chef is chosen to cook at Les Grandes Table du 104. The chef gets to choose the theme of the evening. We were so lucky to find out that when we were going to be in Paris; the theme was 'PIG'. Everything from the pig was going to be used, prepared, cooked and served. That sounded too good to be missed. So we bought our tickets from paypal while in Bangkok and reserved our seats.

We decided we had to do a mini-tour of the place one day in advance so we knew where we were going. Parking in this area is non-existent; so we had to park the car somewhere and walk a bit to Les Grandes Table. Les Grandes Table is located in the most multi-ethnic (black, brown, yellow, white; scarved, turbaned) multi-lingual (French, Arabic, Thai, Chinese, Sri Lankan, Hebrew) area of the city. We are never in this part of Paris and it was interesting to notice this aspect of the 19th arrondissement.

When we arrived; people were queuing up to show the hostesses their reservations. Once inside Les Grandes Table; you had to choose where to sit from very long communal tables. Les Grandes Tables has a very industrial decor...exposed ceilings, concrete & bricks, steel & metal and a grayish concrete floor. The place is huge. The place was buzzing with talk and anticipation of what was about to come.

The concept of the wine was that everyone had to go to the bar and there was a selection of wines that were chosen for the special evening. The wine list was extensive with wines from different regions from France. BUT; what caught our eyes was the wine that was specially chosen as the 'vin selection 100% P.I.G.' It was Campredon par Alain Chabanon.

We could not believe it. We were very pleasantly surprised. As some of you readers might know by now; we are big fans of Alain Chabanon wines. He makes some of the finest organic wines from the Languedoc. For sure we bought a bottle to accompany our dinner. When we arrived our seats; we told everyone at our table that if they wanted a great wine at a reasonable price they should try the Chabanon. They all did and loved it. Alain Chabanon owes us a huge commission.

The first amuse bouche was Parmessan Croissant Stuffed with Pork Sausage.

The next amuse bouche was Pork Ribs with Special Sauce.

The next amuse bouche was Mini baguette with Spicy Chorizos and Ham wrapped with Jalapeño chili.

The next amuse bouche was Boudin Noir topped with green apple & hazelnut.

The next amuse bouche was Grattons (craklin pork fat).

The starter was Tête de Porc.

The main dish was Pork Belly topped with Pork Cheek with Endive Emulsion.

The chefs came out after the serving for an applause and to explain about idea of of PIG night.

The experience was tremendously delightful; the food was amazingly unique, creative, simple and very very very delicious. The atmosphere was electric because the people who attended this event were definately foodies & wine lovers...so there was never a boring discussion around this area.

On top of all this; the evening only cost us 35 euros per person (not including wine); the cost was nothing but the experience was everything.

Address: 104, rue d'Aubervilliers / 5, rue Curial, (Métro : Riquet, Crimée) in the 19th,
Telephone: 01.40.37.10.07,
closed Sundays after 6 PM and Mondays.

La Cave de l'Os à Moelle (Paris)

2011-06-02T06:33:00.000-07:00

This had to be one of the most interesting bistros we have been in Paris for a long time. The concept is really cool, the people running it are really nice and the food was really good.

The bistro was called La Cave de l'Os à Moelle. The bistro is in the 15th arrondissment. The place had a rustic feel to it; brick walls, stone floors and wood tables & chairs. A simple but very comfortable place.

The concept of the bistro is...pretty much, help yourself and eat until you drop. You are placed in a communal table where dish after dish of is placed on the table for everyone to share. The warm food is placed on the stove in the back of the bistro. So you just go to the back and serve yourself.

Our table was in front of the bistro with the view of the street (in my opinion, the best table in the place); our table was actually a huge wine barrel turned into a table. Our dinner companions was an American man with his Taiwanese wife and her sister. They all lived in San Francisco and they come to Paris every year to enjoy the gastronomic wonders of France.

There was so much food that I will just showcase all the delicious food and give an overview of what I thought:

Since it was Easter holiday in France...of course there was an Easter Cake (house special) for everyone. The Easter cake was a rabbit terrine topped with hard boiled eggs and baked in a flaky & buttery dough. It was absolutely yummy. Who knew Easter cake can be so good?

They started placing huge bowls of food on our table. This was the bowl of Rabbit Pâté.

This was the bowl of Terrine de Boudin.

This was the bowl of Pork Rillettes.

This was the bowl of Grated Carrot Salad.

This was the bowl of Grated Beet Salad.

This was the bowl of Grated Cabbage Salad. On top of all this; there were bowls of cornichons, a plate of fresh vegetable crudités and the most lovely crusty bread.

The back of the room was the warm dishes. Here was the Cauliflower Soup on top of the stove to keep it warm.

This was another warm dish on the stove; the Confit de Canard.

The wonderful & beautiful vintage stove used to keep the warm dishes warm. OK, OK, the stove was really not working and they used burners instead but I still like the look and charm of the thing.

The desserts...three different kinds of cakes.

The dessert counter.

The amazing wine shelf. La Cave de l'Os à Moelle has the most amazing choices but what is extra amazing were the prices. The concept is not only affordable good food but also the most reasonable prices for good quality wine. I like that!!!!

The bistro was so comfortable & welcoming that I noticed people just having drinks on the terrace and talk. Some had their dogs with them (very cute). It had the most friendly atmosphere.

All the food was actually made in the restaurant across the street called L'Os à Moëlle the parent bistro of La Cave (which is s very popular bistro and this will be our next stop). The chef was jumping in & out of the window of L'Os à Moëlle with huge bowls of food and running across the street to make sure that we all had enough food. It was a fun & funny sight.

At 30 euros person (not including the wines); this was an amazing bargain. I truly could not move after stuffing myself with so much food....honestly, I could not help myself.

This was one of the most memorable dinners we have had in Pairs because the conversation with our table companions, the food & wine and atmosphere. There was nothing pretentious about the place or the people. Just staying true to their philosophy of giving something good at a reasonable price is what makes La Cave such a special place. I really can't wait to return.

181 Rue Lourmel
75015 Paris
01 45 57 28 28

I'm Baaaaaaccccckkkkkk

2011-06-01T23:04:00.000-07:00

Hello everyone...I am so so so sorry for disappearing from blogging about yummy places to eat. I have been so busy with my 'normal' work that I have had no time for telling you all the new and exciting places to try.

I am back. I have a back log of restaurants that we tried in Paris and Barcelona recently. So please be patient and read all the post of the great places from Europe even though I am back in Bangkok.

I will catch up with all the restaurants in Paris and Barcelona and then start with the new places in Bangkok.

