Privateluca

Not sure it has been proposed as a thread here or on Pattaya forum, at least in a thorough and descriptive way as I intend it.
I’m a sinful devil bastard and I don’t let lust overwhelm my gluttony. I’m a serious foodie and I’m planning my short trip in September (18-24) accordingly. 3 nights in BKK, 3 nights in Pattaya, I’m almost set. 
Back home I read a lot on the subject and I’m always on the lookout for the latest gourmet novelties, be it higher-end places or cheap holes with exceptional love for what they do. 
I’m an Italian after all. We talk about food even when we are eating. 
In BKK I already enquired for a table at Gaggan, voted World’s best Asian restaurant and I put on my list some of the places A. Bourdain (RIP and Respect bro), visited. 
I was wondering if some of you sinners would like to share some tips on gems to be found while in BKK and Pattaya. 
I’m not afraid of experimenting strangest things as long as it’s really tasteful... 
the same goes for what arouses me in bed I suppose...
Thanks for your insights!

Straight to my room. Wouldn't think of taking a hooker from the net that I've never met out for dinner and a night out before shagging them. For a couple reasons:
 
1. Spending more money unnecessarily and opening up the potential for the date to backfire. You might find things you don't like about her or she might find things she doesn't like about you that leads to either you or her not looking forward to the later encounter. Even worse is if the ladyboy thinks that you're courting her because you're looking for more than a fuuck... then you've got a paid date that doesn't want to leave, bugging you on messaging apps, jealously, etc.
2. Filling a ladyboy with food and then going out for the night doesn't sound like a good idea when someone is about to get fucked in the ass later. Eating and drinking gets the bowels moving... A lot of ladyboys plan their diet out to eat at certain times to keep their pooper as vacant as possible during their usual playtime. Probably not going to have much affect if you eat and then go straight back to the room, but eating, going out for a few hours... things are going to be starting to move from the stomach to the intestines in a few hours. Sure, the ladyboy can shoot a few gallons of water up their ass to clean as much shit out  as possible, but I think you're just creating more room for leakage, gas, smells, etc. ... Nope
 
I'm not saying to not do go out and eat and take ladyboys out for a night out, but it's better to do it with someone you've met before and know you have a connection with. It'll probably be a lot less embarrassing if either of you have an accident after a big meal and a night out if it's someone you've been with before. That's not something you want to happen on a first time encounter IMO.

This is one good way to see a side of Thailand many tourists miss. The food is much better when you get off the beaten farang path. Food is a very social event for Thais. After living here 3 years I have a hard time eating farang food. I feel stuffed and bloated when I eat farang food... so they will too. It also makes them feel good to know you have an interest in Thai culture. And ask her about Thailand (if she is Thai) and Thai food. 

The smart move is to let the LB choose a place. Chances are you will end up at a modest Thai restaurant with communal dining tables, often outdoors. It will only cost you a few hundred baht.  Don't try to take them to some dressy farang-oriented Thai restaurant.  The atmosphere will be uncomfortable for them and they often won't care for the taste of the food. The food is apparently too salty for their taste in the fancy places.  
Afterward for desert,  take them out for ice cream. They all love ice cream, and going to Swensens or wherever is always a big hit with them. 
 

Last night a non BM friend, Shyguyuk and myself made the pilgrimage to Savelberg ( https://www.restaurantsavelberg.com/ ) on Wireless ( Witthayu) road. The restaurant is located about a 10 minute walk along Wireless road from Phloenchit BTS station on the side of the US embassy and is within the compound of the Oriental Residence. Plush surroundings but the staff were quite relaxed and were not overly formal as can happen in Michelin starred restaurants ( Le Normandie at the Oriental Hotel is a good example of that). The place is owned by Henk Savelberg ( https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henk_Savelberg ) , a relatively famous chef in The Netherlands who has relocated to Thailand to start a restaurant here. All 3 of us were well impressed with the quality of the food which by western standards is very good value, the only dish I found overpriced and disappointing was the cheeseboard. The wine list is extensive, not cheap but I wouldn't say overpriced either due to the high import duties Thailand charges on imported alcohol. Return factor: High.
 
A look inside the kitchen from the table.

Amuse 1: the silver ball was filled with crab meat.

Amuse 2: a very light foie gras mousse

My non BM friend was keen on the caviar dish so we asked if we could share a portion: no problem the waiter said, instead of 30 grams you'll get 15 grams each . It was served on crème fraiche and surrounded by a potato mash. Most excellent!

Starter: Lobster, tasted very light and refreshing.

Main dish: Veal & Foie Gras, very delicate and an outstanding combination.

The let down for me was the cheese board: 700b for 4 tiny pieces of cheese is terrible value for money when compared to a place like No Idea where 8 large pieces are charged at 590b.

Mango dessert, again very light and refreshing.

