Bangkok Gastronomy: Thailand

Showing posts with label Thailand. Show all posts

Monday, August 23, 2010

Hopf Brew House, Pattaya

I recently went down to Pattaya and while walking around Central next to the beach, I came across Hopf Brew House. From the outside, one might not consider it the best place to stop for a bite. Luckily, it had been recommended to me a while back and I just happened to spot it around dinner-time, so off I went into the dimly-lit restaurant. This will be a review for Hopf Brew House in Pattaya.

Stepping into the store for the first time felt like getting onto a plane and flying off somewhere far, far away from the hustling and bustling street that the Hopf Brewery nestled on. The interior was decorated mainly in wood, large vats of beer were just meters away from the dining tables and you could see pizzas being shoved into their wood-fired ovens like giant edible hockey pucks. People were coming in and out all the time, some drinking from the oversized beer glasses, others enjoying the food while listening to the 70s music that played on the television. One thing was for sure though, one look at the place during dinner time and you could tell the food and the people here were great. Well, on to the actual eating!

German Pork Leg and Mashed Potatoes

Chicken Chop with Mushroom Sauce

As hard as we tried to resist eating the crispy-fried pieces of fat that remained on the German Pork Leg, we couldn't. The Chicken Chop with Mushroom Sauce was tender and juicy, although if you don't like mushrooms try not to order it (Obviously, but the sauce had a tangy taste to it which some people may not like). We also ordered the Four Seasons Pizza which consists of four different toppings (Olives, Pepperoni, Mushroom and ham if I remember correctly). The Pizzas here are made with thin crispy crusts and fresh toppings, better than most of what you can get back in Bangkok.

"Four Seasons" Pizza

You can also pay 100 baht for a bowl of salad which you can stack as high as you want at their salad bar. Drop into Hopf Brew House for a drink and and a bite if you want to enjoy a relaxing meal just steps away from the beach, you could also stay till late and enjoy all the different types of home-made beer and music.

As a little treat, here are the Fireworks that I saw from Central Pattaya after my meal.

Happy Eating!

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Hopf Brew House, Pattaya (4/5) BBB

(http://www.facebook.com/pages/Cholburi-Thailand/Hopf-Brew-House-Pattaya/)

038-710-653-5

219 Beach Road, South Pattaya

Cholburi, Thailand, 20150

Sunday, August 15, 2010

The Tide Cafe, Bang Saen

While some people may be born with a sweet tooth, I think I may have somehow developed two rows of shark-like sweet teeth. I can always seem to fit dessert into any meal, big or small. After having lunch, I checked out The Tide Cafe, located infront of the Tide Hotel at Bang Saen. This review will be for dessert at The Tide Cafe. Unfortunately, they did not allow photo taking inside the store. Fortunately, I still took photos =D.

Fruit Smoothie

Back of the Cafe

The Tide Cafe was almost fully seated (Around 5 tables on the first floor, seating 10-15 people) when we arrived and had a steady flow of customers coming in to buy pastries and cakes.

Mango Pudding Cake and Chocolate Truffle

Dark Chocolate Cake

Chocolate Mousse Cake and Espresso

The Front Counter

The cakes here are delicious, although they aren't in the same league as Coffee Beans by Dao, Le Notre or Vanilla Industry, they cost around 70 baht a piece (25 for chocolates and truffles) and are worth every bite. Not like the spongey, plastic-tasting excuses for cakes that are served in most Thai coffee shops. They also serve up sandwiches, burgers and pasta.

You can easily find this place by clicking on their website or searching for the Tide Hotel at Bang Saen on the web or in google maps. Price for the total of three cakes, two drinks and chocolates was around 400 baht. And yes, sometimes my desserts can be considered a meal.

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The Tide Cafe (35) BB

(http://www.thetide-resort.com)

Pagarang Seafood Restaurant, Bang Saen / Bang Sean

If you ever wanted to escape bustling Bangkok for a few hours, a trip to Bangsaen / Bang Sean (Spelling depends totally on who you ask!) may be just perfect. Roughly an hours to two hours drive from downtown Bangkok, it is usually visited by locals who want to relax by the beach and enjoy good Seafood. This post will be a review for lunch at Pagarang Restaurant. Serving up a menu of the traditional tried and tested Thai / Seafood combination, it is located right next to the ocean and offers a fantastic view of the sea and is connected to the Bangsaen Villa Hotel.

