a better butter

little home bakery

what american doesn't love a good brunch here and there? what other meal can be leisurely stretched into two meals? what other meal is only socially acceptable on weekends? what other meal can legitimately pack in tons of carbs and butter?

i guess that's what it comes down to: butter. here in asia, the reigning fat solid is an orange, vegetable oil margarine-like substance, whose unmistakable fragrance wafts out of every bakery. it also leaves that distinctive oily aftertaste when you shove down a pork floss bun.

and this is where little home bakery stands tall in its stalwart defense of BUTTER! their goods have the full, rounded flavor of butter. and in case that's not enough for you, your banana pancake (80B) or strawberry waffle (95B) comes with a proud, defiant scoop of white, smooth butter melting in glory.

for those "brunch-should-block-my-arteries" folks, you can always get the american breakfast with two eggs, bacon, pancakes, grilled tomato, fried potatoes, coffee and juice (165B). and for those disgusted by that, you can always order from their extensive thai menu (75-125B).

bright, sunny, half-diner-half-cafe ambience, little home bakery's a perfect spot to meet your friends for butter - i mean, brunch.

little home bakery

thonglor, between soi 23-25

weekdays 8am-9pm, weekends 9am-9pm

webby: http://www.littlehome.co.th/

it's as exciting as toast

after you

it's dry, it used to be bread, it is light tan - it's toast!

oh ye of little faith, believe me when i tell you this toast is worth it. 3 inches tall and smothered with shibuya honey, nutella, peanut butter & bananas or other scrumptious sundries plus ice cream and whipped cream - this isn't your grandma's toast. this is toast in splendor.

for all ye nonbelievers, don't worry, after you has other desserts. between 4 of us, 5 desserts didn't stand a chance. two toasts, applesauce brownie (with ice cream), baked sundae (lava cookie with ice cream), millecrepe (crepes stacked with whipped cream), and four quadruple bypasses. i pity our arteries and the cow that had to produce all the cream we consumed.

baked sundae oozing

applesauce brownie. light, yet intensely chocolatey.

millecrepe with creme brulee-sugared top.

my only regret was not being able to try one of their many coffee drinks. i am not of the breed who's able to drink coffee at night and not become a vampire. next time, i'm getting my lazy butt up for breakfast (since after you opens at 7am) and throwing down a coffee and a breakfast toast. yes, savory or sweet, you can have your toast at any time of day.

after you

thonglor soi 13, j avenue

desserts 145-200B

open 7am-midnight

02 712 9266

other locations @ paholyothin la villa and central world 7th fl.

she works at night

smiley "i cream"

walk down pradipat road during the day and you feel like you're in any generic part of asia. you got your stores, your street vendors, your restaurants, your hotels. but glory! when night falls, pradipat explodes into a thriving street-walking hotspot. we can thank the thriving "massage" industry for that (not so glory). all sorts of things come out at night.

you want to get your happy ending?

stop for ice cream. what were you thinking? you and your dirty mind! it's not that kind of post. 270/19 pradipat is a generic gold shop by day - but oh ho! by night, it unfurls as a homemade ice cream shop.

want a sign? too bad, you won't find one. the nice owner-lady had to tell us the name of the shop, "smiley," since apparently secret ice cream shops are more fitting with the massage parlors.

when i went, the very nice lady told us about her ice cream: it's more like sorbet rather than a heavy, thick gelato. hers are refreshing, using traditional thai flavors like farang buey (syrup-soaked guava), dragonfruit & cranberry, or coconut among other traditional flavors like cookies & cream or strawberry.

for 20B a scoop, your ice cream comes with specially paired toppings like spicy sugar or thai sour plums.

i also like the old guy sitting out in the shop. he's like the sweet lady's sour plum - all he said was, "hey, did they pay you, yet?" of course, nothing on pradipat is free.

smiley ice cream

270/19 pradipat rd. (btw soi 19 & 21)

nearest bts @ saphan kwai

a better roast

kuppa

in this coffee-saturated city, kuppa is the only place i've found that roasts their own coffee beans imported from across the globe. impressed and delighted as i was, i didn't buy any because it's REALLY expensive (it's on par with san francisco or new york prices). that pretty much sums up my kuppa experience: impressed, delighted, price-shocked.

