Thai dinner 1st night in Bangkok
 

Hi all - on our first night in Bangkok, I thought it would be nice for my husband and I to have a nice Thai dinner somewhere on the water (we're staying at the Old Bangkok
Inn). Someone (Gloria?) recommended Thara Thong. Would this fit our needs, and if so, how do we get there? If not, any other recommendations?

Thanks! -Pam

Pam-- I would suggest the buffet at the Oriental which is outside and relatively casual. Food is excellent and atmosphere wonderful. It is also fairly reasonable. You'll still be jet lagged so I'd save the fancier dinners for later in your trip.

I have to admit, I don't like buffets, even at the Oriental. So I'd opt for somewhere else. Thara Thong is in the Royal Orchid Sheraton. Take a taxi.

Kathie-- again you and I agree. I almost never eat at buffets and I avoided the one at the Oriental for 17 years but when I finally had it I loved it. Largely because things are being made on the spot constantly so stuff isn't just sitting out there. And they have waiters around to carry your plates etc.

these are both good suggestions, but i also do not do buffets, except at breakfast...

so may i suggest tongue thai...it is located directly between OP Place, which is directly behind the oriental hotel, and new road....in the same area is harmonique, on soi 34, new road... the soi is just to the left of the general post office on new road...
both serve excellent thai food...

i just reread your post and see you want to be "on the water", not near the water....so in that case may i suggest the thai restaurant in the garden of the peninsula hotel...they have 3 tasting menus which are delicious and combine a good selection of thai cuisine...all are served in a beautiful out door setting...res. is necessary usually...

The buffets at the Penn are great also.
I would suspect that at the true 5 star properties the food is replenished fairly often so that the quality is maintained.

at the oriental buffet they are actually cooking it in front of you. It's about 5 minutes old.

I just think a fancy restaurant (like the one at the Pen) should be saved for a night when you're not jet lagged. But maybe that's me. I do, however, think the river for your first night is a great way to start a trip.

can i relate an experience...last year i was at the shangri-la...i had laundry done in back of the hotel on a soi....in the late afternoon i walked by the rear entrance to the hotel on the way to the laundry...i observed at least 40 dressed chickens sitting on a stainless steel table in a room with full outdoor access---in other words full outdoor heat, no a/c....when i returned about 30 minutes later, they were still sitting there....i decided that i would not eat chicken there...
i make a transfer directly from this experience to buffets...maybe it is incorrect but i want to be careful...
how is the food treated...

They also cook the entrees in front of you at the Penn. You have the option of inside or outside seating by the river as well.

The Thara Thong is indoors at the Royal Orchid, overlooking the river. So if you want outdoors, choose one of the others. If you are still acclimating to the heat and want the comfort of air conditioning, the Thara Thong might be right for you.

Kathie - I don't recall acclimating to the heat at any time! (And realize that I live in Houston which gets that heat 5 months a year!)

Is the Oriental buffet something you need to make a reservation for? Is it on the same side of the river as the hotel or in the restaurant across the river where there is a buffet lunch?
Thanks!
J

Forgot to ask if anyone knows the cost?

Thanks again

J

I would opt for an inside meal my first night. Being tired and sitting out in hot, muggy air is not enjoyable to me- and I'm from Hawaii.

The buffet at Lord Jim in the Oriental is $27 for lunch. It is wonderful! As Gloria said, much of the food is cooked to order at small stations.

Thara Tong actually has a few tables ouside. While we stay at the ROS and have eaten at TT many times, it is good, but not great. However, it is less expensive than either the Oriental or the Pen. If you're looking to really splurge, go for one of those. The TT is very pleasnt especially if you're outside. I know this is a mixed message, but food is such an individual item that I thought it best to be complet rather consistent.

Well, I learn something new every day. As you know, Gpanda, I always stay at the Royal Orchid and I never noticed that there are outside tables at Thara Thong. Oh, I'll bet there are outside tables at night, but not at lunch time. I usually opt for a lunch at Thara Thong.

