Bangkok’s Best Kept Secret?

I happened to be looking at an apartment on Sathorn 3, Suan Plu Soi 8 one night when I walked past a unique food stall/restaurant.  Outside from the main dining area was a food stall with 2 pans with wonderful looking, sizzling steaks.  The minute I saw the steaks I new I had to try this place so I sat down and ordered.

After a few minutes I received my steak flambe’ and was immediately impressed by the presentation as well as the aroma.  I was hooked after the first bite as the meat was tender and delicious while the sauce was extraordinary.  After I finished the best steak I’ve had in Bangkok I asked for the “Check Bin” (check bill in Thai) and I was amazed that the price was only 150 baht!  ($4.63 USD).

I knew there was something fishy about this particular place to eat in Bangkok because I noticed the chef was paying incredible attention to detail while preparing the food.  I started talking with chef Sanjorn (or John).  It turns out Sanjorn is a current/former chef at the Sukhothai which is one of the swankiest 5-star hotels in all of Thailand!  He is an incredibly nice guy who is more than willing to tell you everything about his food as well as practice his English while you practice your Thai.

Sanjorn Cooking on Suan Plu Soi 8

Sanjorn Cookshop’s Location

Although the area is out of the way for most foreigners it is a great neighborhood.  I remembered vividly how much I liked the neighborhood because it was where the old Thai immigration center was.   In addition to the many food stalls on Thanon Suan Plu, there is a wonderful outdoor food market right at the beginning of the soi.  It is easy to see the area is close to a major university as there are uniformed students everywhere.

The actual location of Sanjorn Cookshop is on Sathorn (Thai: สาทร) or Sathon 3, Suan Plu Soi 8.  It is 4 shops down on the left hand side where you will see the outside cooking area and the inside dining area.  It is relatively close to both Sala Daeng BTS, and Lumpini & Silom MRT stations but I take my bicycle there.  It takes me around 20 minutes via bicycle to get to Sanjorn Cookshop from my apartment at Sukhumvit Soi 13.

The Food & Menu

The steak is what I order almost every time I head to Sanjorn Cookhouse.  Each time the steak meal  has subtle differences based on what’s available and so far everything has been absolutely delicious.  The menu is hardly limited to steak as the other menu items which include everything from salmon, to fish, to pork to traditional Thai dishes look amazing.  The best part is everything on the menu is affordable.  I have had food at restaurants in Bangkok that cost several times more than John’s food but the taste pales in comparison.

My Favorite Steak in Bangkok for 150 baht

Some more of the Amazing Menu Items for less than 200 baht at Sanjorn Cookshop

Overall Impression

When dining out at a place for the first time I can immediately categorize the place into one of 3 categories:  1.  Will never eat at again, 2.  Will possibly eat at again and 3.  I’m coming back tomorrow and Sanjorn Cookshop easily fit in the number 3 category.  The chef John is a very nice guy who can provide a lot of information about the food he prepares.

John’s experience and abilities as a chef are likely in the top 1% of Bangkok restaurants and he offers his tasty creations for a fraction of the price that it would cost elsewhere.  Since the price is so affordable I look at Sanjorn as an affordable “personal chef.”  Even though the location is “out of the way” to most foreigners living in Bangkok, it is a breath of fresh air with mostly Thai people, some cool shops, markets and of course my favorite place to eat in Bangkok, Sanjorn Cookshop.

http://web.me.com/garycollier1/Sanjorn/Welcome.html

Passed by 100 Times

Bangkok Baking Company is located in the JW Marriot hotel in between Sois 2 and 4.  I had passed by it probably 100 times because it is right across the Sukhumvit Road crosswalk I use to go grocery shopping.  Since I usually spend around $1 USD for Thai food, I seldom feel like spending several times more in “fancy places” but I was hungry and nothing was appealing so I thought I’d try and blog about Bangkok Baking Company.

Every time I walk by, I see suits and ties eating in Bangkok Baking Company ans also a sushi restaurant, generically named “tsunami” which is below.  I’m used to wearing workout clothes or shorts and a T-shirt so I often avoid “finer establishments” just to avoid any awkward situations especially with the language barrier.  I decided to chance it as I was very hungry.

