Zuma

Zuma opened about two years ago in the St. Regis hotel. There was big hype and buzz about Zuma coming to Bangkok.  If you are foodie; you would have heard about Zuma because it was the 'IN' place for trendy Japanese food and atmosphere from London, Miami to Hong Kong.

However; there was scepticism of a place like Zuma working in Bangkok for the simple fact that there are already tons of amazing Japanese restaurants in town.  The other rumour buzzing in town was..."who was going to pay those kind of prices" (everyone was assuming that the prices would be out of this world) to eat trendy Japanese food and sit in a trendy Japanese inspired atmosphere?

To be honest; those were the reasons that have kept us away from Zuma since they have opened.  However; we finally decided to stop listening to rumours and try Zuma ourselves to make our own decision if the place deserves or not deserve the bad rumors.

We decided to go for lunch since we were in the area.  We read that they had a special Sunday lunch menu at 780 baht ++ per person.  Zuma was offering Hotei...Zuma signature lunch; where you chose one item from a three course menu (the dishes are meant to be shared).

The concept of Zuma comes from chef Rainer Becker who opened the original Zuma in London.  He was inspired from the easy-going Japanese izakaya way of eating.  So, Zuma combines the Japanese way of cooking and Japanese aesthetics in design and modernises it.

The space of Zuma is huge...high ceilings, the volume of the space is impressive for a Japanese restaurant, there is outdoor and indoor dinning, there are different sections for dinning.  Key focus of the design of Zuma are the open show kitchens including sushi and robata counters.  Of course since Zuma is also a trendy hang-out; there is a bar where the trendy cocktails are made.

There is extensive use of natural materials; which is so Japanese, such as huge granite stones and dark wood.  The key colours are olive and lime greens for the chairs which blended well with their surroundings.  The flow and feel of the place is very natural.

My friend's starter dish was Maguro no taru taru (yellowfin tuna tartare with barley miso and wasabi dressing).  OH my; what a shocker of a dish.  The yellow tuna was so fresh, the texture was incredibly velvety and the flavours of miso & wasabi was a perfect combination.

My starter dish was Ika no kari kari age (crispy fried baby squid with green chili, lime and sea salt).  The baby squid was so fresh that it was tender and not chewy.  The squid was lightly coated and was deep fried perfectly.  The combination of chili, lime & sea salt is one of the most basic ingredients for seafood and it was absolutely lovely for this dish.

This dish was offered to us by the restaurant manager.  The manager realised that this was our first visit to Zuma so he wanted us to try another special dish from the menu.  This was one of the dishes under the 'Zuma new dishes' list.  The dish was Buta bara no shabu shabu salada (pork belly salad with cabbage and sesame ponzu dressing).   What can I say about this dish?  Devine...it first looked like a mess on a dish; but at closer inspection, it was a piece of art.  The combination of textures, colours and flavours made this dish stand out.  

My friend's second dish was Tokusen nigiri (5 nigiri selection).  I was not impressed with the sushi selection.  The fish was fresh and the fish tasted good; but this is where I have to say 'penny wise pound foolish'.  I am not an expert on sushi; but I am sure there must to be a proper ratio where the fish on the sushi must be higher percentage of the rice.  Or am I wrong here???

I felt that they were too stingy on the fish on the sushi; so it was a let down somehow.  If Zuma would have thought differently....for example; by thinking that by giving the customer a little bit more, the impressions the customer will have about Zuma would be so much better & long lasting than trying to save a little bit of money in the short term.

My second dish was Sashimi moriawase (3 sashimi selection).  The same goes for the selection of sashimi; this was not a lunch portion of a menu course but more like an amuse bouche portion...I am not joking.

My friend's main dish was Hamachi kama no shioyaki (salt grilled yellowtail cheek with pickled daikon).  The hamachi was so so so fresh and so so so good.  The fish was cooked perfectly where the skin slightly crispy and the inside was tender.  The salt and a squeeze of lemon added the right touch for such a simple but beautiful dish.

My main dish was Gyuhire sumibiyaki karami zuke (Australian beef tenderloin with sweet soy, sesame and red chili).  The beef tenderloin was cooked as ordered, the beef was so so tender and juicy and the beef tasted out of this world.  Amazing!

