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Youngone

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  1. Like
    Youngone got a reaction from summergri in The 5th capital sin...   
    You're welcome guys, it's actually fun going through these pictures and remembering the good times had...
     
    Here are a few more
     
    Zuma Bangkok is located on the ground floor of the St. Regis Hotel, right next to Ratchadamri BTS station. Zuma has branches in 14 locations worldwide, some of which are notoriously hard to get reservations at; particularly the ones in New York and London come to mind for me. The Bangkok branch thankfully does not have such issues, in fact chances are you can get a table when you walk in without reservations such as I did on the 2 occasions I had lunch there. It is by no means a cheap restaurant but when compared to the branches in the West it delivers good value for money. The atmosphere is pleasantly informal and the food is excellent, particularly the duo of salmon & tuna tartar with Oscietra caviar and the Wagyu beef gyoza stood out for me. Will I return a 3d time? For sure yes.  https://www.zumarestaurant.com/zuma-landing/bangkok/en/welcome



     
    A Japanese restaurant that is consistently highly rated on TripAdvisor is Tsu Nami in the basement of the JW Marriot on Sukhumvit soi 2. Nami is the Teppan Yaki side of the restaurant where I have never dined, whilst Tsu on the other side of the restaurant serves more traditional Japanese food. It's a very large restaurant so showing up without reservations should generally speaking not be an issue. Service is attentive without being too formal and the food is of very highly quality. Sadly this restaurant lets itself down for me on the pricing level. Whilst I do not mind paying over the odds for high quality food I do object to a restaurant 'taking the piss', which in my opinion Tsu does. It is for that reason I will not be returning in a hurry...
    http://jwmarriottbangkok.com/dining/tsu-japanese-restaurant/





     
    Brasserie Cordonnier is conveniently located on soi 11, more or less right across from Insanity. It is a French Brasserie style restaurant that serves classic French dishes such as snails and steak tartar. The atmosphere is informal, the food is good and well priced for this part of town. The only thing that needs improvement in my opinion is the selection of wines by the glass. Great place to go with a group of friends prior to a night on the town. https://cordonnierbkk.com/


     
     
     
     
     
     
     
  2. Like
    Youngone reacted to sjsharks in Privelege Entry Visa (5 year multiple entry)   
    You have read wrong mate. There are many other benefits but whether or not they are useful depends on the individual and their circumstances. 
    If you looking at the cost alone then sure it is expensive but it comes with the convenience of no border runs for at least 5 years if you don’t want to leave. If you do want to leave you can leave and come back anytime as it is multi entry. Can legally open bank account, get post paid accounts on your mobile and internet etc rather than prepaid. Assistance with Thai drivers license. 
    Free limo to and from airport. They do your 90 day reporting for you. Large discounts at major stores and duty free which is good for big purchases.
    This is not an exhaustive list.
  3. Like
    Youngone got a reaction from whiteshirt in Online Flight bookings - who do you use?   
    Up to about 18 months ago I used to buy 6 First class LHR-BKK round tickets in one go from Thai's BKK HQ at a special discounted rate, i.e. I paid for them straight away in January and used them up through the year. A bean counter, in all his/her wisdom, decided at some point that secured upfront cash was less important than a potential higher margin and cancelled the advance purchase option for me. As a result of this decision I started looking around at various booking portals and have flown with EVA instead of Thai 3 times in 2015. I find that travelsupermarket.com gives a pretty good overview of the available options in all booking classes for direct flights ( only EVA, Thai and BA fly direct)and indirect flights between LHR and BKK. From a pricing perspective EVA and BA seems to offer equal and sometimes better fares than the various 3d party sellers, whilst Thai consistently offers prices in C/F class that are £100-£150 more expensive.
     
    I tend to purchase direct from the airline, even if the price is slightly higher, because it's easier to make changes to the booking that way. A call to the airline is much quicker and more efficient in my experience than calling a 3d party seller's call centre where there are often long queues to get through and more often than not they need to call me back as they're not able to confirm the changes on the spot. As for the bean counters commercially insane decision: I used to spend in the region of £20K/year with Thai, which in 2015 dropped to around £9K for 3 flights. The other 3 flights were booked with EVA for around £2K per ticket, so as a result Thai was £11K worse off, EVA was £6K better off and most importantly I saved £5K.
     