kuppa's ambiance is elegant, open and assuredly casual - oooh. their pastry case houses horking, drool-inducing, showboat desserts - ahhh. they proudly display their curious coffee roasters and serve excellent coffee - oooh. culinary standards are executed with superb quality (eggs benedict, sorbets, pastas) - oooh. their confident, spot-on creativity makes you want to slap someone (duck, salmon) - ahhh. the bill...WHAAAA?

introduction: get a salad. they're really big (enough to feed several people) and fittingly dressed. 3 of us ordered the mixed salad (160B) and roasted vegetables (195B) which went nicely together.
body 1: i have a weakness for duck prepared in its own fat (doesn't that sound unkosher?). duck confit with watercress, orange sauce (495). i was skeptical of the orange sauce; now i'm a believer.
body 2: miso salmon (420), was one of 3 offerings of salmon. tasty. pesto shrimp pizza (295) was on the cheesier end of the spectrum. i probably wouldn't get it again.
body 3: eggs benedict. you gotta love a breakfast-all-day place, especially one that makes a mean eggs benedict. thank god for angioplasties.
conclusion: topped off with a happy, pistachio crepe (195) & fresh fruit with lychee sorbet (195) that makes your brain override your stomach's fullness.

for those with no need to be concerned with cost, kuppa is a sure-fire win. the food is undebatably delicious. the venue is charming and classy and relaxed. for those with a budget, start saving or start convincing yourself it's a kuppa sour grapes.

maybe i can find a rich boyfriend...

kuppa, 39 sukh 16. (bts: asoke)
10a-11:30p, closed every last monday of the month.
02-663 0495
closed every last monday of the month

have i ever told you the story...

the chocolate tales

...when i savored delicious, dense, rich cheesecake in bangkok? when it comes to cheesecake, i uphold the gold standard to be junior's in brooklyn, the dense, thick, creamy, classic cheesecake. the kind so hefty you have to hold it on your tongue to let the white gold melt. (thank god it takes time to eat, otherwise you might have to eat it with a defibrillator on hand). some find it to be too dry or too heavy. in my opinion it means you don't like cheesecake, then. the lighter, milkier cheesecake (like at coffee beans by dao) resembles more of a cream or cheese pie to me. fine for what it is, but not cheesecake.

a friend raved about the chocolate tales' cheesecake and i kept my fingers crossed. i'd already decided not to eat any cheesecake - my tummy was rumbly and the thought of eating heavy dairy sounded nauseating. well, the mind holds power over the body and we ordered a mixed berry new york cheesecake because it just looked stunning - the color, the height, consistency along with a white chocolate brownie cheesecake, each at 120B/slice. they were fantastic, not as thick as junior's, but delicious and worthy of respect. paired with a lavazza americano (70B), it was perfect...until my already disgruntled tummy had words with me. we all know that we just have to sacrifice the tummy sometimes for the greater good of the tastebuds. the chocolate tales also has other pastries on display, like a matoom cake, chocolate horlicks cake and crepes and parfaits on their menu. i'm interested in trying some of their specialty chocolate drinks but i'm afraid of developing instant type 2 diabetes.

the chocolate tales
silom soi 7, intersecting with narathiwat ratchanakarin soi 3. nearest bts @ chongnonsi.
100-300B. 02-2340210
webby: www.thechocolatetales.com (site not yet up)

fireflies and loveliness

amphawa floating market

after my trip to the damnoen saduak floating market, i was content to never visit a floating market again. the 2 hour travel, contrived "traditional way-of-life," overpricing, and hordes of tourists were a turn-off, to say the least.thank god for redemption; after visiting amphawa floating market, my faith in floating markets has been restored. so, hurry up and get your butt over to amphawa before it gets dirty and stops being quaint and charming. the market open weekends, friday to sunday.

do stuff:
amphawa is known for its fireflies, which can be admired year-round, but in greatest abundance in hot season (apr-may). take an evening longtail boat tour down the river for 60B/person and watch the riverbanks flicker like christmas trees. most tours include other sites along the river, like fishing spots, temples, and sugar palm-making homes. plenty of companies along the market have tours that are all pretty much the same. take your pick.
you, too, can shop! the amphawa is much more of a DIY community than many other tourist spots, so we were able to find many more handmade and creative wares. the handmade glow-in-the-dark firefly cell phone charms at 39B each were my favorite souvenirs there. you know you want one.