Pagarang Menu and a link to their (Surprisingly) Comprehensive Website

View from our table

Today we ordered Fish fried with "Fish Sauce" , Raw Shrimp with Spicy Sauce (Goong Chae Nahm Plah) and Stir Fried Squid with Salted Eggs.

The Fish, which tasted a bit bland.

For those of you in Thailand, this is a must try dish. Just don't think about it too much and just chew!

The Squid which we thought wasn't properly cleaned

Overall I thought the meal was poorly made, nothing to shout about and although there were a number of people eating there and cars parked outside, it's not a place I would recommend to anyone. If you are around the area, and have no where else to go, you can stop by here for a few starters and enjoy the view, at most. Meal for two came to about 500 baht.

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Pagarang Seafood Restaurant (2/5) BB
(http://www.pagarangrestaurant.com)

038-191802-3
178 Bangsaen Sai 1 Road
Saensook Muang Chonburi, Thailand 20130

Tuesday, August 3, 2010

Misato Japanese Restaurant Review

Tucked away in the corner on the lobby floor of the Charn Issara building is a Japanese restaurant that serves up a delicious array of authentic Japanese dishes. Forget about Fuji, the Giant Chain Japanese/Thai Restaurant located at every Shopping Center in Bangkok, this place completely blows it out of the water. For a price, of course. This review is for Misato at Charn Issara Building which is about 5 minutes walk from Saladaeng BTS in Silom.

Entrance to the Restaurant

From the outside, Misato looks like any other Japanese Restaurant that is about to go out of business, but once you step inside it is obvious that its large clientèle of Japanese/Western patrons won't let this shop close down. Luckily for me, I arrived when the store opened for dinner (6PM) and managed to get a table, by the time I had finished there was already a queue of people waiting to be seated.

Our orders today included Salmon Onigiri, which was one of the best I have tasted in Thailand. The Seaweed exterior was crisp, the rice was fragrant and a nice texture and every bite was filled with the pieces of salmon meat that made up the filling for this light bento box snack.

Salmon Onigiri

Next up was the Gyoza or sticky/pan fried dumplings, which was a bit dissapointing. I would not reccomend ordering this. There was only a little filling and it tasted average.

Gyoza

If you come here, you definitely have to try their Tonkatsu (Crispy Fried Breaded Pork). The servings are large and will definitely fill you up. The meat is juicy as well as crispy and worth the price you pay. For most of the dishes you have a choice between the Medium (150G) or Large (200G). An additional 70 Baht makes your order a set with rice and soup.

Tonkatsu (Large) Set

Menu Page for their Tonkatsu (Fried Pork Cutlet)

We also sampled the Katsu Curry. The portion was large as well and if your a fan of this dish, imagine the Tonkatsu described above swimming in potato, carrots and other vegetables curry. You can also pick if you want it to be spicy or mild depending on your own tastes. If you happen to be free for lunch, the restaurant also offers up Set Lunches at competitive prices.

Katsu Curry

Having filled ourselves once again with worthy eats, we randomly picked out a dessert from Misato's menu and were in for a treat.

Our Aloe Vera Dessert

What we were expecting was a scoop of ice cream and some red bean paste, but instead we were given a scoop of green tea ice cream, red bean paste, Mojis, Sweet Strawberries, a Slice of Melon and a Royce-Tasting piece of chocolate to top it off.

Overall this restaurant was a pleasant experience. It is a good break from all the fast-food, cheap and "Thaionized" Japanese cuisines that we get in Bangkok. There is a lot of talk online of where you can get the best Tonkatsu in Bangkok. Saboten? Katsu King? I have tried a handful of the contenders, and would say Misato is up there on the list. Be sure to try the Salmon Onigiri and Aloe Vera Dessert as well as the Tonkatsu if you pop in for a visit, just don't pay too much attention to the service here, that's one part that they have A LOT to improve on =)

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Misato Japanese Restaurant (4/5) BBB

02-237-2266

Charn Issara Tower 1 Ground Floor

Rama IV Road, Bang Rak, Bangkok Thailand 10500

Monday, August 2, 2010

Orchid Cafe, Sheraton Grande Sukhumvit

There are two types of people in the world, the first being those who stuff themselves silly during a buffet and then feel sick and regret ever going through the massive piles of food that was set before them. The second group of people stuff themselves silly during a buffet, then feel sick and bloated, but would do the exact same thing over again the next week. I proudly categorize myself into the second group. After all, what is the point of living if you can't enjoy the food thats available to you?