    I must admit that service and comfort in Thai's First class is far better than EVA's or BA's Business class though and my next 3 flights will be with them, but only because I've got 2 free upgrades from C to F and a 50% promo offer on miles to use ( 90K miles instead of 180K).
     
    Some pics from Thai's First class on their A380 on the LHR-BKK route.

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

  4. Like
    Youngone reacted to Danum99 in The ministry of crab   
    I finally managed to get The ministry and I was quite satisfied and so full from my visit. I had the chilli and garlic crab and it was superb. The sizes on order are listed on the menu and even though I ordered 'Large', it was a 4 in a category of 10 but it had massive claws. I was initially tempted to get the 5 or 6 by I managed to overcome my greediness. The table is replete with a good sized bib, a cracker and a pick tool, very effective to get into the little nooks and crannies. The restaurant practices a good policy of only live crabs, (you can ask to see it first), no crabs below 500g - the little ones are allowed to grow, no deformity, no claws missing etc etc. What is esp interesting is the way they 'cracked' the claw at the right places, making it easy for the diners to get into it. The chilli prawn wasnt up to my liking though. Cooked with Sri lankan birds eye chilli, it was too sweet for me. Jay, the restaurant manager, later told me I should have taken the pepper, garlic pepper or garlic pepper prawn. Ah! Well... The ministry is certainly worth the while. It would be good to speak with Jay to discover your interests and palate before you order. The bill came to 5900baht. I would like to revisit it again.
     

  5. Thanks
    Youngone got a reaction from KendoUK in The 5th capital sin...   
    ShyguyUK and myself had our traditional New Year's lunch this Friday at Artur, a very traditional steak house with a lot of classic French dishes on the menu such as frog legs, burgundy snails, sole meuniere, pan fried foie gras, bisque d'homard, home made sauces such as an excellent Bearnaise etc etc. The last few years we had always opted for Le Normandie, but we decided to mix it up this year around and we sure as hell didn't regret that decision. The food was more than excellent!
     
    Artur ( https://www.facebook.com/pages/category/Restaurant/ARTUR-Restaurant-330562996849/ ) is located in Soi Ton Son, in between Phloenchit and Chidlom BTS stations. I exited at Chidlom and it took me about 5 minutes on foot to get there. I had the Bisque D'homard ( lobster soup), sole meuniere and tarte tatin accompanied by some wines recommended by the Thai female chef ( who speaks fluent English and French). Full marks all around and the return factor is very high!
     
    Very quiet for lunch, for a more lively atmosphere it is recommended to go for dinner.

     
    Amuse bouche, very tasty!

     
    House white wine

     
    Bisque d'homard

     
    A light red recommended by the Thai female chef.

     
    Sole meuniere, the beurre blanc and the home made bearnaise that came with it were more than excellent.

     
    A glass of the recommended red wine and a glass of Sancerre to go with desert.

     
    A raspberry bavarois on the house.

     
    Tarte Tatin

     
    The least pleasant bit of the afternoon  

  6. Thanks
    Youngone got a reaction from KendoUK in The 5th capital sin...   
    ShyguyUK and myself had our traditional New Year's lunch this Friday at Artur, a very traditional steak house with a lot of classic French dishes on the menu such as frog legs, burgundy snails, sole meuniere, pan fried foie gras, bisque d'homard, home made sauces such as an excellent Bearnaise etc etc. The last few years we had always opted for Le Normandie, but we decided to mix it up this year around and we sure as hell didn't regret that decision. The food was more than excellent!
     
    Artur ( https://www.facebook.com/pages/category/Restaurant/ARTUR-Restaurant-330562996849/ ) is located in Soi Ton Son, in between Phloenchit and Chidlom BTS stations. I exited at Chidlom and it took me about 5 minutes on foot to get there. I had the Bisque D'homard ( lobster soup), sole meuniere and tarte tatin accompanied by some wines recommended by the Thai female chef ( who speaks fluent English and French). Full marks all around and the return factor is very high!
     