Jules-- the Oriental buffet is on the same side of the river as the hotel. You probably should make a reservation as it's pretty popular -- especially during the peak season.

From Dec-Feb, weather in the evenings are close to perfect. I loathe heat and humidity and never eat outside during the summer in Chicago. But I love eating outside at night in Bangkok during their "cool" season.

And the buffet at the Oriental is under $30.

Kathie-Beth and I ate lunch outside in November of 2004 at TT. The table was to the right near the corner (perhaps around the corner) after you walk outside TT onto the promenade.

I live in BKK and you didn't mention whether you had been here before but Lord Jim's is very well rated and the ambiance at the Oriental being a landmark/historical place in BKK may be a nice experience. To add, I just read an article on a man who travels 6 months out of the year, and his favorite place in the world was listed as Lord Jims. The Peninsula is just across the river and is always very nice. The Peninsula is less $$$ then Lord Jim's. If you want Thai food there is an old fashioned pavilion at the Shangri-la. For hotel Thai food it has some good dishes. I cannot comment on the hygiene but I have heard worse stories about so many hotels around the world, i.e. rats at the plaza in new york... As for price none of these are cheap, and the prices listed so far are similar to what you pay of course more for dinner. For less $$$ or if you want more low key there are great places to eat along the river near the hotels, but I don't feel confident in suggesting any one place.

i think that eating inside is a very good suggestion...i rarely eat outside in thailand as i cannot enjoy my meals in such extreme heat and hunidity....this is a very good point made above...

so then i think lord jim would be great...their lunch buffet is about $27 inclusive, so i would suspect the dinner would be more, although i would trust gloria's word....the $30 would be ++, which amounts to 17.7% tax and service...so $35 or so....that without wine or drinks other than coffee, etc...

the shangri-la thai rest. just got a bad review here and i have not tried it...it is a very appealing location however, and they have both indoor and outdoor seating...

Lord Jim's is ala carte so how much it costs depends on what you eat. It can be reasonable (although not by thai standards) or pricy. The $30 was for the buffet outdoors. I love Lord Jim -- the new decor is fabulous and the food outstanding. But I would still suggest the outdoor buffet for a first night. Just because I don't think you should be jet lagged when you eat at Lord Jim --or any top restaurant.

very good point gloria...so this added to the a/c makes for a much better first nite....

We will be staying at ROS, and do not care for buffets. Any opinions on sit-down restaurants there (Etc, Giorgio) for the first night's dinner for jet-lagged people? Is TT all buffet? ((F))

Since Thara Thong is at the Royal Orchid, that would make a very easy first dinner. There is no buffet at the Thara Thong, it's all order from the menu.

Gorgio's is fine, but it's Italian, and I like to eat Thai food in Thailand. Etc is a noisy cafe - I really don't like it.

just down the same road from ROS is gallery cafe which is excellent and quiet...a 3 minute walk....you will not want more than that....

the buffet might be too much on day 1

i should have included directions: come out the back door to the street, turn right, go to the end of the block (by the gate to the old portugese embassy), turn left and it is down there 1000 feet on your right...

gpada says they have very nice massages on the 2nd floor if that interests you as well...

the food is very good...the decor is nice and it is not usually too busy....service is excellent

giorgio is way to expensive for a first nighter with jet lague....i think it is way tooooooo expensive for any time in bkk....there are much better places....the view from the bar is a must however....

We always stay at the ROS. We have our first dinner at the Gallery Cafe (referenced above by RhkKmk with directions). The food is good and it's easy to stagger there and back, no matter how tired you are. RhkKmk also mentioned the massages. We always get a Thai massage the first full day in BKK. It relieves the cramped muscles from the long flight. The ROS has a nice Mandara Spa, there's a massage place next door, the Gallery Cafe or you can arrange through Wat Pho School of Massage.

Rhkkmk -- You recommend the Marriott on the river. Can you give your views on their restaurants?

Flosdiner - as someone who lives in Bangkok how does a restaurant like Sirocco compare with Lord Jim's?

