Filed Under (Bangkok) by Farang on 21-03-2011
Another week in Bangkok, another Sunday Lunch in Bangkok.
Its not quite that frequent but my quest to visit all the places in Bangkok that do a Sunday Lunch is starting to pick up. So far I’ve been to The Londoner, Molly Malones, the Robin Hood and now the Dubliner.
Unlike the other pubs that I’ve been to in Bangkok that do a roast dinner the Dubliner does not do an all you can eat carvery style Sunday lunch. I wasn’t aware of this when I went in there and when I found out I was a bit disappointed but sometimes less is more and if you are like me and tend to eat as much as you can rather than eat as much as you want, being limited to just one plate can be a good thing.
The price is about the same as the other pubs in Bangkok that do a Sunday Lunch costing ฿400 (about £8) and as you only get one serving isn’t as good value. The food is nice and arrives very quickly after ordering. You don’t choose what meat you want – you get it all: chicken, ham and beef. The meat comes with your own portion of gravy, roast and mashed potatoes, peas, carrots, sausages, cauliflower cheese and a Yorkshire pudding so its not a small amount of food. There is no starter or desert though. One plate is a good amount and after eating it I felt better than I do after two or three plates at the all you can eat carvery places in Bangkok. The pub is nicer than the others I have been to in Bangkok as it has lots of windows and you can see out on to Sukhumvit road. The Dubliner has three floors with a pool table on the top floor and as we were leaving an authentic (Thai) Irish band were setting up.
I’d recommend the pub and the food served at the Dubliner, Bangkok, but if you are looking for an all you can eat roast dinner you will be disappointed. Next time I go I will probably have the Irish fry up as it looked even better than the roast and cost the same at ฿400.
Filed Under (Bangkok) by Farang on 14-03-2011
Like most people from the British Isles I love a good Sunday Lunch and although living in Bangkok has reduced my intake of roast dinners there are still loads of great places to get a Sunday Lunch in Bangkok.
Like back in Blighty the best place to find a good Sunday Roast in Bangkok is a pub and the best type of pub to find one is at one of the many British or Irish themed pubs found around the city. One of these pubs is the Londoner Brew Pub on Sukhumvit just at the entrance to soi 33. At the Londoner you will find the Super Sunday Family Carvery Buffet being served from 12:00–15:00 and 18:00–21:00. This is an all you can eat affair with a massive selection of foods to chose from; bigger than anywhere else doing a Sunday Lunch in Bangkok that I’ve been to so far.
The appetisers include smoked salmon and a massive range of salads as well as a variety of soups. The main has all the trimmings you would expect including Roast Beef, Roast Chicken, Roast Lamb and Roast Pork. For dessert Dutch Apple Pie and Custard and a good selection of cakes and other puddings. Although most of these are found at other pubs in Bangkok doing a roast dinner they are all ‘help yourself’ including the dessert so you can really eat as much as you want!
The price for all this is 470 baht which is a bit more than the Sunday Lunch at Molly Malone’s but only about 70 baht.
I’m pleased to report back that the food is very nice here and is on a par with Molly Malone’s but with a bit of a better selection. The only downside is the pub itself which is a little bit too big for a Sunday lunch and can feel a bit empty whilst you are eating although if it is very empty you might be able to get a booth seat which is more cosy.
Overall the Londoner is definitely worth a visit if you like a good Sunday lunch.
Filed Under (Bangkok) by Farang on 06-03-2011
Although I love Thai food I do miss Western food from time to time. One of my local Western style restaurants in Bangkok is one of the Sizzler chain’s outlets in my local shopping mall. The food is pretty good at Sizzler in a Thai imitation of Western favourites kind of way and it has an amazing salad bar (all you can eat for about 150 baht / £3) but one thing that surprises me about it is how busy it is. It always seems to be full and if you go there for dinner you often have to queue to get a seat. They have a member of staff on the door that takes your name and assigns you a place in the queue and they even bring out cold drinks to the people waiting for a table. I don’t think people are queuing in a Krispy Kreme type way, they just genuinely want to eat here because they like it rather than it being cool. I guess to the Thais, and its 99% Thais who eat here, going for a burger and chips makes a nice change from rice and som tam just as it does to me.