    Very quiet for lunch, for a more lively atmosphere it is recommended to go for dinner.

     
    Amuse bouche, very tasty!

     
    House white wine

     
    Bisque d'homard

     
    A light red recommended by the Thai female chef.

     
    Sole meuniere, the beurre blanc and the home made bearnaise that came with it were more than excellent.

     
    A glass of the recommended red wine and a glass of Sancerre to go with desert.

     
    A raspberry bavarois on the house.

     
    Tarte Tatin

     
    The least pleasant bit of the afternoon  

  7. Thanks
    Youngone got a reaction from KendoUK in The 5th capital sin...   
    ShyguyUK and myself had our traditional New Year's lunch this Friday at Artur, a very traditional steak house with a lot of classic French dishes on the menu such as frog legs, burgundy snails, sole meuniere, pan fried foie gras, bisque d'homard, home made sauces such as an excellent Bearnaise etc etc. The last few years we had always opted for Le Normandie, but we decided to mix it up this year around and we sure as hell didn't regret that decision. The food was more than excellent!
     
    Artur ( https://www.facebook.com/pages/category/Restaurant/ARTUR-Restaurant-330562996849/ ) is located in Soi Ton Son, in between Phloenchit and Chidlom BTS stations. I exited at Chidlom and it took me about 5 minutes on foot to get there. I had the Bisque D'homard ( lobster soup), sole meuniere and tarte tatin accompanied by some wines recommended by the Thai female chef ( who speaks fluent English and French). Full marks all around and the return factor is very high!
     
    Very quiet for lunch, for a more lively atmosphere it is recommended to go for dinner.

     
    Amuse bouche, very tasty!

     
    House white wine

     
    Bisque d'homard

     
    A light red recommended by the Thai female chef.

     
    Sole meuniere, the beurre blanc and the home made bearnaise that came with it were more than excellent.

     
    A glass of the recommended red wine and a glass of Sancerre to go with desert.

     
    A raspberry bavarois on the house.

     
    Tarte Tatin

     
    The least pleasant bit of the afternoon  

  8. Thanks
    Youngone got a reaction from KendoUK in The 5th capital sin...   
    ShyguyUK and myself had our traditional New Year's lunch this Friday at Artur, a very traditional steak house with a lot of classic French dishes on the menu such as frog legs, burgundy snails, sole meuniere, pan fried foie gras, bisque d'homard, home made sauces such as an excellent Bearnaise etc etc. The last few years we had always opted for Le Normandie, but we decided to mix it up this year around and we sure as hell didn't regret that decision. The food was more than excellent!
     
    Artur ( https://www.facebook.com/pages/category/Restaurant/ARTUR-Restaurant-330562996849/ ) is located in Soi Ton Son, in between Phloenchit and Chidlom BTS stations. I exited at Chidlom and it took me about 5 minutes on foot to get there. I had the Bisque D'homard ( lobster soup), sole meuniere and tarte tatin accompanied by some wines recommended by the Thai female chef ( who speaks fluent English and French). Full marks all around and the return factor is very high!
     
    Very quiet for lunch, for a more lively atmosphere it is recommended to go for dinner.

     
    Amuse bouche, very tasty!

     
    House white wine

     
    Bisque d'homard

     
    A light red recommended by the Thai female chef.

     
    Sole meuniere, the beurre blanc and the home made bearnaise that came with it were more than excellent.

     
    A glass of the recommended red wine and a glass of Sancerre to go with desert.

     
    A raspberry bavarois on the house.

     
    Tarte Tatin

     
    The least pleasant bit of the afternoon  

  9. Thanks
    Youngone got a reaction from KendoUK in The 5th capital sin...   
    ShyguyUK and myself had our traditional New Year's lunch this Friday at Artur, a very traditional steak house with a lot of classic French dishes on the menu such as frog legs, burgundy snails, sole meuniere, pan fried foie gras, bisque d'homard, home made sauces such as an excellent Bearnaise etc etc. The last few years we had always opted for Le Normandie, but we decided to mix it up this year around and we sure as hell didn't regret that decision. The food was more than excellent!
     
