Brunch O'Clock at 22 Kitchen & Bar @ Dusit Thani Bangkok - บรันช์ โอ คล็อก ณ ห้อง 22 คิทเช่น แอนด์ บาร์ @ โรงแรมดุสิตธานี กรุงเทพฯ

Cuisine: International

Map: Brunch O'Clock at 22 Kitchen & Bar @ Dusit Thani Bangkok - บรันช์ โอ คล็อก ณ ห้อง 22 คิทเช่น แอนด์ บาร์ โรงแรมดุสิตธานี กรุงเทพฯ

Charged Price: THB700 per person

Visited: 16 August 2015

Food: 7/10

Atmosphere: 8/10

Value for money: 5/10

Services: 6/10
Scale: [1=poor ---- 5=average/standard ---- 10=outstanding/exceptional]

The old French fine dining of Dusit Thani Bangkok has now bee converted to 22 Kitchen & Bar, which is in a more laid back style. Over more it also offers brunch kind of food every Sunday now which starts as early as 10:30am and runs until 03:00pm. If you are not familiar with Silom area in Bangkok, I can say that Dusit Thani Bangkok is by itself a noticeable landmark. It is located right at the corner where Silom Road and Rama IV Road intersect. BTS Saladaeng and MRT Silom are right there. Pretty much convenient to drop by. Driving is also ok for this place.

What I (and perhaps many others) like about this place for a long time is probably the nice view of Bangkok it offers. 22 Kitchen and Bar is, of course, on the 22nd floor of Dusit Thani Bangkok. The whole floor itself is the restaurant and there are many window seats. The view, in my opinion, is decent enough. It might not be as wonderful as those on higher floors. But it at least would offer those who seek romantic moment at night.

22 Kitchen & Bar @ Dusit Thani Bangkok

the bar of the restaurant

comfortable seats of 22 Kitchen & Bar

view from 22 Kitchen & Bar

For us, we popped by during brunch on a fine Sunday in August 2015. Instead of the usual bread and butter, 22 Kitchen & Bar chose to use muffins to welcome us. They were Blueberry Muffins and Chocolate Muffins (6/10). Nice and soft. Decent ones.

As it was a rather hot day, iced beverage was a compulsory in this case. We had Wellness Builder and The Activator to cool down. Wellness Builder is a smoothie with a blend of soy milk, blueberries, corn flakes, and banana whilst The Activator comprises of peach puree, orange juice, lime juice, and yoghurt. The Activator offered a more refreshing sense in this case. In addition, a pitcher of Singha Michalada was also served as a complimentary. I gotta say that staffs were pretty friendly and nice. Thanks for Singha Michalada. However, it was not really my kind of cocktail. Spice and heat from tobasco and chilli flakes were overwhelming. It was just too much for my liking.

Blueberry Muffins and Chocolate Muffins

Wellness Builder and The Activator (THB180 each)

Singha Michalada (THB850)

For the meal, we could not really resist not to order burgers though we should really have ordered other things that look more like brunch too. We had Double-Double Cheese Burger (7/10) and BBQ Pulled Pork Sandwich (7/10). Double-Double Cheese Burger is simply double cheese burger with double patties of wagyu beef. I was told by a staff that each patty weighs around 120 grams. It was nice and juicy burger. Nice flavour too. The jalapeno sauce did its job in bringing another dimension well. It can be noticed that pickles were served on the side instead of putting in the burger. I think do care about customers who do not like pickles. So they let each one of us decides whether pickles should be put in the burger.

As for BBQ Pulled Pork Sandwich, this was a nice one. Rich in flavour. The tender pulled pork showed well contrast with the slaw inside. I like it. I used to have a rather disappointed experience with pulled pork burger at The Girl and The Pig but this one did change my attitude towards this kind of burger positively.