Thanks sooooo much for being patient with me.

Aux Saveurs du Marché (Paris)

2011-04-15T08:30:00.000-07:00

We read that there was a new restaurant that had moved recently moved from Neuilly to very close to our place. This was good for us because its always nice to know that you can have a neighborhood restaurant that you can rely on for amazing food at great prices. The restaurant was called Aux Saveurs du Marché.

We went to the restaurant to check out the menu in the afternoon and the list of the food on the menu looked really good, so we reserved a table for the evening (lucky we did because we got the last table).

When we arrived in the evening; the place was packed! Due to the lovely weather all the doors were open to accommodate more tables on the sidewalk. I would have to say that the decor was lacking in creativity. I am no interiour designer, but it looked like it was a rushed job and so they bought the decor from IKEA (not that I do not like IKEA, I love them...but for a restaurant at this level, they should have put some thought into it). Anyway; since the place was packed, I thought who cares since the food will be the star of the evening.

I have to say sorry in advance...my photos are dark because I was shy to take photos with a flash since out table was so close to other people and did not want them to think...'Mon dieu, another Japanese tourist taking photos of his food again!' and the lighting was bad.

My friend's starter Effiloche raie (14.00 euros). The raie was fresh and had good consistency. But, we thought the dish was bland. The dish was also suppose to be accompanied with avocado but we could not find them. The dish was ok.

My starter was Civiche (13.00 euros). My starter was civiche, which was much better than the raie. The fish was fresh and actually abundant in such a small glass. The lemon, lime and herbs added good flavours to the dish. Not bad at all.

My main dish was Loup de mer (25.00 euros). My fish was cooked nicely, it was moist and flaky. The dish was simple but was prepared well. Nicely done.

My friend's main dish was Tartare de canard (27.00 euros). The tartare was amazing. The best dish of the evening. The fois gras was cooked perfectly and the duck was tender. The fois gras and duck made a great combination and the sauce added a nice flavour to the dish.

Overall; from the reviews we read & heard...this restaurant was a let down. Not that it was not good...the problem was that it was inconsistent. The starters were ok and the main dishes were much better. We were disappointed because our expectations were too high after the reviews. The total bill: food plus a coupe Louis Brut (10.00 euros), a glass of Pouilly (6.00 euros) & a bottle of wine (36.00 euros) was 131.00 euros.

For a place at this level; they need to start realizing that they will be attracting people who know their food and are expecting a lot. For example; a table of three were sitting next to us; one of the ladies at the table ordered Veal with mushrooms (as explained on the menu). Her dish arrived and she noticed that the veal was accompanied with small pan-fried potatoes and her side dish was mashed potatoes. Of course she was not happy & confused that she must have mis-read the menu.

So she called the waitress to ask her how is it possible that her main dish had two times potatoes. The waitress (who was not in a sorry mood what-so-ever and even had a who cares attitude), went to the kitchen and came back out and told the lady that the kitchen had no more mushrooms so they replaced it with potatoes. So the lady said; why did you not tell me or ask me if I wanted something else or to replace the mushroom with another vegetable?

We could not believe it either. The kitchen thought they could pass a fast one on the lady by cutting the potatoes up and making them look like mushrooms and thought the lady would not even notice. Uuummmm; duh, people do notice what they are eating! On top of that who ever the chef was...was not even smart enough to know that you do not serve two time the potato serving for one dish. How stupid can you be? I am no chef but my goodness, even I know not to do that.

We were really hoping this was going to be an awesome restaurant that we could add to our list because it is so close to the apartment. Oh well; our job of finding fantastic restaurants next to the apartment goes on.

73 avenue Niel, 75017 Paris
Tel.: 01 44 40 28 15

Café Des Musées (Paris)

2011-04-12T10:26:00.000-07:00

We were shopping in the 4th arrondissement; there were millions of people due to being Easter break in Europe. The weather was lovely and no wonder all the locals & tourists were out in force. It was lunch time and we knew it would be hard to get a table in the touristic parts of Le Marais. So; we decided to walk out of the touristic part. We decided to have lunch at a very popular bistro for lunch....Café Des Musées. We had no reservations but we were very very lucky to get a table right away.

This bistro is really famous for good, hearty & affordable food. The decor & atmosphere had the typical bistro flare...tiled floors, wooden table & chairs very close to one another, huge windows to let in the sunlight, huge chalkboards hanging with the wines & daily specials, open kitchen (with a Japanese chef) and happy clients eating and talking....I loved it!

I took the daily menu special that cost only 20 euros. It consisted of a starter, main dish & dessert. My starter was a Fois gras mousse. The mousse was topped with endives and walnuts. The mousse had a rich taste of fois gras and a lovely consistency which was smooth & creamy. The toppings added texture and flavours. Nice starter.

My main dish was a Cocotte with 3 different cuts from a pig. The cocotte arrived and man oh man, was it a hearty portion (I was very happy). The 3 three different cuts of the pig were tender, moist and tasty. The rich sauce was enough to keep the meat juicy and added a rich flavour. My tummy was content!

My friend did not take the daily menu but settled for Tartare de boeuf (17 euros). The tartare had fresh thick burgundy coloured meat which was hand chopped (a very good thing). My friend had to mix the ingredients himself to get the taste to his liking. The after the mixing of the ingredients...the tartare tasted so so good. Of course the tartare was accompanied with crispy french fries. A great combo.

My dessert was a Tiramisu. It was big enough to share with my friend. The tiramisu had a lovely consistency; rich, creamy & smooth. The tiramisu was light yet rich in taste. A nice way to end a meal.

Overall; another bistro that keeps the tradition of no non-sense hearty & delicious bistro food at reasonalb prices. How can they do a lunch menu at 20 euros and keep up the standard & quality? Actually, who cares and I hope they keep this up for a very very long time. The service was very efficient and friendly. Who can ask for more? The total bill with a bottle of badoit (4.80 euros) and two coffees (2.20 euros each) came to only 46.20 euros. A bargain.

49 rue de Turenne, 75003 Paris
Tel.: 01 42 72 96 17

Pha Heat Seafood

2011-04-10T11:23:00.001-07:00

Our company was having our company outing in Hua-Hin. That meant that our gang wanted to have a yummy seafood lunch before reaching the hotel. I am novice when it comes to knowing where & what are the best seafood restaurants in the area since there are so many seafood restaurants on the way to Hua-Hin. Therefore; I left the decision to the experts....my friends.

