we are 1 billion strong, aren't we?

tong lai shun chinese restaurant

i like being chinese. i like that i am part of an ethnicity that is 1 billion strong. i also like that we chinese are everywhere. is there a country that doesn't have a chinese person? is there a place in this world that doesn't have a chinese restaurant? which i find very favorable, since i likes me some chinese food.

which strikes me as a little weird here that in bangkok, a city that has a TON of chinese people, chinese food is kinda hard to find (at least the kind i'm used to - cantonese, szechuan, shanghai, taiwanese, hunan). my tastebuds yearn for good old fashioned HK dim sum that's not in an overpriced hotel, xiaolong pao filled with meaty broth, hand-pulled noodles that attain that elusive Q-ness, and the calming, rounded signature flavor palette. oh god, i think i'm going to faint.tong lai shun tied me over. this is like chinese "soul food." steamed fish (450B) was just right - the fish light and tender in savoury sauce. eggplant (100B) in "seafood sauce" (originally made because fish was expensive or unavailable, eggplant was prepared in the seasonings used for seafood) was delicious, if not on the oily side. xiaolong pao (100B) were small little delights - eat them *cautiously* fast or the sultry broth congeals upon cooling. the soul-foodiest of them all, mapo tofu (120B), gets a solid manchurian stamp of approval with its thick, spicy sauce with sour pickled cabbage. the standard deep fried green beans (100B) with garlic were on the greasy, limp side, but passable.

and to their credit, they make the rare, beloved sweet potato dessert (150B). sweet potatoes are battered and deep-fried, then covered in a burning hot caramel and served with a bowl of ice water. as fast as humanly possible, fork sweet potato, dunk it into the ice water to harden the caramel and eat it without burning the dickens out of your tongue. it's nirvana. we chinese are a bit "zen" with our cuisine. chinese (cantonese) use the term "wok-kae" referring to the energy of the fire and wok that is in the food. it is meant to be consumed immediately. you wait, you miss the magic. confucius say: eat yo' food hot and fast, sucka.

tong lai chun, sukh 41, alley behind the miracle mall.
10am-10pm (i think)
02-259-0765

what time is it?

Wine O'Clock

Well, if it's between 11-2 at "Wine O'Clock" Italian restaurant on Suk 49-- it is time to get a delicious and awesome pasta dish for 99 baht!
lunch menu features:
Four kinds of pasta
Four categories of sauce to choose from (red, cream, garlic/wine, and Thai curry) with about 8 variations of each sauce
Then, you can add a salad (3 choices) for only 49 baht!

The restaurant is situated on an adorable soi, and has an nice "alfresco" patio for cooler days. Inside, the walls are decorated in cork (which somehow comes across as classy) and the seating ranges from black leather couches for lounging to cozy corner tables. The ambiance is comfortable and the staff is attentive.

Every meal starts with freshly warmed french bread, oil and vinegar. Mineral water is 30 baht/bottle and the house wine starts at 250 baht/glass. (The white was delicious)

I ordered a mixed salad- lovely meslun leaves, tomatoes, onion with a light vinaigrette (they also ground fresh pepper! Hooray for traditionally served Italian food.)- followed by spaghetti with sausage in a saffron sauce. It was amazing. Served with fresh parm. Michelle had linguini with melanzane (eggplant and tomato) sauce, also a nice flavor.

I loved this restaurant so much the before we were done eating I started making plans to eat here again... later this week!

Check it out: Wine O'Clock 55/1 Sukhumvit Soi 49, 02-662-7895.

update: (michelle 5.11.09) true to her word, lexie and i did come back and i was so impressed with the saffron sausage that i ordered it again. unfortunately, it was served to me as "thai sausage" with a generous portion of chiles and no cream sauce. so, i pointed out to the server that this wasn't what i ordered. he then proceeded to tell me that i was wrong and that this was really the saffron sausage pasta and even brought over the menu - which i then pointed out was supposed to be a cream sauce and was different than the dish we ordered just one week ago. annoyed, he took the dish back and then came back with the same dish, except this time with cream in the dish and he said as he gave it to me, "it's the same, just with whipping cream." honestly, i'm not a stickler for superb service, but i don't appreciate service where they try to prove the customer wrong when they themselves have made a mistake and without considering the possibility of a mistake. and then, once the mistake has been acknowledged, my dish was altered and not corrected, and served back to me without apology. the altered dish, honestly, was tasty, but i was just so turned off by the way they handled it. is it too much to ask to get what you order and not made to feel like an ass?
i was so for you, wine o'clock, why'd you have to go and ruin it?