View from the Entrance of the Orchid Cafe

Luckily for all of us, whichever group you fall into, the Buffets in Bangkok never fail to deliver. They provide us with different experiences, ranging from delight to disgust, European to Indian, Riverside to Downtown. Today I will be writing a review for the Weekend Grande Seafood Buffet Dinner at The Orchid Cafe, Sheraton Grande Sukhumvit. I was led here by the numerous review online praising the Orchid Cafe for its delightful staff and delicious food, whether it be the Lunch, Dinner or Brunch buffets at the hotel.

The Front of the Sheraton Grande Sukhumvit, View From the BTS Link

Our Table for the Evening, view of the Traffic Congested Sukhumvit Road

The Orchid Cafe is located at the lobby of the hotel and serves up a International Buffet. Located just next to the Skytrain, it is easy to get to from anywhere in Bangkok (Or Thailand even, if you are that hungry).

The food here is of a wide variety, Japanese, Thai, Western and the choices are almost overwhelming. I consider myself a heavy eater, but after just sampling 1 or 2 pieces from each dish I was close to throwing in the towel before desserts. Most of the food is located around a circular "Island" in the center of the Restaurants as well as islands to the side. This meant that little queuing up was needed for most of the food (Except one which I will mention later)

Hot Dishes as well as Appetizers and Thai Food / Soups

The Seafood Dinner Buffet came with Lamb/Beef Roasts, a very popular grill section that has Foie Gras, Salmon, Ribeye Steak, Rock Lobster, Lamb, Tuna, Soft Shell Crab and River Prawns cooked to order, Pasta dishes, Tempura, the usual Thai selections, 4 different types of smoked salmon, hot dishes such as Foei Grais (Again), various Seafood, a Japanese Sashimi Section (Including a Roe Station, Photos Below), Cold Seafood Spread (Alaskan Crabs, Fresh Oysters, Etc) 10+ Flavors of Ice Cream and freshly made pancakes, dozens of cakes and desserts and fruits. I feel full just thinking of all the food!

Fresh Seafood

The Popular Grill station and the 4 Busy (And I Would Have to Say Skillful) Chefs

Roe Station with Condiments (And Made on Pancakes to the Side)

Service was standard, not as good as Lord Jim's at the Oriental but definitely 5 Star. The only Gripe I have about this place is that it gets quite crowded from 7-8PM when the tables are full, getting your order down with the Chefs at the grill section takes a bit of an initiative from your side. You place an order my telling the chefs, and with about 10+ people around you and of course double the orders floating around, it feels a bit hectic, perhaps the restaurant can find another way to organize the taking and placing of orders. Of course as expected, one of my orders out of four was forgotten, but the chefs quickly whipped it up in minutes after a gentle reminder =)

4 Types of Smoked Salmon, Prawn, Fish as well as other Appetizers

The Dessert Island

Sample of my First Dish, Smoked Salmon, Prawn with Ginger and Thai Spices, Seafood "Yum" and Salmon Roll in Avocado Paste

Grilled Rock Lobster

The California Rolls here are delicious, and you will end up queuing up from them, and remember to order it "without rice"! I asked for Salmon in mine and added additional Prawn and Salmon Roe from the adjacent table.

Remember, No Rice!

The Roasts, Beef and Lamb as well as Rock Lobsters were superb, and you definitely have to try the Sheraton Chocolates that come in silver spoons. Another tip is to not take your Lamb from the Roast, but to order it fresh from the grill. The Main Dishes, Seafood, Japanese Food and Grills were all top notch, however the Desserts have yet to leave me very satisfied. (Once I find a buffet that offers cakes as good as their food, I will let you guys know).