The experts took me to Pha Heat Seafood restaurant at the Chaam Wharf. The most basic restaurant in terms of structure & decor (it was great). The restaurant was built stilts over the water...we could see the water underneath from the wooden plank floors, wood beams holding the roof and no walls. The most basic wooden tables covered with plastic table covers and plastic chairs.

The view from out table.

The open kitchen where the famous chefs did their magic with the seafood.

The first dish was Fresh oysters with condiments (chillies, lime, deep fried onions & chili paste).

The oysters were shelled and placed in ice to keep fresh. This is not one of my favourite dishes. I think the oysters from warm waters are not as good as from the cold waters. On top of this; the oysters have no taste and that is the reason for all the condiments...to add flavour. Though I did not enjoy this dish...my friends ate the whole thing.

The next dish was Papaya salad. Who does not enjoy a som-tum, especially when its hot. This was a refreshing dish and it was so tasty due to the fresh green papaya mixed with tomatoes, peanuts, dried shrimps, chillies, lemon/ lime, cane sugar and fish sauce. So so good.

The next dish was Scallops in shrimp paste sauce. The scallops were small and plump. The thick sauce was salty, sweet & spicy. A unique dish with very nice balance of flavours.

The next dish was Crab fried rice. The fried rice was nice because it was not oily (a very good thing) and tons of crab meat. I actually hate fried rice...because crab fried rice is so darn good that I cannot control myself and practically can eat a kilo of the stuff. Fried rice is bad bad bad.

The next dish was Blood clams. This is not my favourite clams on earth. I am not a fan of the taste of this shell fish. But...the spicy sauce that accompanied the clams was so good that I actually ate several of these monsters.

The next dish was Tom yum seafood. The seafood was abundant and fresh (very nice textures) and the tom yum was well balanced with sour, sweet & spicy. Such an amazing soup.

The next dish was Deep fried fish in fish sauce. I think I can eat this fried fish everyday for the rest of my life. Who on earth created deep fried fish with fish sauce...who ever you are....you are my hero! The fish was fried to a rich golden brown and was very crispy on the outside while the inside was hot, soft and tender. This dish was soooooo yummy.

The next dish was Fresh steamed sweet crab. Basic steamed crab has got to be one of the best dishes ever...but of course one of the messiest to eat. That was the fun part of eating crab. This crab was small but it had a lovely colour and such a sweet taste to it. Amazing.

The next dish was Steamed prawns with glass noodles. Another favourite dish of mine...the steamed prawns with glass noodles in a tin pot had an amazing flavour of ginger & pork fat. The prawns were huge, plump and juicy, the glass noodles cooked perfectly had soaked up all the juices. Boy oh boy was this good.

The next dish was Sweet, sour & spicy squid. The squid was so fresh that it was barely chewy. The sauce was thick and full of flavour.

The fresh seafood to choose from.

Overall; all the seafood was very fresh and of good quality. The cooking of the seafood was perfect and all the dishes tasted delicious. The amazing thing was the price...it cost absolutely nothing. There was 10 of us and if I remember correctly the bill came to 400 baht for each person. By the way, some of the dishes were twice ordered, we ordered 10 crabs and we had water & coke on top of it. So, it was really cheap. Great food, great ambiance and great price. Can't ask for anything else.

(Sorry..the address & contact number Pha Heat is coming soon)

Eve @ Hansar Hotel

2011-04-06T03:41:00.001-07:00

We heard that a new hotel opened on Rajdamri Road. The hotel is very close to the Four Seasons hotel. We also heard that the hotel had a new fine dining restaurant. So; that meant, we had to try it. The hotel is called the Hansar Hotel. The 'what' hotel you ask??? Well; I also asked the same thing. What hotel chain is this? Who owns this hotel? Where else on earth is there a Hansar hotel? These are questions not easily answered.

The fine dining restaurant is called 'Eve' and we had a choice to dine inside or outside on the terrace. Since the hotel is new...the restaurant was totally empty.

We chose to dine outside. The very long terrace consist of the Eve restaurant but also the jazz lounge (which had many more people that the restaurant). The jazz music was a nice background music while we dined. The only issue we had about sitting outside was that our view was that of the parking garage of the building opposite the road. On top of that; all of a sudden...those darn blood sucking mosquitoes appeared and started to have dinner themselves with my blood.

My friend's appetizer was Hokkaido Sea Scallops (580 baht). Pan seared sea scallops, with tempura tiger prawns and accompanied with tomato & avocado salsa. The scallops were very fresh, cooked nicely (still raw in the middle), the sauce and tomato & avocado salsas added textures, colours and tastes.

My appetizer was Beef Tenderloin Carpaccio (530 baht). Tender beef with wild rockets, pommery mustard, parmesan shavings and lemon-truffle vinaigrette. A basic dish but the quality of the materials of the dish are very important. The beef was of good quality and tasted very nice. The other materials added the needed flavours to round off the dish.

We decided to share a mid-course dish which was Trofie Pasta (420 baht). Hand made 'maggot' sized & shaped pasta (sorry for the disgusting comparison) 'a la carbonara', with confit crispy pork belly. There is nothing so good as home made pasta; the pasta had a nice texture and was cooked just right. The sauce was thick, creamy & rich. The pork belly was cooked perfectly and was soft & tender.

The break before the main courses.

My friend's main dish was Best End of Australian Lamb (1,000 baht). The lamb was cumin scented with porcini risotto, crispy wild rice on the side. The lamb was of very good quality, cooked nicely and was very tender.

My main dish was Soulard Duck Breast (900 baht). The duck breast was accompanied with wilted spinach, galette potato and cranberry sauce. The duck was very tender, cooked nicely and tasted very nice.

The open kitchen and indoor dining area.

Overall; the hotel was built with good space, height & volume. Eve restaurant had a 'retro' decor theme to it with with the main colour scheme of white & black and main materials of glass & chrome. The food was presented well, cooked well with good quality ingredients and tasted good. Since we were the only customers; the service was 'very' attentive.

My only complaints would be the parking garage view (if you sit outside on the terrace) the very expensive wine list and the overall expense of the food. I know, I know...the reason for the high food prices is because they had to import all the ingredients and materials...blah...blah....blah. Good excuses. But I don't buy it. I truly believe Thailand has very good beef, duck, chicken, etc. I believe its only an 'ego' trip or even a 'show-off' trip that restaurant says that they 'import' all the 'best' ingredients. Don't get me wrong; I like the imported products that the restaurants bring in...but I think it is not needed.