Inside Dining Area - Bangkok Baking Company

Dining at Bangkok Baking Company

I was seated right away and read a copy of Bangkok Post while I waited for the waitresses to take my order.  They spoke decent Engrish but still misunderstood when I tried to order a small side salad.  I received my food in a timely manner and the pasta and garlic bread were hot.

Giant Salad

Big plate of Tasty Pasta Bolognese

Menu - (Click to Enlarge)

The Menu

As well as the obvious (baked goods) Bangkok Baking Company has a full menu which includes everything from pizza to salad to hamburgers.  This is not unlike most restaurants in or near hotels but the quality of western food was a lot better than the food of your average budget hotel or guesthouse.

I ordered the pasta bolognese which I have ordered in Thailand numerous times only to get the generic “Chef Boyardee” bland tasting pasta.  I also wanted a small side salad but when they came out with the salad it was this huge bowl of bell peppers along with feta cheese.  I got both dishes at the same time so I chose to eat the pasta first because I was really hungry.

Overall Impression

The pasta bolgnese was no substitute for Mom’s authentic Italian cooking but it was very good not to mention filling.  If you’ve ever eating a meal in Thailand you probably know the portions are smaller than we’re used to in the US but Bangkok Baking Company delivered a nice, filling bowl of pasta for 240 baht ($7.42 USD) which is expensive for Thai standards but if Italian pasta is on the menu, Bangkok Baking Company will not disappoint.

My bill which included the salad, pasta and a Tiger beer was 669 baht ($20.70USD) which is likely more than anyone wants to spend for a lunch, especially in Thailand but I basically ordered 2 main courses.  As long as I live in Bangkok there is probably a 100% chance I return to Bangkok Baking Company because it’s close to where I live and I will likely get sick of eating the same thing over and over again and look for something new.  While I wouldn’t advise anyone to book a flight to Bangkok just to eat at Bangkok Baking Company, it is a more than solid option for anyone who finds themselves on Sukhumvit Road looking for some non-Thai and non- bar food.

Bully’s Pub Thanksgiving Buffet

I have walked past Bully’s pub at least 100 times as it’s on the way to the gym I usually work out at.  It is located right on Sukhumvit Road in between Soi 2 and 4.  You can’t miss it as there is a life-sized brass bull in front (see picture above).  I thought it was an expat and tourist bar so I figured it was overpriced and filled with drunk Ausies, Europeans and Americans so I never really had the urge to go.  This changed when I was invited for a Thanksgiving all-you-can-eat buffet by my neighbor Jan who is a fellow travel blogger at TravelWithJan.com

There was no way I be eating Thai noodle soup on the biggest eating day of any American’s year so I gladly accepted the invitation.  I arrived to Bully’s Pub around 7:15pm after my Thai Language class and luckily it was not that busy.  I stacked up my plate with all the Thanksgiving regular foods including mashed potatoes, stuffing, turkey, yams, ham and of course gravy.  I stuffed my face with the delicious Thanksgiving foods as I met Jan’s friends.  One of Jan’s friends happened to be like me, another photographer hobbyist with a photo website which you can see at HowardKreiger.com

After I returned from Bully’s Pub that night I went online to see reviews.  One review sparked my attention as it said Bully’s Pub had a large American breakfast which has been one of the very few things I have missed from America during my 8 months so far in Thailand.

Big American Breakfast

I went to bed looking forward to the next morning when I could dig into a big greasy American breakfast.  After going to bed around 2am I woke up unusually early around 9am.  I checked a few emails and headed out the door around 10m towards Bully’s pub and when I got there it wasn’t open yet!  I was aggravated that I’d have to wait until 11am to get my breakfast but luckily there is a Starbucks across the street which I headed to to drink a coffee while I waited.

The American breakfast comes with 2 large pieces of toast, 2 eggs done any way you like, 2 sausage patties, 2 slices of bacon and potatoes which were made on the skillet with bell peppers and onions.  The American breakfast at Bully’s also comes with coffee/tea and juice which I special ordered a orange/pineapple mix.  The portion size was just like I wanted it and I found myself having trouble finishing although the giant coffee I drank 20 minutes before at Starbucks may have had something to do with it.

