brutox

... sorry to report a poor (and my final) review on Suda, guys ... I've watched this place slowly self-destruct, a victim of the notorious Thai death sprial ... and, I tried hard to love this place again, as my Thai family and I were long, long time regulars going back to 2000 ... we went again last night, despite all instincts to pass, and my disappointment in Suda's steadfast march toward mediocrity (bordering on worse) is just too great to try this place again. ... the lower quality of the ingredients offended me last night ... the shrimp served in the tom yum goong was long-frozen, mushy, without any body, and just puny in size ... the poor quality and value of this dish, a benchmark dish for all Thai restaurants, was just beyond forgivable ... our serving of pakboon faidaeng was pitifully stingy ... the prices are no longer a value, and overpriced for what they now serve ... and, the service was just crap ... Suda is now but a faint echo of what it was. ... in prior years, the value, authenticity and quality were enough to forgive their remarkably consistent crappy service ... no more. ... I no longer recommend Suda ... she's lost me for good, I'm afraid ... leave this place to the tourists who know no better ... such a shame.

.... I'd like to correct my prior mischaracterization of Angel City as having limited breakfast choices (I missed an entire page of the menu) ... it has many ... variety of pancake dishes, 3-egg omlettes, steak and eggs, pork chops and eggs, corned been and eggs, even sour dough toast ... it is, indeed, a mainline BKK breakfast joint for American-style, mongo-sized, hyper cholesterol-injected, gut-buster breakfasts. Located on Soi 11, almost across from Bed Supper Club Reasonably Authentic Interiors - Juke Box is Loaded with Old Rock n' Roll The Premium Country Breakfast, at THB 300 (large pile of pan-fried potatoes beneath the pancakes)

... as written above, the Suda experience of old, when she first claimed fame for her authentic local, local restaurant, is now passed ... Suda is now famous, in a low-level sort of way, and her prices no longer reflect her roots-style Thai restaurant ... it's a good menu, sure, but not what it once was. ... for those who might want to enjoy what Suda once was, there is another Thai restaurant on the very same side soi as Suda (specifically, not Soi 14, which comes off of Sukhumvit, but the side soi on which Suda also fronts) ... about 50m down the side soi from Suda ... this restaurant is what Suda was ... located on the right side of the side soi, I do not recall the restaurant name. ... large, open-air seating in a double-wide shop house ... menu is all Thai (point and grunt at what looks good) ... cheap ... authentic. ... I recommend it.

.... funny guy, bootoo33 ... but, I rather doubt that even a handful of the 'local flavors' about which you write will ever be accused of 'trying to be like Europe or the Americas' ... while I enjoy mutant fusion cuisines as much as the more purist varieties, a Thai-Angel City Diner Italian meatball sandwich is a culinary bridge a bit too far, I believe. ... I would not worry too much ... unadulterated Thai cuisines of all glorious regional shades will be preserved for generations and unaffected by foreign cuisines ... that, despite the presence of Angel City Diner.

. ... thanks Piece Corp, I will by-pass on the Reuben, which is one of the Holy Trinity sandwiches for which I hunger out here, and can find nowhere meeting my expectations ... (as you, I think Landmark's Reuben is probably the best in class ... but, it is not a particularly gifted class here). ... I did the breakfast burrito yesterday, which was an absolute killer breakfast ... filled with the good stuff ... left wanting for nothing. ... Angel City Diner is really more of a comfort food joint, rather than falling on the fine dining side of restaurants ... a bit more expensive than most comfort food joints are generally priced, for sure, but it hits well above average in quality and the large portions prevent it from being a bad value, due to its higher price points. ... it has earned a place on my regular restaurant rotation, replacing the V-8 Diner you mentioned, which has in my view never been more than a weak copy of an American diner, synthesized from images only off of the Internet, rather than anything authentic. ... FYI on Angel City's opening hours ... they are open for breakfast now ... seemed they were open only limited hours until they got the kitchen working and the staff trained-up.