Oooops; sorry, I am blabbering too much on this subject...sorry, back to my story. I think the food prices are a bit on the high side at Eve's. I am not sure if they will get customers into the restaurant especially when they are competing against established high priced/ fine dining restaurants on the same street....Tables at the Grand Hyatt, Madison at the Four Seasons and opening very very soon will be another high priced/ fine dining restaurant at the St. Regis.

I think if Eve wants to survive & compete on the Rajdamri Road; I think they need to change/ lower their prices if they want more customers to even consider to dine at Eve's. But then again, what do I know?

Address: 3 Soi Mahadlekluang 2, Rajdamri Road, Bangkok 10330
Tel.: +66 2209 1234

www.hansarbangkok.com

Mellow @ Thonglor

2011-03-26T04:14:00.000-07:00

My colleagues/ team mates decided to have a dinner so to have 'team bonding' session. One of the girls decided to take us to a new place on soi Thonglor. The name of the place was 'Mellow'. It is situated where Lenotre used to be at Penny's Balcony community mall (across the street from J-Avenue). This is currently the 'happening' place on Thonglor; so parking was an adventure in itself.

The atmosphere is dark with strategically placed spot lights to add a mysterious mood and the place is surrounded with windows so that customers had a view of the hussle and bussle of the street but also for passing people to see how trendy & crowded the place was. The decor had wooden tables & chairs; nothing special but the space itself was more of the attraction than the decor. The ambiance had loungey music playing in the background and the place had a lot of energy & activity because the place filled up so quickly. It is one of the very trendy and crowded places in Penny's Corner.

Since there were 10 of us and we ordered a lot of food; let me present them to you and I will give an overall comment. Hope you do not mind.

The first dish was Smoked Salmon Potato Pancake (180 baht).

The next dish was Chicken Nugget Wasabi Blue Cheese (165 baht).

The next dish was Pomegranate Salad (180 baht).

The next dish was Potato Wedges (100 baht)

The next dish was Buffalo Wings (150 baht).

The next dish was Ceasar Salad (180 baht).

The next dish was Tiger Prawn Sake Pink Sauce Linguine (280 baht).

The next dish was Sirloin Steak (550 baht).

The next dish was Spicy Italian Sausage and Mushroom (240 baht).

The next dish was Mentaiko Linguine (200 baht).

The next dish was Pan-roasted Sea Bass (280 baht).

The next dish was Seafood A.O.P. Black Ink Fettucine (280 baht).

The next dish was Tiger Prawn A.O.P. Black Ink Fettucine (300 baht).

The next dish was Salmon Steak White Sauce (320 baht).

The drink was Sake.

Overall: the food; was good but nothing spectacular. For a place like this...a place to be seen, a place that is meant more as a gathering hole rather than a gastronomic pub per se. Some of the dishes were trying too hard to be either 'fusion' or 'modern'...but what Mellow does best is when they stay with the basics like meat or simple pasta. The food was proper in terms of portions, quality, flavours and tastes. The prices were also not that bad actually for a trendy place on Thonglor; the most expensive dish we had was the Sirloin Steak and it was very reasonable at 550 baht....that is a very good thing! The service was not too bad for the place being so busy and the staff were friendly on top of that.

Address: Penny's Balcony, 16 Thonglor, Bangkok 10110
Tel.: o2-382-0065

Current news:
Set Lunch Available 11am-2pm. Free Wi-Fi.
Happy Hours Sunday-Thursday 5pm-7pm:
Buy 1 get 1 Free Cocktails/Asahi Draft

Gaggan...Progressive Indian

2011-03-15T04:53:00.000-07:00

Our friend who was the lifestyle & food writer for the Wall Street Journal newspaper based in Bangkok told us that he just had two meals at a new restaurant and he said these two meals were the best meals he has had in Bangkok in a long time. With a statement like that...we HAD to try this place.

This restaurant is called Gaggan. Gaggan is the name of the chef...what is so interesting about this place is the story behind chef Gaggan. He first worked/ opened the Indian restaurant called 'Red' on soi Thonglor. He left Bangkok to study in Spain under the world's most famous chef...chef Ferran Adrià from the gastronomic restaurant El Bulli. Chef Gaggan studied under chef Ferran for a year and returned to Bangkok to open Gaggan (a long story made short).

The restaurant is situated in a stunningly beautiful house in a dead end soi on soi Langsuan. The house was recently re-develped & re-designed. The restaurant's façade is old colonial charm; the interiour design was understated but classy. There was a lovely garden terrace adjacent the restaurant for smoking or having a before or after drink and there was a cool outdoor lounge terrace on the second floor for a more cool vibe.

Here comes the most important and fascinating part of this post....the Food! Chef Gaggan decided that he did not want to open another 'typical' Indian restaurant; he wanted to open a 'progressive' Indian restaurant. It is not modern or fusion...it is very innovative indeed!

The amuse bouche was Yoghurt with Cumin, Salt & Pepper. The amuse bouche arrived the server told us to let the egg white amuse bouche slide into our mouths. The slippery & oval sphere of yoghurt was encased in agaragar. Once in the mouth; the sphere burst and an explosion of creaminess from the yoghurt & the light flavour of cumin, salt & pepper spread through out the mouth. This dish was a conversation starter for sure.

The second dish was Umami oyster with Coriander Foam. I have to start by saying this had to be one of the most amazing and YUMMIEST things I have ever eaten in Bangkok....ok that is out of the way. Oh, did I mention that this is one of the most stunning dishes I have ever tasted? OK, sorry. This was truly breath taking! Umami oyster in Bangkok??? What??? That is right; this is one of the rarest oysters in the world and we had it in a 'progressive' Indian restaurant in Bangkok. Go figure! The umami oyster was intensely savory, sweet, creamy, salty and full of spirit and finesse. The coriander foam was light & airy but rich in deep flavour. The combination was a gastronomical wonder. By the way...did I mention how good this dish was?

The next dish was Clams & Mussels Masala. The clams & mussels were fresh and the masala curry added such intense flavour. A great combination.

The next dish was Soft Shell Crab with Tamarind Chutney. The soft shell crab was deep fried to a deep brown...the crab was slightly crispy on the outside and tender on the inside. The tamarind chutney added lovely sweetness, sourness, spiciness & acidity. A rich & flavourful dish.

The next dish was a Slow Cooked Egg with Balsamic Vinegar. The egg was slow cooked at 62 degrees. The was a great idea to break the pace of the dinner. As you all know; the break is normally a sorbet. But I do like this idea...a slow cooked egg. The egg since it was slow cooked had a soft yet solid texture. The balsamic vinegar added the rich & intense acidity and flavour. A light break but so satisfying.

