Let Them Eat Cake

We read that there was a new pastry room on Sukhumvit soi 20, almost at the end of the soi.  There is a new community mall with a Watson's and a 24 hours Max Value supermarket  I had to try it because I am always looking for new places that serve amazing & interesting pastries in a very nice atmosphere.  This new dessert heaven is called 'Let Them Eat Cake' (a very clever name).

The space is small.  The decor is very minimal and simple; the interiour design is a mix between a bistro and a brasserie consisting of grey walls, grey leather benches and chairs and marble tables, there is a slight break in colour with the caramel coloured cushions.

The great thing about 'Let Them Eat Cake' is that they are open passed midnight on weekends.  A very nice idea for all the people have late dinners and need a nice place for dessert.

The first cake was a Thai Tea Tart (135 baht).  The size of the tart was good, not too much for one person, it was structurally well put together, was pleasing to the eye, looked fresh and appetizing.  The tart's thai tea flavour was rich and the thai tea cream was soft & creamy.  The

The second cake was a Madame Pompadour (130 baht).  This was a hazelnut creamy mousse pastry that tasted wonderful.  The hazelnut mousse was soft and velvety.  The taste of hazelnut was rich and  the taste lingered on the taste buds for a long time.  

The beautiful pastries on show.  The nice thing about 'Let Them Eat Cake' is that they are not trying too hard by making too many cakes at the same time.  They are focusing on about nine cakes...emphasizing on quality instead of quantity.  I would have loved to try them all...next time.

Overall;  Let Them Eat Cake is a very nice addition to the dessert scene of Bangkok.  It is going to do very well (it is already impossible to get a table on weekends and it is full of Japanese house wives on weekdays) because it is offering something very unique and on top of it...it is very yummy.

Making (or copying) Pierre Hermé inspired pastries but with a Thai twist is a lovely idea.  It could have turned out horribly wrong for example, too sweet or too creamy, but the pastry chef has kept the focus on French pastry techniques and using good quality ingredients.

The service is good and attentive, the prices are reasonable; especially for the quality of the pastries.

Let Them Eat Cake has recently opened and it is not the easiest soi to get to; and yet, it already has a huge following through word of mouth and simply because they are making good pastries in a nice setting.

Address: 66/4 G Floor, Mille-Malle
Sukhumvit soi 20, Bangkok

Telephone:  02-663-4667

facebook.com/letthemeatcakebkk

Ogu Ogu

My friends and I decided to try the new Japanese restaurant in the same building of the newly opened Japanese hotel...the Okura.  The new Japanese restaurant is called Ogu Ogu.   We all heard about it and we have all passed by it and thought it looked interesting in terms of design.

The decor is modern with the use of wood as the main material.  The wood is used in many fashions to give texture and colour to the place.  There is strategic mood lighting; but a bit dark to see the menus.  Modernised retro furniture adds more interesting design elements to the place.

We started with Lotus Chips (140 baht). With rosemary infused salt.

The next dish was Spicy Tuna Roll (230 baht)...thinly chopped tuna in spicy mayonaise dressing rolled with avocado and tobiko caviar.

The next dish was Dragon Wings (280 baht)...their version of buffalo wings served with whipped blue cheese dressing.

The next dish was Tuna Ceviche (530 baht)...tuna marinade with yuzu dressing served with green tea salt.

The next dish was Sashimi Salad (390 baht).

The next dish was Ogu Ogu Tofu (190 baht)...fresh tofu served with different kinds of salts and ponzu.

The next dish was Assorted Sashimi (950 baht)...a combination of tuna, salmon and red snapper.

The next dish was Grilled Beef Tongue (320 baht)...thinly sliced grilled beef tongue served with green tea salt.

The next dish was Ogu Ogu Salad (390 baht)...their simple rocket and green salad with truffle oil and anchovy.

The next dish was Grilled Pork Belly (280 baht)...thinly sliced grilled pork served with yuzu kosho.

The next dish was Truffle Carbonara Udon (380 baht)...their modern take on traditional carbonara using their udon noodles with truffle infused cream sauce.

The next dish Mentaiko & Egg Udon (380 baht)...udon noodles in egg broth with mentaiko fish roe served in hot stone bowl.

The first dessert was Sake Affogato (280 baht)...our sake sorbet floated in sake wooden box.

The next dessert was Tofu Blanc Manager (280 baht)...soy milk mousse served with ogura red bean and their special green tea gelato.

The next dessert was Baked Apple Spring Roll (280 baht)...served with vanilla gelato and calvados liquor infused syrup.

Overall; I rarely say this but I thought the evening was disappointing.  We went into Ogu Ogu with perhaps too big of an expectation.  The place looked so different and cool that we wanted it to be really good.  It was a let down.

The food was just ok...presentation wise; no issues.  But when it came down to execution and preparation, this was their down fall.  I am not sure if Ogu Ogu actually knows something about Japanese food or their chef was ever trained properly.  Everything was eatable but there was nothing that 'wowed' us or even allowed us to say that this is interesting.  I was actually hoping for something atleast to be 'this is really good'.  But it never materialised.