tex mex patriate

i've yet to meet a mexican in bangkok, unfortunately. te extraño. so the only mexican food this former-LA resident will get will have to be of the tex-mex kind.

i've got three bangkok mexican restaurants for you all in one stuffed-burrito-post.
disclaimer: i've yet to go to patty's fiesta in silom (though, the logo of the thai "patty" in a sombrero isn't exactly something that screams authentic mexican) or senor pico in the rembrandt hotel. i'll add it to the ratings once i do.

coyote
this one's my preferred mexican joint so far. chic, vivacious, southwestern flair with a satisfyingly familiar menu with enough hip, creative twists on tex-mex. solid guacamole, tortilla soup, nachos, fajitas and the like. with a dynamic weekly menu, i deliberated between the mesquite pepper-grilled prime rib with jalapeno cornbread and the pan-fried snapper. it's hard to pass up beef in thailand and i devoured the tender, fatty, sizzling indulgence. no chance of leftovers. if you're a hot-sauce connosieur, over 50 sauces are on hand, including a couple coyote-made sauces. here are their artfully presented tacos.
spiritually, coyote has 75+ inventive margaritas made any way you like it. two tipsy thumbs up for the amaretto and the georgia margaritas.
aftersweets-wise, skip the peach & pecan chimichanga with raspberry coulis and vanilla ice cream. its tantalizing description overshoots its follow-through.bonus: changing lunch specials at a fixed price. hey, same food for less - me gusta. normally, entrees average around 300-400B.
extra bonus: happy hour weekdays 3-7pm; sat 11-7. buy 1 get 1 free margaritas (any kind).
extra extra bonus: ladies' nights. ladies drink margaritas free on wed and sat @ silom and thurs free @ sukhumvit location. i thank god for making me a lady.

coyote
2 locations @ soi convent in silom and sukhumvit
webby: www.coyoteonconvent.com


charley brown's
this mexican place is for the good ol' boys. no-frills, no-pretense tex-mex food in a no-hassle ambience. you want tacos? you get tacos. you want fajitas? you get fajitas. you want old license plates tacked to the wall like americans like to tack up? you get license plates. it's exactly the same as in any tex-mex restaurant in the US with no surprises. fresh, hearty, confident tex-mex entrees and punchy drinks. and sometimes that's all i want. thoughtful, health-conscious options available, too. how considerate.
save room for dessert, though, their liquour-flavored ice creams beckon with their come-hither flavors.

bonus: ladies' night tuesday night with half-off margaritas and sangria.
beware, this place is often disappointingly closed on mondays. why do you discriminate against mondays, charley?

charley brown's
1/23 sukhumvit 11
webby: www.charleybrowns.asia/home.html


sunrise tacos
sometimes you think, "today, i want mexican fast food." sunrise tacos is the closest (read: only) fast-ish mexican food you'll find in bangkok. imagine a brighter lit, thai-ish, milder version of chipotle. decent mexican tacos and burritos that don't aspire to be anything other than somebody trying to make mexican food out of thai ingredients. you could make it yourself, but hey, isn't that the purpose of fast food - getting someone else to make cheap food for you more conveniently?
also the cheapest of the three establishments, an entree is around 200B.

sunrise tacos
3 locations at sukhumvit, btw soi 12 and 14; emporium; and siam paragon.
webby: www.sunrisetacos.com

hummus is yummus

beirut restaurant

a lover of mediterranean food of all incarnations, i particularly love the lebanese palette. beirut has become my favorite middle eastern restaurant in bangkok. it's fresh, it's crisp, it's subtle in its flavors, it's filling.