just for a moment, suppose anthropologie and thailand had a lovechild. taramart is that lovechild. the first floor boutique sells hip, yet rustic, brightly printed tops and thai fishing pants and lady-bags while the eclectic, country-meets-chic second floor tea room has bright, inventive tea blends at 85B a pot. 081-696-4797
eats:
staying true to thai form, a great trip must have great eats. and as small as it is, there is so much great food at amphawa. in my opinion, these are the requisite "best eats"
*ice creams and sorbets at kumpan (กำปั่น) restaurant are homemade and delightfully thai. we tried (from l-r) star-gooseberry sorbet, apricot-guava sorbet, and coconut un-chun ice cream (our fave) for 35B a cup. *grilled river prawns. oh no, you shall not call these shrimp, for shrimp are not the length of your hand. these are prawns. and they are delicious. buy a plateful for 30B, then promptly buy another.*khao griap (ข้าวเกรียบ). a foot in diameter and impossibly delicate, lightly sweetened, grilled rice crepes. sorry, i forgot to take a picture, but it's worth buying a 20B bag of 3 crepes here, since everyone else's version tends to be a thicker, deep-fried, or savory version.

*amphawa also has a ton of beautifully-presented and delicious traditional thai snacks and desserts that are too numerous to list or even recommend. just eat your way around.
fat = happy, right?accomodations:
thanicha resort
amphawa is known for their "homestays" which means anything from crashing on some family's floor to a bed & breakfast. thanicha boutique resort is a charming thai-style teak bed & breakfast within walking distance from the market, modest and simple rooms and friendly service. it's like staying at a friend's house. you know, your hip, retro-traditional thai friend with 10 or so extra rooms. it was lovely.webby: www.thanicha.com/indexe.htm
03-472-5511

getting there:
amphawa floating market is in samut songkhram, and a mere 13km from damnoen saduak.
ac vans from victory monument, mo chit, and the southern bus terminal for 70-100B (depending on where they drop you off) that leave hourly (or more frequently, if busy).
also buses from the southern bus terminal.

chiang mai, v. 2.0

chiang mai

i'm sure this will only be #2 of many chiang mai visits. such a manageable-sized city. so many natural attractions. so much culture.
biggest tip: rent a motorcycle for ~250B/24 hours and go wherever you like. on to the attractions!

going up doi suthep-pui... the doi suthep-pui national park is the closest national park to chiang mai city and sits just north-west of the city. easy to get to, you can take a red pick-up (song taew) from anywhere in the city. aside from the huay kaew and montathan waterfalls (in my last chiang mai post), head up a little further for this legend:
king na naone of the lanna kingdom in the 14th century got a hold of a buddhist relic (buddha's shoulder bone?) and stuck it on the back of a white elephant and released it into the jungle, proclaiming, "may this elephant stop suddenly when it reaches a suitable place to house this relic." it ran up the mountain and at some point stopped to rest and trumpeted three times. so the king built wat phalad on that site. it sits over a stream that runs down the mountain. quite peaceful and scenic with no tourists whatsoever. no anybody really. shrines overlooking the mountain stream. the elephant went further up the mountain, reached a point where it stopped, turned around 3 times, trumpeted another 3 times and then died. so the king built wat phratat doi suthep on that site, which is a major tourist attraction. i'm a horrible person to review wats since there are just sooooo many in thailand and they just are the same after a while. what's different about this wat doi suthep? it's big, it's well-kept, it overlooks the mountain, and has a heart-rate raising staircase up to the wat. besides that, it's kind of like every other wat in thailand.lots of vendors at the base of the wat. here's a vendor with her daughter adorned in traditional hill-tribe dress selling northern thai sausages. 100B entrance fee for non-thais.

further up doi suthep and unrelated to the white elephant legend, phuping palace is one of the royal vacation houses that the royal family still uses. while the buildings are closed to the public, the extensive landscaped grounds are available to stroll. if you like botanical gardens, you'll enjoy phuping palace. 50B entrance for non-thais, 20B thai.