Big Plate with Greasy Potatoes, Bacon and Sausage Patties with 2 eggs and Toast

Overall Impression

I’m not really into the bar scene so I pretty much ignored Bully’s Pub and now that I’ve eaten there twice I can say if you’re used to American sized portions Bully’s is a good place to get filled up.  As far as bars go, the place was very big and spacious with multiple flat screen TVs playing sports along with a couple pool tables.

Bully’s Pub is probably the best place in Bangkok (so far) to refuel and begin to reduce that Saturday or Sunday morning hangover.  If you’re really hungry at breakfast time, Bully’s Pub’s breakfast is the perfect thing to get in the morning to fuel you up for a day of whatever Bangkok has to offer you.  The price was 180 baht but after the standard 10% 20 baht tip it came out to 200 baht (around $6 USD) which is double most “American breakfasts” served around Bangkok but Bully’s is twice the size and twice the grease;)

Delicious Breakfast - Extensive Menu

Welcome to Chiang Mai

By browsing hotel websites it is almost impossible to easily find out which is the best location to stay in a city for what you want.  Every hotel seems to claim to be centrally located so I turned to the Thaivisa forum and asked.  The first response I got was Montri hotel so without further ado I immediately booked a room at Montri Hotel and arranged an airport pick-up.

The pickup from the airport cost a ridiculously low 150 baht ($4.50) and included the guy holding the sign for you after baggage claim and a nice air conditioned ride into Chiang Mai.  Once I saw the brick wall, the gate and tons of tourists, I immediately got the impression I chose the right place.

Montri Hotel Location

You really can’t ask for a better location for a hotel in Chaing Mai than the exact spot the Montri sits on.  Montri sits next to the last renaming tiny portion of the ancient wall that used to surround Chiang Mai’s moat.  This happens to be the location of the very beginning of the huge Chaing Mai walking street fair.  For anyone in Chiang Mai on Sunday staying in Montri Hotel is a great shopping base and allows bargain hunters to store their buys in their hotel room while shopping for more.

There is a place which packages and ships off your buys if you don’t want to pack them in your luggage or simply want to ship them to your family and friends overseas.  They charge huge fees but for some (like me) the convenience factor was just too much to pass up to ship off some gifts for my family.

In addition to the Sunday walking market related places there is a HUGE 3 story Starbucks across the street as well as an Air Asia airline office, book store, pharmacy, a bunch of restaurants and bars and more.  There are also numerous places which rent out motorbikes and even cars within 20 meters of the Montri Hotel

Night View from Room 323 in Montri Hotel

Montri Hotel Amenities

Montri Hotel does not have a ton of extras such as swimming pool or fitness center.  The enormous lobby and restaurant are great places to relax in the midst of a day busy with tourism.  Montri Hotel’s convenient location was an amenity in itself but aside from that, a very fast and reliable wireless internet connection was complimentary with a night stay along with free breakfast.

As I mentioned before there were a bunch of bars and restaurants along the streets surrounding the Montri hotel but I never left the restaurant on the bottom floor of Montri Hotel which  is very nice, large and has good service to go along with.  Blix restaurant has a nice air conditioned indoor seating section as well another large mist cooled outdoor seating section.  I had the hamburger on two separate occasions along with the American breakfast which was complimentary with the room.

Blix Restaurant on Ground Floor of Montri Hotel

Overall Impression

For the price of almost 1000 baht per night ($30USD) which is a little higher because November-February is considered the high season Montri Hotel was worth it based on the location and restaurant alone.   Since the room was located right next to busy street surrounding the canal, traffic noise is audible (at least in room 323)  for almost the entire day and night even though the double pane windows help quiet the street noise.  The room was completely 100% adequate, clean, large enough but nothing spectacular.

The service was above average in the hotel and the restaurant.  Overall I would recommend Montri Hotel for anyone looking for a great location in Chiang Mai looking to spend around 1000 baht ($30USD) per night.

Does Popular = Good?

It is often easy to assume that an ethnic restaurant that is packed with people of the food’s decent is going to be good but it does not hold true 100% of the time.   Beirut Restaurant on the other hand seems to be filled with 80-90% of capacity every time I walk by.

