Special Dinner ... Bangkok ... Christmas Day ... which restaurant?
 

Hi,

We are trying to decide on a restaurant for dinner on Christmas Day (in the evening) in Bangkok. We would like somewhere with good Thai or Seafood, which feels a bit specia (a good view would be nice).

I've narrowed it down to 3 (in order of preference):

Vertigo Bar & Grill, The Banyan Tree

Salathip, Shangri-La

Terrace Rim Naam, The Oriental

Which would you choose of these (I haven't been to any of them, but really fancy Vertigo)?

I would have included the Thiptara at the Peninsula, but we are staying here on our last night and thought we'd eat here then.

Many thanks.

Many of the hotels will have special charistmas dinners so you should check. In the case of the Oriental that includes fireworks, dancing, games for children etc. I believe they have 3 different events in various restaurants although the Terrace Rim Naam may not be one of them.

gloria did not mention that those dinners are often mandatory for all guests....you might check with your hotel...you don't want to pay for two dinners...

i think the location at the shangri-la is perhaps the overall nicest, but there have been recent disappointing reviews of its food on fodors...

the banyon tree is a magnificent place way up high on a clear nite...food should be good too...

sorocco might be nice up atop the state building at the corner of silom and new roads....very exepnsive...

there is no view from that restaurant at the oriental and the show is only ok imo....how about lord jim at the oriental instead??

i just noticed you said terrace at the oriental...so forget my comment about the show...i still would pick lord jim....the other thing you could do is review the bangkok post starting around dec 1, on-line, and see what specials are being offered around town...

i would tend to do a non hotel restaurant hoping to avoid some of the crowd and to lower my price a bit....i would save the really nice dinner for a non-holiday....

how about china house at the oriental as well...no view however...

face restaurants on soi 38 sukhumvit....6 degrees on 42 cenvent road or my all time favoirite biscotti at the four seasons hotel

Christmas dinners aren't mandatory -- just New Year's. Actually I booked the Christmas dinner at the Oriental last year because my friend wanted to and we had a fabulous time -- much better than over New Year's. The food was fabulous, the stuff for the kids was warm and fun, we sat with a local couple which was really interesting -- a lot of the people there were local thais and ex pats who wanted to celebrate christmas. It was very warm, very informal, games for children, great band and fireworks and presents for all. It was also relatively reasonable for all you got -- much much cheaper than their New Year dinner.

Brilliant, thanks for all your help.

We are staying at Plaza Athenee (my favourite ever hotel), and the dinner is not compulsory.

I haven't been in Lord Jim's but from the pictures it looks a bit like an airport restaurant, (I'm sure it's not) but from what I've seen it doesn't really appeal.

Sirocco looks amazing! I hadn't found it before.

I've now narrowed it down to 4!

Sirocco,

Vertigo Bar & Grill, The Banyan Tree

Salathip, Shangri-La

Terrace Rim Naam, The Oriental

I thought your comments Gloria, about the Oriental do sound quite appealing ... not sure about the children element, would prefer a more adult environment.

Any more comments appreciated.

Well I won't try to hijack this thread, Violet but I would like to hear about the Plaza Athenee as you are one of the few on this forum that has stayed there. It looks great to me - good location, good price, decent reviews on tripadvisor. Just curious what makes it special for you. We will be spending 4 nights there and 4 nights at the Peninsula in late February - early March.

Craig,

Plaza Athenee ... where do I start. Fabulous hotel. Stunning building, wonderfully warm and friendly staff, great service. Beautiful rooms (we normally stay in corner deluxe) great pool and spa. Amazing breakfast buffet. Restaurants are fab. We dream of "Smooth Curry" (their Thai restaurant) all year long.

Good location, literally round the corner from Ploenchit skytrain station.

You could probably say the same about a lot of hotels in Bangkok but it tends to feel a bit less touristy as many people who use it are in Bangkok on business, and it somehow feels a little more exclusive. You're getting a fabulous hotel for your money.

Have a great time.

We had dinner at Lord Jim's last Christmas. It was a fabulous buffet-- tons of seafood, meats, Japanese sushi, Chinese foods, Thai dishes and incredible desserts. Very nice service and view of the river as well.

Loved it so much, I went there again in August!

Icuy-- I was also at the Oriental last Christmas! Wish we had met!

Lord jim is anything but airport ambience. it is one of the most spectacular settings I've ever been in. The old Lord Jim was ho hum but the new one is fabulous!

As for children. I am an only child who never wanted and never had children and scream when they are in restaurants and yet the dinner I was at at the Oriental (I was on the verandah rather than Lord Jim where I suspect there were no children) was fabulous.

just a note ---sorrocco has both in door and outdoor dining....most of the outdoor dining did not seem to have a view as it was sort of in a depressed area of the floor...you would have to ask for a table by the outside....inside there were serveral different choices...one had a wonderful string quartet playing and another had sort of loud music....

it was quite windy the nite we ate up there so i'm not sure i would like it for ourside dining....i would spend some time at the bar however...and then eat inside...

how about la normandie at the oriental...

I found Sirocco way over priced for the experience. The bar is fabulous however.

Gloria-I wish we'd known. Too bad we didn't have fodor pins!!

Lucy

we did not eat there for just that reason....i thought the price was over the top....the experience was excellent...as an example....2 beers were 610 B and they retail for 30 B each in any shop....i know that i do not expect to pay shop prices but the usual restaurant price is absolute tops 120 each