as the fifth highest peak in thailand, doi pui is still further up the mountain and offers a 3km (roughly 1-2hr loop) hike up to the summit from the campsite. it is quite a hike, the second half being more difficult terrain than the first. don't expect a spectacular view at the top, it's mostly blocked by jungle. see? but, if you like hiking, it is a very good and unpopulated hike and it's free. here's part of the trail:
khantoke...
khantoke is a northern thai tradition of serving a meal on a raised tray (called "toke") to honored guests. in the 50s, a businessman invented modern khantoke to entertain special vips, introducing the now widely available popular dinner show. sit on the floor, enjoy unlimited northern thai food, and watch some great thai dancing and traditions. there are several venues ranging in price all over the city. i visited two, the original khantoke dinner called the old chiang mai cultural center and khum khantoke. overall, i'd say that khum khantoke is a better experience but i had a lot of fun at both and wholeheartedly recommend both.
just cause you want to know, here are pros/cons of each.
old chiang mai cultural center: well-established, better dancers (you can tell they pick their dancers by their skill over their attractiveness/size), separate hill tribe show performed by actual members of each of those tribes, 370B/person (including food, pick-up and drop-off at your hotel).
webby: http://www.oldchiangmai.com/index_en.php khum khantoke: it's more of a "show," meaning that it's more about the photo-taking and the production. better food, prettier venue, more photo ops (for tips), really fun. cons are that it's a bit pricier at XXX, further out of the way.
webby: http://www.khumkhantoke.net/

gardens...
i'm getting tired of writing so these reviews will have to be in haiku form.
tweechol botanic garden:
sculpted shrubbery
nature manipulated
hey, it's a hotel!webby: http://www.tweecholbotanicgarden.com/map.php
ratchaphruek garden:
celebrate the king
international landscape
a fading world's fair
free admission, open 10a-6p except mondays, located next to the night safari.

mae sa valley...
home to various orchid farms, elephant farms, monkey centers, and hill tribe cultural centers, there's a lot to do the mae sa valley (25 km north of chiang mai).
mae sa waterfall - you like to semi-vigorously hike? 10 tiers of waterfalls and a heart-stimulating 1+km hike.
eats (honorable mentions)...
the salsa mexican restaurant - inventive tasty mexican food (and jamaican, too). even more than the food, i have to promote their mexican coffee. liqueur-y, creamy, subtly orangey, spiced, delicious mexican coffee. it warrants suffering through consuming caffeine late at night. located on huay kaew, just NE of the central mall.

libernard cafe - a plus coffee. homey bungalow ambience. hippie-foodie-friendly banana whole-wheat pancakes. being there, you just want to hug somebody. hidden off the main street at 41 moon muang.the amazing sandwich - you want to feel like you're in america? go get a no-frills, no-nonsense sandwich you'd make if you weren't too lazy to buy all the imported ingredients. webby: http://www.amazingsandwich.com/

until next time, chiang mai...

sensory stimulation

true urbanpark

the true coffee shops are almost as ubiquitous here in bangkok as the starbucks branches. whereas starbucks makes a point to give you the same experience in every starbucks joint, regardless of the country or place, true coffee has a lot more variety and design in their shops. the true coffee in thonglor is nothing like the true coffee in siam square is nothing like the true coffee in the mall bangkapi...
the one in siam paragon is definitely a stand-out. you have to at least check it out and give it a good walk-through. true urban park's forward-thinking prototype for a coffee shop, music shop, and book store is a feast for the senses. plug your ipod into the table and listen from within a plastic head-pod-thingy, buy audio electronics and accessories, browse the web, sip a peppermint patty latte, and peruse through some shelves of books.in case that's not enough stimulus, buy some fresh flowers, gnosh on a sandwich, stare at the giant flippy wall as it switches, or watch thailand's big brother version of american idol projected on a giant wall screen.

true urban park, siam paragon, 3rd floor.
10am-10pm. true wi-fi available.

i now understand how kobe cattle feel

bangkok marriott resort & spa

since i'm officially a bangkok resident, there aren't many opportunities to stay in hotels. well, that, and i don't have enough money to hotel hop. a friend recently came to visit and invited me to come join her vacation-o-luxury. i just have to say:
I LOVE THE BANGKOK MARRIOTT RESORT & SPA

i've visited (but not stayed at) other top hotels in bangkok, of which the best are along the chao praya river, but this one, in my opinion is the one i recommend to anyone looking to be treated like royalty. turn down service, broadband internet, fresh fruit, featherbeds, robes and slippers add those nice touches to your stay in the room, but it's the hotel grounds that keep you from wanting to ever leave again.