In on the basement floor of the Phloen Chit center which is in between the Phloen Chit BTS station and Sukhumvit Soi 2 most restaurants are very slow.  There are Korean, Japanese, Chinese, Italian and Thai restaurants in the Phloen Chit center including one of 3 (that I know of) locations for Lee Cafe and I’ve never seen any of these restaurants even close to full.

I figured Beirut Restaurant would be good but I didn’t know for sure.  With the huge Middle-eastern, Mediterranean and African population at Soi 3 or “Soi Arab” as it’s known by the Thais I wondered if the restaurant just had the right location.  I was hungry and I had to try it just to see if the place was as good as it appeared to be.

Finally Give Beirut Restaurant a Try

Since I’m usually on the way to pick up a salad at Villa Market I pass the packed  Bombay Restaurant.   I have thought numerous times that I would have tried it if it wasn’t so packed and I finally had my chance when I saw only 1 or 2 tables at the restaurant on a Thursday night around 7:15pm after Thai class.  I was sat down and given a menu and I happened to sit in a corner of the restaurant looking out the window.

Bombay has quite the extensive menu but one of the combo plates caught my eye.  You can choose between a dozen or so choices in combinations of 2, 3, 4 or 5 if I remember correctly.  I think these combo plates are for more than a single person but I tend to eat like a pig so I figured why not.

I ordered a combination plate with beef and chicken shawarma, salad and falafel and a strawberry lassi which is a sweet yogurt based drink that I routinely used to order in San Francisco Indian restaurants.  The combination plate came with 2 pieces of pita bread.

Beirut Restaurant’s Food

I got my giant plate of food and I realized that I chose 4 items which came with pita bread but it didn’t come with hummus.  My strawberry lassi was so delicious I finished it in around 30 seconds and ordered a mango lassi when I ordered a side order of hummus.

I must say the food was delicious.  By no means am I a falafel connoisseur but the falafel at BierutRestaurant was the best I have ever had.  Both the beef and chicken shawarma were perfect.  They had the perfect amount of spice.  The hummus was good (as all hummus ever) and the pita bread was standard as well.

Overall Impression

A packed restaurant in the midst of a bunch of dead ones turned out to be as (indirectly) advertised.  I only ate there because it was less crowded than usual but by the time I finished my meal around 8ish and turned around, the place was packed almost to capacity again.  My bill was 600 baht ($18USD) which was mostly due to ordering too much and two 100baht ($3) lassi drinks.  You could get in and out without spending 500 baht but most likely (especially if you’re with someone) will spend over 500 baht hence the price rating.  It really depends on what you order.

Although most of the time I eat Mediterranean food it’s a falafel or kebab sandwich off the street Beirut Restaurant had the best Mediterranean food I have had.

Yearning for that American Breakfast

Ever since living in my first apartment in Bangkok I’ve missed the American breakfast.  An “American breakfast” was served at the restaurant in my other apartment but it was a true “American breakfast” in name only.  When I think of American breakfast I need excessive portion sizes, tons of sugar and tons of fat.

Bangkok’s “American breakfast” meals usually include a single slice of ham or bacon, a couple pieces of wonder bread toast and a single egg.  This hardly compares to the greasy mound of hash browns, bacon, scrambled eggs, pancakes and waffles you get at the typical American diner.  Not that I would be eating this all the time but it definitely is on the menu once a month at the very least.

Little Hut has a rather large menu of probably around 12-15 pages which includes not only breakfast, lunch and dessert waffles with various toppings but a full Thai food menu.  I was impressed that the menu has a nice vivid color photo for each item on the menu as well.

Little Hut actually has some great freshly brewed coffee as well.  They grind the beans and brew each cup fresh which is nice.   They offer 3 different waffle thicknesses and multiple toppings.  Of course I got extra thick topped with blueberry preserves and whipped cream which I doused in maple syrup, a true diabetic special.

Tasty!

Little Hut’s Location & Service

Little Hut House of waffle is located on Sukhumvit Road in between Soi 1 and Soi 3.  It is located in a shopping center (I don’t know the name) right next to Burger King.  Burger King is always crowded with Farangs and that is actually the reason I found Little Hut.  The inevitable craving for “the original flame broiled whopper” brought me to Burger King which was so crowded I walked straight through to see Little Hut which was closed at the time but I made a mental note to come back.