Overall, I do like this place personally. Though I have not yet tried other kind of food here, at least I can say that their burgers are decent. Nice bun and fillings too. Pricing is unavoidably high as it is a restaurant in a 5-stars hotel. Good food, nice view, and friendly service are what you pay for here. But lastly my favourite burger joint in Bangkok is still Papa's Kitchen on Phattanakarn Road though.

Double-Double Cheese Burger (THB450)

juicy yummy double patties of 120 gram wagyu

BBQ Pulled Pork Sandwich (THB340)

Brunch O'Clock at 22 Kitchen & Bar @ Dusit Thani Bangkok - บรันช์ โอ คล็อก ณ ห้อง 22 คิทเช่น แอนด์ บาร์ โรงแรมดุสิตธานี กรุงเทพฯ

Floor 22 Dusit Thani Bangkok
946 Rama IV Road
Sathon
Bangkok 10500

Thailand

Open Hours: daily from 06:00pm - 10:00pm for dinner and 10:30am - 03:00pm for Sunday brunch

Tel: +66 (0) 2200 9000
Web: http://www.dusit.com/
FB: https://www.facebook.com/22kitchenandbar

The Capital by Water Library @ Empire Tower, Bangkok - เดอะ แคปปิตอล บาย วอเตอร์ ไลบรารี่ @ อาคารเอ็มไพร์ทาวเวอร์ กรุงเทพฯ

Cuisine: Steakhouse / Seafood / Burger / Grill Bar

Map: The Capital by Water Library @ Empire Tower, Bangkok - เดอะ แคปปิตอล บาย วอเตอร์ ไลบรารี่ @ อาคารเอ็มไพร์ทาวเวอร์ กรุงเทพฯ

Price: THB2,700 per person (what we paid for)

Visited: 28 March 2015

Food: 8/10

Atmosphere: 8/10

Value for money: 7/10

Services: 8/10
Scale: [1=poor ---- 5=average/standard ---- 10=outstanding/exceptional]

In general, restaurants associated with Water Library do guarantee consumers at some degree of appreciation for example Water Library @ Chamchuri Square in the form of fine dining and 1881 by Water Library @ Central World in the concept of hanging out bar. Here "The Capital by Water Library", which is located on the 2nd floor of Empire Tower, comes in the concept of urban steakhouse and grill bar. Inside, the ambient is cool and chic resembling the old time New York financial theme with strikingly elegant and opulent decoration. It was my first time here at The Capital and I felt from the first moment that this was going to be a nice meal. And yes, from the service to food, we were totally satisfied. I have to say that the service here is good, and could even beat the service Water Library @ Chamchuri Square where I had felt the let down in service quality during my last visit.

Here, if you are crazy about steak, you can find quite a variety of beef: from German Simmental to Piedmontese to Japanese Kamichiku and grass fed vs. grain fed. Steak lover will sure be excited. What I really like about this place apart from great food and lovely service is the location. Location, Location, and Location is always and still all time classic important factor. Being situated in Empire Tower which is on Sathon Road means that it is right adjacent to BTS Chong Nonsri Station. It is, hence, super convenient to come by via public transport. Though driving here for dinner during weekdays can be a bit of disaster on an unfortunate day due to office staffs storming out heading home, it is at least away from night time/weekend hanging districts like Siam Square, Thonglor, or Sukhumvit Road in which traffic is definitely less crowded during weekend.

The Capital by Water Library @ Empire Tower, Bangkok

restaurant entrance

30's style fashion of interior

comfy seats outside the main restaurant

For me, one of the very first thing to arrive on the table, being bread and butter, happens to be one of my all time favourite. Bread here, at The Capital, did not disappoint me at all. The soft kind of bread came along with yuzu and cranberry butter: mild flavour and aroma with delicacy. Additionally, I, without fail, did swipe through the moderate list of wine in which I found reasonably selected. The list is not extensive but modest and comprehensive. It ranges selection from both old world and new world: sparkling wine, Champagne, white wine, red wine, and dessert wine. Wines are categorised by variety of grapes and then sub-categorised by new or old world. Pricing wise, I would say the mark up is moderate. Not exactly value for money nor ridiculously expensive. For the night, I had Cavallotto Barolo Riserva Bricco Boschis Vigna San Giuseppe 2004 (93pts). The tannic and complexity of this Barolo crafted by Cavallotto did pair wonderfully with tenderloin. I have to say I do like this one a lot and ones should not miss it if you happen to face one.

