Restaurants in BKK and Chiang Mai
 

I need advice about the best restaurants in Bangkok and Chiang Mai.

Thanks in advance.

Do you mean Thai restaurants, or restaurants in general? In both cities you have a great choice.

For Chiangmai I would suggest The Gallery, Le Grand Lanna or The Whole Earth for Thai food, although the Whole Earth serves a variety of food. For European food I suggest, Le Coq d?Or, the Hofbräuhaus or the Gondola.

If you find a good curry house please let me know! We have tried most of them and can find nothing to compare with Himila Cha Cha in Bangkok.

Maybe the best dining experience I've ever had (and I'm choosing from a list that isn't short) was at the Normandie, at the Oriental Hotel in Bangkok. The room is elegant and gorgeous without being pretentious, the service was freindly and attentive as nothing I've known before or since (as one might expect in Thailand, actually), and the food was an exquisite fusion of European and Southeast Asian.

When it came time for dessert and the dessert trolley was brought to the table, we were floored -- each of the desserts looked fantastic and better than the next. Our waiter said no problem -- and he gave us a tiny serving of each one.

If you're looking for a dinner you'll both enjoy and remember for a long time, try the Normandie.

The Normandie is close for renovation until July 15th.

i will give you my bkk list which i have given many times before to others.....
harmonique, soi 34, new road between the oriental and sheraton orchid--thai, very reasonable in old setting....
jesters in the peninsula
lord jim for the buffet in the oriental at lunch
biscotti in the regent--northern italien
crepes and co and cabbages and condoms, side by side on soi 12, sukumvit rd
indian restaurant on top floor of rembrandt hotel, soi 18, sukumvit rd, also the mexican restaurant at same location on maybe floor 2 or 4....
gourmet gallery, off a soi which begins with a "P" off of soi 39, sukumvit rd
senses on 2nd floor of gaysorn plaza
thai family restuarant on ground floor of the marriott plaza (bangkok marriott resort and spa)--has green awnings--very cheap and good
\thai restaurant on 2nd floor of jw marriott, soi 2, sukumvit rd
and thousands more

we like the book the treasurers and pleasures of thailand by impact books for hotel, shopping and restaurant choices....

have a blast

In Bangkok I recommend the Thai restaurant in the Sheraton Royal Orchid.

In Chiang Mai I recommend the Mango Cafe for a casual lunch, and Le Grand Lanna for lunch or dinner. At lunch you'll be able to enjoy the luxurious and beautiful surroundings.

Without getting too involved, I'll mention just three places, at opposite ends of the luxury scale. In Bangkok, on Silom Road near Convent Road, there are several fish restaurants on the street between buildings. You can point out what you want from the tempting display, select a table and chair, and enjoy a giant bottle of beer while your food is cooked. There are similar places elsewhere in the city. As risky as it may seem to eat along the street, thousands of people do it routinely and I myself have never gotten ill, at least at the location I've mentioned. A luxurious restaurant is the one the Oriental Hotel has across the river by its spa where there is the buffet of Asian food. You can take the Oriental ferry across free. I've been there only at lunch, but I presume that it is open for dinner, as well. In Chiang Mai, you can have an incomparable experience with the locals by eating at "Fatty's," not too far from the night market. ZZ

You have to go to Eat Me in Bangkok. I am a huge foodie and it was a fantastic meal plus a beautiful restaurant. It is in a part of Bangkok that is really funky too. A neighborhood that I would have loved to spend more time in.

rizzuto:
Was the dinner you described a buffet? Do you recall the price? Did you need to make reservations? Was it dress up or business casual?

I must put in a good word for The Bed restaurant in Bangkok. The atmosphere was unlike anyplace I've ever been before. The food was wonderful! We were there on a Saturday night. The menu on Saturday night is the "surprise menu" and the only question we were asked was, were there any foods we could NOT eat. We had a wonderful 4-course meal and bottle of wine. I also love to sit at the Peninsula along the river for a lazy breakfast. Get a riverside table and watch the activity on the Chao Phraya River. Amazing! You can get a great meal at lunchtime at Greyhound Cafe which you can find at The Emporium and also at Central Chidlom store. The sandwich in a bowl is my favorite lunch. If you like Italian, go to La Royal Meridian Hotel, just below the lobby. This hotel will be changed to Intercontinental soon, so you might keep that in mind. Everything is to remain the same... just a name change.
In Chiang Mai, I love the Westin Riverside Hotel. They have the best breakfast buffet anywhere. If you like Italian, La Gondola in Chiang Mai is a favorite. For seafood, The View or Nuan Nuang (not sure of spelling).
Have a great time in Thailand. You must include a trip to Ayutthaya for a day. This is the ancient capital and is filled with ruins. If you go by car, take a dinner boat ride in the evening. It's very inexpensive and totally enchanting to see the ruins lit up at night!