the great thing about beirut is that it has sets as well as their a la carte menu, allowing 3, 4, 6, or 8 dishes with pita for a reasonable price. a set of 4 runs for about 480B. pull together your set-of-choice with almost anything on the menu.
high recommendations on almost everything: hummus, tabouleh, beef kibbeh, shawarma all excellent. special props to their chicken zaatar, fried eggplant appetizer and falafel. even with a liberal use of olive oil, nothing felt heavy.

always a fan of complimentary munchies: pickles, fresh raw vegetables and a trinity of sauces are served as mezza to prep your salivary glands. the garlic sauce is powerful but delicious - exercise responsibility. along with the light, citrusy herb sauce and yogurt sauce, i slapped these three condiments on everything.

they've got a great beverage selection, offering punchy spicy turkish coffee (60B) , fresh fruit juices and shakes around 120B, teas and yogurt drinks.
as for service, they exercise pretty stringent gender roles, having female servers serve women and only men take orders from male customers.**a side anecdote: when i first walked by beirut, i saw what i thought was a mannequin in full burqa with only eyes showing placed by the entrance. i nearly soiled myself when the mannequin started talking on her cell phone. don't ask me why i assumed there was a mannequin in burqa in front of a restaurant.

beirut restaurant.
basement of the ploenchit center (sukhumvit 2). between nana and ploenchit bts stations.
location at silom: bottom level of j-city (silom 64)

in the quest of a good sandwich...

landmark plaza: garden court/greenhouse/the terrace

i miss my nebbishy delis of the east coast. pangs of longing for thick, punchy pastrami and murturing matzo ball soup hit every so often. get me to a restaurant that serves a decent sandwich!
which leaves me asking: what about bangkok is not attractive to our judaic brothers and sisters? come and bring us food! (perhaps its the oh-so-not-kosher nature of thai food)

landmark plaza's selection of mention-worthy sandwiches fills a deli-shaped hole in my heart.

i'd heard that their reuben would make a new york deli blush. well, it won't. it won't even make an LA deli blush. but, it will make an american sigh with satisfaction. the reuben came on dark rye, under a generous layer of melted swiss and sauerkraut. it was delicious. well done, landmark.
the grilled chicken sandwich with bacon and pesto spread on focaccia roll was also delightful.
extra points for giving us unexpectedly free coleslaw when we asked for it as an extra side. all three landmark incarnations (garden court/greenhouse/the terrace) serve the same menu, so have your ambience your way: out on the patio, in a more traditional restaurant, or in the courtyard under palm trees. if you're not feeling into sandwiches, they also serve congee, dimsum, noodles, and salads.

landmark plaza: garden court/greenhouse/the terrace
138 sukhumvit (between 4 & 8). closest BTS @ Nana
165B for half sandwich and 240B for a full. comes with fries, curly fries, or wedges. say yes to curly!
free wifi in landmark plaza.

how can they profit?

รสเด็ด (rot det)

honestly, how do you make a profit when you charge the equivalent of $3 for all-you-can-eat?
the best part about this place is the gata, which is a coal-fired pan that has a raised grill in the center and a soup moat that holds whatever kind of soup you decide to make that collects all the meat juices that have run off the grill. take a moment to wipe the drool off your face.

this place has "shrimp" in its name so they have pretty large raw prawns, but they go quick, so keep alive. there's also raw beef, pork, seafoods, chicken, various processed meats (like fish cakes & hot dogs) for the grilling. not high quality meat, but very tasty. for brevity, i will only list some of the other non-grill items: grilled whole fish, pre-grilled pepper steak, raw veggies for the soup, pad thai, spring rolls, siu mai, squid salad, som tam, fried crab rangoon, chicken wings, coconut ice cream, fresh fruit, donuts, muffins, sticky rice and mango, shaved ice with thai sweets. oh yeah, 99B gets you all that and you can stay till they close if you like.
note: it's all outdoors. don't expect an 'A' health code rating.rot det shrimp gata (sign is in thai only). nawamin on the corner of soi 155. (also at sukhumvit 71)
99B per person, all you can eat. if you don't finish too much of what you get, you get charged 20B for every extra 0.1kg. don't load up on the questionable meats.
open from 4pm to midnight, you can stay the whole time if you like.