Burger King is easily visible from Sukhumvit Road and is actually close to the combo Pizza Hut & KFC.  To get to Little Hut you can use the Burger King entrance and walk straight through and to the left you will see Little Hut.  I’ve already been there twice and I was the only customer in the restaurant each time where I had the typical 2 or 3 people waiting on me.  The actual restaurant is very clean and nice.  The tables, chairs and dining set-up also gives the vibe of the American diner which is a nice change of pace from the  typical  way restaurants look in Bangkok.

Right Next to the Ever-so-popular King of Burgers

Overall Impression

On most of these blog posts I have talked about whether I would go back or not.  It’s too late to write this about Little Hut because I already went back the next day and ordered the same thing.  While waffles smothered in syrup, fruit preserves and whipped cream aren’t the healthiest I know craving the remnants of an American breakfast like back home will draw me to Little Hut House of Waffle again and again.

I ordered a pineapple smoothie, 2 cups of coffee and the aforementioned blueberry waffle and the bill was only 180 baht ($5.40).  I recommend Little Hut to anyone who likes waffles and wants something on par with the waffle you can get at the typical American diner.  Anyone heading to the infamous King of Burgers should think twice and check out Little Hut house of Waffle (and full Thai food menu) next door for a better dining experience, better service and better food.

Location

I found myself in Bangkok’s Pratunam district specifically to get some material for this blog about a fish foot massage and visiting Baiyoke Sky Hotel, Thailand’s tallest building.  Needless to say I hardly ever go in the area of Baiyoke because it’s very touristy and there is nothing really out there that I can’t find closer to where I live.  Needless to say I worked up an appetite taking pictures and fighting past crowds of European, Russian and Japanese tourists in Baiyoke and needed to eat.

Right after I got the fish foot massage I was walking down Ratchaparop Road when I saw a brightly lit restaurant that looked very clean inside with set tables, wine glasses and cloth napkins.  It was located right across from the Indra Hotel.  It was around 9pm and there was a lone Indian couple eating.  It authentic Thai and international cuisine on the door but what really drew me into the restaurant was the wall mounted plasma TV playing some UFC fights.

Service

The staff of young Thai ladies were really nice although they couldn’t speak a word of English ordering was pleasant and easy.  After I ordered I noticed the Indian man who was wearing the traditional Sikh Dastar (turban) go behind the counter and show the ladies how to make the lychee and cranberry icees which I ordered.  I assumed he was the owner although he made no attempt to talk to his lone patron which was understandable if he was entertaining his wife, but it looked like both ran the place and it would be nice if they attempted to be hospitable for the atmosphere they seemed to be trying to create.

Food & Drink

I ordered the T-Bone steak as well as an order of salmon fried rice and had the aforementioned lychee and cranberry blended ice drinks.  The blended ice drinks  (I call icees) were not like most I’ve had in Bangkok.  They reminded me of alcholoic beverages without the alcohol.  They were not slushy like icees which was good.  The lychee blended ice drink was very good but I love lychee.

I’m sad to say that for 480 baht ($14.34USD) the T-Bone steak was a huge disappointment.  I’ve had better steak in a can of Chef Boyardee as this was flat, dry and tasteless although the sauce was very tasty.  It came with your average french fries and a minute proportion of steamed vegetables.  I would say the T-bone was worth 200 baht and that is being generous.

The salmon rice which in effect served as my dessert was excellent although the portion size was small.   Considering that I’ve never had fried rice I didn’t like anywhere in the entire world the price the salmon fried rice at Rave was 110% not worth it as you can get  just as tasty if not better fried rice from any street stand in Bangkok for 35 baht ($1USD).  The overall rating of 2 Buddhas is rounded up from the 1.80 rating I give Rave restaurant considering the price and quality of the menu items which is hardly something to rave about.

Very Good Salmon Fried Rice although Overpriced

Overall Impression

Although Rave was definitely a pleasant place to have dinner it didn’t strike me as a place that should be charging so much for run the mill food.  My bill by myself  (although I essentially ordered 2 meals and 2 non-alcoholic drinks) was a whopping 897 baht ($26.80USD) which is far more than I ever spend on food and equivalent to 25 better tasting meals on Thai food street stands or indoor/outdoor mom & pop style restaurants.

