Goooooood Morning Bangkok!
OOoOOoOo i had a fantastic time in Bangkok - beginning to think the life of the rich suits me well indeed. i'm turning into a travel snob! soon i wont be able to backpack anymore! i'll NEED clean toilets and comfy beds and properly hot showers and buffet breakfasts! ARGH!
but back to the point: my mom and i went for a girly trip to Bangkok to relax and spend quality time with each other before i return to the UK. in fact, she decided that this was going to be my 21st birthday gift since she wont be in the UK to celebrate my birthday. Or to remind me of the fact that after 21 years of money spent on me, i am still alive and yet her returns are but nought.
it was a toss up between Phuket and Bangkok and finally Bangkok won - because Banyan Tree Resort was having some promotional price for their suites with Sunny Holidays (Royal Orchid Holidays' official tour agent in Singapore). and how often does one get to enjoy a stay in Banyan Tree?
let me get this out of the way - i think that once you experience Banyan Tree service, THERE IS NO TURNING BACK! oh my oh my were we pampered! the fact that at the check-in desk the staff fill in ALL the forms for you instead of handing you a pen and asking you to DIY is a good indicator of how fantastic the experience is. we were shown to our room by the front desk service staff who engaged in pleasant chat with us in the elevator and even introduced all the facilities in the suite when he walked us through the rooms. WOW.
everyday they place some incense sticks and essential oil in the living room for you to burn - and they have an explanation of each fragrance (which is changed daily throughout the hotel) and the qualities they possess.
we had very comfortable beds that were soft yet did not sink in - the pillows were made of down which was divine!
i am a sucker for posh bathrooms! :) i loved the powerful shower and the huge bathtub to soak in... the bathroom was well stocked with bath salts, bath oils and body lotion.
trendy robes were provided - which was especially good for when we were lounging on the sofa and taking turns to massage each others' feet after a good soak.
a complimentary platter of fruit was placed daily in the suite with 2 sets of cutlery and fancily -folded napkins.
the first evening we ventured out to Siam Paragon (right at Siam BTS Station's doorstep) to have some dinner - the basement is filled with food stalls which was impressive. we decided to try this place called Bug & Bee which functions along the same concept as Marché in Singapore where you are given a card as you enter and you accumulate the bill in the card and pay when you leave the premises.
as we were dying of thirst, my mom and i settled on the first order of business - drinks. i had a Lychee Yakult Smoothie (mmmmmmmmmm...) and my mom had a mango drink that was made up of some chewy jelly substance at the base of the glass and topped with ice cold mango puree.
we shared a Vietnamese starter platter (Four Seasons Platter) which comprised of fresh spring rolls, deep fried spring rolls, grilled pork balls and chicken grilled on sugar cane. Gorgeous dish though the fresh spring rolls didnt blow me away as the rice paper skin was too thick. the spicy peanut sauce caught me off-guard though as the full spiciness of the chilli paste on the side exploded in my mouth.
we also had a craving for teppanyaki so we ordered a beef teppanyaki set - the beef was rather dry but the lovely condiments made up for it.
there were so many quaint little eateries that we decided we would come back the next day for tea and we settled on this cute little cafe for a quick mid-day refuelling.
my mom ordered a slice of carrot cake though she scrapped off all the sour cream (!!). it had lots of carrot and nuts which she enjoyed.
i ordered an ice tea (i love Thai ice tea) and a slice of banoffee cheesecake. it was a bit too cheesey and too soft but i really liked the combination.
on our second day we indulged with a 2 hour body scrub and massage at the Banyan Tree Spa (a bit pricey but ohsogoood - plus 6* service). AND THEN WE HAD BUFFET DINNER IN THE HOTEL! talk about mega-indulgence!