The next dish was Risotto with Indian Mushrooms. The risotto was cooked perfectly, the creaminess of the sauce was lovely and the mushroom added lovely texture and flavour. This was a controversy at our table because everyone was wondering how 'Indian' was this dish. So...we asked the chef. He explained that he makes the risotto Indian style; for example, the Italians use wine & broth to make risotto, for him he cooks the rice the Indian way (which I have no clue what that is) as well as using Indian ingredients like mushrooms from the northern Indian mountains. OK, we kind of can see the rational behind it....but the question still remained...can Risotto be considered Indian food?

The next dish was Ravioli stuffed with Cheese. The ravioli had a thin skin (which is a good thing), the cheese inside was soft and melted in the mouth. This was another controversial dish since no one knew what raviolis had to do with Indian food. The only thing we agreed on was that it was really yummy.

The next dish was Seafood Masala. Maybe the chef also wants to play with his clients perceptions and thoughts of what is suppose to be served in a 'progressive' Indian restaurant because after the raviolis...the seafood masala changed our minds again. The dish was accompanied with home made nan bread (which were really good). The seafood was fresh and had good texture. The curry was rich & creamy...perfect to dip the nan bread into. A nice way to end our meal before dessert.

However; the next dish was a shocker...Goat Brains. Chef Gagan came out and asked us how the meal was and of course we loved it. He explained that one of the signature dishes of the restaurant was 'goat brains'. We were so curious to know and what that tasted like. So, the chef made us tasting portions so we can experience this dish. The slow cooked goat brains had a texture of fois gras. The taste was a combination of curry & spices. What an eye opener and WOW...so so delicious. We decided that the next time we came back to Gagan; were were going to ask for the goat brains for the main course (with nan bread of course).

The next dish was Snow Flakes (yoghurt ice-cream freeze dried). The dessert did look like snow flakes. When you first placed a spoon full of the snow flakes into the mouth; the texture was cold & solid particles, but then in an instant the particles started melting the full flavour of yoghurt with slight vanilla after tastes hinged in the mouth. Simply amazing!

The next dish was Truffle Rock (with chocolate & peanut dirt). The last dish first looked very solid (even the name suggested it); however, then the spoon hit the rock, it was actually a soft piece truffle. Then we blended the 'dirt' with the truffle and it added nice flavours & textures. This chef is indeed a mad gastronomic scientist.

We enjoyed the food & experience so much that we had a long talk with the chef. He invited us into his lab. The beautiful colours & textures of his spices he uses to amaze our palettes.

More of the secret ingredients that goes into making all the wonderful dishes.

Overall; what a surprising and great journey. Chef Gaggan has changed our minds of what Indian food can be. He is inventive, outrageous, daring and fun (himself and his food). He has put so much thought into everything, even the plates that he uses to serve every dish has its own design and purpose. That kind of attention to detail, is great. Though we had a lot of food; we did not feel 'stuffed' like we would after eating in a 'normal' Indian restaurant.

The staff were fantastically professional, efficient and friendly. The atmosphere...though, had a old world colonial feel & class to it was actually comfortable & inviting. The ambiance was lively because the chef kept walking around to see if everyone was enjoying the food and having a good time. The staff were in an instant movement due to all the dishes coming out of the kitchen. And of course; the place itself is just beautiful.

You can choose à la carte; but I really recommend the 10 dish tasting menu like the one we had. The chef decides what you eat and the price? At 1,500 baht per person is a really good deal and so so worth it.

Address: 68/1 Langsuan Road, Bangkok 10330
Tel.: +6626521700

www.eatatgaggan.com

Madame T Vietnamese Cuisine

2011-03-06T03:23:00.000-08:00

We noticed that a new Vietnamese restaurant 'poped' up on Sukhumvit soi 23. But, you must really look for this place. The restaurant is not on the street level; so most people do not even realize that the restaurant is there. It is not 'in' the building rather it is connected to the building.

It is situated above the car park of the 'Sukhumvit House' apartment building (across the street from Pegasus...I am sure you know what that is, wink wink wink).

The restaurant is called; Madame T. We climbed the steps that led us to the first floor of the building. Once you step into the restaurant; the decor is what you notice right away; it is bright with white wooden tables & chairs; the walls have flower wallpaper and there were tons of paintings with the typical Vietnamese scene or women wearing the traditional Vietnamese dress. The atmosphere was easy going and comfortable. What surprised me was the place was packed and more & more people kept coming in.

The first dish was Fresh Spring Rolls. The fresh spring rolls were indeed 'fresh'. The ingredients were of bright colours and rich in tastes. Always a great starter to open up your taste buds.

The next dish was Deep Fried Spring Rolls. No one can resist Vietnamese spring rolls and the people at our table could not resist these indeed. The spring rolls were made with the sticky rice wrap (which I prefer). This type of rice paper gave the spring rolls a lovely crispy texture. The stuffing was abundant and tasty.

The next dish was Steamed Raviolis. The raviolis came in steamed white & blue rice flour wraps (unique), the stuffing of minced pork & mushrooms were tasty, the toppings of pork pâté & deep fried onions added nice texture & flavours.

The next dish was Sautéed Lemon Grass Beef. The beef was of good quality and tender. The lovely flavour of lemon grass was abundant. A nice & simple dish.

The next dish was Deep Fried Soft Shell Crab. The soft shell crab was deep fried to deep brown. The crabs was lightly crispy on the outside but very tender & soft inside. Soft shell crab is normally bland; so the sauce is really important...the sauce was a good combination of spicy, sweet & sour.

The next dish was Braised Pork Ribs. The pork ribs was tender and falling off the bone. The sauce was light but rich in flavour. I would have to say pretty good.

For dessert...Deep Fried Bananas. The beignets were nicely deep fried to a rich golden brown. The outside of beignets were crunchy & crispy and the inside, the banana was soft & hot. This was a very nice dessert.

Overall; I have to admit, I was very skeptical about this place. Actually; I am always skeptical about Vietnamese restaurants in Bangkok. I am normally disappointed with Vietnamese food in Bangkok. Simply; Vietnamese food is not very well represented in Bangkok. But, Madame T was not that bad! The food was fresh, tasty & well presented. The prices were very reasonable and the service was friendly but the junior service staff were a bit 'blur'.

Madame T is a good addition to Sukhumvit 23, where there are already a good number of restaurants to choose from.

