BKK Trip Report, Part 2 - Food
Jan 8th, 2007, 06:49 PM
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BKK Trip Report, Part 2 - Food
Having thoroughly ruined my credibility by running down Bob's favorite hotel (but in my best Bahston accent!), I will now proceed to demonstrate what a thorough lack of taste I have by discussing restaurants:
First, the absolute most-fun-best-value-for-quality-of-food-and-welcome-respite-after-long-day-of-dealing-with-family-over-wedding-stuff: The Food Hall in the lower concourse of the Siam Paragon! You can go from the sublime to the ridiculous in food choices. Three formats - a few sit-down restaurants, including Burger King, a Japanese restaurant, a Thai restaurant; take-out counters of all kinds of foods and desserts; but best of all, the Food Hall itself, where you get a “smart card”, go to various stations offering everything from pizzas, smoothies and ice cream, to Thai, Chinese, Japanese and other South East Asian food, order what you want and have your card swiped at each place, sit down and eat, and then have a cashier read the card and collect your money when you leave. [We have an operation like this, called Foodlife, at the Water Tower Place in Chicago] We had an excellent green curry with chicken and a deep-fried whole garupa (fish, not grouper!) in searing chili sauce at the sit-down Thai restaurant one day. I had a well-seasoned seafood tom yum with lots of very fresh ingredients and a kiwi smoothie in the smart-card area another day. There were many more adventurous choices to be had also -- we were too hungry to explore at the time. All was well-prepared, much above fast-food quality, and very inexpensive. Given the wide variety to choose from, it is a great place to take kids of all ages!
Sadly, we were hamstrung by family obligations, so we were not as free to select our restaurants as I would have liked, and had a number of non-restaurant meals. But here’s what we found:
Stepson wanted his “rehearsal dinner” to be at Giusto, best described as Italian fusion. We were 16 people in a private room, ordering a la carte. Service was terrific and the food equally so – many fresh unusual combinations of ingredients, very broad selection – for everyone from the vegetarian to the carnivore, beautiful presentation. If you are looking for non-Asian food, in a lovely room, I’d recommend Giusto. Full disclosure: If you are coming by Skytrain (Asok station) or subway (ditto), you do have to go through or skirt one end of “Soi Cowboy.” It’s ignorable. Le Dalat Indochine, which I would love to try sometime, is just down the street.
Six of us ate at Blue Elephant. I had Laab Salmon (like a salmon ceviche) and another fish dish, and they were excellent. The others in the group ordered the prix fixe Royal Thai menu, and thought it was nothing special. (Given Blue Elephant’s good reputation, I suspect that my stepson might have told the waiters to go easy on the spicing – he sometimes tries too hard to take care of us!) The restaurant itself is such an interesting space, though, that it is worth a visit. Easy to get to - right by the Surasak skytrain station. And the cooking school was terrific - more about that later.
Finally, a note: The Jim Thompson Outlet, on Sukhomvit Soi 93, now has a small restaurant on the top floor, but I don’t recommend it. Food was a bit greasy, and selection quite limited. But it is a very small casual operation, not to be confused with the restaurants at other Jim Thompson locations, which are better.
That’s it for now...Next installment: bike tour, cooking school, and other activities.
First, the absolute most-fun-best-value-for-quality-of-food-and-welcome-respite-after-long-day-of-dealing-with-family-over-wedding-stuff: The Food Hall in the lower concourse of the Siam Paragon! You can go from the sublime to the ridiculous in food choices. Three formats - a few sit-down restaurants, including Burger King, a Japanese restaurant, a Thai restaurant; take-out counters of all kinds of foods and desserts; but best of all, the Food Hall itself, where you get a “smart card”, go to various stations offering everything from pizzas, smoothies and ice cream, to Thai, Chinese, Japanese and other South East Asian food, order what you want and have your card swiped at each place, sit down and eat, and then have a cashier read the card and collect your money when you leave. [We have an operation like this, called Foodlife, at the Water Tower Place in Chicago] We had an excellent green curry with chicken and a deep-fried whole garupa (fish, not grouper!) in searing chili sauce at the sit-down Thai restaurant one day. I had a well-seasoned seafood tom yum with lots of very fresh ingredients and a kiwi smoothie in the smart-card area another day. There were many more adventurous choices to be had also -- we were too hungry to explore at the time. All was well-prepared, much above fast-food quality, and very inexpensive. Given the wide variety to choose from, it is a great place to take kids of all ages!
Sadly, we were hamstrung by family obligations, so we were not as free to select our restaurants as I would have liked, and had a number of non-restaurant meals. But here’s what we found:
Stepson wanted his “rehearsal dinner” to be at Giusto, best described as Italian fusion. We were 16 people in a private room, ordering a la carte. Service was terrific and the food equally so – many fresh unusual combinations of ingredients, very broad selection – for everyone from the vegetarian to the carnivore, beautiful presentation. If you are looking for non-Asian food, in a lovely room, I’d recommend Giusto. Full disclosure: If you are coming by Skytrain (Asok station) or subway (ditto), you do have to go through or skirt one end of “Soi Cowboy.” It’s ignorable. Le Dalat Indochine, which I would love to try sometime, is just down the street.
