Thann Cafe at Gaysorn Plaza, Bangkok, Thailand

During our time in Bangkok we went to the Gaysorn Shopping mall. Strolling around at Gaysorn we were pleased that Thann, a local spa and shop operator, had opened a new cafe opposite their store. We like Thann and their products, so we were sure the cafe would be also a hit. We weren't wrong.

The design is ultra-modern and there is some creative artwork above the counter.

The seats were comfortable and the staff quick and friendly.

I wanted the afternoon tea set, while he felt more like ordering something light from the a la carte menu. The afternoon tea set was very generous and even so it was meant for one person it was ideal to share.

He had the Lemongrass Mint Iced Tea, a hot chocolate and a carrot tomato soup.

My set came with a traditional tower, but was a bit unusual, because the top tier was a tea cup, filled with sweet goodies.

I chose Vanilla Ginger Tea. There were ham and cheese sandwiches, scones with clotted cream and strawberry jam, chocolate dulce de leche cake, cherry panna cotta, macaroons and short bread.

I liked the flavor of the tea. It was just right - fragrant, sweet and spicy -, while his iced tea reminded me of the exotic east. 

The hot chocolate was light and deemed one of the best he had.

The sandwiches were delicious and the panna cotta and dulce de leche cake moreish.

I left the scones to him, since he is a bigger fan than I am. According to him they were very tasty.

The macaroons were delicate and the short bread excellent too.

When we arrived we were the only customers, but when it was time to go nearly all tables were taken by locals.

We enjoyed our time and thought 869 THB (ca. 20.35 Euro or ca. 27.25 USD) was very good value.

When in Bangkok we will back for more and can highly recommend it.

©2014

Mocha & Muffins @ The Four Seasons Bangkok, Thailand

During our stay at the Four Seasons Hotel Bangkok (please see review) we went to Mocha & Muffins, their bakery and gift shop.

Mocha & Muffins is located in one of the courtyards, which I think is very romantic. The interior is colonial style.

Originally we wanted the chicken curry puffs, but they were already sold out, so we had to rethink our choice and had two Cappuccinos, two smoked salmon bagels and choux pastries.

We took a seat at the back of the bakery and could overlook Rajadamri Road, the BTS Sky train to the outside and Mocha and Muffins seating and counters to the other.

Soon our meal was served.

The staff was very friendly and efficient.

The Cappuccinos were strong, creamy and smooth. The bagel came with cream cheese, roasted peppers, smoked salmon and capers. It was delicious. The choux pastries weren't a disappointment either.

When we had finished we went to the till to pay. All came in at 1.107 THB (ca. 25.90 Euro or 34.80 USD).

It's one of our favorite places in the hotel, so we will return for sure.

©2014

Bai Yun Restaurant @ The Banyan Tree Hotel, Bangkok, Thailand

During our stay at the Banyan Tree Bangkok - we booked a package including a dinner at the Vertigo and one at the Bai Yun. Please see separate reviews for the hotel and Vertigo Grill and Moon Bar.

Bai Yun serves nouvelle Cantonese cuisine and is located on the 60th floor. There are huge windows, offering stunning views over Bangkok.

When we arrived we were welcomed and brought to our table. When we made our reservation we also stated our allergies, but the staff wasn't aware of them. It wasn't a problem. The restaurant manager organized a tailor made menu for us with the chef, because the set menu was based on seafood and mushrooms.

Our table was set with a red table cloth, a mat and cutlery. We also received refreshing towels. Our first course was roasted duck, followed by corn soup with chicken, beef, cod, egg fried rice and sago, vanilla ice cream and cantaloupe melon.

Everything was very good and we enjoyed our meal. The highlight for us was the dessert. It was a palate cleanser, refreshing, sweet and had a nice texture.

The staff was attentive and we appreciated they went the extra mile by creating a meal especially for us.

Of course we would return again if we're looking for beautiful Chinese cuisine in Bangkok.