We decided to try their buffet at Rom Sai Restaurant (where the daily buffet breakfast is served - which by the way, has an impressive spread as well) on the lower ground floor, overlooking a little garden oasis.
we started with cocktail starters - i had the prawn cocktail, served with sweet Thai dressing
while my mom tried the mixed bean salad (nice but the dressing a but too sweet and creamy for my taste)
they had a good spread at their salad bar - i think they had about 10 different types of dressing. their roaste peppers with garlic was really delicious and i appreciated that they had bacon bits and croutons to top off the salads.
the grilled swordfish with black pepper and garlic (top) was well-executed, considering that it was placed in one of those covered servers which tends to dry out the food yet leave the top layer soggy from condensation. the cold crayfish was delicously light (and even my mom enjoyed it even though she is a "piping-hot-seafood" sort of person) and the cold prawns were wonderfully springy and left you wanting more (which of course i happily obliged my tastebuds). i couldnt decide, however, which type of Thai chili sauce i prefered - green or red. the green had a subtle tart aftertaste while the red was not overly sweet as some tend to be.
the fresh spring rolls were much better than the ones i tried the day before and the spicy peanut sauce was much tamer but really complemented the spring rolls rather than overpower them. i loved the papaya salad (centre), the spicy scallop salad (top right, next to fresh spring rolls), the spicy chicken salad (right of the papaya salad) and the roasted aubergine and ham salad (below the spicy chicken) - each had a unique spiciness to it which allowed me to eat them one after another without feeling a sense of deja vu. the smoked salmon and marinaded salmon were good while the prawn toast was slightly soggy instead of crispy as i would have liked.
the sashimi wasnt fantastic but i enjoyed the salmon (top) and the fatty tuna (left), and in a strange way the octopus (in between the tuna and the salmon) because it was fun to chew on. not a big fan of the mackeral though (bottom left).
what i absolutely loved at the buffet was the barbeque station - they had a spread of prawns, beef, satay (pork, beef and chicken), squid, shelled prawns on a sugar cane and sausages that you could pick and they'd barbeque it for you over a charcoal fire and serve to your table. mmmmmmm... i especially loved the squid, prawns on sugar cane and the satay (which was moist and not dried out as some skewered meat tends to be).
we went a bit fusion with the tempura by enjoying it with Thai chilli sauce instead.
i'm sure my brother (if he had come) would have tucked into the roast pork which was juicy and had a nice crispy skin. didnt particularly fancy the sauce as it was a bit too thick and too sweet.
the massaman beef curry was appetising as the ingredients had absorbed all the flavour from the gravy and was deliciously tender/soft.
i had tried the oden soup during the breakfast buffet and had liked it but was a bit disappointed with the ingredients that i picked during the evening buffet - i guess i'm not really big on the starchy oden pieces because i expected them to taste different from the soup (like yong tau fu) and thus be complementary.
when we finally ventured onto dessert, we both loved the ice cream/sorbet section, especially the coconut ice cream. mmm... we tried the berry compote which was refreshing though rather tart and thus had to be eaten in small spoonfuls. on the other hand, my mom loved the miniature fruits.
these little beauties are filled with yellow bean paste (the stuff that goes into tau suan and ang ku kueh) while the exterior skin is delightfully chewy. she must have taken all on the plate and was keeping a watch on the door of the kitchen to see if they would refill the platter. they did not. :)
i had a tiny slice of opera cake and a strawberry tartlet
and treated myself to chocolate mousse. the meal was washed down with a cup of tea (how terribly British!)
i really enjoyed the buffet even though there were some dishes that werent very nice (like the duck that was smothered with some honey-hoisin sauce and the tonkatsu which was too dry and the breaded outer layer soggy). they had an extensive spread, some of which we didnt try like the cooked-to-order pasta and pre-cooked hot items, and impeccable service (like if you took a soupy item and forgot to take a spoon from the station, they'd be there a few seconds later with a spoon for you).
my mom was so enamoured with the miniature fruits that at the airport she was like an excitable girl when she found boxes of them on sale.
and of course we couldnt leave Thailand without having some Mango with Sticky Rice dessert (even if it is at the airport!)