Also, what would you recommend as the best Thai restaurant in town?

Many thanks

VED---in my opinion the restaurants are all overpriced...they are good but not excellent...

i do not like japanese steak houses...we have been once to the marriot one and it confirmed my previous feeling, although it is very popular in bkk...

the rice mill, the chinese restaurant is very good...it never seems to be that busy...

we do not like buffets so we never go in the evening to the huge outdoor buffet near the river...i guess it is good...they have themed nites sometimes...italian, etc...

uno---we like it...it is sort of the marriott coffee shop/bakkery....you can get a simple burger or salad or pizza...it is on the lower level...

the pool restaurant--during pool hours only is excellent and they also get things from the other restaurants...we love the soup and satay while swimming for lunch...

the polonesian restaurant is also popular but we have not been in there...

in the mini mall there are fast food places: mcdonalds, pizza hut, a terrible steak house chain, but as very good family style thai restaurant where we have a full dinner for less than $15 for the two of us...there are a couple of other places there as well...

there does not seem to be anything in the neighborhood, but there are many places near to the skytrain stop at the end of the boat ride from the marriott---taskim....

the marriott manorah boats have dinner cruises....i have only been on the sunset cruise and the cocktail cruise...both were ok...

we rarely eat at marriott...there are just too many good restaurants in bkk to pass them up....we usually take a taxi from the hotel to those restaurants....

i have a recent restaurant review from our experience...if you want it send me a request::

[email protected]

Jeasop, Sirocco is one of my all time favs. Great setting and is high enough that whatever time of year being outdoors for dinner is a pleasure. And what a view! The most authentic Thai food in Bangkok is at small non descript restaurants. Eg there is one called Coffee Bean in Ekkamai which is fab. Bit of a trek tho. Ditto re Je Ngor in Sukhumvit Soi 20. Restaurants with more ambience but non hotel Lan Na Thai i.e. Face is good food but limited menu, MahaNaga is good for fusion Thai, The Blue Elephant is good for authentic Thai and a lovely setting. Among hotel restaurants I like Celadon in the SUkhothai, Basil in the Sheraton.

I recommend the Supatra River House(Phone 411-0305, 411-0874, 848-9016). Good food + atmosphere. Nice view at Wat Arun.If you like they will pick you up on the river(best at the Oriental Pier or Peninsula Hotel; the Concierge at the Peninsula can arrange that for you; it is not free of charge , b ut cheap), which is very nice because you have a private journey; not a commercial hotel-cruise river tour!
Enjoy it!

Hi all - apologies for the delay in my response (ltd access to the internet) and thanks for all the replies.

I think Lord Jim's, and restaurants of that caliber, may be too much for our first night. I hadn't really thought about the heat though. I just don't know how it will affect us.

So, I'm thinking maybe Thara Thong might be our best option if we could do indoor or out, and we're guaranteed a river view.

That said, I did check out the Penn's site - is the garden care Bob mentioned Thiptara?

yes that is it....i can never remember the name....

Another vote for Supatra River House. Thought it beat the pants off of any of the hotel Thais in terms of food and the atmosphere is absolutely charming. Can't think of a better place to celebrate your first night in Bangkok.

Thank you Hobbes - my favourite thing to do when overseas is eat!

We tried to get into Sirocco on our first trip to Bangkok(fully booked)- this time we will be more organised.

Three weeks ago we arrived in BKK at about 6PM, tired and wanting a small meal. On rhkkmk's advice, we went to the Gallery Cafe, a 3 minute walk from ROS. We were very pleased.

The place was clean and modern, and would fit well in any US city. We had a small Thai dinner, which was excellent, so much so that we went back for lunch the next day.

My wife also had 2 massages on the second floor, which she enjoyed.

Thanks, rhkkmk. ((F))

We also ate at Giorgio and Etc at ROS when we had enough Thai, and were pleased.

glad it worked out well for you....hope you willl write a trip report for all of us on fodors...we love the details and often find new info which helps everyone....welcome home....do you have the asia bug yet??