The recently opened Angel City Diner is an American-style 1950’s diner theme restaurant, with a healthy sprinkling of faux icons from a long lost sentimental favorite of baby-boomer Americans ... juke box loaded with talent (1950's, 1960's, oldies that can be selected from each booth), fountain drinks, a good effort at the American diner's unique 'roadside' architecture, art deco pendant lights, a properly provisioned menu, 12-15 booths, barstool counter service, etc. The menu includes a selection of heavy duty sandwiches (burgers, Italian meatball, steak, chili dog, turkey, Reuben, pastrami, etc.) at THB 250-350, salads, appetizers at THB 125-225, main dishes (turkey, meat loaf, steak, burrito, etc.) at THB 300-500, mainline breakfast offerings (3-egg omelets, pancakes, breakfast burrito, basic bacon/sausage/eggs, corned beef hash) at THB 200-300, and desserts (pies, cakes, etc.). They also feature old-style fountain drinks (cherry colas), floats and fantastic shakes. For Thais with no taste for adventure, there is a limited selection of Thai dishes. Soft opening was New Year's 2013, but they’ve pretty much shaken out the kinks and the kitchen is hitting on all cylinders. All our dishes were properly prepared, with generous portions (emphasis added), and all quite good... Italian meatball sandwich, steak sandwich, turkey and dressing, breakfast burrito. Not inexpensive... for the above dishes with shakes, our bill for four was THB 2,100, but we all left feeling well fed, and in no need of dessert. Now open 24/7, the diner is ideally positioned to catch the late, late traffic spilling from nearby clubs and bars. Located about 400m into Soi 11, on the left, in the ground level of the The Prime 11 Condo, nearly across the soi from Bed Supper Club. Anyone in need of a mongo meal will enjoy Angel City Diner... they serve very large portions, which is I understand now the standard practice in many US restaurants. Angel City Diner is to me the great American-style breakfast joint for which I've been waiting … limited choices, but you will be over-served and fully topped-off when you walk out of this place. I will return to Angel City again, and again. http://angelcitydiner.com

Just opened last month, it is still working out the start-up pains. Pizzaeli is a foreign-owned neighborhood pizzaria with modest reach, but a very good little local joint for what it is. Not atmospheric enough for a 360 degree dining experience, this is the place you will stop in for a quick, casual bite with close friends or family, or for take-away. This is probably not the place for a vacationing tourist, except maybe if they are in a world of hurt and call for a delivered pizza. The menu is focussed - the full range of pizzas, pasta selection includes 3-4 different lasagnes, 2 spaghetti dishes, a macaroni dish, 2 salads, 2-3 foccacia sandwich selections ... all made with fresh and imported ingredients. They might be the only place I've seen in Thailand that sells pizza by the slice. The pastas are all pre-cooked, which I thought would not be so cool. In fairness though, I have had the eggplant parmagiana and the beef lasagne, reheated in their oven, and both revived to fullness. I am uncertain the spaghetti dishes would do as well. The pizza crust is thin, cooked in a gas-fired oven with a stone cook surface, which gives the crust the desired effect ... a thin crispy veneer on the bottom surface, but still holds a slightly chewy 'pull' through the body of the crust.. While the prices are moderate, the real value is the pizza. Large pizzas, fully 18" in diameter, with no scrimping or shrinkage ... the 'base' pizza (a Margherita) is THB 240, to which you can add meats at THB 80, and veggies at THB 60. Lasagne dishes are priced between THB 140-160; large salads THB 120, foccacia sandwiches THB 120. Pizza by the slice is THB 40. The finishes and furnishings are contemporary ... clean, warm, and friendly, but not an upscale professional design. It is a convenient mid-Sukhumvit place for a casual meal with close friends and family. Probably not a place to linger and enjoy the ambiance, but it is what it is ... a neighborhood pizzaria with good food, and good values. I believe they also now do delivery. I recommend it. Located about 400-500 metres into Soi 22 from Sukhumvit, on the right hand side, just past the convenience store (a 7-11, I think) at the first 'thru' side soi (Sainamthip Soi 1) ... +66 2 259 5080.