The location is very close to major tourist hotels so that may explain why there was no one there when I was there and the prices were so high for Bangkok.  Right after I paid the 897 baht bill a lady from somewhere in the restaurant said, “hope to see you again” just as I was thinking about how I would never go to Rave again, if anything because the food was average and the prices were high as well as the location is inconvenient for me.

Say Hello & Wave Goodbye to Rave

Seemingly Endless Shopping

MBK is eight stories high and 330 meters long, with 2,500 shops using a total selling area of 89,000 square meters according to Wikipedia.  It used to be one of the biggest shopping malls in all of Asia when it was opened in 1985.  Fast forward to 25 years and MBK is no longer one of the largest shopping malls but it is still probably the coolest.  Bangkok now has many bigger, newer and “nicer” malls but MBK is most people’s favorite and will always be my favorite.  MBK is located centrally and is connected to the National Stadium BTS Skytrain stop making it very easy to get to.  The walkway also connects it to Siam center a newer, more expensive western mall clone which enables you to literally walk for miles through various malls starting at MBK.

Making Shopping Fun

MBK draws tourists from all over the world for its deals.  If you didn’t know which country you were in and you walked in MBK you would have a very difficult guess to make.  To me it reminds me of the Star Wars cantina scene because there are so many different types of people many whom are dressed in their native garb.

What makes shopping at MBK fun is probably 90% of everything in the entire shopping center is negotiable.  The asking price is often only slightly marked up for example some knock-off T-shirts are often sold for 150 baht when they will accept 120 or maybe 100.  It is not at all like Vietnam where I was told to offer 20% of the asking price at Ben Thanh Market.  What also makes shopping at MBK fun is the number of competitors.  For some items there are literally a dozen shops selling them so you can easily walk from shop to shop and shop for the best prices.

MBK Shopping General Guidelines

If you wonder if something is a knock-off product it is 99% of the time.  If you go to MBK expecting to buy the newest and latest high tech gadget for a bargain price think again.  Most high-end, top of the line electronics cost the same if not more expensive than in the United States or anywhere else in the world.   I was surprised that my Nikon camera was no cheaper in Thailand than the US because Nikon’s lens factory is here.  The same goes for all products made in Asia such as Nike shoes.

There is less supply and competition of many high end products in Thailand than there are in the USA.  Another possible reason why the electronics are not cheaper which relates to competition is the lack of internet sales.  To my knowledge it is not as common in Thailand for people to shop at online mega stores such as Amazon.

Just because you can’t get deals on high end electronics doesn’t mean  you can’t get great deals on electronics.  MBK is loaded with last years models and other not in such high demand products such as cell phones, mp3 players and video games which the prices are all negotiable and depend on your bartering ability.

MBK Shop Factoids

If you’ve never been to MBK there is no way to explain the uniqueness of it.  You just need to go there and experience MBK shopping because it is not like a typical shopping mall experience.  Besides Tokyu department store which is an Asian incarnation of Macy’s which is on the corner of the first 4 floors there are many styles of shops that do not exist in the USA.  I lived across MBK for a month and I go there probably 10 times a month so I list my current view of what’s at MBK.

1st Floor

The first floor at MBK has a mix of everything.  There are clothes shops, banks, pharmacies, restaurants and other random shops on the first floor.  There is also a full sized grocery store called Tops market.  It is pretty much like a Safeway on the west coast of the USA.  I found Greek yogurt there which I hardly find in Bangkok and they have a pretty good bakery.

2nd Floor

The second floor is much like the first floor in that there is no real organization.  There is a GNC where I buy my multivitamins for astronomical prices which is a rip-off compared to the US prices of supplements and vitamins.  On the second floor is a place where I get my business cards and printing stuff done and it is not alone.  There are seemingly dozens of printing places on the second floor and what  seems like the alternating printing shops, tailors and jewelery shops sprinkling in the occasional clothes and hand bag shop.