    Artur ( https://www.facebook.com/pages/category/Restaurant/ARTUR-Restaurant-330562996849/ ) is located in Soi Ton Son, in between Phloenchit and Chidlom BTS stations. I exited at Chidlom and it took me about 5 minutes on foot to get there. I had the Bisque D'homard ( lobster soup), sole meuniere and tarte tatin accompanied by some wines recommended by the Thai female chef ( who speaks fluent English and French). Full marks all around and the return factor is very high!
     
    Very quiet for lunch, for a more lively atmosphere it is recommended to go for dinner.

     
    Amuse bouche, very tasty!

     
    House white wine

     
    Bisque d'homard

     
    A light red recommended by the Thai female chef.

     
    Sole meuniere, the beurre blanc and the home made bearnaise that came with it were more than excellent.

     
    A glass of the recommended red wine and a glass of Sancerre to go with desert.

     
    A raspberry bavarois on the house.

     
    Tarte Tatin

     
    The least pleasant bit of the afternoon  

  10. Thanks
    Youngone got a reaction from KendoUK in The 5th capital sin...   
    ShyguyUK and myself had our traditional New Year's lunch this Friday at Artur, a very traditional steak house with a lot of classic French dishes on the menu such as frog legs, burgundy snails, sole meuniere, pan fried foie gras, bisque d'homard, home made sauces such as an excellent Bearnaise etc etc. The last few years we had always opted for Le Normandie, but we decided to mix it up this year around and we sure as hell didn't regret that decision. The food was more than excellent!
     
    Artur ( https://www.facebook.com/pages/category/Restaurant/ARTUR-Restaurant-330562996849/ ) is located in Soi Ton Son, in between Phloenchit and Chidlom BTS stations. I exited at Chidlom and it took me about 5 minutes on foot to get there. I had the Bisque D'homard ( lobster soup), sole meuniere and tarte tatin accompanied by some wines recommended by the Thai female chef ( who speaks fluent English and French). Full marks all around and the return factor is very high!
     
    Very quiet for lunch, for a more lively atmosphere it is recommended to go for dinner.

     
    Amuse bouche, very tasty!

     
    House white wine

     
    Bisque d'homard

     
    A light red recommended by the Thai female chef.

     
    Sole meuniere, the beurre blanc and the home made bearnaise that came with it were more than excellent.

     
    A glass of the recommended red wine and a glass of Sancerre to go with desert.

     
    A raspberry bavarois on the house.

     
    Tarte Tatin

     
    The least pleasant bit of the afternoon  

  11. Thanks
    Youngone got a reaction from KendoUK in The 5th capital sin...   
    ShyguyUK and myself had our traditional New Year's lunch this Friday at Artur, a very traditional steak house with a lot of classic French dishes on the menu such as frog legs, burgundy snails, sole meuniere, pan fried foie gras, bisque d'homard, home made sauces such as an excellent Bearnaise etc etc. The last few years we had always opted for Le Normandie, but we decided to mix it up this year around and we sure as hell didn't regret that decision. The food was more than excellent!
     
    Artur ( https://www.facebook.com/pages/category/Restaurant/ARTUR-Restaurant-330562996849/ ) is located in Soi Ton Son, in between Phloenchit and Chidlom BTS stations. I exited at Chidlom and it took me about 5 minutes on foot to get there. I had the Bisque D'homard ( lobster soup), sole meuniere and tarte tatin accompanied by some wines recommended by the Thai female chef ( who speaks fluent English and French). Full marks all around and the return factor is very high!
     
    Very quiet for lunch, for a more lively atmosphere it is recommended to go for dinner.

     
    Amuse bouche, very tasty!

     
    House white wine

     
    Bisque d'homard

     
    A light red recommended by the Thai female chef.

     
    Sole meuniere, the beurre blanc and the home made bearnaise that came with it were more than excellent.

     
    A glass of the recommended red wine and a glass of Sancerre to go with desert.

     
    A raspberry bavarois on the house.