Overall; Zuma surprised us in term of the quality of food, the beauty of the dishes served, the very good & attentive service and beautiful atmosphere.  All were a great combination.   The price for lunch was actually not that bad for the quality of food and service.

I know I can be meanie when it comes to portion size...yes, I do eat like a pig.  But, I believe that people should get what they pay for.  Small servings does not help anyone...it gives a bad impression to the customer and it does not build loyalty for the restaurant.  I do hope Zuma rethinks about this aspect.

We are now very curious what dinner will be like at Zuma; I am sure the atmosphere will be very different but the food just as wonderful...so for sure we are going to experience that as well one of these evenings.

Address:  St. Regis Hotel....159 Rajadamri Rd. Bangkok 
Phone:  02-252-4707
BTS:  Ratchadamri BTS (there is a bridge connecting the BTS to St. Regis...how convenient is that?)

Masala Art

We have heard that a very good Indian restaurant existed on the second floor of the '8' building on Thonglor.  I am no expert at Indian food and I rarely eat it.  So it was time to try something different.  The name of the restaurant was Masala Art.

The restaurant is long with many tables.  What decor is refreshing for an Indian restaurant...it really breaks from the typical overly decorated Indian restaurant.  Masala Art still stays true to the Indian splash of bold colours but has toned it down a bit with such colours as burnt orange, dark green and pale beige.  The walls have a touch of gold and the dark wooden floors to round out the warm mood & tone of the place.

Amuse bouche of tomato & spices broth.  Such a small cup of broth but had a strong punch of flavour.  It was very tasty and refreshing.

The first dish was Peshawari Seekh Kebab (375 baht).  The minced mutton with tons of spices then cooked in the tandoori oven was so so yummy.  The mutton was of good quality and had good texture, the dish had loads of colour from the ingredients and was a good portion to share.

The next dish was Tandoori Aloo (250 baht).  Who would not like potatoes marinated in tandoori powder, garlic paste and yoghurt then cooked in the tandoori oven...we for sure enjoyed this dish.  The potatoes were soft and tender and each one bursting with flavour.

The next dish was Saag Paneer (275 baht).  The spinach and Indian farmer's cheese was a lovely combination.  The dish had creamy, velvety and smooth texture.  A cool and soothing dish that counter balanced the curry dishes.

The next dish was Fish Goan Curry (395 baht).  This curry dish was fire red in colour but thank goodness it did not match in terms of spiciness (the spiciness was just right).  Well balanced in flavour and tons of flavour might I add...however; with a curry like this, the fish only plays a minor character.  The fish was pretty much used just for texture.  A really tasty dish.  

The next dish was Korma Chicken Curry (320 baht).  Talk about a curry that explodes with flavour.  No wonder....a curry that has so many spices but with yoghurt to smoothen & thicken the curry; its a recipe for success.  The chicken was of good quality and was tender.  A lovely dish.

The Plain Nan basket (150 baht) that accompanied the food.   One way to test an Indian restaurant is by their Nan...you can always tell if they use good quality flour.  Thank goodness; the nan at Marsala Art was very good.  Slightly crusty and crunchy on the outside but tender and soft on the inside.  Just lovely with all the curries.

Overall;  we were pleasantly surprised at the quality and how good the food was at Masala Art.  They used very good raw ingredients and spices.  The dishes were good portions to share.  The prices were not cheap but yet it was not too expensive either.  Its about the same everywhere in town for Indian food.

The service was a very friendly and helpful...however; they were too pushy in trying to up-sale on dishes (which I really really hate).  Its like treating customer like idiots.  But; were were nice and told the wait person we needed time to decide from the extensive list of choices on the menu and if we had questions, we would ask.  The wait person understood and left us alone for a few minutes to look at the menu.

I seldom think of eating Indian food but if I ever have a craving for it...Marsala Art would definately be a choice.

Address:  The 8 Building; Thonglor soi 8, 2nd floor, soi 55 (Thonglor) Sukhumvit
Phone:  02-713-8357   
Web-site:  masala-artbkk.com

Ruen Urai @ The Rose Boutique Hotel

We were invited to dinner to meet friends of a friend.  Our friend chose one of her favourite Thai restaurants...Ruen Thai at The Rose Hotel.  We have heard of the Rose Hotel and always wanted to see what it was like.  So, this was the perfect opportunity.