... a couple of new entries to BKK's wealth of pizzarias: Pizzaeli Pizzaria ... opened a couple of months ago ... pretty darn good pizza, and a great value (maybe best in BKK) .... big pizza ... an honest, full 18" thin crust pizza, with no skimping .. the 'base' pizza (Marguerita) is THB 240, to which you add ingredients (meats at THB 80, and veggies at THB 60) ... all imported ingredients ... no wood-fired oven, but a gas oven which has a stone cook surface which apparently gives the crust the desired effect ... thin veneer of crisp on the bottom surface only, yet still has a chewy 'pull' to it through the body of the crust ... about 400m into Soi 22 from Sukhumvit, on the right-hand side, in a shop house just past the convenience store (a 7-11, I think) located at Saintamthip Soi 1 ... foreign-owned ... +66 2 259 5080 ... (see full review elsewhere in this 'Restaurants, Places to Eat' thread). Domino's Pizza ... opened January 2013 ... okay ... a good pizza, but way, waaay overpriced ... their large pizza can be eaten by one moderately hungry guy, no sweat, and is inadequate for two ... we left, and I was still hungry (as though i just had the diet special), and feeling as if my wallet had been picked, after what we paid ... a huge assembly line of machinery is used to make these ... (maybe good for high volume and efficiency, but I sort of think it will end up being underutilized) ... forgot the prices (since I will not return), but it struck me as no different than what you would pay in the US ... Domino's is one of the original American pizza franchises, specializing in delivery (look for more of these in Thailand) ... located in the new 'Domino's Building' located at the intersection of Sukhumvit and Soi 22 (it is actually a Holiday Inn Hotel, but you would never know it by the dominance of the building owner's restaurants out front ... the Holiday Inn guy who did this deal should be fired) ... Domino's is worth a try, if you are curiious, but I believe the franchisee has by a far measure overstepped the market reach for what this is, and will not sustain unless he drops his rent (he also owns the building).

... update on my V8 Diner post above (post #7) ... same owner, but a new manager has made changes ... the THB 99 breakfast specials changed, but still appealing ... anytime before 11.00a (V8 is opened 24/7), three choices for THB 149 each are available ... V8 serves a traditional American breakfast, a pancake and bacon breakfast, and some sort of a mutant egg sandwich breakfast ... their bottomless cup of coffee is a nice change for Bangkok: ... the full American breakfast, pictured below ... the sausage is a properly spiced ground pork sausage, and not one of those nasty Thai hot dogs made from pork brain, nostril and anus scraps off the slaughter house floor ... sadly, V8 doesn't yet grasp get the concept of fruit jam ... they instead serve a fruit compote better reserved for waffles, or pancakes ... ... the al fresco dining terrace, at early morning ... comfortable ... music ... street noise is not noticeable ... plenty of fans in the hot season, and overhead canopy during the rainy season ... shared with the other restaurants, from whom you can order also ... ... the Sukhumvit street signage ... located between Soi 12 and Soi 14, about 150 meters from the Asoke BTS Station ...next to the Times Square Building, which is next to the Sheraton Grande ...

... my family and I have been infrequent regulars of Suda for more than a decade now ... I've watched Khun Suda's business grow, as has her prices ... I do not want to deny her the financial rewards of her years of work, but Suda is no longer the great deal it used to be ... it is no longer cheap, for what it is, ... the food is good enough and the menu varied ... for farang customers, the kitchen tones down the chilis without asking, unless you request otherwise. ... Suda is fascinating in that at lunch it attracts a fully Thai crowd, from the surrounding businesses ... but, in the evening, Suda seats near-exclusively a farang crowd (mostly tourists) ... a testament to the durability of her menu. ... she explained her success is owed largely to very visible mention she received years ago in Lonely Planet, which put her on the tourist map ... consequently, Suda has won mention in other tourist-oriented forums. ... one of the things I do NOT like about Suda is the generally slow and inattentive service (probably due to no training and high turnover) ... her Thai staff are all near illiterate, fresh from upcountry, and turnover frequently ... I've noted many of her better staff are Burmese (who have English skills), but they too eventually abandon her ... she trusts no one, and in typical old-school Chinese family-style business, only she calculates the bills (at tableside, with pencil and paper only) and collects the money ... I would hate working for this woman. ... so, there it is ... convenient to the Asoke BTS Station (as in 50 metres) ... good menu ... food good enough ... moderate price ... worthwhile.

.... haven't tried it yet, but I understand that Monsoon has a good value buffet at THB 200 ... not the depth of the 5-star hotels (nor unreasonably expensive), but if their breakfast buffet is anything like their menu service throughout the day (which is broadly rated as amongst the best in BKK), it should be quite good. ... Monsoon is located about 100m up Soi 8 (Nana BTS Station), and on the right.