Most of the sashimi and sushi rolls were of good quality and no issues.  The more unique dishes turned out to be disappointing like the Truffle Carbonara Udon; the only thing different about the dish was they used cream and udon noodles.  There is nothing creative what-so-ever in this dish; this was their chance to truly make this their signature dish if they actually just thought a bit deeper.  On top of that, the dish was infused with too much truffle essence that the dish tasted fake.

There was a dish that we all did agree was not bad at all...the grilled pork belly.  Very good quality pork, good texture, grilled nicely and had a good taste.

The most annoying elements of our evening came down to service and ambiance.  Let me start with the service.  There was no lack of staff in the establishment; but the problem was either they were not trained properly or they really did not care.  Ogu Ogu is split into sections separated by a wall.  For some strange reason the staff preferred to stay on the other side of the restaurant.  So when we needed or wanted something, we could never attract the attention of one of the staff.  We were so annoyed that we began to serve our own sake.

The next thing Ogu Ogu has to decide is if they want to be serious restaurant or a disco-teque.  The freaking techno music was playing so loud that we had to ask twice for them to turn it down because we had to scream at each other to have a discussion.  I do not want to kill their concept...if they want to attract a young crowd who knows nothing about food and just want to listen to techno music all night long; that is their prerogative.  But if this is 'truly' going to be a restaurant; this is where they will kill their main source of business...in my humble opinion, people who want good food will not sit in Ogu Ogu, pay those kinds of prices and be driven crazy by techno music.

In the end; we were a table of 8 people we and we all agreed that we would not return; just for the simple fact that we had a lot of food but we were not full and we were not satisfied.

Address:  Park Venture Ecoplex, G floor, 57 Wireless Rd. Bangkok
(BTS Ploenchit)

Telephone:  02-108-2255

www.ogu-ogu.com

Water Library Thonglor

We used to eat at the Water Library on Chamchuree Square.  But, it became cumbersome to go there due to traffic.  Then we heard that Water Library opened a branch on Thonglor at the Grass Building (closer to home).  That the concept was not going to be the same as the one on Chamchuree Square.  WL decided to open a restaurant like no other in town.  The gossip was spreading like wild fire.  The discussions and debates were heating up.  People thought WL was crazy to open such a restaurant with prices that matched eating in major food cities like London, Paris, Tokyo or NYC.  

Here is the reason for the debate.  The new WL restaurant was going to only have a 10 people maximum seating capacity.  They would only offer a set menu; no a-la-carte.  It was going to be counter sitting where the chefs prepare some of the dishes in front of you.  The tasting menu only cost 6,500 baht for 12 courses (no wines).  The tasting menu with a wine pairing would cost 8,400 baht.  That is a lot of money.  However; WL counter the nay sayers by professing to only be using the freshest and best ingredients possible...on top of that the wines that are served are the most prestigious labels in the wine industry.  So there; that is why WL believes you get what you pay for.

We had friends who decided to try WL with us after a few long discussions.

WL at the Grass compound consist of a Wine Bar, an outdoor Lounge and an Indoor Lounge.  The restaurant is on the second floor.  Once we arrived upstairs; we are greeted by a host of staff warmly welcoming us.  The long patented wood counter is strategically lit so that the food with be high lighted perfectly.  The long and narrow room is dimly lit so to allow the counter to be the focal point.  The black counter leather chairs are pretty much the rest of the decor.  Simple and elegant comes to mind for the decor and ambiance.

Placed on our charcoal colored place mats were black envelopes with the tasting menu and wine pairings for the evening inside.  An elegant touch.

We are welcomed with a glass of Louis Roederer Brut Premier champagne...a lovely gesture and touch.  But of course one glass is never enough; thank goodness they were very generous with the pouring of the champagne.

The amuse bouche was Caviar...farmed Beluga Caviar, Iberico ham jelly and Ratte espuma.

The first dish was Heirloom Carrot...creme brule, roasted with cumin caramel, orange puree, Japanese horse hair crab.

A box arrived for the next dish...It had the question; 'Is it Donut?'.  Very cute.

When we opened the box; there was a donut with a dipping sauce and a piece of candy on a stick.  But the eye can be deceiving.  The donut was actually a specially baked bread with ham shavings, the dipping sauce was an aioli and the candy on the stick was spicy sausage.

The chefs preparing the next dish with hydrogen.

The next dish was Cerises Jaunes' tomatoes...'Nitro' yellow tomatoes, tomato sponge, Tarbouriech oyster, seawater.

The wine that accompanied the dishes was Riesling Kabinett Trocken "Klosterberg" Weingut Robert Weil Riesling 2009.

The next dish was Fois gras...variation of Perigord Fois gras, beetroots, Sakura smoked Ayu, hibiscus vinaigrette.

The wine accompanying the dish was Chardonnay Marina Cvetic Masciarelli 2007.

The next dish was Asperges...white asparagus served warm, comte cheese, puffed wild rice, suckling pig.

The next dish was Maine lobster 'en croute'...poached maine lobster, pumpkin compression, veloute of sea urchin.