The Rose Hotel has been operating on Surawongse Rd. for over 40 years...a long history.  I will not go into details about the hotel.  But what makes Rose famous is their Thai restaurant.

Ruen Urai is situated in a beautiful old Thai house on stilts.  Once you climb the stairs, there is a choice between an in-door and out-door dinning area.  We decided to eat outside because it was not too hot.

The in-door dinning room (photo above) is covered with teak wood floor to ceiling.  Nice volume and height for such a small room.  Not many tables due to the size of the room; yet it looked comfortable and the noise levels were decent.

Since I did not order the food; I have to apologise that there will be no prices included for each dish but will give you the summation of the cost of each person for the dinner.

The first dish was Cuplets with seafood & herbs.

The next dish was Seafood glass noodle salad.

The next dish was Eggplant salad with prawns.

The next dish was Fresh spring rolls.

The next dish was xxx

The next dish was Palm heart mixed vegetables.

The next dish was Water mimosa with bean sauce.

The next dish was Fried fish with peppers.

The next dish was Crab mixed with vegetables.

The next dish was Chicken massaman curry.

The next dish was a Chicken curry.

The next dish was Mushroom curry.

For dessert...Mango and sticky rice.

Overall; Ruen Urai was good but not terrific...I know my friend will kill me later for this review.  However; the reason why I say the food was not terrific was because I thought some dishes lacked spiciness, a dish was not well balanced, a dish was too watery and a dish was too bland.

I will not blame this on the fact that Ruen Urai is catering mostly to tourists.  I am sure tourists like spicy, well balanced, thick & rich and full of flavour Thai food as well.  Maybe the chef had a bad night...anyway; no matter the reason, Ruen Urai did not live up to the hype and all the amazing reviews on Trip Advisor from my point-of-view in terms of the food.

The atmosphere is lovely; sitting outdoors on the terrace of an old style Thai house with trees surrounding us...can't beat that.  The service was very nice and professional.  The prices live up to a restaurant for tourists...it is on the expensive side.  There were six of us so we ordered each dish twice (the servings were a bit small for us) and it came down to around 1,500 baht per person.  

In the end; Ruen Urai is a very nice place to take out-of-town guest to.  There will be no issues what-so-ever...your guests will love the food, atmosphere and service.  But; I am not sure if it will be on my top of mind list when I am craving for Thai food.

Address:  118 Surawongse Rd. 
Phone #:  02-266-8268-72
Operating Hours:  Daily 12:00 - 23:00 
www.ruen-urai.com

Shuffle

Our friend at BK Magazine had a posting on his facebook that he liked Shuffle restaurant at the Rain Hill.  We had no idea what Shuffle was; so we asked him if it "was it good?"  Our friend's reply was that; "it was not bad at all."  The chef comes from Hamburger Factory on Ekamai soi 10...I think there was a disagreement between the chef and his partners, so he left and opened Shuffle.  Good for us...another place to try out.

Shuffle is on the second floor of Rain Hill community mall on Sukhumvit.  Actually; to my surprise when we arrived at Shuffle was that; Shuffle has replaced a Japanese restaurant, which I presume had not been doing well since it Rain Hill opened.

The design of Shuffle was following the restaurant design trend in town...the industrial look.  Lots of steel, concrete and glass.  A great kitchen view (but covered with glass).  However; the design of Shuffle does stand out for its use of space.  They did not try to cram in a lot of table but instead used a island sofa and put tables around the sofa...a touch touch.  This gives the illusion of more ground space.  The height of Shuffle also gives the illusion of it being larger than it is.

We sat outside on the large terrace with the view of Sukhumvit.  The tables are nicely spread out so that you can have your private conversations.

We started with Witte Trappist draft beer (7 for 1,260 baht).  That's a pretty good deal for a very good draft beer.  

Instead of bread...why not croissants?  The croissants were fresh and came out warm.  The croissants were flaky & crusty and at the same time; fluffy, light, buttery and soft.  Not bad.