3rd Floor

The 3rd floor is mostly fashion oriented.  My favorite part is the south end closest to the Patumwan Princess hotel where there is a concentrated no nonsense clothes area with cheap deals on T-shirts and other forms of non-formal clothes.  You will also find your fair share of gold & jewelery shops on the 3rd floor which I easily ignore, and tailor shops which I try to ignore as most of the time there is a semi-annoying (usually non-Thai Asian) guy trying to get you to come in and buy a suit.

4th Floor

Although there are sporadic electronic shops on most floors the entire 4th floor is electronics.  There are hundreds of kiosk like shops in the middle which is surrounded by shops lining the walls.  There is no real organization to the 4th floor shopping  madness but it seems like one side is mostly cellphones while the other side is mostly mp3 players and other electronics.  There is also a retail electronics store called Power Buy which is not that much fun.  There is also a ghetto looking food place selling Thai food and a row of food shops selling snacks next to the middle elevator.  I get a Thai Pearl Tea drink almost 100% of the time when go to MBK which costs 15 baht (45 cents).  I have spent most of my money on the 4th floor of MBK.

5th Floor

The 5th floor is mostly furniture therefore since my apartment is fully furnished, I never really spend more than 30 seconds on it.  I’ve glanced at the furniture and it seems it is very cheaply priced and no doubt most of it is cheaply made.  There is also a book store selling mostly Thai written books and an international food court called “The Fifth Food Avenue” which is geared towards tourists.  It has a few different ethnic restaurants and a backpacker/tourist meeting lounge.  You put some money on a credit card and go in and order and they swipe your card.  I had a steak at one of the places and it was terrible but I didn’t expect much.

6th Floor

The 6th floor is mixed with clothes and souvenirs.  The entire south end is loaded with shops selling Thai handicrafts and other souvenirs.  There is some cool stuff but I don’t like to be a pack rat so I avoid picking up all the cool stuff I see.  Even when I try to buy something for a family member or friend I can never think of what to get.

The 6th floor has an extremely ghetto food court where you have to buy these tickets.  The food is pretty disgusting but if you’re hungry enough you crave the heat-lamped garbage.  Of special not is an Indian/Mediterranean place which is overpriced and absolutely terrible with microwaved nan and curry that is probably weeks old.

7th Floor

Last but not least is the 7th floor.  The 7th floor has a gigantic karaoke place on the south end and a big neon style bowling alley on the right side.  There are around 20 restaurants on the 7th floor including American chains, McDonalds, KFC, and “The Sizzler” which is very popular as every time I walk by there are tons of people waiting in line.  There is a Swensen’s dessert place and a Red Mango yogurt peddler along with many more restaurants including a couple Japanese restaurants and Asian style barbecue places.  I am in the process of reviewing MBK’s restaurants but it will be hard because I always want to go back to my favorite CocoIchibanYa Japanese curry house.

The 7th floor is littered with movie promotional stands playing clips about Thai and American movies.  There is also a small arcade and internet cafe.   In the center is the box office and there are around 10 movie theaters.  There are 3 primary types of movie theaters which I will blog about in the future but the standard movie for matinee is only 100 baht ($2.99) which compared to the USA may be the best deal of Thailand.  The theaters are all brand new and nice usually playing all current blockbusters and Thai movies.

More About Movie Theaters in Bangkok - Coming Soon

Inside at the Center of MBK

Everything I have Bought at MBK

Before I moved out of my cluttered apartment in San Francisco I promised myself I wouldn’t buy a bunch of toys only to use my favorite one and have the others collect dust along with accumulating tons of stuff that will eventually just be hard to get rid of.  Lucky for me I got a fully furnished apartment and haven’t bought too much stuff although I need to stop now or I will become a pack rat!   This list doesn’t include the dozen or so movies, meals and pharmacy items (shampoo, soap, etc.).