bread portion

Cavallotto Barolo Riserva Bricco Boschis Vigna San Giuseppe 2004 (93pts)

When it came to the actual food, the first to arrive on the table was Wagyu Bolognese (9/10). This was so so so classically delicious. There is perhaps no need for necessity of Kamichiku wagyu at all. Any decent beef would be so delicious with this recipe and skill. The flavour was just right with good balance of herbs and spices. Texture was delicate. It was served with in-house made pappadelle cooked to al dente. This was my first dish here and the best dish as well. Next was an American classic style of sandwich: Philadelphia Steak and Cheese (8/10). Just by looking what had been placed on the table, I drooled unconsciously already. Tender slices of steak and cheese complemented so well with generous vegetable and peppers. It was the peppers that brought the picture together nicely. The final magic was the bread which was soft but crisp on the outside. Just the first two dishes, good impression has started building up.

Wagyu Bolognese (THB420)

Philadelphia Steak and Cheese (THB470)

Moving on to steak, there were German Simmental Tenderloin 230g (7/10) and Japanese Kamichiku Striploin A4 150g (8/10) for the night: two kinds of beef from two different cuts and from two continents. Both were tender and yielded distinctive flavour and aroma. The German tenderloin was less fatty and less juicy (of course) but exposed more of natural flavour and texture of meat. On the other hand, Kamichiku striploin burst out the juicy fatty character more and indeed was more tender on the touch. Personally, I enjoy the German tenderloin more due to the bite-able texture. Only if the cut was thicker, meaning heavier weight, it would be such a perfect piece.

On the downside, steak at The Capital does not come with any kind of sauce at all. You will have to order if you would like one. For us, we did try Mushroom Cream Sauce (THB150) which was nice, aromatic, and creamy. But honestly, this was too expensive for such a small portion of sauce (approx. 2 portions of glass shots). I believe this should not be charged to customer at all. It is just sauce and sauce should usually compliment along side steak, unless the restaurant sees that their steak does not need any kind of sauce at all to be enjoyed. From my point of view, a touch of Dijon mustard does its job wonderfully. By the way, salt also played a crucial role for steak and there are 3 types of sea salt here to be chosen from: white flake from UK, merlot infused himalayan, and spices infused himalayan.

Last but not least, a side dish was also ordered to complete the act: Dauphinoise Potatoes (8/10) or simply called potatoes gratin. It was so creamy, so cheese, and so flavourful. Well, all in all The Capital is definitely an excellent place for dining. It is not cheap but it sure will satisfy your appetite.

German Simmental Tenderloin 230g (THB950)

Japanese Kamichiku Striploin A4 150g (THB1,100)

Dauphinoise Potatoes (THB150)

The Capital by Water Library @ Empire Tower, Bangkok - เดอะ แคปปิตอล บาย วอเตอร์ ไลบรารี่ @ อาคารเอ็มไพร์ทาวเวอร์ กรุงเทพฯ

Floor 3 Empire Tower
195 Sathon Road
Yan Nawa, Sathon
Bangkok 10120

Thailand

Open Hours: Mon - Sat from 11:30am - 11:00pm

Tel: +66 (0) 2286 9548
Web: http://www.waterlibrary.com/
FB: https://www.facebook.com/TheCapitalBangkok/

Breizh Crepes @ Soi Suan Phlu 8, Bangkok - เบรสซ์เครป @ ซอยสวนพลู 8 กรุงเทพฯ

Cuisine: Crepe Bar

Map: Breizh Crepes @ Soi Suan Phlu 8, Bangkok - เบรสซ์เครป @ ซอยสวนพลู 8 กรุงเทพฯ