The starter was Calamari Fritti (185 baht).  The calamari was very fresh so it was not too chewy.  They were lightly coated and were deep fried to a light golden colour.  The combination of crispness and tenderness was nice.  The dish came with two dip sauces.  Well done.  

The next starter was Parma Ham Quesadilla (195 baht).  A simple dish but not too bad.  The quesadilla was light and crispy.  The parma ham was good but I thought they were a bit stingy on the ham.  There was a slight parma ham taste to some bites but I was expecting an explosion of the flavour in every bite.

My friend's main dish was One Good Burger (325 baht).  A massive burger that looked amazingly good.  And...it lived up to its looks.  All the ingredients were very fresh from the meat to the bread.  The meat was cooked as ordered (my friend does not like a well done hamburger) and the cheese added good flavour.  A hearty and good tasting burger.  The only one thing we can complain about this dish was that the bacon on the side was beyond room temperature cold.  In the end the bacon was not eaten.

My main dish was Grilled lamb & rice (425 baht).  The lamb was incredibly tender and juicy...very yummy.  The lamb was cooked as ordered.  They were also very generous with the lamb portion...good value for money.  The rice was nicely cooked and added flavour to the dish.  The lamb was accompanied with horse radish and cranberry sauce.  A nice contrasting offer in sauces.

My other friend's dish was Pork Chop (425 baht).  The chop was huge and cooked as ordered.  The sauce was a nice blend of tangy, acidity, sweet and sour.  The pork was fresh, tender and juicy.  Another hit because it tasted very nice.  I just thought the dish was a bit boring...a side of plain lettuce, a scoop of mash potato and gravy.  On the other hand; when it comes down to the basics; the food is still the star and this dish was hearty and filling.

The dessert was Cherry Crumble Cheese Cake (155 baht).  At first my stinginess came out and I was thinking no way in hell was I going to order a 155 baht cheese cake...but as usual; hell won, I am weak and ordered the dessert.

The portion was of good size to share.  The cheese cake was creamy, dense and rich...not bad at all.  The cherry sauce was 'ok'...as usual (and I should have known)...the cherry sauce was way too sweet.  It over whelmed the cheese cake.  The crumble....ummmm, there was a mess of it.  I was not sure what to do with all of it; but it did add texture, not much flavour added.

Overall; the food was not bad at all.  The prices are good since the quality was good and the portions were huge.  We were nicely & humorously warned that Shuffle was only at their 'soft opening' stage.  They were testing and trying their recipies and service.  We were not expecting out of this galaxy tasting food but we were very pleasantly surprised at the quality of the ingredients, the professionalism of the cooking, the portions and the tastes of the food...all very good.

Where you can see that Shuffle was at their soft opening stages was the service.  Though they were very welcoming and nice...a few things the restaurant manager has to teach the service staff.  We had plates for our starters.  When we were finished; they were not cleared...which was ok with us.  However; we assumed sooner or later they would do that.  But; out of no where, the main dishes arrived and the waitress asked me to move the used starter plate so she can put down my main dish.  Then she asked my friends to do the same.  Who on earth taught her that???  Are you not suppose to clear off the table before placing other dishes on the table???  And asking the client to do that is not way to do either.

Because we sat outside;  in the beginning the service staff was attentive.  But as the night passed; all of a sudden they disappeared.  When we needed more beer, I had to wave like a bird about to take flight to get their attention.  When that did not work, I finally had to go inside and ask them to take my order.

The same happened when asking for the check.

Despite all this; we were relaxed and calm.  We knew Shuffle just opened (that is why they are not open yet for lunch...they are making sure they are ready); so we could not be upset.  We were just glad the food was good and that it just can keep getting better and better...same for the service.

Address:  Rain Hill Community Mall; Sukhumvit soi 47 (second floor)
Phone #:  02-206-7447

Chon Thai Restaurant @ The Siam Hotel

We were invited to dinner at the Chon Thai restaurant of the newly opened Siam Hotel.  Everyone in town has heard how beautiful the hotel is; however, it is so far away from the main areas of Bangkok that no has had a chance to see it.  So; I was excited to be taken to the hotel by van from the office because for sure I would have gotten lost.