     
    Tarte Tatin

     
    The least pleasant bit of the afternoon  

  12. Like
    Youngone got a reaction from KendoUK in Soi 11 Hotels   
    I've stayed there many times and have always found it good value for money. Rooms are spacious, beds large and extremely comfortable, bathrooms adequate. Below some pics of the room featuring Ming as a willing participant to brighten it up a little
     
    If I stay in the soi 11 area my preferred hotel nowadays is Fraser Suites. Large modern rooms, decent swimming pool, great rooftop bar (Above 11) for only a little bit more money than the likes of Mercure.
     





  13. Like
    Youngone got a reaction from oliver17 in The 5th capital sin...   
    Considering 6 months had passed since our last culinary excursion to Le Normandie, Shyguyuk and I decided last week that it was high time to once again make our way to the Oriental Hotel and indulge in Le Normandie's 8 course Menu Gastronomique accompanied by a Wine Arrangement. I'll let the pics speak for themselves, save to say I needed a nap after this lunch!  
     

















  14. Like
    Youngone got a reaction from KendoUK in Soi 11 Hotels   
    I've stayed there many times and have always found it good value for money. Rooms are spacious, beds large and extremely comfortable, bathrooms adequate. Below some pics of the room featuring Ming as a willing participant to brighten it up a little
     
    If I stay in the soi 11 area my preferred hotel nowadays is Fraser Suites. Large modern rooms, decent swimming pool, great rooftop bar (Above 11) for only a little bit more money than the likes of Mercure.
     





  15. Like
    Youngone reacted to SAGuy in Soi 11 Hotels   
    The alternative short cut from Citrus Suites would be to take the side soi by the Holiday Inn Express, which joins up with Soi 13.
    There's also a side soi connecting the Ambassador Hotel to soi 13.
    Soi 13 is a bit dark at night down towards the bottom end, but it also has a lot less traffic than soi 11 and takes you out to Sukhumvit by Margarita Storm, which is almost opposite CIB and you can access the other side of Sukhumvit via the overpass near to Holly's Coffee Shop.
    WN Bar is about a 5 minutes brisk walk from there also. A top tip for walking to WN Bar is to take the elevated walkway that connects from Robinson all of the way through to Terminal 21 and then past Soi 21.  This has the advantages of being a covered walkway and you also avoid the traffic lights of the Asok intersection.
    Cheers 
    SAG
     
  16. Like
    Youngone reacted to OneTrueSaxon in Soi 11 Hotels   
    One reason I like Citrus 11 is you can cut out the long walk down Soi 11 by going down Soi 11 alley where Citrus is situated.
    I stayed at Le Fenix in 2009 and used the alley to get to Nana Plaza etc 
    It may look far but a lot less traffic and once you get in to Soi 3 there are wider pavements with less people. Much quicker in my opinion. 
    Their is a short cut to Soi 7 and 7/1 from Soi 11 by Raintree Massage Palour where you cut through the car park. Gates usually closed after midnight though.

  17. Like
    Youngone reacted to naughtydog-bkk in Soi 11 Hotels   
    I am not really a budget traveller, so I can't really talk to everyone's requirements, but I live very close. My dad visited recently and stayed at Ambassador. That's actually pretty good value, and nowhere near as far down the soi as some of the options presented. Soi 11 is extremely busy, and very crowded. There's a lot of construction happening at the moment, blocking half of the already-small sidewalks. Don't get me wrong, I really like Soi 11. The far end is rad - really nice bars, restaurants. Nice hipster boho vibe. Strong recommend. But it's a long walk down and won't be a welcome walk all the time. 
    If staying at Soi 11 I'd recommend staying more towards the middle, and closer to Sukhumvit end. Grand Swiss, Ambassador, etc. You'll save money being further down, but I'm not personally sure it is worth. It's one of the most crowded side sois along the stretch, especially late at night. IMO you'll value a short walk to Nana BTS more than a short walk to Insanity Nightclub.
    As another bit of unsolicited advice, bear in mind that Soi 11 isn't very near anything. It's half way between Soi Nana and Soi Cowboy. Probably more Nana-end. But it's certainly not a close walk to either, and will require a taxi to get a notoriously lazy bargirl/ladyboy to come home with you. Only CIB is reasonably close, and you'd still need a taxi/tuktuk/motosai to get there. And ironically that pretty much has to go via Nana to get to the right side of the road.
  18. Like
    Youngone got a reaction from KendoUK in Soi 11 Hotels   
    I've stayed there many times and have always found it good value for money. Rooms are spacious, beds large and extremely comfortable, bathrooms adequate. Below some pics of the room featuring Ming as a willing participant to brighten it up a little
     