great american rib co.

it tastes like america. it feels like a wannabe applebee's inside with a ton of factory-made college pennants, but the food is definitely the real deal (it is really good bbq for american standards), with some great german beers on tap. oh yeah, we can do it the american way...gluttony.
i highly recommend 'the feast' that serves about 4-5 people that has "butt-kicking chicken," a rack of ribs, pulled pork, pepper-pastrami pork tenderloin, baked beans, corn on the cob, coleslaw, curly fries, potato salad, and jalapeno (yes, actual jalapeno in thailand!) cornbread. ah yes, the american way of meat and carbs in american-sized portions (we 5 americans couldn't finish it all - there's a half feast available, too).
everything was delicious, but i liked the ribs best and thought the pastrami pork tenderloin was on the drier side. their smoking and marinating process makes all their meat super juicy and flavorful. of course we had starters and dessert and drinks, too. potato skins were a greasy, cheesy, tasty mess. bread pudding was rich and creamy. i now see why we have an obesity problem in the states.i got so excited about the food, i forgot to take a pic until halfway through. we jumped on this like velociraptors.

great american rib co.
2 locations: sukhumvit soi 36 and ram intra soi 57
starters and entrees 200+.

webby: http://www.greatrib.com/web/index.html

a hundred children...and some teak furniture

a hundred children

before going in, i had walked by "a hundred children" a couple times and always wondered, "what is this place and why is it called 'a hundred children.'" well, i at least know the answer to one of those questions: it's an "inspired chinese furniture store and coffee & tea corner."
it's a nice stop-in joint to get refreshed, with some (but not a lot) of seating, and i'm actually not sure how much of the seating/decor is for sale (i bet all of it); their second floor is all merch. they've got the standard coffee and espresso drinks, some pastries, and several chinese teas available, too. teas come in a set for two including a couple cookies and a full pot (150B), so sorry loners. i got one by myself and didn't feel one bit guilty about it. they'll also refill your hot water if you like.
bathroom definitely gets a mention. thick, rustic wooden doors that close by a giant plank you slide through (like an old castle). the toilet is completely rectangular and you retrieve your toilet paper from a terracotta, impish-looking child. and the sink faucet is a carved teak dragon head. i could spend all day in there.
i had to take a shot of something in the bathroom. it's too unique:a hundred children. sukhumvit soi 14. underneath the asoke BTS.
drinks between 60-150. operation mon-sat 9am-9pm
webby: www.royalteakltd.com

dubliner in thailander

how could i not post about our favorite pub in all of this great city? the dubliner is irish-owned, with a real pub feel (translate: very masculine); i know not one person who doesn't love this place. 3 floors of dark, blocky wood tables chairs, irish decor and pool tables up at the top story. sometimes they even have an occasional irish band come play.

drinkies: wide range of imported beers - stella, paulaner, kilkenny, erdinger, corona, hefeweizen, guinness...you get it. standard thai beers, too - singha, leo, etc. handful of red and white wines by glass or bottle, too.

eats: burgers are (i'm guessing) more irish-style, meaning that they're not just beef, there's some other carby filling in the patty. they are large and in charge, just not traditional american style. other irish/western food offered, too, in the form of fish & chips, salads, sandwiches, steaks, etc. also a handful of thai dishes for those wanting an imported beer with their curry.

sweets: sticky toffee pudding is amazing, served hot with ice cream and oozing molten caramel. good enough to get even when you're full up to the throat. the apple thing is really delish, too (though i can't remember what it's called).

oh, we are indeed enjoying it.

dubliner. on sukhumvit, between soi 22 and 24.
drinks 100-300B, entrees 200-400B, desserts 200ish.
web-ers delight: www.dublinerbangkok.com

tamarind cafe: all things to all (vegetarian) people - CLOSED

tamarind cafe

UPDATE: WENT BY LAST WEEKEND (8/3/08) AND THE PLACE IS CLOSED AND GUTTED. where did you go?