i believe i've figured out the technique to transform my body into lazy, tender kobe meat:

step 1: consume large amounts of delicious, decadent food.
the three i tried were the following (in order of enjoyment):
trader vic's in the US is mediocre, unfortunately, skewing my expectations to be low. however, despite the second-rate name, is a fantastic pacific rim fusion restaurant. everything we ordered was matched beautifully, blending flavors well and using the most quality ingredients. if i didn't feel bad for my friend who was paying, i would have ordered the wagyu. highlights: tuna sesame encrusted diakon radish with wasabi mayo topped by caviar; avacado gazpacho with green apple and watercress; lamb yakitori with eggplant and mushrooms, sided by a rich pumpkin puree (900B); and crispy red duck and foie gras, with bok choy and apple taro cake (800B). you're drooling, aren't you? trust me, if your wallet's thick, you want to eat here.

riverside terrace which was an outdoor buffet on the patio overlooking the chao phraya river. lots of goodies including teppanyaki, crepes, mongolian bbq, italian pastas and pizza to order, grill, indian, oyster/shellfish bar, and an extensive dessert spread. thai boxing and traditional thai performance (dancing/acting) throughout the evening. priced at 1100B/person + 10% service, buffet dinner 6-10:30

numero uno cafe is a nice little chocolate shop and deli/bakery with an alluring display of pastries and sweets. a la carte menu with pastries, deli sandwiches and lunch fare, fondues, and chocolates. roughly 160-510B for breakfast, lunch or dinner. i got to try both their chocolate afternoon tea buffet as well as their after-dinner cheese/chocolate and cognac buffet (both 500B). have i ever told you i have problems with self-control? though they're meant to be post-meal treats, they became my meals. beware, my brothers and sisters with poor self-control, these are small, but very calorific buffets. cherry chocolate cake. nice presentation, eh?

in addition to these restaurants, they also have these spots that i didn't try:
benihana - japanese grill, teppanyaki okonomi (370-4900B). a little grill show as your meal's cooked.
the market - breakfast buffet. a la carte 95-510B. lunch/dinner 699 buffet. noodles, sushi, etc. 170-980
rice mill - chinese, dim sum 180-3000B

and for bars:
elephant bar - tapas, fusion bar food 175-295B
longtail bar - riverside, live music "kim" 170-980B bbq grill food - light fare
loy nam - pool bar, snacks and salads 180-300B

step 2: get a massage.
nothing says "pampered" like a great massage. the mandara spa (also available in room or poolside) offers steams 950, wraps 3-4k, scrubs 2-3k, massages 2250-5520, poultices 3200, facials 2700-5520, baths 950, steams 950, men's stuff 4k-9500. i got a deep tissue massage

step 3: be sedentary and expend as little physical energy as possible.
though the marriott resort has a fitness center with tennis and fitness classes, you should avoid them if you hope to keep your body marbled with fat. the thai cooking classes may be ok, though, if you maintain a very slow pace and try not to move too much while cooking. the pool is the perfect place to work on your golden tan while using little-to-no energy.

but if you decide to veer off the course of kobe cultivation, this place also has:
- manohra cruise - old rice barges converted into personal cruise ships. dinners or overnight cruise to ayutthaya.
- it's own malls and shopping.
- the hotel grounds are also beautiful decorated with lush tropical gardens.

bangkok marriott resort & spa. 257 charoen nakhon @ krungthep bridge. 02-476-0021
room rates between 5,400B-42,000B (if you're a guest, you receive coupons to all the restaurants)
webby: http://www.marriott.com/hotels/travel/bkkth-bangkok-marriott-resort-and-spa/

these legs aren't just for show.

northeast chiang mai

i recently had the chance to retreat up to chiang mai and i LOVED IT. next time, i'm leaving more time to explore. i think i finally found out what these legs are for; needless to say, i trekked a lot.