Price: THB325 per person without alcohol (what we paid for)

Visited: 18 September 2014

Food: 6/10

Atmosphere: 5/10

Value for money: 6/10

Services: 6/10
Scale: [1=poor ---- 5=average/standard ---- 10=outstanding/exceptional]

Often, I search for a place for easy dinner near home. Recently, I had come across a small creperie in Soi Suan Phlu 8 and did not hesitate at all to give it a go right away. This creperie is called "Breizh Crepes" and is located just opposite The Seed Mingle condominium in Soi Suan Phlu 8. The place serves traditional French crepes. It might not be the very best in Bangkok but at least it is good enough and very friendly. I would say that it is a good place for a quick dinner and for hanging out at night with friends (of course with nice crepes to accompany alongside beverage).

a small bar with authentic French crepes

Breizh Crepes @ Soi Suan Phlu 8, Bangkok

For crepes, Breizh Crepes serves them like the traditional one. Breton galette of buckwheat flour for savoury (crepe salees) and wheat based flour for sweet crepe (crepe sucrees). For galettes, we had Galette Complete (5/10), which comprises of Paris ham, egg, and emmental cheese, and Galette Garden (tomatoes, onions, mushrooms, emmental cheese, and olive cream) (6/10). I personally enjoyed galette garden more. It was more flavourful and denser texture. For dessert, Crepe St. Michel (caramelised apple, almonds, and whipped cream) (6/10) and Crepe Demoiselle (strawberry coulis, fresh lemon juice, and whipped cream) (6/10) were picked. Both were enjoyable.

What I noticed about crepes here was the texture of crepe flour. It was too soft for my liking. If it was crispier, that would be tastier for me. Apart from that just enjoy yourself. But be a little patient for your dish, it can be a little slow for each dish to arrive. Anyway, this is a decent place for a crepe dinner in my opinion.

Galette Complete (THB159)

Galette Garden (THB179)

Crepe St. Michel (THB129)

Crepe Demoiselle (THB149)

a bite of crepe demoiselle

Breizh Crepes @ Soi Suan Phlu 8, Bangkok - เบรสซ์เครป @ ซอยสวนพลู 8 กรุงเทพฯ
459/59 Soi Suan Phlu 8
Suan Phlu Road
Thung Mahamek, Sathon
Bangkok 10120

Thailand

Open Hours: daily from 11:0am - 11:00pm

Tel: +66 (0) 2679 3393
Web: http://breizh-crepes.com/
FB: https://www.facebook.com/BreizhCrepes

L'ulivo Italian Cuisine @ Naradhiwas Rajanagarindra, Bangkok

Cuisine: Italian

Map: L'ulivo Italian Cuisine @ Naradhiwas Rajanagarindra, Bangkok

Price: THB1,200 per person (what I paid for)

Visited: 22 March 2013

Food: 6/10

Atmosphere: 7/10

Value for money: 5/10

Services: 7/10

L'ulivo (or Olive Tree) is a fine Italian restaurant that is situated in Soi Naradhiwas Rajanagarindra 7: pretty easy to find. This place is currently run by Chef Danilo Aiassa who used to be a part of Biscotti at Four Seasons Bangkok. Chef Danilo is so friendly and lively, he did come to chat with every single tables during the course and recommended dishes to suit our liking. What impressed us was the way he checked every bills before releasing to guests to make sure no mistake.

L'ulivo Italian Cuisine

Colonial style building

the entrance

Anyway, the impression of L'ulivo started with the yellow colonial style building. In the dining room, it is bright and soft tone with paintings to reflect Italian atmosphere: relax and chill. Dining tables are arranged loosely from each other allowing space and distance so clients are comfortable and do not have to be aware about overheard. There are also garden seats, hence, alfresco if you like but surely not in the Summer time.

chill and relax dining room

garden seats also available

Chef Danilo Aiassa in operation

To start our dinner, we were served with Tomato Soup with Ricotta Cheese (6/10). The thick tomato soup was a great one and went well with the smooth ricotta cheese. There was also a selection of breads to go along during the course.

