Re: [CH]BKK & London

Shantihhh@aol.com
Sat, 2 Sep 2000 18:03:01 EDT 

<< Bussaracam, on Soi Wat Kaek, aka Soi Pan >>

Great restaurant.  They used to have a lovely lunch buffet as of last year.  
There's a great grocery not far from there for picking up some great spices 
and curry pastes to bring home.  Don't miss the Weekend market at Chatuchak 
Park!!!!  Great treasures and eats.

As to eating at your hotel, well it depends on the hotel.  The Erawan Hyatt 
has an awesome set price lunch (I think it's 250 baht-6$) at the restaurant 
on the 5th floor.  You order as much as you want from the extensive authentic 
menu.  We order a couple of dishes at a time and just eat and order eat and 
order.  This hotel has their own water supply and filtering system which 
makes for nice glasses of ice water without fear.  We've stayed there since 
it opened about 8 years ago and it is a great place, pool, massage, work out 
room, and wow the appetizers at happy hour in the Regency Club are a meal!

Depending on your budget, there also is a nice clean cheap hotel off Siam 
Square called the Reno Hotel w/pool and decent restaurant for breakfast.  As 
I recall it runs about $18.  They make a great cat fish salad.

Now our favorite restaurant in Bangkok is Somboon.  They serve the BEST 
curried crab I have ever had.  Our family often dreams of it.  The other 
seafood is great as well, but the Curried Crab is addictive and a must on 
several occasions on each of our trips.  It's located within walking distance 
of Siam Square.

Will you be up in Chiang Mai?  If so Once Upon a Time is a must!  They use to 
be in Bangkok in an old teak house since gone and they moved north.  The food 
is old Royal Thai cuisine and such a lovely setting.

I have been going to Thailand on business and pleasure for over 15 years.  In 
1996 I was there 7 times!  Some trips I am there w/family for one month.  If 
you want any other suggestions, e-mail me off list and I'd be happy to send a 
few your way.  Custom tailor and jeweler we've used for 15 years.

We were in London once again this time for the Millennium and Vong in 
Knightsbridge is still a favorite restaurant. It is fusion--Thai/French.  
Again e-mail off list as we have a friend of 20 years as a house guest from 
London with us.  He would give you some spots as well.

Just give me an idea of budget restraints as we've traveled both on business 
and out of our pockets to both :-)

Mary-Anne