Address: Sukhumvit House, 128/46 Soi Sukhumvit 23,
Bangkok 10110
Tel.: 2259 1127

Phuket Town

2011-02-25T22:15:00.000-08:00

Every time we drove on soi Thonglor; we noticed a shop house/ restaurant that is designed to look like a shop house in Phuket town. It looked so interesting that we decided that we had to try to the food. The name of the restaurant is of course...Phuket Town.

The interiour of the restaurant has old world charm. The mix of colonial/ Chinese & local Phuket furniture and decorations made up the atmosphere...you actually feel like you are in Phuket town. Even the murals on the walls are painted scenes the good old days of Phuket town.

The first dish was Deep fried Sea bream with cumin (220 baht). These little rascals are one of my favourite dishes in Phuket. It was not often we could find them on the menu when we were in Phuket but when we did find them...we had to have them. At Phuket Town, we were not disappointed. The fish were deep fried to a golden brown; the fish was crispy on the outside but very tender on the inside. The great flavour of the cumin was so evident. Such an amazing dish.

The second dish was Stir fried Sa-Tor with shrimp in shrimp paste (150 baht small/ 170 baht large). This dish is not for everyone; because of the flavour of the Sa-Tor. It is indeed an acquired taste. Sa-Tor grows on very tall trees all over Phuket. The flavour is very very very bitter & has a very strange smell on top of it. However; for this dish, the Sa-Tor combined with the shrimp & shrimp paste tasted really good. The intense flavours and nice texturs (crunchy Sa-Tor and tender shrimps) were a good combination.

The third dish was Red curry pla-mong fish souffle served in banana leaf (65 baht). Another favourite dish...fish souffle. One of the best in Phuket is at Kan-aeng II; it is so so so yummy. So; we were so happy to order a true Phuket fish souffle. Thank goodness it turned out to be very good. The texture of the souffle was lovely; soft, tender & creamy due to the coconut cream. The combined tastes of sweetness & spiciness was just lovely. So So Satisfying.

The fourth dish was White cumin spiced minced pork and prawn salad (150 baht). We introduced and started eating white cumin at a lovely & small restaurant in Chatuchuk Weekend market. So; when we saw this salad on the menu, we had to try it. Not only does white cumin have an intense flavour it is supposedly a good ingredient that fights cancer. This salad had great colours, textures and flavours. Another hit.

The bicycle truly adds to the charm of the place. It reminded me of the lazy & slow days of a a charming town where people biked around and there was no traffic.

The front of of the restaurant is painted in bright happy colours...which is indeed eye catching.

Overall; a great secret on Thonglor. Charming atmosphere & ambiance. The service is discreet but efficient. The prices are so reasonable for the quality. The food is very authentic and delicious. It is not a very large place so when it gets busy it will be difficult to get a table...but it for sure will be worth it.

Address: 160/ 8 soi Thonglor, Sukhumvit 55
Bangkok 10110
Tel.: 02-714-9402
Open daily: 10:30am - 22:00pm

Serenade Restaruant and Wine Bar

2011-02-05T04:11:00.000-08:00

We read from the BK magazine that there was a new great restaurant on Thonglor at the 'Grass Complex'. The review gave the restaurant 4 stars out of 5. A friend of ours (who is a chef by training) also read the review so we all decided that we should try the place.

The restaurant is called Serenade. It is on the ground floor facing the parking lot of the Grass Complex. We decided to sit outside because the weather was not too hot. It was a mistake because we were eaten alive by mosquitoes. Those damn beasts! Luckily; Serenade had tons of mosquito repellent. The view from the terrace was of the parking lot...very nice view when dinning.

The restaurant comprises of two floors plus the outdoor loungey area. The building itself is a modern with exposed steel & glass as the core design. The interior decor was simple & nice but nothing special. The outdoor furniture was a strange mix of wood lounge beds and tables & chairs.

The first dish was Green bean shallots (123.19 baht). The green beans were cooked well and had a nice slight crunch to them. The shallot dressing was way too much; it actually overwhelmed the dish. Too bad; because this simple dish could have been really great.

The next dish was Roasted root salad (152.93 baht). The roasted root salad was cooked well and the roasted root had a good texture and was sweet. The goat cheese topping was a good idea; but it was way too much and it overwhelmed the roasted root. I guess we did not have to eat it all but it would have been a waste.

The next dish was Miso carrot (101.95 baht). The carrots were nicely cooked and had a nice slight crunch to them. The carrots were covered with a thyme dressing...and it was waaaayyyy too much thyme. The carrot & miso flavours were non-existent due to the over thymeing (I don't think this is a word, but it surely described the situation) of the dish.

The next dish was Scallops (420.56 baht). The scallops were of good quality, cooked well and had a nice sauce to accompany them. However; we thought it was on the expensive side for 3 scallops.

The next dish was Flank steak demi jao (237.89 baht). We asked for the flank steak to be on the rare side and that is how it arrived...nicely cooked, the meat had good taste but to our disappointment, the meat was on the tough side. I know that a tough piece of meat is not the restaurants fault; it can happen.

The next dish was 3 Chicken wings (76.46 for each so 229.38 baht). The chicken wings were enormous; I was wondering what kind of chicken they got the wings from. Believe me...they were huge! The chicken wings were deep fried to a dark golden brown. The outside of the chicken wings was very crispy and meat was tender & juicy.

The next dish was Grilled cobia (242.15 baht). The cobia was cooked nicely but we felt it was cooked too long. We were also shocked how salty the dish was. We could not eat it so we asked the waiter to ask the chef why was the dish so salty.

The chef came out to apologize and to explain that the dish actually came with three different salt from different regions. The salt happened to be mixed in the dish which was not suppose to. Therefore; the extreme saltiness of the dish. The chef told us that he would make another cobia dish for us but the salt would be separated on another dish. That was really nice of the chef.

The cobia dish in the end turned out to be so-so. Nothing very special about it.

For dessert, a Napoleon (127.45 baht). The Napolean...a mille-feuile filled with an almond flavoured paste. The dessert looked nice but I would have to say that I was disappointed with it because mille-feuile was soggy when it was suppose to be crusty and the almond flavored paste was dried out. It was truly a sad sad dessert.

Including corkage (509.77 baht), service & VAT the total bill came to 2,724.99 baht.

Overall; maybe all of us were very disappointed because we were expecting something totally wonderful since we all took the advice of the BK Magazine giving Serenade 4 stars out of 5. Four stars is suppose to mean that the Serenade is one of the 'best' or 'finest' restaurants in Bangkok. This is where we would all disagree very strongly.

The ambiance was so-so...sitting on the terrace you get to watch cars passing by and being parked all evening. OK; no one forced us to sit outside, so I will not even count the ambiance into this factor of this place being a 4 star place.