Filed Under (Bangkok) by Farang on 27-01-2011
Thailand’s first and only branch of Krispy Kreme Doughnuts might’ve opened in Bangkok over 4 months ago but the queues to get one of their doughnuts are still pretty sizeable. I do quite like a doughnut but not enough to queue for one, especially when there are Dunkin’ Donuts and loads of other shops right next to Krispy Kreme and scattered all over Bangkok without any queues at all.
But today, walking out side Paragon I noticed a few street sellers hawking doughnuts with Krispy Kreme signs. Upon closer inspection they even had menu cards with all the names of the doughnuts on in English and Thai. At first I thought they must be fake doughnuts cashing in an the craze for the Krispy Kreme’s but actually they are people who have queued up, bought a few trays of doughnuts and set up stall outside the official store.
I bought one to test them out and although it was nice the fact it had been sitting out in the sun for a while by the side of a busy road in Bangkok might have reduced its potential a bit. To me it didn’t seem any different to a Dunkin Doughnut and no where near as nice as a Greg’s ring or jam doughnut. But as Greg’s have yet to expand into Bangkok I will have to make do.
These black market Krispy Kreme doughnuts cost 50 baht for one and 130 baht for 3. I’m not sure how it compares to in store. Anyone done the queue and know how much they cost?
Image ‘borrowed’ from: http://everythinghapa.com/archives/2246
Filed Under (Bangkok) by Farang on 17-01-2011
Ban Chiang is a great Thai restaraunt in Sathorn that is set in an old Thai style house. The decor is really nice and there is seating inside and out. The menu is mainly Thai with all the usual suspects. Ban Chiang is more popular with Westerners than Thais and the dishes do reflect this a bit. This does make it good for visitors wanting authentic Thai dishes that won’t blow your head off! Prices are pretty good for a Western targeted restaruant but obviously not as cheap as a Thai-Thai eatery. The service was very good and the waiting staff are very attentive without going over baord and seem happy doing their jobs.
It’s not that easy to find but if you head for Jamieson’s bar at the Holiday Inn you will find a sign for Ban Chiang Restaurant that will point you in the right direction. The nearest BTS to Ban Chiang is Surasak on the Silom line.
Ban Chiang, Bangkok: 14 Soi Sriviang, Surasak Road, Bangkok 10500
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Filed Under (Bangkok) by Farang on 06-12-2010
Even though there are so many great places to eat in Bangkok and most of them do delivery via ChefsXP or Food by Phone I still keep eating McDonald’s whether home or away.
The McDonald’s Bangkok delivery service runs 24 hours a day is only ever a phone call away. McDonald’s in Thailand also has a few extra items on their menu I don’t get at home so there is even more options to temp you. Add the low prices, the home delivery and the bigger menu and you have a recipe for disaster!
My favourite at the moment is the double Big Mac set with large french fries but I make sure it is the healthy version that comes with Coke Zero and I am good as I don’t get the cheesy french fries they do out here.
The home delivery number for McDonald’s in Thailand is 1711 or sip-et sit-jet in Thai.
Filed Under (Bangkok) by Farang on 06-12-2010
Dean & Deluca, a deli from New York, have recently opened their first branch in Bangkok so I thought I’d go and check it out. Dean & Deluca Bangkok is located in the new Mahanakhon building right outside of Chong Nonsi BTS on Naradhiwas road (even number side).
The design is very modern and quite minimalistic with a high cling. The decor doesn’t really give the place a very warm and cosy feel and comes across as being more clinical than a Starbucks. There is one sofa area to sit on with the rest of the seating being hard plastic tables and chairs. There is also an outdoor searing area. We went to Dean & Deluca at lunch time on a public holiday and the place was packed with HiSo looking Thais and the odd upmarket farang which probably helped to give the place a bit of an atmosphere it might be lacking at less busy times.
The food on offer is deli-style with lots of different types or bread based snacks and a good range of salads and I even saw a Thai green curry there too. Its pretty hard to find a good sandwich in Bangkok and I was very pleased to see the array of sandwiches on offer. In the end I opted for the Meat Ciabatta and a banana shake.
As it was pretty busy in there the ordering system was a bit complicated with table numbers to collect and no one near the food on display to take your order. In the end someone came over to the crowd huddled around the sandwich display and took our orders on the customer side which we then passed onto the cashiers who we paid. Now were we supposed to go and sit down or wait for our food at the counter? In the end we took some of our food to sit-down (and our order number) and the rest was brought over. It was a little confusing to say the least. So far so Thai!