first things first: lodging. i should mention that the purpose of going up to chiang mai was to retreat and pray, so we found a great retreat center that i would recommend to anyone looking to pray and practice silence/solitude.
seven fountains spirituality center on hway kaew rd, near chiang mai university is a jesuit center specifically for contemplative retreats. it's simple, affordable, and has thought of everything. rooms are 500B or 600B (AC) per night (they only have single rooms), includes all meals (simple but good and satisfying), there's free laundry service available, library, labyrinth, coffee/tea/ovaltine available all over the grounds, and simple well-kept gardens and landscaping. the only thing they don't have that you should not forget is mosquito repellent.
strict silence observed. daily mass in english at 6 for retreatants, mass in thai twice daily. spiritual direction available.
the simplicity and serenity of the center is super conducive to a slower paced life and i felt very cared for. love jesuits.
seven fountains spirituality center @ 97 hway kaew rd, 50300
tel: 053 211076, 053 892545; web: htty://7fountains.wordpress.com; email: jesuits@cmnet.co.th
proximity to other places of interests is another plus...keep reading.

doi suthep-pui national park
just a little walk up hway kaew road, you reach the chiang mai zoo where you can catch a songtaew up the doi suthep mountain for 40B. if you want to use those things-they-call-legs, walk past the songtaews, and take a left at the fork in the road to reach the hway kaew waterfall, which is free! hway kaew waterfall is a series of waterfall starting at the entrance and other spots to stop about .5-2km up the mountain, including wang bua ban pond (named after a woman who committed suicide over her lover who moved to bangkok) and pha ngerb which is a rolling waterfall over large boulder and rock formations. and a beautiful view over chiang mai at an overlook on the path. up the road another 3km, you'll reach the entrance to mon tha than waterfall. it's another 3km into the actual waterfall, so if you walk, expect a lengthy hike.

babylon italian restaurant
this is where "thai godfather" should be filmed. very dimly lit, a little dingy, and homey yet with a tiny creep-factor. this place has to be mafia because of how good the food is. their homemade pasta is fantastic, their sauces so comforting and spot-on with flavor, and they don't skimp on the size or ingredients. standouts were the spinach malfatti (gnocchi) in marinara (140B), extra-wide fettucini which we had with their osso bucco (220), and their macaroni siliciliana (180) with eggplant, piquant meatballs, mushroom, and basil in marinara. wait, let me wipe me drool off my keyboard.
i highly recommend anything with their robust tomato sauce and pastas made on-site. simply fantastic.desserts were decent, but a little amiss. all their ice creams (50) taste a little goaty (i guess thai cows produce goaty milk) and on the icier side of the spectrum. blackprune ice cream was very icy and so pruny, that once it was topped with prune sauce, it was just as if we were eating a frozen prune. you'd be better off heading down to milk garden after the meal.
babylon restaurant, 100/63 hway kaew rd.

milk garden (suan nom)
milk garden, also on hway kaew rd., in between seven fountains and babylon restaurant, is a hip, eclectic little cafe packed with students.
come for toast, smoothie, or yogurt. because it's right down the street from a dairy, it has wonderful milk offerings. the yogurt (35B) was a delicious, refreshing bowl of yogurt mixed with crushed ice with whatever fresh fruit you want.
in addition to their menu, milk garden also sells handmade mugs, dolls, bracelets, and other crafty items. think: cool DIY crafts, not your grandma's embroidery crafts. this whole place feels creative and trendy, but not without its requisite thai cuteness. instead of having table numbers, you pick out a stuffed doll so your server can identify your table.

happy hut
honorable mention of the trip: coconut based ice cream from happy hut. homemade by a friend of the owner, the ice cream (20B) comes in a smattering of intriguing flavors: black sesame, black sticky rice pudding, pomegranate, thai ice tea,etc.). very tasty, and since it's coconut based, lacks the heavy coated aftermath. bunch of coffee drinks, too.
happy hut, corner of nimmanahaeminda soi 3

cheesecake factory: bangkok style

coffee beans by daoone thing i'm realizing about bangkok is that the names of restaurants don't always give a proper expectation of what the restaurant will be like. you name a place coffee beans by dao and you think "coffee shop." well, get used to being wrong. coffee beans by dao is just a restaurant with good desserts. coffee here is more of an idea and don't expect to lounge in plush seating all day.

entrees are decent, though nothing special; a mix of thai, chinese and a little western accent at times. save yourself some baht and eat dinner from a street stand before you come. especially since they tack on an extra 17% service fee to your bill.

