Archive for May, 2010

Chesa Swiss Restaurant – Finally, White Asparagus From Europe – Bangkok

Sunday, May 9th, 2010

chesa-head-_02chesa-head-_03

WHITE ASPARAGUS FROM EUROPE

whiteasparagus
White Asparagus Soup 180.-
Rocket and White Asparagus Salad Tossed with vinaigrette 510.-
Pan-Fried Goose Liver on White Asparagus 
Topped with a raspberry flavored port wine sauce 890.-
White Asparagus Risotto 580.-
Boiled White Asparagus with Smoked Ham Served with baby potatoes, Hollandaise or mayonnaise 890.-
White Asparagus “Ticinese Style” Gratinated with Parmesan cheese and thyme 810.-
Poached Salmon on White Asparagus Accompanied by noodles and a white wine sauce 850.-

5 Sukhumvit Soi 20 Klong Toey
Klong Toey Bangkok 10110
Thailand
Telephone +662 261 6650

L’Enclume, Cartmel, Lake District – UK

Sunday, May 9th, 2010

Contributed by Carole Chung

L'enclume2

Michelin Star restaurant L’Enclume
Opening Hours: Lunch Wed – Sun, 12noon – 1.30pm
Dinner Mon – Sun, 6.30pm – 9.00pm
Accommodation available every day (check in 3pm/check out 11am)

Situated in the heart of the picturesque village of 
Cartmel at the Southern edge of the English Lake 
District is the restaurant L’Enclume along with 12 rooms where you can stay comfortably overnight, or longer. The restaurant is run by chef proprietor Simon Rogan, recently, it has been gleaning praise from culinary circles around the globe. Rogan’s dictum is, “Forever restless I am looking for tastes, textures and fragrances, visual presentations to stun with a little bit of humour added. To reduce dairy products and to eliminate heavy meat based stocks and sauces, instead letting the subtle herbs, roots and flowers take control”. This is one restaurant to keep your eye on in the future . . . its going places on the fast track! C. C.

Nihonmachi (Japanese Village), Behind K-Village, Sukhumvit Soi 26 – Bangkok

Wednesday, May 5th, 2010

YakitoriTenkaichi Yakiton Yakitori is very popular with the Japanese community and it is fully booked especially on weekends.

This is a new development and the list of restaurants and shops will as they open. At this time below is a selection of restaurants/shops currently open or almost open:

DoroyakiRestaurant featuring Doroyaki & Okonomiyaki

Bulgagi

Gyunoya

Kobo

Korean BBQI have included this restaurant although it is not technically located in Nihonmachi, as it is across the road

Komonoya 60 baht

Barbrix Wine Bar and Restaurant, Silver Lake – Los Angeles

Wednesday, May 5th, 2010

By Sandy Driscoll

Don Dickman 2Chef Don Dickman prepares for the fourth course (Fresh Pasta on the trays, ready to cook) All images on this post ©2010 restaurantdiningcritiques.com & Sandy Driscoll

Barbrix Wine Bar and Restaurant
2442 Hyperion Avenue @ Tracy
Los Angeles, CA  90027    (Silver Lake area)
Website:  http://www.barbrix.com/Home.html
Phone:  323-662-2442
Open:  Sunday – Thursday   6pm – 11pm
Friday – Saturday      6pm – 12am
Credit Cards:  Yes
Valet Parking:  Available
Prices:  Reasonable

Opening in May 2009, Barbrix was an instant hit with the hip, trendy, bohemian Silver Lake neighborhood of Los Angeles.  Just a few months later, they were named one of LA’s Top 10 New Restaurants by Los Angeles Magazine.

Located across from Baller Hardware in a tastefully renovated former 1940’s residence, there is an outdoor patio area, a 360 degree wine bar, and a 40 seat dining room with counter seats available (my personal favorite!) at the open kitchen.   Chef Don Dickman has created a Mediterranean-influenced menu, studded with straightforward flavors that reflect the wide ranging bounty of fabulous fruits and vegetables always available from the many farmers markets in the area.

Most of the menu items (first courses, cheeses, charcuterie, vegetables & grains, fish & meat) are small plates, perfect for sharing.  Prices are reasonable.  Nothing is over $17 and most are $5-10.
Want a glass or two of interesting wine?  Most are under $10.

I was very excited to attend their first Wine Dinner, featuring the wines of Navarro Vineyards.  http://www.navarrowine.com/main.php Winemaker, informative and congenial Jim Klein, was on hand to introduce and chat about his wines, which were beautifully paired with each course.  Appetizers, four generous courses, dessert and six wines were offered for a total of $75, inclusive of tax and gratuity.  Portions were very generous (some at my table took home leftovers) and the restaurant was full of very happy and convivial diners.