I am a lover of great Southern-style breakfasts - the heart-seizing, cholesterol laden feast for real men, unafraid of big needles, by-pass surgery and death. Searching from Tokyo to Jakarta and every major and minor market between, I have found no satisfaction. The best I can suggest is a facsimile of an American breakfast at a faux diner on lower Sukhumvit called V8 Diner. Owned by the guys who run Insomnia, to which it is attached, it is located between Soi 12 and Soi 14 on Sukhumvit in the back of Sukhumvit Plaza (shared with Sunrise Tacos, Pizza Company, etc.). They have several American breakfast variations. Being Aussies, the owners don't fully grasp the idea ... being absentee owners makes it only worse. Still, it is enough. If I am not doing international hotel breakfast buffet, or a specialty breakfast shop somewhere (Bangkok Bagelry), I will generally favor V8 Diner for an American-esque breakfast. V8 Diner does a good value American breakfast special for THB 99 until 11.00a every day that includes a couple of eggs any way, 2 pieces of toast, 2 strips of bacon, 2 link sausages (not Thai sausages), bottomless cup of coffee. It'll get you through the morning, and heft that cholesterol level respectably. Opened 24-hours daily.

Yeah. Los Cabos is now closed. I liked this place, though I thought selling Mexican food at a higher price point really fights the DNA - it is peasant comfort food, better enjoyed at lower price points and in a dive joint made out of an old refurbished radiator repair shop. In its place will open a new theme restaurant named Hemingway's. New thread, soon.

... eee-yow! ... a competent reviewer on another forum is decidedly unimpressed ... while some criteria are more important than others, hospitality is a must if a restaurant is going to survive, much less thrive! ... not good, not good. __________________________________________________________ The owner of the aptly-named No Idea could not have selected a more appropriate name for his establishment, unless perhaps he had chosen Clueless. Self proclaimed as a "Gastropub" (related to the octopus genus perhaps?), this venue is apparently trying to combine the elements of a sports bar and a restaurant that aspires to "cuisine" level cooking. Given the nature of the Sukhumvit 22 market where it is located, one suspects that the focus will inevitably gravitate towards the sports bar spectrum, offering the sort of comfort food that pleases the undemanding soccer and rugby constituency from the southern hemisphere. The exterior does not speak of gastronomy... chalk board signs outside the entrance offer day care services to wives looking to offload their husbands for the day, lists of the multiple beer brands available within, tv sports schedules, live music and free wifi. Rigid and unsmiling employees lurk near the door who have apparently had the natural Thai hospitality trained out of them. The interior ambience is 100% pub.... downstairs the floors are concrete, there is a mix of spartan tables and chairs, napkins are paper... The best seating is at the bar, which features very comfortable wood and wicker stools with arms. Upstairs there is a mezzanine bar (here we encounter a dark hardwood floor more worthy of the "pub" designation), and a very pleasant outdoor balcony with sofa seating which affords diners the opportunity to enjoy the sights and smells of Suk 22 traffic immediately below, with a view of the Holiday Inn construction site directly across the soi as an added bonus. At first glance the menu seems to offer promise... there are a dozen starters such as snails, carpaccio and caprese (b150-300) which are not typical pub fare. Four soups (160-200), 6 pasta/risotto options (220-420) and 6 pizzas (260-420) move us back in the direction of comfort food. Seafood mains include salmon, tuna, prawns and John Dory (400-700), there are a half dozen sandwiches and burgers (220-400), and red mains such as Aussie tenderloin (720), ribeye (680), lamb rack (850) and lamb shank (580). Certainly some of these items might qualify as "gastronomy" depending upon the quality of ingredients, the cooking, and the presentation. The ubiquitous "tapas" (cuisine-speak for snacks) have been thrown into the menu mix for good measure... 15 offerings such as sardines, mussels and meatballs (130-200). And of course there are the obligatory Thai dishes for those uneasy culturally-challenged mixed couples who find themselves together at dinner hour... perhaps 20 choices like tom yam goong, pad thai and curries (200-400). Deserts (160-280) are no-surprise standards like creme caramel, panna cotta and tiramisu. The wine list adheres to the enigmatic theme that management has evidently worked hard to establish... 30 labels ranging from b850-4100, most from New Zealand (reflecting the patriotism of the owner), some with RP ratings. There are 3 malbecs, but most entries on the list don't show what varietal is in the bottle... a curious oversight which seems designed to confound the customer rather than assist him with a selection. The house Stonefish (Aussie) shiraz is attractively priced (cheap) but falls sadly short of being drinkable. I ordered a caesar salad which arrived in a stupidly-designed bowl (so typical of the cutting edge food scene) that made accessing the contents far more awkward than necessary. The ingredients were unimpressive (local romaine... a sure sign of excessive cost consciousness), lots of parma ham, tasty croutons, but tossed with an odd sweet dressing not remotely related to a true caesar (no mustard, no anchovies). A typical slapdash rendering of the classic caesar... edible but without real interest, and certainly not gastronomy. There is live music most nights, so those who want to engage in conversation over their meal should look elsewhere for their dining venue. The Thai blues threesome who were on stage during my visit were not intolerable (despite the excessive volume) and I was preparing to endure their version of John Lee Hooker while attempting to enjoy a steak, but a most unusual occurrence brought my evening to a sudden and unprecedented end. A tall, bald and distinctly unpleasant fellow (who was later identified as the owner) loomed over my table and demanded to know what I was writing in my notebook. In thousands of restaurant experiences on 6 continents I have never before been asked during a public meal what I was writing... by anyone... so I wasn't sure whether to be flattered or feel threatened. When my response failed to meet his unknown standards, he demanded that I pay my bill forthwith and depart the premises. Remarkable. To ensure that there had been no misunderstanding, this paragon of hospitality made a second visit to my table a few minutes later as I was finishing my wine and repeated (in a firmer tone) that I must vacate the premises immediately. It might have been interesting to resist, in order to see what methods he might employ to forcibly remove a customer from his (public?) bar... surely not the signal that most owners want to send to their other customers... the police perhaps? In-house thugs? But being a non-confrontational (and elderly) fellow, File elected not to test the proprietor's mafia inclinations. In short, my visit (and my review) were unpleasantly truncated so I am unable to comment further on the quality of the food. I was prepared to be charitable, and overall my impressions were positive.. until the owner intervened. Apparently he has embroiled himself in business "conflicts" that compel him to be very cautious about elderly expats writing in a notebook during their meal... Of course had I been using an iPad or notebook it would doubtless have excited no comment. There could be edible food and palatable drink at Clueless... but don't try to write any postcards or update Facebook during your meal.... you could be identified as a security threat and removed.