©2014

Moon Bar & Vertigo Grill @ The Banyan Tree Hotel Bangkok, Thailand

During our stay at the Banyan Tree in Bangkok (see also review) we went to the Moon Bar twice and the Vertigo Grill once.

The restaurant and bar are co-located on the rooftop on the 61st floor. There are a number of stairs to climb up and down, so I wouldn't recommend it for people with walking disabilities.

We had heard many good things and were looking forward to our experiences. We arrived on both occasions shortly after the Moon Bar opened at 17.00 hours and hadn't any problems finding a seat.

The cocktails were very delicious and made addictive as did the stunning views over the city.

On one occasion we had the Chao-Pra-Ya and the Vertigo Sunset, on the other the Catalyst and the Saffron Sunrise. Prices were identical at 1280 THB (ca. 29.50 Euro or ca. 40 USD) for two cocktails. Snacks came with the drinks and were a nut and dried fruit mix, kale chips and spicy nuts. I liked especially the chips. They had an unusual flavor.

It was nice to see the sunset; first Bangkok was bathed in golden light, then the Blue Hour arrived and soon afterwards only the twinkling lights of the city and the moon were visible. It was romantic.

The staff was attentive and made sure they took the order correctly each time.

Dinner at Vertigo was included in our "Taste the Delights of Bangkok" rate, so we had to pay only for the drinks. We had reserved a table for the very first seating and it wasn't busy yet, but the restaurant was full when we left.

We were brought to our table and handed the menu. We could choose from three starters, three main courses and one dessert. Our waiter advised us if we didn't like the dessert it could be exchanged with others. He also checked for any dietary requirements. Most of the dishes didn't contain anything we were allergic to, so we didn't have to have it tailor made for us.

As drinks we had a bottle of water, an Apple Spritzer and mango juice. We both decided to go for the tuna ceviche. He had the wild salmon trout with Moroccan salsa and I the spiced aubergine with saffron rice. As dessert we enjoyed the mango cheese cake.

The most interesting dish was the tuna ceviche.

When it was darker a lamp in the shape of a mushroom was placed on our table and a photographer from the hotel made the rounds to capture all customers. A memento of our visit was given to us later in the form of a framed portrait photo, what a wonderful idea to really capture that special moment here which we enjoyed so much.

Time was flying by and our evening on the top of the Banyan Tree was very memorable.

We enjoyed the responsive and attentive service, the excellent food, the atmosphere and the views.

The drinks came in at 880 THB (ca. 20.25 Euro or 27.40 USD).

We recommend to go at least to the Moon Bar, but if you can, splurge on a Dinner at Vertigo. Costs should be around 100 Euro / 140 USD per person for a three course meal and alcohol free drinks.


©2014 

Cafe Novo @ The Westbury Hotel, Dublin, Ireland

We frequent the Cafe Novo at the Westbury Hotel in Dublin for years now and knew also the predecessor The Sandbank.

It is one of our favorite cafes in Dublin, because we like the design, the friendly and efficient staff, the excellent food and value.

There are two areas - at the front the bar and lounge style seating and at the back the restaurant.

On this occasion only the front was busy with couples and a group of parents with their small babies - really cute and not noisy at all.

We could choose our table at the back.

Cafe Novo is contemporary and industrial in design.

We arrived in time for Saturday brunch. There were summer cocktails, pancakes, omelettes, a full Irish breakfast, a variety of poached eggs and many more items on the menu.

We ordered four Chai Lattes, two Eggs Benedict and one
Banoffee Sundae to share.

All was very delicious and the staff was very attentive, as usual a great experience.

We paid 43.50 Euro (ca. 58.15 USD) excluding tip.

We are going to be back soon.