The evening epitomized fine and fun dining.  I sure hope they make this a regular tradition!

rice cake 2Rice Cakes with Spicy Hamachi Tartar       –          Crostini with Crescenza & Crispy Sweetbreads

’08 Estate Gewurztraminer – Mendocino

PepperPiquillo Pepper Stuffed with Bacalao – Stinging Nettle Pesto

’07 Chardonnay – Mendocino

RisottoDuck Confit Risotto with Alba Mushrooms & Fig Vin Cotto

’06 Pinot Noir – “Methode L’Ancienne” – Anderson Valley
Moroccan lambMoroccan Spiced Lamb ‘Osso Buco’, Beldi Olive BBQ Sauce & Minted Fava Beans

’07 Zinfandel – “Old Vine Cuvee” – Anderson Valley

Pot RoastPot Roasted Prime Beef Short Ribs, Black Pepper Noodles & Horseradish Gremolata

’06 Syrah – Mendocino

Pear Tarte TatinPear Tarte Tatin, Whipped Mascarpone & Pine Cone Essence

’06 Riesling Late-Harvest “Cluster Select”

K Village, Restaurants & Shops, Sukhumvit Soi 26 – Bangkok

Wednesday, May 5th, 2010

K-Village1

The development company is called Kananan Co., hence the name K-Village, which falsely leads people to believe it may have something to do with Koreans, while in fact, it is owned by the Athakravi family.  Although, as long-time developers of large scale buildings, they are entering the mall business using a concept widely proliferated in the U.S., mainly in the western states, where malls have plenty of space to spread out into wide-open barren lands. These first malls are typically two-story buildings surrounded by seemingly endless car parks. While this development is on a much smaller scale, it basically follows the same model as the first shopping center of this concept built in the world, Eastland, it was constructed in the 1950’s in West Covina, outside of Los Angeles. K-Village adjoins the French Supermarket Chain Carrefour on Sukhumvit Soi 26 & Rama IV of which the Athakravi’s also own the land it is built on. In the interest of diversification, behind the main complex that centers around the Gourmet Market and the K-Village Square is the Nihonmachi (Japanese Village). It is smaller than K-Village but duplicates the same format as does another complex, possibly unrelated, across the street where Torajiro Restaurant is located on the second floor. Below are a collection of some of the more interesting restaurants and shops in K-Village, they will be expanded as new restaurants/shops open. The destruction of Central World in the recent protestations, may steer more traffic to these fledgling malls; only time will tell.

Nobu

K-Village

Curry House Coco

Gourmet MarketThe Gourmet Market is the only anchor at K-Village Mall

Gourmet Market2

Le Francais

Shabu Sen

K-Village

Scoma's

Daiso

Elite

Hangari GalbiHangari Galbi

Jemlin

Ringer Hut

KUU Sake Bar

Wine ConnectionWine Connection Wine Shop, Deli & Bistro . . . more information here

Yum Tum

Tenkaichi Yakiton Yakitori, Nagiya Nihonmachi – Bangkok

Monday, May 3rd, 2010

Tenkaichi, Nihonmachi, Sukhumvit Soi 26, Bangkok

Nihonmachi 105, 115 soi Sukhumvit 26
Sukhumvit Rd., Klongtoey, Bangkok 10110
Tel. Japanese: 02-258-2790
Thai Fax: 02-258-2789
Opening Hours: 17:00-24:00; Last Order 23:00
Cash Only
Prices: Inexpensive-Moderate

Slightly in the rear of K-Village is Nihonmachi (Japanese Town) where this new Tenkaichi Yakitori is located. It is highly regarded in the Japanese community as offering very authentic yakitori. I would suggest going on a weekday or book in advance if you speak Japanese, as at the moment, they are usually fully booked on the weekend evenings.

Tenkaichi 2The specials are written above the cooking line

TenkaichiFrom the bottom clockwise: chicken wings, chicken meat balls, grilled tomatoes & gizzards

Yakitori

Vraí French Yogurt Available at Villa Market – Bangkok

Sunday, May 2nd, 2010

Vrai 2

This fine product is imported from France, it is available in Bangkok at Villa Market

Vrai 3

Cinco de Mayo at Coyote Sukhumvit – Bangkok

Saturday, May 1st, 2010

Cinco de Mayo at Coyote