Bangkok's Food Scene

[+ Lucky]

Interesting look at food in Bangkok:

https://www.sfgate.com/politics/article/Twin-Peaks-Tavern-gay-bar-historic-landmark-4208442.php

 

Wish you were there?

[+ g56whiz]

Interesting look at food in Bangkok:

https://www.sfgate.com/politics/article/Twin-Peaks-Tavern-gay-bar-historic-landmark-4208442.php

 

Wish you were there?

I was there in February. That looks like the street my hotel was on. Where’s my mango sticky rice? [sigh]

[+ azdr0710]

@Lucky the link goes to an article about the Twin Peaks in SF. Do you have a link to the Bangkok story? Thanks.

[+ Lucky]

@Lucky the link goes to an article about the Twin Peaks in SF. Do you have a link to the Bangkok story? Thanks.

Wow! Sorry about that! This link is from last summer, but does seem to be the same article:

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/06/01/travel/bangkok-thailand-food-markets.html?searchResultPosition=2

[sydneyboy]

My favourite restaurant in the world is in Bangkok, Le Normandie at the Mandarin Oriental. I have been there countless times and it never disappoints. Fine food, fine wine, flawless service and a beautiful ambience. The view overlooking the river is to die for. I know in Thailand we should be eating Thai but this is French cooking at its finest. You lose Brownie points if you faint when you get the bill at the end (joke) but be consoled you only live once.

Edited February 9, 2021 by sydneyboy

[CuriousByNature]

My favourite restaurant in the world is in Bangkok, Le Normandie at the Mandarin Oriental. I have there countless times and it never disappoints. Fine food, fine wine, flawless service and a beautiful ambience. The view overlooking the river is to die for. I know in Thailand we should be eating Thai but this is French cooking at its finest. You lose Brownie points if you faint when you get the bill at the end (joke) but be consoled you only live once.

Wow... just looked at the New Year's Eve menu. In Canadian dollars, $1,060 for 8 courses plus another $375 for 5 wine pairings.

[sydneyboy]

Wow... just looked at the New Year's Eve menu. In Canadian dollars, $1,060 for 8 courses plus another $375 for 5 wine pairings.

I agree that is top dollar. Top quality restaurants in prime locations in major cities including Sydney charge hefty prices for occasions like New Year’s Eve. I should add in non COVID times. Le Normandie is fabulous and should be a must for foodies visiting Bangkok.

[+ Lucky]

I am happy with the buffet breakfast at Le Meridien. Or the W.

Regretably I eat little Thai food and would never eat street food.

[Bargara Leatherboy]

I am happy with the buffet breakfast at Le Meridien. Or the W.

Regretably I eat little Thai food and would never eat street food.

Street Food is the best !!!

 

Do A street food tour !!

 

I did one in Hanoi and it was just incredible

[+ BenjaminNicholas]

Hotel food in BKK is lovely, but it's pedestrian. You can get great fine hotel food anywhere.

 

If you want to eat in Bangkok, you eat on the street. Very few other places in the world have street carts that have Michelin stars.

 

In the past I've done a nice mix of street food tours, but feel comfortable enough now to venture out myself. The main rule of thumb is that if you see locals lined up to eat somewhere, get in that line and figure out the menu. It's going to be good.

[+ Lucky]

Ben, one food stall got a Michelin star, and she wants to give it back!

https://www.eater.com/2018/1/9/16865246/michelin-star-bangkok-raan-jay-fai-street-food-vendor

[+ BenjaminNicholas]

Ben, one food stall got a Michelin star, and she wants to give it back!

https://www.eater.com/2018/1/9/16865246/michelin-star-bangkok-raan-jay-fai-street-food-vendor

 

I've eaten at Jay Fai a few times and although it's become VERY popular since the award, she's still putting out incredble food.

 

It's got to be tough having so much attention so quickly. It's a small place to begin with and she cooks everything herself. Getting a reservation to eat there takes about 30-50 days of advance.

 

I hope she continues to mitigate the workload because her culinary skills are impressive.

[sydneyboy]

This thread makes me so nostalgic for Bangkok. How I miss you!

[+ g56whiz]

Mark Wiens has a number of videos on You Tube reviewing street food including those of Bangkok, Phuket and any number of streets throughout Asia.   

[+ azdr0710]

while returning from a club late one evening, travel partner and I encountered a colossal amount of rats roaming the streets and sidewalks where the food carts had been set up hours earlier.....somewhat startling to see so many of them.....

[+ BenjaminNicholas]

On 2/24/2022 at 11:08 AM, azdr0710 said:

while returning from a club late one evening, travel partner and I encountered a colossal amount of rats roaming the streets and sidewalks where the food carts had been set up hours earlier.....somewhat startling to see so many of them.....

I mean, it's Bangkok.  NYC has the same issue (although it's neighborhood dependent).

Hong Kong, same issue.  Paris, same issue.  London, there too.

When you're an old city, rats are going to be there.  They're scavengers.  They don't come when a lot of people are around.  They come when the carts have packed up and left scraps.

[Guest MikeThomas]

Washington, DC has more rats than anywhere. All colored red or blue.  Odd.

[+ BenjaminNicholas]

15 hours ago, SirBillybob said:

Apparently now walk-in only. Not sure how that works out if waiting in queue, although ‘street view’ seems to reflect it’s a narrow probably shaded alley. 

They've always had a number system.   You're assigned a number and you watch for that number to be flipped on a large cue-card.

I figured they'd eventually stop with reservations.  It was clearly a hassle for them to keep it all organized, as well as accommodate walk-ins.

JF's reviews have taken a huge downturn.  I feel bad for her, as she's nearly a one-man-show and once she stops, the whole machine stops.  It's not as if she's a Michelin with a huge staff of servers, line cooks, marketing, etc.  It's just her and her daughter.

The two times I've been, it was fantastic.  That was years ago.  Recent reviews seem to hold a lot of animosity for how long the wait was versus the quality/cost of the food.  I can understand that.

Getting a star can be an ugly thing.  Keeping it, nearly impossible.

Edited December 12, 2023 by BenjaminNicholas

[sydneyboy]

On 12/12/2023 at 1:37 PM, SirBillybob said:

Will do. Have you been to the hotel’s other eatery, I think across the river, perhaps ferried by the facility to the spa location? I think dinner only. Appears more Asian-themed cuisine. 

https://www.mandarinoriental.com/en/bangkok/chao-phraya-river/dine/baan-phraya

They have a number if restaurants. Apart from Le Normandie I have been to China House obviously a Chinese restaurant in a house at the foot of the drive leading to the main building. Quite a good Chinese. 

[+ BenjaminNicholas]

Some additional suggestions...

Jib Kee's roast pork is ridiculous.  

Or Tor Kor Market can keep you busy (and full) for hours

Aksorn is doing fine Thai dining, but with a serious twist.

 

[SouthOfTheBorder]

there are travelers & there are tourists

tourists seek out lists of the things other people tell them are good - and nowadays they need pics to post, proving they’ve checked the box 

travelers seek out new experiences for themselves, without the need for lists or validation of their choices 

I’ve been to more Michelin experiences than I can count for work-required dinners - mostly pretentious & over-priced imo.  Btw - most of those places in NYC are filled w people on expense accounts or tourists. New Yorkers spending their own money - no so much.