i really enjoyed the trip and now my mom and i are planning another trip to a Banyan Tree Resort. like i said, there's no turning back.
but back to the point: my mom and i went for a girly trip to Bangkok to relax and spend quality time with each other before i return to the UK. in fact, she decided that this was going to be my 21st birthday gift since she wont be in the UK to celebrate my birthday. Or to remind me of the fact that after 21 years of money spent on me, i am still alive and yet her returns are but nought.
it was a toss up between Phuket and Bangkok and finally Bangkok won - because Banyan Tree Resort was having some promotional price for their suites with Sunny Holidays (Royal Orchid Holidays' official tour agent in Singapore). and how often does one get to enjoy a stay in Banyan Tree?
let me get this out of the way - i think that once you experience Banyan Tree service, THERE IS NO TURNING BACK! oh my oh my were we pampered! the fact that at the check-in desk the staff fill in ALL the forms for you instead of handing you a pen and asking you to DIY is a good indicator of how fantastic the experience is. we were shown to our room by the front desk service staff who engaged in pleasant chat with us in the elevator and even introduced all the facilities in the suite when he walked us through the rooms. WOW.
everyday they place some incense sticks and essential oil in the living room for you to burn - and they have an explanation of each fragrance (which is changed daily throughout the hotel) and the qualities they possess.
we had very comfortable beds that were soft yet did not sink in - the pillows were made of down which was divine!
i am a sucker for posh bathrooms! :) i loved the powerful shower and the huge bathtub to soak in... the bathroom was well stocked with bath salts, bath oils and body lotion.
trendy robes were provided - which was especially good for when we were lounging on the sofa and taking turns to massage each others' feet after a good soak.
a complimentary platter of fruit was placed daily in the suite with 2 sets of cutlery and fancily -folded napkins.
the first evening we ventured out to Siam Paragon (right at Siam BTS Station's doorstep) to have some dinner - the basement is filled with food stalls which was impressive. we decided to try this place called Bug & Bee which functions along the same concept as Marché in Singapore where you are given a card as you enter and you accumulate the bill in the card and pay when you leave the premises.as we were dying of thirst, my mom and i settled on the first order of business - drinks. i had a Lychee Yakult Smoothie (mmmmmmmmmm...) and my mom had a mango drink that was made up of some chewy jelly substance at the base of the glass and topped with ice cold mango puree.
we shared a Vietnamese starter platter (Four Seasons Platter) which comprised of fresh spring rolls, deep fried spring rolls, grilled pork balls and chicken grilled on sugar cane. Gorgeous dish though the fresh spring rolls didnt blow me away as the rice paper skin was too thick. the spicy peanut sauce caught me off-guard though as the full spiciness of the chilli paste on the side exploded in my mouth.
we also had a craving for teppanyaki so we ordered a beef teppanyaki set - the beef was rather dry but the lovely condiments made up for it.
there were so many quaint little eateries that we decided we would come back the next day for tea and we settled on this cute little cafe for a quick mid-day refuelling.
my mom ordered a slice of carrot cake though she scrapped off all the sour cream (!!). it had lots of carrot and nuts which she enjoyed.
i ordered an ice tea (i love Thai ice tea) and a slice of banoffee cheesecake. it was a bit too cheesey and too soft but i really liked the combination.
on our second day we indulged with a 2 hour body scrub and massage at the Banyan Tree Spa (a bit pricey but ohsogoood - plus 6* service). AND THEN WE HAD BUFFET DINNER IN THE HOTEL! talk about mega-indulgence!