Sheraton Chocolates, I preferred the Dark selections

If you're looking for a place to have dinner with the family, or just a bunch of friends, the Orchid Cafe Weekend Dinner Buffet has to be somewhere on your list. Take it as a meal after a walk in Emporium which is just one BTS Station away, or in my case, after spending an entire day at Queen Sirikit National Convention Center. Try to come a bit earlier when the Buffet starts at 6 or after 7:30 when the crowds die down, you can also opt for free flow alcohol and drinks for an additional 700 baht. The Buffet Dinner at Sheraton came to 1700 Baht Nett per person, completely worth it since at the time of writing American Express Credit Cards entitles you to 50% off the Food for 2-6 people per table.

Enjoy!

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Orchid Cafe, Sheraton Grande Sukhumvit (4/5) BBBB
(http://www.sheratongrandesukhumvit.com/en/orchidcafe)

02-649-8355
250 Sukhumvit Road,
Bangkok, Thailand 10110

Monday, July 26, 2010

The Square, Novotel Siam Square Review

This review is for The Square, Novotel Siam Square's Sunday Brunch. Feeling a bit hungry and deprived of a satisfying buffet for quite some time, I decide to go to a place that has been tried and tested multiple times by many people all around Bangkok. A short quick drive into town and a 5 minute walk from Paragon brought me to the Sunday Brunch at The Square, Novotel. Having been her at least 3-4 times before, I was hoping for the best since this place has always been one of the more "Budget Friendly" buffets in Bangkok, while not compromising quality. This is the first time I am trying their Sunday Brunch.

Lively Brunch

Refreshing Juices

A quick look around the restaurant and I could spot a few differences between their Brunch and normal dinner/lunch offerings. There were game stations set up for kids, a small kids corner, a clown and of course, plenty of children running around. The food on offer was more than the usual with a larger selection of roasts, seafood and desserts. Off the top of my head there was pork / beef sirloin, lamb, oysters, smoked salmon, sashimi and sushi, ice cream, various cakes, noodles, Indian selections, Thai style fried squid and a choice of 3 juices and coffee/tea that comes a long with the brunch.

Keeping the Kids Busy

As always their smoked salmon is delicious, and most of the food is better than average. However, the selection is limited compared to what other hotels are offering, and desserts are still lacking.

Smoked Salmon, Condiments and other Appetizers

Indian Selections (Naan, Roti, Cheese Curry, Chicken Tikka Masala)

The bill came to 1001 baht nett per person, which was a bit more than what I would like to pay considering the quality of the food. Coming here for lunch or dinner would be a much better choice, the food is just only a tad better on Sundays but you pay a larger premium.

Much Larger Variety of Roasts on Sunday

Desserts

At the time of writing, they have no credit card deals or discounts. I suggest you add a couple of hundred Baht and spend some quality time at a nicer brunch, but do still come here for lunch and dinner. Service during the Sunday Brunch wasn't up to the usual standard that I am used to, most likely because of the larger crowds and patrons. The Square at Novotel Siam Square is definitely an above average place that I will continue frequenting, however I will choose to go somewhere else next time for a nice, relaxing and classy Sunday Brunch.

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The Square - Novotel Siam Square (3.5/5) BBBB

(http://www.novotel.com/gb/hotel-1031-novotel-bangkok-on-siam-square/restaurant.shtml)

02-209-8888

392/44 Siam Square Soi 6
Rama I Road Pathumwan
Bangkok, Thailand 10330

Tuesday, July 13, 2010

Latest Recipe, Le Meridien Review

This is my first review for the international lunch buffet at Latest Recipe, Le Meridien. I heard about this buffet through a few online forums and from what I know, it is frequented by quite a few buffet lovers on a weekly basis. The hotel is located near Silom, on Surawong road and is very close to quite a number of landmarks, making it a very convenient place to drop by for a meal.

The first thing I noticed about the hotel is that the design is very modern, clean and sophisticated. Lunch is served on the 3rd floor, Latest Recipe while the dinner buffet at the hotel is located at Bamboo Chic. According to the receptionist, Latest Recipe offers a more international variety of food choices while Bamboo Chic sticks to Japanese, Thai and generally Asian cuisines.

Hotel Lobby View

Resized to 92% (was 768 x 1024) - Click image to enlarge Posted Image

On the way up I stopped for a short bathroom break, and although I had second thoughts at first, took a photo of the men's bathroom. It's simply put, great. The hand towels were a nice touch and even though I have been to many other 5 star hotels in Bangkok, the restrooms here are really a step up from the rest.

The Restroom