The View is Nice, But…
February 4th, 2009
Chakrabongse House
Bangkok, Thailand – I had high hopes for Chakrabongse House, an appointment-only restaurant, where I was joining a bunch of respected Thai chefs for the a documentary taping. I should have known better. There’s usually a disconnect between ambience and food in Bangkok and this restaurant was quite lovely. It’s set amidst the gardens and villas, formerly the residence of Prince Chakrabong, son of King Rama V, and now a boutique hotel owned by his granddaughter. To get there, you walk down a quiet road, lit with candles and white lights, past verdant trees and pools of water until Bangkok slips away and you reach a glowing teak house overlooking the Chao Phraya river. The meal started off promisingly enough with spring rolls filled with the delightful combination of fish and holy basil, a lighter, peppier spring roll than most. After that, things fell flat. The tom ka goong tasted overly citrusy bereft of herbal notes or the creaminess and sweetness of coconut milk. The stir fried asparagus and mushrooms were fresh and fine, but nothing more. The massamam curry with chicken had some chili heat, yet seemed to be missing the cacophony of spices and herbs normally present in a good curry. Dessert was a perfectly okay mango sticky rice and plates of fresh fruit, of which the watermelon tasted like garlic, presumably from a knife or cutting board that hadn’t been wiped clean between courses. And then there were the neon-lit barges with karoake blasting across the river. At least the breeze was cool and the view of Wat Arun clear.
Table Setting with View of Wat Arun
View of the House
Spring Rolls with Fish & Holy Basil
Tom Ka Goong
Chakrabongse Residence
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