Having our first Sunday Brunch at Peninsula Bangkok we figured it is only appropriate to have our second brunch of 2010 at the Mandarin Oriental Bangkok, Thailand's oldest and most famous hotel.
Two Sunday Branches are offered at the Mandarin Oriental. The first is their Chinese Restaurant China House which we tried a few months ago and were honestly quite disappointed. The second is Lord Jim's their Fine Dining Seafood Restaurant which is where we dined today.
Unlike Peninsula's Cafe Terrace where the atmosphere was much more relaxed and there is an outdoor and indoor dining area, Lord Jim's setting was posh and only offered an indoor dining area that overlooks the Chao Phraya River. Shorts are not allowed and the decor emphasized its seafood theme right from the walkway up to the main dining room.
When it comes to food both differ in their offerings. Lord Jim's had a lot less than Peninsula's brunch but for every identical dish they served Phin and I felt that Lord Jim's served it better.
Their Caviar selection included Avruga and Sevruga Caviar something that is not offered in Peninsula. They did not however refill the Sevruga Caviar once it was finished. I guess it got too expensive with people like Phin eating a quarter of it.
Foie Gras was the best we've had in a Sunday Brunch. This is surprising for us because their Foie Gras was basically cooked in batches and left on the plate warmer unlike the other brunches where it is cooked to order. There is no gamey taste to their foie gras at all.
From the Roast Section the Roast Ham and Duck was to die for. Both roasts were so tender with the ham almost melting in your mouth.
Oysters, Sashimi and Prawn Cocktail were very fresh and so was their Foie Gras Pate which had a real buttery texture.
There were some let downs as well with the brunch. I did not bother with the Tempura because they were fried in batches and left to sit making the batter very soggy. The Grilled Slipper Lobsters were overcooked after sitting in the plate warmer for some time and the Roast Beef was also very tough.
Desserts I enjoyed included their assorted Thai Desserts, Crepes Suzette and Macaroons. The cakes in my opinion were a little boring and simple.
We definitely enjoyed our brunch here. Lord Jim's offering maybe the smallest I've been to but the quality of their Caviar, Foie Gras, Oysters, Roast Ham and Duck are something that is worth coming for. The price per person is THB 1550++ for food only, which is cheaper than Sheraton Grande, Four Seasons and Peninsula. I've got a lot more pictures where you can view it at my Flickr Set.
We thought long and hard over who has the better brunch, Peninsula or Mandarin Oriental and have agreed that they are both good in their own way. If you're idea of a brunch is quality food (Caviar, Foie Gras and Oysters) in a formal atmosphere than Oriental is your best bet. If you like a wider variety of food, Grilled Boston Lobsters, Hokkaido Oysters in a more relaxed environment than Peninsula is the place to be.
Food: 4.5
Service: 4/5
Ambiance: 4/5
Price: $$$$ (Approx USD $75 per person including Champagne)
Contact Information
Address: 48 Oriental Avenue, Bangkok 10500, Thailand
Tel:+66 (2) 659 9000
Web: www.mandarinoriental.com/bangkok/
2 comments:
Nice pictures!
The food was great, but for the sake of my digestion system, please dont bring me there again :p
LoL don't worry next time we're going to Next2 @ Shangri-la... Heard they have the biggest Brunch ahahaha... Forget dieting! It's CNY!! Next week we go eat as much Yee Sang as possible
Post a Comment