Once all our food had arrived I was pleased to discover it was all very nice although the ham in my ciabatta was a bit Thai rather than Western ham. Normally I wouldn’t order ham in Thailand as its quite different but I must’ve been confused by the Western décor of the place!
The food at Dean & Deluca Bangkok is pretty good value considering what it is and the bill for two drinks and two sandwiches came in at around 500 baht (£10). They also have UK newspapers too.
I’ll be going back at some point as I want to try the Greek salad and maybe the Beef and Horseradish sandwich.
Filed Under (Bangkok) by Farang on 06-12-2010
Sambuca is an Italian restaurant in Bangkok, near Silom. The décor is pretty up market although not in the realms or Opus or Eat Me but still very nice and it’s clear you are in Thailand rather than Italy. This is reflected in the prices also as although it’s not cheap it’s not as expensive as the other two aforementioned Italian restaurants. A pizza is about 300-400 baht and a steak is no more than 800 baht. It is a ++ restaurant so make sure you factor this in when picking your dishes if you are on a budget! There is a good drinks menu which as the name suggests includes Sambucca, although the wine list does not come close to Opus or Eat Me.
The pizzas are cooked in a big oven which is on view from the restaurant so you can see the chef freshly preparing your pizza to order. They are stone backed and served in a thin crust and are pretty big. You can double the size of the pizzas to 40 cm but the standard ones are big enough!
A meal for two with non-alcoholic drinks came to about 1,800 baht so it’s not cheap but it’s not going to break the bank either and you could probably get away with sharing a pizza between two if you weren’t that hungry.
The service is really good and there was no trouble getting the attention of a waiter/waitress when we wanted to order dessert of check the bin. There is also outdoors seating with beer Sing on tap.
Sambucca is definitely worth a visit if you want something nice but a bit cheaper and more casual than the other high end Italian restaurants in the area.
The exact location off Sambuca in Bangkok is on Naradhiwas Soi 7 or Sathorn Soi 7 depending on which way you come. It is also within walking distance or a short motor-taxi ride from Chong Nonsi BTS on the Silom line.
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Filed Under (Bangkok) by Farang on 06-12-2010
Opus is an Italian restaurant in Bangkok, near Silom. It also doubles up as wine bar and has a massive wine list. A few bottles are served by the glass but the majority comes by the bottle.
The menu is pretty big too with all the Italian classics present like pastas, pizzas, salads and steaks. The décor is very nice and posh and there are no clues that you are in Bangkok. It’s not cheap though but if you are looking for somewhere special then I definitely recommend it. The food and service were great and we will definitely be coming back when the occasion arises!
Opus Wine Bar and Restaurant is located on Thanon Pan which is off Silom road and close to Silom Soi 11. Thanon Pan is harder to pronounce than it looks and the Taxi driver didn’t know what I was trying to say until I said it more like Thanon Bun. The nearest BTS is Chong Nonsi but is probably too far to walk from there on a humid night so jump in a Taxi or on Motorbike from the station.
There is no dress code but you will probably feel more comfortable in a shirt or at least a smart t-shirt as the place is quite posh!
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Filed Under (Bangkok) by Farang on 06-12-2010
Eat Me restaurant in Bangkok is located on Soi Pipat 2, just off Soi Convent which in turn is just off of Silom road. The nearest BTS is Sala Daeng although not really a walking distance away. Eat Me is open every day from 3pm to 1am with a full kitchen and bar until closing time.
Food is served on the first floor with a bar on the ground floor. The majority of the tables are inside and there is also outside terrace garden area with seating and overhead fans to keep you cool. Thanks to its 1am closing time you can come later in the evening when it is not as hot and dining outside becomes a bit more comfortable.
The menu at Eat Me, Bangkok, is described as ‘Modern International Regional’ and is quite varied with a good selection of French, Italian and Thai dishes. There is a good wine list with a few wines served by the glass and the rest by the bottle. Although different to Opus it is probably in the same league and our meal for two with one glass of wine came to around 5,000 baht.
The décor is sleek, modern and minimalist and has less of a wow factor than Opus although both are good in their own way. If you want to impress guests then I’d probably go for Opus over Eat Me but if you want something more contemporary and stylish then go for Eat Me.
Booking a table is recommended and was easy enough to do by phone (02 238 0931). There is no dress code but smarten up a bit to avoid feeling out of place (jeans and shirt).
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