Opened just before the Bangkok flood waters of 2011 threatened, El Diablo's Burritos is the latest entry in the epic struggle to convince Thais to a niche cuisine for Asians - Mexican. It is the sister restaurant of a 3-year old Mexican restaurant in Chiang Mai. Favoring a hole-in-the-wall concept characterizing some of the greatest Mexican food joints in the world, El Diablo's Burritos serves-up a solid, although limited, line-up of California-Mex offerings. The menu includes the basic Mexican comfort food - nachos (THB 150-245), burritos (THB 175-225), quesadillas (THB 150-245), tacos (THB 70-90). Not inexpensive (for what it is; but, it is authentic), the owner chooses to emphasize a limited menu without compromise on quality... not a bad positioning for a local culture where quality is defined as "do just enough", and when the owner is absent, they "don't even do that." Co-owned and managed by a native Californian, El Diablo's Burritos quality is apparent in the roasted tomatillos and peppers making the homemade salsa, the Beer Lao Dark on offer, the custom spice-as-you-like salsa, and the fact that everything is freshly homemade (from the corn tortillas up). I enjoyed a carne asada burrito, guacamole and chips, and a few cold Beer Lao Darks. Nicely spiced, moist pork, no hint of stale in the flour tortilla, fresh ingredients. My meal was filling and hit the mark for a high quality California-Mex fix. The finishes and furnishings are clean, but simple... Spartan even, but not out of place for the typical Thai side-soi restaurant, or a great little hole-in-the-wall Mexican joint in the barrios of old San Diego, or East Austin. In this respect, El Diablo's Burritos does not compete with, nor target itself against, the more up-scale dining ambitions of Coyote, or Los Cabos (now closed). In terms of quality, El Diablo's Burritos blows Sunrise Tacos away. I believe it's only contemporary might be La Manita, which is also quite good. This is not located on the mainline for tourists, but when you need an authentic Mexican food fix, El Diablo's Burritos will get you more than merely through the night... it will get you home. El Diablo's Burritos 02 663 8646 330 Sukhumvit Soi 22 (very bottom of the soi, near Soi 24 intersection) Face Book Listed