©2014

Novotel Bangkok Suvarnabhumi Airport Thailand

We know the Novotel Suvarnabhumi seven years now and found out about it only by accident. At the time we were on the way to Koh Samui, but our plane from Copenhagen had been delayed due to technical problems. We received a day room, courtesy of SAS, at the Novotel with free breakfast and lunch. We were impressed by the friendly staff and how beautiful the hotel looked. Ever since we have stayed there, we stay here too, when in Bangkok.
On this occasion we arrived via the Airport Train Link at Suvarnabhumi and took the underground walkway. It was well signed and took around 10 minutes.
We went to the check in desk. Since we had booked an executive room for one night before our flight home we were brought to the Business Center, which also contains the club lounge. Check in took a bit longer than expected, because a suitable room had to be found for us. The staff was always friendly, but very busy.
We were directed to our room, which was based in the same wing as the club lounge.
The rooms hadn't changed much since our last stay in 2009. Ours was large. The walls were dark blue and the furniture also dark. There was Thai modern art work and the room overlooked the pool.
We had a comfortable king sized bed, a writing desk, a chair and coffee table, a mini bar, wardrobe and cupboard. There was also a flat screen TV with local and international channels.
The medium sized bathroom had Novotel own branded amenities, separate bath tub and shower, a sink and toilet.
The shower was smaller than at the Four Seasons or Banyan Tree (please see also reviews), where we had stayed before. All was comfortable to use, though.
Beside the comfortable rooms, we actually enjoy the romance of the hotel and the convenient location to the airport.
All of the restaurants, the reception, the concierge, business center, Executive Club Lounge and some shops are located on the ground floor.
There are Sala Thai for Thai cuisine, The Square (24 hours open and international), Golden Village for Dim Sum and Cantonese, Kinsen (Japanese), the Atrium Terrace, Le Gourmet and Splash Pool Bar.
We went to Le Gourmet for desserts. It has been moved from the side of the stunning atrium to the center. All the cakes we had were wonderful as always. It's our favorite outlet.
The atrium has a lot of Thai features. The reception for example depicts an orchid. There are trees and a water feature. There was also an art exhibition on display, which we found interesting and the art could be bought at the art gallery in the lobby.
During previous stays we went to the pool, enjoyed drinks at the swim up bar, used the spa and visited the Thai Garden, which is a must. It's hidden and a bit difficult to find, but when there, it's tranquil and peaceful.
Kids are also catered for with a small play area in the lobby.
After our stroll through the Thai Garden we went to the Happy Hour at the Club Lounge. The lounge was modern and medium in size.
There was a good selection of hot and cold dishes and desserts.
The staff made also cocktails on request.
There was a small selection of wines and liquors. The red wine we had was very good.
After our savory choices we wanted to have some of the chocolate tartlets. Unfortunately they were finished already, but when we asked nicely we were told they would be back soon. Taking some other nice sweets we returned to our table. A member of staff approached us and apologized, advising that there weren't any chocolate tarts left after all. That was okay with us, but we were surprised when we received a small plate with other chocolate desserts (there were at least six) as an apology. Trying most of them we were really stuffed. To our next surprise somehow the staff had organized three chocolate tartlets for us. We appreciated what the employees did for us, but were in a bend. Being full already we couldn't let the employees down after they went to great length to please us, so we ate the tartlets. They were delicious and worth it.
Originally we had planned to have in room dining after the club lounge, but we had to forget that quickly.
Breakfast is available from 05.00 hours, which was just right for us, because we had an early start to catch our plane to London Gatwick.
The medium sized buffet was good and as all meals high quality. There was a wide choice of Asian and Western dishes, cold cuts, yogurt, cereals and much more.
Check out was done quickly and correctly.
We then took the free shuttle bus to the airport. It runs every ten to fifteen minutes, depending on the time of the day.
We love the Novotel Suvarnabhumi and will always stay there either after or before a flight.


©2014

Vampire

This one is very short, but I hope it's fun. What do you think was the real story behind the imagination of the lady in question?

When I saw a man barfing into my bushes, I was upset. I assumed he was drunk and that already in the morning! I voiced my disgust. The man looked up and I realized he wasn't a man! He was a vampire, who had just feasted - on someone wrong it seemed, because blood and vomit were smeared around his mouth. I was terrified he was going to attack me. I made a cross with my fingers and retreated successfully. Safe in my home, I called my husband, who didn't believe me. I know what I have witnessed!

©2014