bob, away from nana? hmmmm, i may have to rethink my priorities. i will be staying at the hi silom, so i will check this village place out. i like the suk area, so not too familiar with silom. thanks for the info.

i say if you want real thai food, hang with orgy..........well... maybe not.

Funny -- I think the Peking Duck at China House is the best value I have ever found in Bangkok and about 25% of what I would pay in the states. Face it, Bill -- there is nothing about the Oriental you will ever admit to liking. :-) And there is nothing about the Penn you won't like. At least I admit the pool at the Oriental is not great and the rooms are smaller than at the Penn. And I admit that the bathrooms at the Penn is great and the rooms large and lovely with wonderful views. :-)

dim sum at the liu rest. in the conrad hotel is hard to beat anyplace in the world....lunch daily fixed price, all you can eat...

ken---decent places at silom village....
also himali cha cha is nearby off of new road
also harmonique on soi 34, new road
you must try tongue thai, in back of OP place which is in back of the oriental....
gallery cafe on capt bush rd in back of the sheraton is another good food place---thai....

you will like the silom rd area....have a drink one clear nite atop the state office building at corner of silom and new rds....very expensive drinks but worth it for the view....1.5 blocks towards the river from HI..

hope you are upgrading to exec floor as it is worth the extra....evening hors are well worth the price and very nice breakfast....free drinks as well...

As much as I love the Pen, I agree with Gloria 100% that the Oriental's China House has the best Peking Duck, much cheaper and better than here in NY. I haven't had the dim sum there yet but I have had it at the Pen and it is very good and reasonable. Also, the Shang has a great dim sum lunch as well for a very reasonable price. The China House however still rates as my favorite restaurant in the world. Not just because of the duck but also the ambience, it is soooo elegant. Everytime we eat there (we always have the duck) my husband and I agree that it is still the best meal(s) we've ever had, anywhere.

I think the Peking Duck at the China House will be a great birthday dinner for my wife Jeane and I next February - do you agree? P.S. We are staying at the Penn (1st time - we stayed at the Oriental in 2000.)

I know I'd like to have a birthday dinner there!

So were you at the Oriental BEFORE they redid all the rooms. They did that in 2001 I think.

Gloria, They were in the process of redoing all the rooms when we were there. We stayed in the garden wing which had already been refurbished. It was one of those great split level rooms with an amazing view of the river. We have absolutely nothing against the Oriental - it was a wonderful hotel. Thanks for your input on the b-day dinner.

I second the birthday dinner there. It's perfect! I can't think of a better place to celebrate.

check this out! The food looks yummy...

http://www.makansutra.com/forums/sin...&start=105

I second the food at the Italian restuarant in Bumrungrad Hospital next door to the Au Bon Pain Bakery. The food was THE best! I just ate there a few weeks ago. Can't wait to eat there again. Go on chicasia.com for restaurant suggestions. Happy Travels!

Baan Khanitha (sp?) is truly great and not to be missed!

Guenmai that was a good link. but I just found out how un-chic I am. I have only been to 3 places on that site

KURAN. how on earth can it be that your more chic then I am. heck you invited me to le delat indochine.

Guenmai thanks for the link, enjoyed looking at it and it is helping me pick places to eat at while in BKK, at this rate I'll be having 5 meals a day - 3 weeks today - am I counting - YES!!

Just curious, what are the prices like for the peking duck at the Oriental House?

Sounds like a great bkk evening might be cocktails at one of the hotel lounges, followed by dinner at the Oriental House. I have read in a few places that bars/lounges at the Oriental are better than those at the Peninsula; true?

PS I love peking duck and even tried making it at home recently. (very messy experience, btw)

Seems to me the Peking Duck at China Hosue in the Oriental Hotel was somewhere in the $20-25 range for two people -- so $10-$12 per person. It's priced per duck.

orgy; i didn't know i was chic. not bad for a guy who stays at the baiyoke suites and the ambassador hotel. btw, sorry about you having to work in the kitchen after our meal at le dalat indochine.

cruisinred, the bamboo bar in the oriental is the best place for a cocktail before dinner. happy hour will get you a 007 martini for $3.50, snacks, and great live piano music. one of my favorite places. great after dinner too, usually with live jazz music.

Hi all - just went on the Jim Thompson website and they listed three restaurants. Which one do people generally refer to when the recommend lunch?

Thanks - Pam

hi

I bet, kbvolkmann, you don't know where to start now!

I have to second/third/fourth any suggestion for the China House. I only had dim sum but it was divine. Now I want to try that Peking Duck!

I'd also like to suggest Somboon seafood which has the best crab curry in town - all v. reasonably priced. It's on the corner of Chong Nonsi and Surawong.

I have other suggestions in my blog - though am eager to try the other recommendations above too!

http://scoffbkk.blogspot.com/

pam...they all have very similar menus...i like them all...depends where you are...i actually try to hit them all each trip...the farmer's merket one off of silom is my least favorite...

we love the one at the JT house...good to eat in combination with a visit to the museum....

while shopping at the main store on suriwong, we alsways eat lunch in the 2nd floor cafe....it is perhaps the best of the bunch...no that's not fair --they all are good...

the crab curry at somboon is excellent, just like the one in chinatown.