rhkkmk

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...

glorialf

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.

rhkkmk

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

Jed

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?

Kathie

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.

rhkkmk

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

rhkkmk

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

rhkkmk

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....

Gpanda

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.

vedette

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

Jeasop

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

rhkkmk

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]

hobbes

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.

Micha45

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!

pamdamage

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?

rhkkmk

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

LCY64

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.

Jeasop

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.

Jed

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.

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

rhkkmk

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??