I’ve noticed that a few reviews of Bangkok restaurants are among the most popular posts on the site, and as it’s been a year or more since I reviewed any of them, I thought it might be a good idea to re-visit them and see what’s happening.
V8
Original review: 20 December 2010
Italian Sausage sandwich at V8
I have no idea why the review of this restaurant remains the most popular in the site, but I had heard they changed the menu and seen some negative reviews, so that was what prompted this whole re-visit idea.
V8 does indeed have a completely different menu from the one they had when I wrote the original review. Gone are the diner foods like the chicken-fried steak I had, as well as the American soft drinks. The new menu would best be described as “tourist generic” – burgers, sandwiches, pasta, pizza and a lot of Thai food.
I’m not sure what prompted the change, but it makes V8 a lot less attractive as a destination, especially with so many other restaurants in the same area where you can get pretty much the same thing. I was tempted to try one of the burgers, but wasn’t really in the mood for one, so I decided on the Italian Sausage sandwich instead.
The sandwich certainly looked good when it was served, and the taste was quite nice as well, although the Italian Sausage was strangely tough. As you can probably tell from the picture, the sandwich comes ‘neat’, with no chips or fries or anything on the side. At around 150 Baht, this is no big deal but something to note if you go there. They do have some meal sets that include the sandwich, drinks and sides if you want a bigger lunch.
The food wasn’t bad, but with the lackluster menu, the decor starting to look run-down and the somewhat apathetic staff, I can’t really think of a reason why anyone would want to eat here.
Location: Sukhumvit, next to Times Square building. Skytrain to Asoke or subway to Sukhumvit. Open 24 hours.
Garage Burger
Original review: 27 September 2010.
A bacon-cheeseburger at Garange, before smooshing
I tend to think of Garage as one of the first ‘real’ hamburger places in Bangkok. Their location near the US embassy and the American Chamber of Commerce, as well as many other businesses seems to ensure they get a steady crowd on weekdays, although you can have the place to yourself at noon on a weekend.
Although it was somewhat unintentional, I ordered the same burger I did for my original review, a bacon cheeseburger. The beef was quite flavorful and juicy, although not overly so. It was cooked the way I asked. The only minor complaint I would make is that the bun was just a bit on the chewy side, although that probably helped it hold up well. On the whole, it’s a good burger.
Location: Second Floor, All Seasons Place. Skytrain: Ploenchit. Web site
Cafe Tartine
Original review: 21 November 2010.
A simple ham and cheese baguette from Cafe Tartine
Although it isn’t in the top ten posts, I was in the neighborhood recently and decided to have lunch at this little French café, since it was one of my own favorites that I’ve reviewed. It was crowded, even though it was a holiday, which tells you how popular the place is. This time I had the ham and brie sandwich. It was very good and I was struck once again at the simplicity of the food. The sandwiches I’ve had there aren’t fancy concoctions that will leave you wondering what secret ingredient they’re using. They are, for the most part, simple sandwiches you could make at home, if you could easily find things such as good baguettes and brie.
Location: Soi Ruam Rudee, Athenee Residence. Skytrain: Ploenchit. Web site
Posted by michael under
Restaurants
Tags:
American •
Bangkok •
Burgers •
French
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