We had 3 bottles of wine with the meal: a terrific Chablis ( 4500b) to accompany the caviar and lobster, an outstanding Saint Estephe (5000b) to accompany the veal & foie gras and we treated ourselves to an unbelievably good Chateau d'Yquem (15000b) as a dessert wine. Both the Chablis and the Saint Estephe were recommendations of the sommelier and he was spot on.

All good tips guys. 
I'd like to add a very traditional Som tam restaurant right by phloen chit.
Madam Somtum
888/19 Phloen Chit Rd, Khwaeng Lumphini, Khet Pathum Wan, Krung Thep Maha Nakhon 10330, Thailand
+66 2 651 5899
https://goo.gl/maps/A4a4t1D3j3Q2
Sorry I didn't take any pictures but there are some available on the Google page. I have eaten here twice the som tam is excellent, made to your preference of spiciness, the grilled pork neck is heavenly the kind of melt in your mouth levels of tenderness. My personal favourite though was the Tom Yam pork bone, the creme de la creme of Tom Yam if you ask me, and here it is spectacular. It's a thai restaurant so expect a certain level of spiciness, stuffed my face here at lunch twice and not for more than 300 baht.
 

For the late night street food fans amongst you. On the corner of Sukhumvit soi 11 roughly here I think 
Dropped Pin
near Soi Sukhumvit 11, Khwaeng Khlong Toei Nuea, Khet Watthana, Krung Thep Maha Nakhon 10110
https://goo.gl/maps/r6kiN2u2nBJ2
Ate here two nights running at 2-3am both nights. Spicy seafood noodle salad was great, their fried rice is banging had a seafood and prawn version, pad see ew was top notch as well. But the absolute highlight is watching the small lady with a limp who is clearly the head chef at work. Never in my life have I seen someone cook at such speed, with such skill and produce food of such quality. And all on what, to all intent and purpose, to western eyes is little more than a camp fire. Very few of your michelen star chefs could produce food of this quality under such conditions.
It does get very busy had to take away second night as nowhere to sit.

Great reading and pictures in all these posts. A pleasure going through them. Will be arriving in BK soon and will take up a good few of these suggestions.

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/


 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Youngone excellent suggestions!
Thanks for taking the time to go through your pictures.

If I'm in the mood for a simple and quick lunch I like to go to Ippudo for some of their excellent Ramen. There are a number of Ippudo restaurants across town, I like the one on the 5th floor of the Emporium Mall best. The spicy gyoza is fantastic and the Tom Yum Ramen is memorable...  http://www.ippudo.co.th/en/


 
If you like Spanish food and you like dining with a view than look no further than Uno Mas. It's located on the 54th floor of the Centara Grand hotel at Central World ( BTS station Siam Square). They have a stunning array of tapas and a Spanish wine selection that is more than excellent at very competitive prices. Best is to order 5 or 6 different tapas as the portions are quite generous and forget about the main dishes. I dined here just last week with Shyguyuk, a fellow foodie, and we were both more than impressed   http://www.unomasbangkok.com/
 




 
Probably my favourite restaurant in Bangkok is No Idea in Sukhumvit soi 22. It labels itself as a 'gastro pub' but I reckon they're too modest with that description. The place is run by owner Dave, a Kiwi who is a retired 747 captain with Cathay Pacific, and his wife who does the cooking. The atmosphere is very relaxed, the food is outstanding and the selection of wine is one of the best in Bangkok. They have great wines by the glass like Alexana, an excellent Pinot Noir from Oregon, as well as a huge bottle selection of both New World and traditional wines. The cheeseboard here for me is the best in Bangkok, 590b for a selection of 8 different cheeses is truly great value for money.  http://www.noideabkk.com/
 

You're welcome Privateluca. One of the reasons I love living in Bangkok, besides obviously the nightlife, is the fact that there are excellent restaurants galore for very affordable prices when compared to the West. Here are a few more
 
One of the best coffee's in town in my opinion can be had D'Ark, located on the ground floor of the Emquartier. It's a good place to relax, watch the world go by and try one of their delicious coffee's or simple dishes. http://www.darkoffee.com/
 



 
Michelin brought out their first Bangkok guide earlier this year and awarded a number of restaurants with 1 and 2 stars. One of the restaurants awarded 1 star is Joel Robuchon, located in the Mahanakhon Cube right next to Chong Nonsi BTS station. There is an open plan kitchen where you can see the chefs at work and seating is either at the counter or at a table in the back. If you're going there alone or with just 1 friend it's fun to sit at the counter but if there are 3 or more of you that makes for awkward conversation and a table would be better. The food here is more than excellent, but it does come at a very high price; especially by Bangkok standards. Where this restaurant lets itself down for me is with their wine list. The selection of wines by the glass is very limited and too expensive, whilst it is virtually impossible to find a decent bottle on their list for an affordable price. It is for that reason that I am not too keen on returning.  http://robuchon-bangkok.com/