Tomcat Eats OutThe best restaurant reviews. Mainly by Tomcat but we'll move any well written reviews here too.
As ever, sponsored by the very lovely Chris at Oh My Cod!
SD and I joined two friends visiting from Egypt for dinner at Ciao Italian on the Oriental terrace. From our arrival by hotel boat to our lingering departure by taxi, the evening can only be described as magnificent. I can't remember when I've enjoyed finer company in a finer setting at Christmas....a perfect moment to savor.
SD and Ms. M started with a raw tuna and greens arrangement while Mr. T and I ordered the marinated baby calamari. They won the first round. The tuna (black eye) was exquisite as was the dressing it and the accompanying greens were bathed in. Our calamari was merely wonderful (I'm going to run seriously short of effusive adjectives here so please bear with me if I start to repeat). We had a little more variety for the main courses: SD ordered a pizza with a light seafood topping that was, possibly, a little better crust-wise than those served at Scoozi's on Thong Lor. Ms. M's grilled sea bass sported a beautiful crust and a light sauce that complemented (and complimented) the freshness of the fish. Mr. T's gnocchi (plain and spinach) were light and probably the best I've tasted anywhere. I had mussels in a light tomato sauce, a commonly served dish here: plump and flavorful, they arrived in a sauce that was tangy and screamingly fresh. My mouth is watering as I write...
...and the desserts: I can declare that SD's tiramisu was not only impossibly delicious, with the right balance of coffee liquor to dairy, but imo, better than any I've tried in bkk. The rest of us ordered a baked orange tart with poppyseed ice cream that reduced conversation to gasps of near lustful delight as we realized that we had achieved gourmet nirvana.
...and the wine: generous glasses of the fine Cesari Valpolicella (red) and Pinot Grigio (white).
Mr. T and I ended the meal with Sambuca: a perfect end to a perfect meal in a perfect setting. Oh, and I've forgotten to mention the fireworks displays, the river attractions, the superior service, the beautiful weather, the sparkling conversation, and the hotel interiors we enjoyed on the way out (again with the Christmas tree fetish, but far more tastefully done)...a wonderful Christmas experience.
Checkbin: B9,300 for 4 and worth every baht.
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Majestically enthroned amid the vulgar herd....
Last edited by tomcat; 26th December 2007 at 22:39.
"so please show no pity as we come up from the ground, and please remember as you kill us and cut us down that time will not wash clean the bloody face of history, and someone will breathe here again and they will hate you for what you leave." m.g.
That sounds so nice. And with 2 bottles of nice wine thrown in its not bad, and dont forget I am as thrifty as they come. Gnocchi are one of my favorites, how can they make potato so light? What kinds of sauce were available TC?
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Too long in Exile, too long not singing my song.
Too long like a rolling stone, Too long in exile
Too long in Exile, baby you just arent my friend.
Too long in Exile my friend, Baby you can never go home again.
Tomcat, matey! That sounds like a hell of a good restaurant, with good staff, and a hell of a feed, and drink!
Wish mine was as good as yours!
Oh well maybe Bangers on the 25th 2008?
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Bite off more than you can chew, then chew like buggery! (Peter Brock 05)
AO: those of course, were glasses of wine, not bottles. The gnocchi were in a very light cream sauce. This normally isn't a dish I would order: I find gnocchi are usually served as little leaden starch bombs. In the capable hands of the Oriental chef, however, these turned out light and flavorful.
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Majestically enthroned amid the vulgar herd....
I was, too. While the tab could have been much more expensive, it could also have been cheaper: less wine, no sambuca, two shared starters rather than four, etc. There are ways around the high prices while enjoying the same ambiance.
It's just that I'm prone to excess after all my years in the dunes...
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Majestically enthroned amid the vulgar herd....
I find gnocchi are usually served as little leaden starch bombs. In the capable hands of the Oriental chef, however, these turned out light and flavorful.
Thats the point. The best cant be described. Really well presented again TC.
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Too long in Exile, too long not singing my song.
Too long like a rolling stone, Too long in exile
Too long in Exile, baby you just arent my friend.
Too long in Exile my friend, Baby you can never go home again.
Although i've been looking at new year party things, the cheapest and best i've found is at the hilton for 9900 baht each lol. I would love to go to Vertigo, that is around 14k a person then a 1k fee for the balcony to watch the fireworks.
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I do not consider Adolf Hitler to be as bad as depicted. He is showing an ability that is amazing, and he seems to be gaining his victories without much bloodshed - Gandhi
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