    If I stay in the soi 11 area my preferred hotel nowadays is Fraser Suites. Large modern rooms, decent swimming pool, great rooftop bar (Above 11) for only a little bit more money than the likes of Mercure.
     





  19. Like
    Youngone got a reaction from KendoUK in Soi 11 Hotels   
    I've stayed there many times and have always found it good value for money. Rooms are spacious, beds large and extremely comfortable, bathrooms adequate. Below some pics of the room featuring Ming as a willing participant to brighten it up a little
     
    If I stay in the soi 11 area my preferred hotel nowadays is Fraser Suites. Large modern rooms, decent swimming pool, great rooftop bar (Above 11) for only a little bit more money than the likes of Mercure.
     





  20. Like
    Youngone got a reaction from KendoUK in Soi 11 Hotels   
    I've stayed there many times and have always found it good value for money. Rooms are spacious, beds large and extremely comfortable, bathrooms adequate. Below some pics of the room featuring Ming as a willing participant to brighten it up a little
     
    If I stay in the soi 11 area my preferred hotel nowadays is Fraser Suites. Large modern rooms, decent swimming pool, great rooftop bar (Above 11) for only a little bit more money than the likes of Mercure.
     





  21. Like
    Youngone got a reaction from KendoUK in Soi 11 Hotels   
    I've stayed there many times and have always found it good value for money. Rooms are spacious, beds large and extremely comfortable, bathrooms adequate. Below some pics of the room featuring Ming as a willing participant to brighten it up a little
     
    If I stay in the soi 11 area my preferred hotel nowadays is Fraser Suites. Large modern rooms, decent swimming pool, great rooftop bar (Above 11) for only a little bit more money than the likes of Mercure.
     





  22. Like
    Youngone got a reaction from KendoUK in Soi 11 Hotels   
    I've stayed there many times and have always found it good value for money. Rooms are spacious, beds large and extremely comfortable, bathrooms adequate. Below some pics of the room featuring Ming as a willing participant to brighten it up a little
     
    If I stay in the soi 11 area my preferred hotel nowadays is Fraser Suites. Large modern rooms, decent swimming pool, great rooftop bar (Above 11) for only a little bit more money than the likes of Mercure.
     





  23. Like
    Youngone got a reaction from oliver17 in The 5th capital sin...   
    Considering 6 months had passed since our last culinary excursion to Le Normandie, Shyguyuk and I decided last week that it was high time to once again make our way to the Oriental Hotel and indulge in Le Normandie's 8 course Menu Gastronomique accompanied by a Wine Arrangement. I'll let the pics speak for themselves, save to say I needed a nap after this lunch!  
     

















  24. Like
    Youngone got a reaction from oliver17 in The 5th capital sin...   
    No updates to this thread for a while so high time for some new pics  
     
    For the Ramen lovers amongst you I can wholeheartedly recommend Mensho Tokyo, located on the corner of Sukhumvit road and soi 31. I had the Tori Taipan: a very rich chicken broth, pork chashu, duck chashu, green onion, marinated egg and lemon grass. Outstanding and at 320b not bad value either!
     

     

     
  25. Like
    Youngone got a reaction from oliver17 in The 5th capital sin...   
    Considering 6 months had passed since our last culinary excursion to Le Normandie, Shyguyuk and I decided last week that it was high time to once again make our way to the Oriental Hotel and indulge in Le Normandie's 8 course Menu Gastronomique accompanied by a Wine Arrangement. I'll let the pics speak for themselves, save to say I needed a nap after this lunch!  
     

















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