Six of us ate at Blue Elephant. I had Laab Salmon (like a salmon ceviche) and another fish dish, and they were excellent. The others in the group ordered the prix fixe Royal Thai menu, and thought it was nothing special. (Given Blue Elephant’s good reputation, I suspect that my stepson might have told the waiters to go easy on the spicing – he sometimes tries too hard to take care of us!) The restaurant itself is such an interesting space, though, that it is worth a visit. Easy to get to - right by the Surasak skytrain station. And the cooking school was terrific - more about that later.
Finally, a note: The Jim Thompson Outlet, on Sukhomvit Soi 93, now has a small restaurant on the top floor, but I don’t recommend it. Food was a bit greasy, and selection quite limited. But it is a very small casual operation, not to be confused with the restaurants at other Jim Thompson locations, which are better.
That’s it for now...Next installment: bike tour, cooking school, and other activities.
Jan 8th, 2007, 08:29 PM
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thanks for the paragon review....it is similar to the loft at central chitlom i gather, which is fantastic...
we spent only a short time in paragon and so only saw a bit but did go down to the basement for gpanda to get cigars....lots of wine down there too...
btw, i welcomed your comments about the marriott...i have stayed there so many times that when we go now we try to find things that are wrong or not up to snuff, but we rarely find any....one thing i did find this time however was a man in a very brief speedo that casued quite a ruckus (well actually it was snickering--"penalty awarded"
....guess who that was??
we spent only a short time in paragon and so only saw a bit but did go down to the basement for gpanda to get cigars....lots of wine down there too...
btw, i welcomed your comments about the marriott...i have stayed there so many times that when we go now we try to find things that are wrong or not up to snuff, but we rarely find any....one thing i did find this time however was a man in a very brief speedo that casued quite a ruckus (well actually it was snickering--"penalty awarded"
....guess who that was??
Jan 9th, 2007, 08:01 AM
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I ate the loft at central chitlom, and it was outstanding. It was a little crowded, but thats understanble with the amount of tourist and thia locals that shop there and in the area. But the food was really good, and an intresting place as well. The desert was really good.
Jan 9th, 2007, 08:28 AM
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Bob - it wasn't panda season, so I didn't take a speedo reading during our visit...no ruckuses observed.
As for Giusto prices, I think that our fairly extravagant meal (pre-dinner cocktails, appetizers, salads/soups, main courses, desserts and lots of wine) came to about US$95 per person (including service) -- but it could have been done for a lot less. Service was definitely snobbish, but also attentive, and the food justified their pride.
I can't give Blue Elephant prices, but other reports on this forum may have them.
Neither of these restaurants is for those on a tight budget. The Food Hall at Siam Paragon is. You can have a good meal for two for under THB500.
As for Giusto prices, I think that our fairly extravagant meal (pre-dinner cocktails, appetizers, salads/soups, main courses, desserts and lots of wine) came to about US$95 per person (including service) -- but it could have been done for a lot less. Service was definitely snobbish, but also attentive, and the food justified their pride.
I can't give Blue Elephant prices, but other reports on this forum may have them.
Neither of these restaurants is for those on a tight budget. The Food Hall at Siam Paragon is. You can have a good meal for two for under THB500.
Jan 9th, 2007, 08:43 AM
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Let's see.
First, the cigar store at the paragon is not in the basement. Taking the escalator up should have been a clue, but I guess certain people's deductive skills are somewhat limited.
Second, pandas only wear speedos as a disguise. Our normal attire is a conservative two-button suit, with argyle socks.
Third, running down Bob's favorite anything is a good thing.
First, the cigar store at the paragon is not in the basement. Taking the escalator up should have been a clue, but I guess certain people's deductive skills are somewhat limited.
Second, pandas only wear speedos as a disguise. Our normal attire is a conservative two-button suit, with argyle socks.
Third, running down Bob's favorite anything is a good thing.
Jan 9th, 2007, 11:00 PM
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wow USD95 at Giusto - you must have feasted like kings! I think you can get away with a salad for around 300 baht, a pasta/pizza dish for 400 baht. But wine will definitely up the bill.
must go there soon!
must go there soon!
Jan 10th, 2007, 09:51 AM
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Re -- Giusto price: Yes, we feasted! Remember, it was a pre-wedding rehearsal dinner, money no object, and celebration the purpose. You can easily pay more than THB400 per entree if you go for the many dishes on the dinner menu that are fancier than pizza and salad: truffle-laid rizzoto, veal osso buco, seafood dishes, etc.
Oh for a Zagat guide to BKK restaurant prices!! But this forum is the best substitute...<g>
Oh for a Zagat guide to BKK restaurant prices!! But this forum is the best substitute...<g>
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