Rundown of all Items I’ve Purchased at MBK from April 7th to October 27th 2009:

DVD Player

MP3 Player (Sony Walkman)

Talking Language Pocket Translater

Portable DVD Player

Nikon D90 Digital SLR Camera

Nikon Nikkor 70-300mm Lens

Bed Set (Sheets, blanket & pillow cases)

Camera Bag

Ergonomic Microsoft Keyboard

Bunch of T-shirts

1 Pair of Green Cotton Shorts

Bunch of DVDs

2 Nokia Cell Phones

Picture Cell Phone Vendor Lady took of me with my New Cell Phone Camera to Prove it Worked

Good Smell.  Good Curry

It may sound odd but that is the catch phrase of Coco IchibanYa which is a Japanese curry house restaurant in Bangkok’s MBK shopping center.  Coco IchibanYa is conveniently located on the 7th floor across from the movie theaters in between McDonalds and a Vietnamese restaurant.  It is a sit-down restaurant with the typical Thai service of 8 girls doing the job of 2 with delightful smiles on their faces.

Being a curry house the menu is what you’d expect.  Many different things topped with curry.  I opted for the very unhealthy chicken katsu covered curry and rice.  I added an order of vegetables to it which included carrots, asparagus, potatoes and onions.   The menu allows you to mix and match different items and even allows you to select from various levels of spicyness which is always nice.

Great Curry

The Japanese curry sauce at Coco IchibanYa was excellent.  The chicken katsu wasn’t as crispy as I like but after it was smothered in the gravy-like curry sauce it’s all the same right?  For some reason the white rice tasted better than what I’ve had lately as well.  The vegetables were also good when doused in the delicious normal spiciness curry sauce.  I can tell anyone who is going to Coco IchibanYa that the normal level of spicy for the curry isn’t that spicy so if you like spicy go for a higher level.

Needless to say, after I finished my meal I was completely stuffed and satisfied because the food was very tasty.  Japanese curry houses are not very common outside of Japan and Coco IchibanYa provided a welcome change to my Bangkok diet.  I actually thought about heading back to Coco IchibanYa 2 days later when I went back to MBK but I held off.  I can see myself craving the delicious curry soon and making a return trip.

The cost for my double order of chicken katsu and vegetable curry along with 2 drinks was less than 300 baht ($9USD) so I consider Coco IchibanYa low-mid range restaurant as far as Bangkok is concerned.  Since it is located right next to the MBK SF Cinema city it makes a perfect place to grab a relatively quick meal why your movie’s seemingly endless previews and advertisements are running.

My Own Private Shopping Center

The Phloen Chit center is located on the same side as Soi 4 towards the Phloen Chit BTS stop near the expressway.  I jokingly call the Phloen Chit center my own private shopping center because every time I go there (usually 7pm or later) I seem to be one of the few people in it.

It is a 4+ story shopping center with Villa Market which is a supermarket I frequent in the basement.  Besides a supermarket the Phloen Chit center contains quite a few specialty shops, a discount clothes store, a McDonalds and about a dozen or so restaurants which take up mos of the basement, the ground and the first floor.

Mr. Lee’s Creation

I finally went to Phloen Chit center in the afternoon and I was surprised to see that most of the restaurants were more or less busy with customers.  I wanted to try one of the restaurants so I could write about it on this blog and the illustration on the Mr. Lee’s Creation menu caught my eye so I decided to give it a try.  Lee Cafe is located on the ground floor and one end of the cafe is looking out to the street so it’s pretty inviting.

The menu states “Modern Chinese Cuisine” which I noticed there was a lot of noodle dishes and some Thai foods as well.  I ordered the fried chicken spring rolls as an appetizer which was recommended by the waitress and a steak with Cantonese sauce and rice.  I thought the fried spring rolls were delicious.  The Chinese steak was good compared to your average  Chinese restaurant in the USA but it wasn’t anything to rave about although the sauce was quite tasty.

Overall Impression

Lee Cafe is a quality restaurant with clean food, nice atmosphere and friendly service but the food is nothing spectacular.  This is not a knock on Mr. Lee or his creation but Lee Cafe is not a place that you will tell all your friends about unless you’re a lonely blogger like me.  I’m not making it a priority but I would go back and try another one of Mr. Lee’s creations if I was hungry and in the area and definitely re-order the friend spring rolls.

The cost of my meal which included another mango icee (ordered 50% of the time at all restaurants) was around 300 baht (~$9USD) which is a little spendy for your average meal in Bangkok so if you decide to eat in Lee Cafe rather than your average 50 baht street meal and drink, make sure you are hungry for more than just food and want Lee Cafe’s pleasant atmosphere.