mixy mixy.
is tamarind a restaurant or gallery? is it casual or hip? is it eastern or western? the answer is yes; all of the above.

tamarind cafe has a definite western aesthetic (california hip) with a hint of eastern flare (i.e. only in the west do we fashion our food into vertical structures - they even have a dish called "tower of babel"). the vegetarian menu is good and definitely a good eat, though on the blander side of vegetarian cuisine. though, perhaps i'm getting too accustomed to the flavor-packed thai palate. the only thing that discourages me from coming more often is that the prices are about as oversized as the seating (again, re: thailand).

here's the skinny:
@ drinkies- mojitos lacked the punch of lime, mint, and rum. the two that ordered the mojitos ordered other drinks after. velvet underground was a mango smoothie with a hint of mint and a tiny beety bitter bite. i loved it (anything that has beets in it definitely gets a try).
@ appetizer: crispy mushroom with spicy sauce. crispy mushrooms lived up to its name. spicy sauce did not. but, still enjoyable. malaysian quesadilla, which is actually more like a stuffed roti was very nice. peanutty, robust, and comforting; flavored just right to lull you to sleep and give you dreams of home (your malaysian home, that is).
@ mains: green falafel sandwich pita was pretty much like any other falafel pita you could get, though a little lighter, though still one of the heartier items on the menu.
@ after-sweets: lemon cheesecake, which was actually lime, was a tiny, tart portion with a thick, crumbly crust but very good. it didn't last long. chocolate cake with ice cream was nice, but nothing spectacular or memorable (did it have ice cream?). tamarind cafe & gallery f-stop, 27 sukhumvit soi 20, closest BTS @ asoke.
appetizers ~ 150B+, entrees ~ 200B+, desserts ~200B, drinks ~100B+
webby: http://www.tamarind-cafe.com/

crepes & co. with company

johnny depp. musical theater (or theatre if you feel so inclined). one guy. sorry, dave. unfortunately, the conversation wasn't guy-friendly, but thankfully, the food made up for it.

crepes & co. was a little on the pricier side for crepes, but you gotta get the namesake of the restaurant. it was nice that we had a large enough group to have a little taste of a variety of sundries. there's a little more of a mediterranean-euro flare to their dishes, which makes the french crepe a little more interesting. favorites were
unfortunately, i didn't have the foresight to jot down which crepes we ate, but all the sweet, savory and dessert crepes we got were fantastic. i really liked one that had a camembert, fruit, and walnuts with honey (drool). and the sangria was irresistible.

crepes & co. has great indoor and outdoor seating, with a contemporary, dark wood/canvas style of decor. candlelit, spacious, natural, tropical bungalow feel.

crepes (sweet and savory) range from 150-300B. drinks 50-200B (depending on alcohol)
located at 18/1 sukhumvit soi 12 (closest BTS @ asoke)
webby: www.crepes.co.th

who's the king? dosa king!

on a random exploration into nana chard to find indian food, dosa king caught my eye.
for one, it's rarer to find restaurants that serve south indian food, and for two, especially one that specifically announces its dosa. dosas inevitably remind me of one of my old roommates' mom, who would always make dosas for us whenever we stayed over. dosas are large, thin, crispy, savory crepes that may or may not have filling (usually a potato bhaji) and served with sambars and chutneys. dosa king had a pretty good regular masala dosa that was especially crispy, had good sambars with it (i think one was a yogurt and one was a lentil), and a mildy spiced potato/onion bhaji. very homey.
lexie and i also ordered their vegetable korma (creamy, comforting vegs), kabuli channa (tomato based chickpeas dish), and garlic naan (buttery and garlicky enough)."
bev-wise, i had the badaam milk, a pain i subjected my-lactose-intolerant-self to because of its deliciousness: mildly sweet, almond milk spiced with cinnamon and cardamom. lexie got a creamy, tropically mango lassi that was also delightful.

badaam milk, mango lassi, and dosas with sambars.

vegetarian north & south indian food. about 150B/dish; about 100B/drink.
located @ 153/7 sukhumvit soi 11/1
and for all you web-savvy: www.dosaking.net