Another good point is the selection of wine by glass that comes at a good range. I decided to go for the sparkling choice to start which was Masottina Prosecco Extra Dry DOC (90pts, THB200). Masottina came in pale gold appearance and intense fruity and citrus bouquet. On the palate, it was fresh and tangy. An easy drinking style sparkling wine.

I then ordered another glass of red wine to go along the main course which was Gianni Gagliardo Dolcetto d'Alba 2011 (89pts, THB280). The colour of purplish red with fresh and fruity nose. It was dry with rather good acidity. This goes really well with pasta.

Tomato Soup with Ricotta Cheese

Bread Selection

Our course began with Risotto with Amarone Wine Reduction and Pumpkin Cream (6/10) and Homemade Tortelli with Mediterranean Seafood Guazzetto and Clams (7/10).

Risotto was nice and creamy texture with balance taste of pumpkin and sweet amarone flavour. The texture was a little overcook, i.e. soft, to my liking though but still acceptable. I felt like I was eating pure carbohydrate (T><T) or some kind of vegetarian dish. Too much of this would surely make me fat even it was delightful.

Pasta was in turn a more compliment in taste. The tortelli was al dente. The sauvory matching of tomato sauce and seafood was enjoyable. Love this dish.

Risotto with Amarone Wine Reduction and Pumpkin Cream (THB430)

Homemade Tortelli with Mediterranean Seafood Guazzetto and Clams (THB390)

Moving on to desserts, Warm Ciocolate Souffle with Vanilla Ice-cream and Banana Caramilazed (5/10) was lovely. It was sure (and should be) a way better chocolate lava than many places on high street like After You. Oh oh oh!!! if you notice the name of this dish is souffle but it is really chocolate lava. I love the bitter chocolate taste of it. However, I think there is probably too much butter as an ingredient as the characteristic taste of butter showed rather noticeably. The caramelised banana went along well with chocolate lava. Vanilla ice-cream and whipped cream did let the whole thing down a bit. Especially the ice-cream if it was home-made style with excellent ingredients, it would bring the whole thing even tastier.

Next was Chocolate Mousse and Vanilla Mousse Made in Grandmother Style (4/10). Well, it may be a classic quality choice of dessert but too plain vanilla for us in fact. It was nice and not overly sweet. The texture of vanilla mousse reminded us of pudding texture.

Warm Ciocolate Souffle with Vanilla Ice-cream and Banana Caramilazed (THB270)

Chocolate Mousse and Vanilla Mousse Made in Grandmother Style (THB270)

Before ending the course with lovely Petit Fours, Chef Danilo kindly complimented us with a fine selection of desserts: tiramisu, turon, and amaretti cake. All of which were pleasant. Personally, I like the tiramisu (^^).

Selection of Desserts by Chef Danilo (tiramisu, turon, and amaretti cake)

Petit Fours

Well, we do like this L'ulivo quite a lot. Foods are nice, staffs are friendly, and most of all the atmosphere is relaxing and chill without the pressure of fine restaurant. We would surely return to this place from time to time. By the way, they also do serve lunch course with rather good value which is less than THB500 for 3 courses if I am correct....lol.... Buon Appetito!!!!!

L'ulivo Italian Cuisine @ Naradhiwas Rajanagarindra, Bangkok

43 Soi Naradhiwas Rajanagarindra 7
Naradhiwas Rajanagarindra Road
Thung Maha Mek, Sathon
Bangkok 10120

Thailand

Open Hours: Mon-Fri and Sun 11:30am - 02:30pm for lunch and Mon-Sat 05:30pm - 10:30pm for dinner 

Tel: +66 (0) 2677 5756

Web: http://www.lulivobkk.com and https://www.facebook.com/LulivoBangkok