We arrived at the hotel; don't ask me if I remember how to get there...I passed out in the van.  We walked through the stunning lobby, through the hallways, through the court yard...we finally reached our destination; the outdoor bar on the river.

The platform of the bar is actually on the water and has a walkway landing to reach the shuttle boats.

On the right side of the hotel is the long but narrow swimming pool with lounge chairs facing the river.

Me standing on the boat landing taking the photo of the outdoor bar with Chon Thai restaurant on the left and the hotel rooms on the right.

After having drinks at the outdoor bar; it became dark and it was time to eat.  We were led to Chon Thai.  We waled through the lounge area where people can eat or have drinks (which is underneath Chon Thai).

Before you get the Chon Thai; you pass a two story building where the Deco Bar & Restaurant is situated.  Deco has...well of course a deco decor & atmosphere as well serving international comfort food.  Because the place is so new; there was not one single person in the restaurant.  Very sad.

The first dish was Poo Nim Todd.  The deep-fried soft shell crab was accompanied with green mango salad mixed with chili, lime & palm sugar.  The crab was fried to a deep dark brown, soft, tender and crispy all at the same time.  The mango salad was fresh with a good balance of sweet, sour, tangy but for sure not enough spiciness...probably because we had a lot of foreigners at our table for dinner.  I am sure the restaurant did not want to paralyze the foreigner's palate too much.

The second dish was See Klong Moo.  The twice cooked northern organic pork ribs glazed with longan honey & fresh lime.   The the pork ribs were very tender and fall of the bone.  The glaze of honey added sweetness and the lime added acidity to the ribs; but, I thought it lacked some kind of kick to it; it did not seem well rounded in flavour.

This was the second dish that I thought was lacking something like spiciness...so I am not sure if our office called in advance to ask the restaurant to tone down the spiciness to the dishes but I thought it was a shame.  But still a very nice dish.

The next dish was Gaeng Som Pla.  The sour orange curry with sea bass fillet & morning glory.  The gaeng som was nicely balanced in flavours and it was full of fresh fish and morning glory which added the pleasant contrast of colours.

The next dish was Phad Krapoaw Kai Yeoaw Ma.  The century egg, wok fried minced chicken, chili, garlic & holy basil.  The dish had a good balance of flavours, colours and textures (especially with the century egg).  One of my favourite dishes and this one did not disappoint.

The next dish was Phad Pak Boong.  The wok fried morning glory with garlic, chili & soy bean sauce.  A typical Thai veggie dish in most restaurants.  Bright green, tender yet with still a crisp to each bite...nothing special but still hearty and good.

The dessert was Kai Neiw Mamoang.  Mango sticky brown rice with ice cream.  No issues with this dish; the mango was ripe, soft and good flavour.  The brown sticky rice was cooked well, not too sticky and dense.  One of the best coupling of foods in the world.

The cost of each set menu per person was 1250 baht + +.

The eclectic decorated private dinning room.  Yes; those are deer heads hanging on the wall; not photoed was the giant peacock on the other side of the room.  The room was dark, claustrophobic but somehow had a good feeling about it.  The room was way too hot...I think something was wrong with the air-conditioning which was not a good thing since the restaurant is new.

Overall; the hotel design and architecture was in my opinion...WOW!  Uniquely beautiful...it evokes a return back in time yet still feels up-to-date.

Chon Thai restaurant was not bad at all.  Just getting to the restaurant by climbing up stairs to an old style Thai house was already dramatic.  The anticipation for sure was high.  The private room was a good size for about ten people.

I felt the food was prepared too much for tourists (nothing wrong with that at all...Chon Thai does belong to a hotel).  But; there were certain things I was looking for in Thai food and they seemed to missing...for one of course is the spiciness (not the kind that kills you; but enough to make you aware that you are eating Thai food).  Nothing dramatic; however, if Chon Thai wants to attract more locals...I don't have the answer, but I would assume they will want to make the taste a bit more 'authentic'.

The service was very friendly and attentive.  The price of our set dinner menu was not bad at all; especially for a 5 star hotel.  I am sure Chon Thai will do well because it does have a lot of good things going for it.

Address:  3/2 Thanon Khao
Phone #:  02-206-6999
www.thesiamhotel.com