the real standout is their desserts. an at-capacity glass case full of western-style cakes, cheesecakes, and pastries, you have to spend a drooly few minutes ogling the sweets. we chose 5 items: mango cheesecake, caramel cheesecake, new york cheesecake, and carrot cake. carrot cake wins out by far - fresh, aromatic, made with thick carrot shreds and iced with a tangy, non-sugary cream cheese frosting. all their cheese cakes were good; made with thick, crunchy, buttery crusts and on the lighter/creamier side of cheesecakes (don't expect your standard cardiac-arrest-via dairy new york cheesecake). all good, with my favorite cheesecake being the caramel (with glazed walnuts). i do have a penchant for nuts, though. take it as you will.

my best advice: come ogle the desserts and buy some slices to go.
coffee beans by dao. 47 ekkamai soi 12 (ekkamai is sukhumvit 63).
other locations at: central world, 20/12-15 ruamrudee (ploenchit)
appetizers/salads 90-335B, mains 140-650B (though generally around 200), desserts around 100-200B, ogling free.
don't forget to add 17% service charge.

sweet oasis

ann's sweet

parched. so parched. must. find. air. conditioning...preferably with lattes.
finding an aircon cafe in the banglumpu/kao san area was a little harder than i expected. poo on those hippies and their preference for balmy bungalow cafes.

ann's sweet was such a nice, climate-controlled little bakery and coffee shop to duck into before the rained poured. situated at the bend between phra athit and phra sumen, across the street from santichaiprakan park (prasumen fort), this bakery has really great pastries. because of its tiny size (about 4 square tables), i asked where the pastries came from and was surprised to find that the owner and namesake of the shop bakes them all herself in the back. she's actually still a culinary student and is making desserts as she learns them.
i was very impressed with her cute, mini strawberry cheesecakes (120B) with a strawberry cheesecake layer (as opposed to a strawberry topping), which were deliciously velvety and rich, and pleased to find a little pineapple blended into it. i like that she twists an original just a tad. paired with a full-bodied lavazza latte (60B), i was set to wait out the downpour.
the only downside is that the seating isn't exactly what i would call "comfortable." blocky, wood furniture with tables that have a shelf underneath the glass top, holding a lot of fun and entertaining magazines, but also making about 3 inches of space between the chair and table for your legs. don't expect them to fit. they won't.

her other pastries include a triple chocolate mousse (120B), brownies (25B), and trifles (80B) among other things. full lavazza coffee menu and an extensive selection of teas.
don't feel like pastries? have some of their iberry ice creams.

ann's sweet. thanon phra athit, across from santichaiprakan park (fort phrasumen), banglumpu.
hours 5am-8pm (8:30p on weekends). 06-889 1383

thai francophiles rejoice!

savoury gastrocafe

any place that has "gastrocafe" in it's name has to be worthy of a check out. (also, any place with really plush seating is worthy of a check out).

savoury gastrocafe is the meeting of many contradictory things: s.e. asia meets france. utilitarian meets frivolity, clean, definite lines meets velvety sofas. and i LIKE it.
it ended up being a nice find since we weren't expecting much in the food court of siam paragon, but this little philippe starck-esque cafe was a perfect place to relax for a few hours while sipping iced drinks . all the food other patrons were eating was a little hard to not stare at. most of their food is less fusion and more separate-but-equal thai and french-esque.
i'm definitely going again. high marks on everything:
- environment - one of the only restaurants i've found that prefers silence over background music, options for seating, mid-bright lighting, waiters are attentive but let you do your thing.
- eats - delish. by biggest beef with fusion food is that it can often just mean blander, but all of the entrees and desserts were rich and delicious. pan-fried baby sea bass with herbed butter was well-seasoned (yeah, i sopped up all the butter. sue me.). duck confit was a fantastic combination of crispy duck served with grilled eggplant, squash and such.
- desserts. oh, the desserts. you could go for just desserts. the almond dacquois was fantastic - very nutty, moist, perfect ratio of pastry-to-cream-to-fresh-fruit. flourless chocolate cake was decadent. crunchy almond meringue with candied almonds layered with a smooth, light custard was divine, though you can't eat it without completely destroying it. the strawberry millefeuille 3 flaky layers of pastry, berries, and cream were light topping a generous lake of strawberry melba sauce.
sweet pea flower lemonade was light and pure and blue until you add the lime juice.
almond dacquois, with fresh fruit and fresh strawberry puree. sweet pea lemonade (which is actually limeade) behind.

savoury gastrocafe: lowest level of siam paragon in siam square. drinks around 100-200B, entrees around 250+B, desserts 100-200B.