The food was so-so...there were some hits; such as the cooking of some of the dishes were good and the presentation of the food is nice. But; there seems to be a miss on the balance of flavours or tastes of the dishes. Most of the dishes were overwhelmed by one major ingredient; just way too much of it so that it erased any sign of any other food on the dish.

The service was efficient but the male restaurant manager/ waiter was not friendly. I don't know why that was, but since the place was empty, he could have faked it at least.

This was a really big disappointment for us because the hype around this place was strong and the reviews I have read are all fans. Well; at least we tried it for the first time but I have to say it was also our last time.

On top of all this (sorry; another long story to add to this post); when we got our car from the Valet; the Grass Complex gangsters asked us to pay 200 baht. We asked why and they say the policy of the Grass Complex is that...after 10:00 pm, it cost 100 baht per hour.

We could not believe it; because first we got a stamp from the restaurant on the valet ticket they gave us. We left around 11:20; so it was not two hours. But the f # @ k * + g nerve of those gangsters to cheat us. We told them that we ate in the complex and got a stamp and that should have allowed us to park for free. We refused to pay and the valet idiots blocked our car.

The Serenade manager/ waiter was leaving the premises on his motorbike and stopped to talk to us; so I thought he would help us. Instead he told us that it was not the restaurants policy and it was the Grass Complex policy so we had to pay. We said 'NO'! So; he said told the Grass valet idiots to let us go and he was angry with us.

In my opinion; the Grass Complex will not work out. The restaurants in the complex will have a hard time surviving if the policy of the place is non-sensical & idiotic. Most restaurant in the complex are already empty most nights. The Grass Complex had a good concept but in the end they are trying too hard to be hi-so and that it is really sad and a big joke. Let's see who will have the last laugh.

Address: The Grass Complex; Sukhumvit soi 55 (Thonglor) on the right side after passing Thonglor soi 10
Telephone: 02-713-8409

Gai & Joel

2011-01-25T03:04:00.000-08:00

We heard that a new restaurant opened on soi Langsuan. The restaurant is from Chef Gai who used to cook for Le Vendome at All Seasons Place and then she moved to The Deck on the river.

Chef Gai left The Deck to join Alila Hotel in Cha-Am. This is where she met her husband Chef Joel, an Australian who was the head chef of the Alila Group. They married and moved together to Alila Hotel Luang Prabang and worked there for several years. They came back to Bangkok and they just opened...Gai & Joel.

So, we decided to try her new restaurant.

The restaurant is situated where Ember Restaurant used to be. The decor is modern with white & black as the major colours with a hint of gold, blue & purple.

The bread platter with an amuse bouche.

My friend's starter was Soft shell crab. The soft shell crab was deep fried to a dark golden brown. The crab was soft & tender but had loads of flavour.

My starter was Lobster filled ravioli. The three raviolis were nicely made; the skin was not too thick and the lobster stuffing was sufficient. The sauce was thick, rich & creamy. The dish tasted very good but I thought three raviolis were not enough for what the price was for this dish.

(OK, I am sure you are asking what was the price for the raviolis....in my drunken stooper, I forgot to write down the prices of each dish. I totally forgot; I am thinking it was around 450 baht. But, let me confirm that with you very soon. I am checking for the receipt of our bill).

The break between dishes was a Raspberry sorbet.

My starter was Seafood soup. The seafood was very fresh, cooked very nicely and the soup itself was rich in flavour. The soup was a hearty meal.

My friend's starter was Beef tenderloin. The beef was cooked as ordered. The beef was tender and had a good flavour to it.

The complimentary Ice Cream tower. We rarely eat dessert; but Chef Gai was very nice to offer us dessert. The flavours were very creative and the taste of the ingredients were subtle.

Overall; the food was very good. The ingredients were fresh and the dishes were nicely put together. You could tell that the chefs were passionate with the food they are creating and cooking.

Chef Gai and Chef Joel were very friendly and approachable. We asked them lots of questions about the food and they were happy to discuss and explain their food and philosophy of their cooking.

The pricing of the food & wine are on par with most French restaurants in town...a bit on the expensive side. This is due to the import of many of the fresh ingredients. However; (this is just my opinion), there are a lot of very very good ingredients that already exist in Thailand. I am not sure if French restaurants need to always import everything and therefore the prices of the food is out of reach for the majority of people.

I think Gai & Joel as the new restaurant on the block and needs/ wants to attract clientele, I think they might have to adjust some things. For example; give heartier portions so that people can justify the price/ quality ratio. Let them see that they are getting their monies worth. But, then again, what do I know!

The staff needs a bit more training in terms of paying more attention to the customers. For example; the restaurant was empty yet I had to ask for my wine glass to be filled, etc. At the same time, the staff needs to smile just a bit. They were going through the motions but with no emotions.

Finally; the most disturbing aspect of the restaurant was a very foul odor coming from somewhere. At first; we thought it was cheese, but we did not see a cheese cart. Then we thought it was coming from the toilette, but it was not sewer smell. Since the restaurant was just opened a few months; we decided, it might be coming from the floor in terms of a glue they used or whatever treatment of the floor. That is the only guess we could come up with. Whatever it was; it was disturbing and not pleasant. For the sake of the place Gai & Joel notices it and tries to fix it or hopefully it will just disappear.

Address: 99/ 11-12 Langsuan, Balcony Bldg., Bangkok 10330
Telephone: 02-684-5944

www.gaiandjoel.com

Chesa

2011-01-20T06:45:00.000-08:00

This is the only Swiss restaurant I know in town and thank goodness its really really really good. The quality of the products are fresh and owner/ chef cooks up hearty and delicious food.

Chesa has been around for a very long time and has a big following. We sometimes forget that Chesa is there; but when we think of having 'meat', we right away think of Chesa. Chesa is situated in a house in a discreet sub soi. The restaurant's decor is nothing special but the restaurant is cozy & comfy.

The first dish was Mache Salad. I love mache salad and the only place I know that flies in the mache to Bangkok is at Chesa. A mix of mache, bacon, tomatoes, radish & chopped boiled egg with a light cream salad dressing. Chesa is the only place that has this and it simply amazing.

The second dish was Deer meat. For our starter; were very curious to try the deer meat. The deer meat was lovely; rich deep colour, good texture and nice taste.

The next dish was Roasted Venison. It is so rare to get a whole venison to share for six people in town. Chesa always has the most amazing cuts of meats (depending on the season). When the chef told us that the venison just arrived in the restaurant. How could we let him hold on to it? We ordered it medium-rare. The venison was cooked perfectly. The meat was so tender and cut like butter. Just amazing.