We decided to try their buffet at Rom Sai Restaurant (where the daily buffet breakfast is served - which by the way, has an impressive spread as well) on the lower ground floor, overlooking a little garden oasis.
we started with cocktail starters - i had the prawn cocktail, served with sweet Thai dressing
while my mom tried the mixed bean salad (nice but the dressing a but too sweet and creamy for my taste)
they had a good spread at their salad bar - i think they had about 10 different types of dressing. their roaste peppers with garlic was really delicious and i appreciated that they had bacon bits and croutons to top off the salads.
the grilled swordfish with black pepper and garlic (top) was well-executed, considering that it was placed in one of those covered servers which tends to dry out the food yet leave the top layer soggy from condensation. the cold crayfish was delicously light (and even my mom enjoyed it even though she is a "piping-hot-seafood" sort of person) and the cold prawns were wonderfully springy and left you wanting more (which of course i happily obliged my tastebuds). i couldnt decide, however, which type of Thai chili sauce i prefered - green or red. the green had a subtle tart aftertaste while the red was not overly sweet as some tend to be.
the fresh spring rolls were much better than the ones i tried the day before and the spicy peanut sauce was much tamer but really complemented the spring rolls rather than overpower them. i loved the papaya salad (centre), the spicy scallop salad (top right, next to fresh spring rolls), the spicy chicken salad (right of the papaya salad) and the roasted aubergine and ham salad (below the spicy chicken) - each had a unique spiciness to it which allowed me to eat them one after another without feeling a sense of deja vu. the smoked salmon and marinaded salmon were good while the prawn toast was slightly soggy instead of crispy as i would have liked.the sashimi wasnt fantastic but i enjoyed the salmon (top) and the fatty tuna (left), and in a strange way the octopus (in between the tuna and the salmon) because it was fun to chew on. not a big fan of the mackeral though (bottom left).
what i absolutely loved at the buffet was the barbeque station - they had a spread of prawns, beef, satay (pork, beef and chicken), squid, shelled prawns on a sugar cane and sausages that you could pick and they'd barbeque it for you over a charcoal fire and serve to your table. mmmmmmm... i especially loved the squid, prawns on sugar cane and the satay (which was moist and not dried out as some skewered meat tends to be).
we went a bit fusion with the tempura by enjoying it with Thai chilli sauce instead.
i'm sure my brother (if he had come) would have tucked into the roast pork which was juicy and had a nice crispy skin. didnt particularly fancy the sauce as it was a bit too thick and too sweet.
the massaman beef curry was appetising as the ingredients had absorbed all the flavour from the gravy and was deliciously tender/soft.
i had tried the oden soup during the breakfast buffet and had liked it but was a bit disappointed with the ingredients that i picked during the evening buffet - i guess i'm not really big on the starchy oden pieces because i expected them to taste different from the soup (like yong tau fu) and thus be complementary.
when we finally ventured onto dessert, we both loved the ice cream/sorbet section, especially the coconut ice cream. mmm... we tried the berry compote which was refreshing though rather tart and thus had to be eaten in small spoonfuls. on the other hand, my mom loved the miniature fruits.
these little beauties are filled with yellow bean paste (the stuff that goes into tau suan and ang ku kueh) while the exterior skin is delightfully chewy. she must have taken all on the plate and was keeping a watch on the door of the kitchen to see if they would refill the platter. they did not. :)i had a tiny slice of opera cake and a strawberry tartlet
and treated myself to chocolate mousse. the meal was washed down with a cup of tea (how terribly British!)
i really enjoyed the buffet even though there were some dishes that werent very nice (like the duck that was smothered with some honey-hoisin sauce and the tonkatsu which was too dry and the breaded outer layer soggy). they had an extensive spread, some of which we didnt try like the cooked-to-order pasta and pre-cooked hot items, and impeccable service (like if you took a soupy item and forgot to take a spoon from the station, they'd be there a few seconds later with a spoon for you). my mom was so enamoured with the miniature fruits that at the airport she was like an excitable girl when she found boxes of them on sale.
and of course we couldnt leave Thailand without having some Mango with Sticky Rice dessert (even if it is at the airport!)
i really enjoyed the trip and now my mom and i are planning another trip to a Banyan Tree Resort. like i said, there's no turning back.
posted by ade at
4:44 pm
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