The wine to accompany the next dishes was Volnay Champans Premier Cru, Domaine Marquis d'Angerville 2006.

The next dish was Otor...bluefin tuna belly, Jerusalem artichoke ragout, merlot reduction.

The wine to accompany the next dishes was Chateauneuf du Pape Reserve, Domaine du Pegau 2006.

The next dish was Chalans duck...roasted with lavender, endives, sauce poivrade.

The next dish was Gorgonzola...tribute to Alain Passard's baked vine tomato; ham ice-cream, tomato baked 6 hours with glazed orange juice, buttermilk discs.

The dessert wine was Moscato Possito, La Spinetta 2005.

The chefs preparing the desserts.

The next dish was Peach Melba...sous vide of peach, Mara de Bois sorbet, tarragon foam.

The final dish was the mini-desserts to accompany tea or coffee.

Overall;  with agreement of my three other dinner companions, we were really satisfied with the dinner.  It was well executed, cooked and tasted delicious.  The presentation of each dish was thought out well making sure it was pleasant on the eye.  The dishes were well blended in terms of textures, smells and tastes. The cooking of each dish was spot on; there was no meat, fish or vegetable that was overcooked or undercooked.  The ingredients on each dish were very fresh.

The service staff was incredibly well trained to welcome the guest and their sense of service was perfect.  They were active and responsive but not intrusive.

The only slight problem I would have is the counter sitting...though it is great to see and converse with the chefs who are preparing the dishes; it is not conducive for conversation.  If you come with a party of more that three; it already gets complicated to have a good discussion without getting a bit loud.

So...the big question from lots of people...is it worth it?  8,400 baht for the best quality food, most incredible wine labels & service possible; then yes would be my answer.  If you have the funds to splurge once or have a big celebration.  Then Water Library is the place to spend the money.  Of course you cannot do this often; but to experience this place once is really worth it.

Address:  Grass Thonglor, 264/1, Sukhumvit 55 (Thonglor 12) 


Telephone:  089-205-0318 

Wine Me Up @ Seen Space

We went to a restaurant on Thonglor for dinner because we had a late drinking appointment afterwards on in the area.  After parking the car, walking to this certain restaurant and then taking the elevator to this certain restaurant..to our shock when arrived at the restaurant; there was a sign posted on a locked gate that read, 'the restaurant was closed until further notice'.  WTF?

So; we decided to leave the car where it was and walk to Wine Me Up for dinner.  We have never been there, so the opportunity to do so had arrived.

Its hard to describe the decor of Wine Me Up because it is trying too hard to be chic & stylish that in the end its an overload to the senses.  The decor is a mix between a go-go night club, a discoteque, a jazz club and a hotel lobby.  The main colour theme was red, black and white.

The thing I hate the most is a restaurant that has a band that plays while you are trying to eat & talk...and behold Wine Me Up had a band playing.  I am no expert on music; but oh my, oh my was this band awful.  The singer was so out of tune; but when he tried to do the high notes...I was scared that my wine glass was going to shatter (or my ear drum).  It was loud, abrasive and simply unjoyful to sit there to be tormented like that.

We shared a platter of Tapas set (380 baht).  The tapas was a selection of Italian cold cut meats like Parma ham & salami and some cheese.  It was a good portion for two, the meats were good but what was disappointing was that the cheeses were on the very dry side and that they served the platter with pita bread (was not even toasted), which was a waste of space because it was dry and tasteless.

We also shared a Spinach Cheese Bake and Grilled Scallop (120 baht (I think)..I actually forgot but it was not expensive at all).  The dish was a good portion for sharing.  The combination of the melted cheese, the spinach and scallops were good very good.

I ordered the Spaghetti Smoked Salmon and Wasabi Cream Sauce (320 baht).  The spaghetti was cooked perfectly...the wasabi cream sauce we rich & thick and the full flavour of the wasabi came through.  However; I thought the sauce was too creamy to the point of sickening...which is no fault of the restaurant; because the description on the menu did say 'cream sauce'.  The salmon was of good quality, was plentiful and added the saltiness to the dish.

My friend had the Rib Eye with Red Wine Sauce and Potato Wedges (820 baht).  The piece of meat was of good quality.  It was cooked as asked, the meat was tender & juicy.  Nothing extravagant to this dish but this is proof that if you use good quality products...the more simple the dish, the better.

The ceiling of Wine Me Up is depiction of some Godly intervention or a Mythological battle (I was not sure which one it was).  But; it does show a lot of effort to add some kind of artistic element to the place.

The entrance to Wine Me Up which is on the third floor of the Seen Space Mall.  There is also outdoor sitting for smokers.

The view from Wine Me Up of Fat-R Gutz beer garden below.

Overall; the food was good; nothing outstanding, but good.  No issue on the quality of the produce, how the food was cooked and presented.  The prices are very reasonable.  The service is friendly and efficient.  The decor is over-the-top and the ambiance is just waaayyy tooo noisy with the awful band.

Address:  251/1 soi Thonglor 13 Sukhumvit 55, Bangkok 10110


Telephone:  02-185-2455