The first side dish was Chestnuts & honey. Oh my, oh my do I love chestnuts. What a great idea to have a sweet & smokey side dish like this to contrast with the other savoury side dishes. The chestnuts were soft & tender and the sweetness from the honey made them so so yummy.

The second side dish was Brussels sprouts with bacon. We do like Brussels sprouts and the way they were cooked at Chesa...makes this side dish a favourite. The Brussels sprouts were soft & tender and the rich flavour of the Brussels sprouts and the bacon were a match made in heaven.

The third dish was Red cabbage. The cabbage had a lovely deep burgundy colour, were soft and had the right balance of acidity, sourness & sweetness.

The fourth side dish was Spaetzle. Traditional German dumplings. My favourite when pan fried until crispy on the outside. The texture of the dumplings were more dense than gnocchi. The taste comes from butter & olive oil with a sprinkle of herbs.

The dessert for my gang was a Cheese platter to share. The Swiss cheeses were perfect. The right smell, texture and flavour. Who needs to fly to Switzerland now to eat cheese?

Overall; no wonder Chesa has been opened in Bangkok all these years. It is a great place for Swiss food. Chesa is a very popular place fondu or raclette; but I just cannot eat this kind of meal in the heat of Bankgok. I always associate these dishes with the cold winter weather of Switzerland. I find them too heavy for my palette.

However; the rest of the food at Chesa is absolutely wonderful. The meats are especially amazing. The selection of things at Chesa are of course freshly flown in from Switzerland and are unique because there are not many Swiss restaurants in town. The chef really knows how to cook his meats. The side dishes are so so good.

The service is really friendly and professional. The prices are not are not cheap but are not that expensive either. But we are willing to pay for the meats (a bit more expensive than other places) because they are rare and hard to find in Bangkok. A unique and hidden treasure on Sukhumvit.

Address: 5 Sukhumvit 20, Bangkok 10110
Telephone: 02-2616650

www.chesa-swiss.com

Wanakarm

2011-01-15T22:10:00.000-08:00

One of the ugliest decorated Thai restaurants in town happens to be one of my favourites. I have been going to Wanakarm for ages. It was actually our canteen when we were living on Sukhumvit soi 23. The restaurant was one minute walk away.

Wanakarm (I think) has been open since the sixties because the decor looks like it comes from the sixties. The pink plastic table covers, the heavy teak chairs & tables, the pink plastic roses with fake dew on them and the other kitsch decoration. But; when you put all those things together, there is actually something charming, cute & inviting about the place.

The first dish was Deep fried morning glory. This is an amazing starter to any dinner. The morning glory is deep fried like tempura. They come out golden, hot and crispy. The deep fried morning glory came with a sweet sauce that consists of shredded green mango, peanuts, onions, chillies and dried shrimp. We poured the sauce over the morning glory....my goodness; it was so so good. The textures & flavours are out of this world.

The second dish was Raw shrimp marinated with fish sauce. One of our favourite starters in a Thai/ seafood restaurant. The shrimp were plump and fresh. The shrimp came with a spicy green sauce. Dipping the shrimp into the sauce and with a mint leaf...this little thing turns out to be something big in tastes.

The next dish was Stuffed minced pork omelette. I think I can live on stuffed omelette. Some restaurants make their stuffed omelette too sweet. But not at Wanakarm. The omelette is cooked perfectly; the stuffing of minced pork, peas, onions, tomatoes & spices were cooked nicely and blended so well with the omellete. Who invented this dish? Cause I want to give them a big hug.

The next dish was Tom kha gai. The tom kha gai was done very nicely. The soup had a nice blend of sour, sweet and tangy tastes. The mushrooms & chicken added colour & texture. A really lovely dish.

The next dish was Spicy stewed beef soup. This is our favourite dish at Wanakarm. I think we have ordered this dish every single time we have eaten at Wanakarm (that is a lot of times). The stewed beef is so tender, the soup is rich in flavour and gives a punch with its spiciness. It is really hard to find this soup in restaurants; so when we are in a mood for a mean bowl of stewed beef soup...Wanakarm, here we come.

Overall; the decor might not be to my taste (but I still think its charming), but the food is so so good and the prices are very affordable. The service is still wonderful after all these years. And the amazing thing is that the staff are still the same after all these years.

My only minor annoyance about Wanakarm; is that, I feel that the restaurant is now catering too strongly to the Japanese guide books. Any day of the week; you can go to Wanakarm and the place is full of Japanese carrying their guide books. The menu now is a 'photo album' menu with Japanese/ English & Thai language. I truly hate touristic restaurants; but I can forgive Wanakarm because I do love the food just like the Japanese do.

Address : 98 Sukhumvit Soi 23
Bangkok 10110

Tel. :662 2596499

Working hour : ทำการทุกวัน 11:00-24:00 อาทิตย์ 16:30-24:00

Len Zen Boat Noodle

2011-01-09T20:29:00.000-08:00

We decided to have lunch at the very popular community mall K-Village. As usual; the place was packed for the weekend. It seems they do everything right to attract people to spend money at this place.

We decided to try a place we have not tried before at K-Village...Len Zen Boat Noodle. The menu is extensive with either noodle or rice dishes to choose from. But, what is very great about the dishes on the menu is that a lot of the Len Zen specializes with dishes from Chiang Mai or the Buriram province. This was very interesting so we were ready to eat.

We first started with a bowl of Beef Boat Noodle Soup (55 baht). The fresh raw beef, smooth & rough beef balls were of good quality. The vegetables were abundant and the broth was thick and really tasty. The combination of all the fresh & good ingredients made this dish a good value.

The next dish was Buriram stewed pork leg (110 baht). The stewed pork leg was very tender, juicy and tasty. It is almost like a 'khao kha moo' but with a richer and thicker sauce. This dish was not bad at all but I would have to say it was on the sweet side for my taste.

The sauces that you can add to your food. As well as the amuse bouche of pork rinds or deep fried seaweed (20 baht/ pack).

The open kitchen where we were able to watch the cooks prepare the orders.

Overall; for a quick, very good and affordable lunch...I emphasize 'affordable', especially at K-Village. The staff are friendly and attentive. The atmosphere is very relaxed and easy-going. Not bad at all!

We are located at Unit No. A220 / Floor 2F
Opening Hours: 11:30 AM - 10:00 PM
Telephone: 02-6613438

http://www.kvillagebangkok.com