During the day, El Osito serves American deli-style sandwiches and salads in its big, bright mezzanine space. In the evening, the food taps into Californian chef and owner Billy Bautista’s Spanish roots with a menu of tapas and paella. La Monita (Bautista’s excellent Mexican restaurant, right next door) might have raised our expectations, but there’s no denying El Osito is a disappointment. Its Spanish menu hails from a country where simply rubbing a tomato on a piece of bread can often create an incredibly delicious treat.
The buzz: Serving up Jewish-American style sandwiches during the day, El Osito transforms into a tapas bar at night. Compared to its sister restaurant La Monita (situated next door), the couple behind the two places, Billy Bautista and Kasama Laopanich, are now doing the kind of food they really miss from when they lived in San Francisco, along with some Mediterranean-Latin tapas coming from Billy’s Spanish side of the family.
The décor: With a high ceiling and large glass façade, there’s a generous sense of space. A bright red feature wall with an image of a matador—Billy’s handsome uncle Pablo, no less—looms large, while sepia family portraits on the wall next to the staircase also showcase the place’s ties to Espana. On the second floor mezzanine, there’s an open prep kitchen (no cooking) where they slice meats.
The food: The lunch menu covers salads, pizzas and sandwiches, like the monstrous Reuben (B250), filled to the brim with homemade corned beef, the popular pastrami (B250) and the slightly spicy banh mee sandwiches (Vietnamese BBQ pork, B250). Drop by after 5pm and there’s a long list of Latin tapas dishes like gambas al ajillo (sauteed prawns in olive oil with garlic and parsley, B175) and tortilla (Spanish omelet with potato, B75). But you can also order solid mains like the grilled rib eye steak with mushroom cream chipotle and mashed potato (B550), a treasured recipe Billy got from his Texan aunt, or the even bigger seafood paella (B800) to be shared with a friend.
The drinks: Like more and more places in town, they’re putting a real emphasis on craft beers such as Dead Guy Ale (B220) and hazelnut brown nectar (B230). On tap is Asahi (B120 for half pint) and Hoegaarden (B240) plus you’ve got a refreshing Bock Damm (B195) and some more Japanese options to come soon. Of course, there’s sangria, too (B190 a glass).
The crowds: You’ll recognize faces from La Monita gradually experimenting with this new culinary offering. Pieng-or Mongkolkumnuankhet
The lastest eatery to pop up in the Samyan neighborhood is the Japanese-inspired Rose Café. Decorated with pale wood furniture, chalkboards and some roses (that are for sale, too), the tiny space is also home to a fairly long list of chocolate bakery treats like chocolate mud pie (B95), Nutella brownie cup (B45) and s’more (B65). Wash it down with some rose soda (B50) or a brownie chip milkshake (B85).
Three days after it opened, we finally made the trek to New York deli shop Dean & Deluca yesterday, on the ground floor of the Mahanakorn tower's swanky showroom, right underneath BTS Chong Nonsi.
There, we met up with US Embassy Staff and an ex BK writer. They weren't too happy: "Our orders got here 30 minutes late, and they got them wrong.
Chu gets its name from its churros (B90/plate, add chocolate or dulce de leche for another B20). But we’ve really fallen in love with their chocolate drinks. The darkest one, made with 58% cacao French baking chocolate (as opposed to cacao powder) is wonderfully complex, bitter and creamy (hot B100, iced B120, frappe B130).
The place: Built in 1908, Chakrabongse Villas was formerly a royal residence. Located by the riverside, the boutique hotel features a beautiful colonial house surrounded by a lush garden, as well as a traditional Thai house complete with a terrace.
The story goes that the owner here, Surapan Tanta, an architect, was frustrated that he couldn’t find a good enough cup of coffee to start his morning. This led him to Chiang Mai, where he spent a year seriously studying how to make a cup of Joe and fell in love with the slower brew methods, which he believes gets the best out of lightly roasted beans.
This classy Chinese bistro from Singapore is a bit more upscale than its sister branch at Erawan but features a selection of familiar Cantonese specialties, like la mian and xiao long bao. More venues at www.crystaljade.com.
This classy Chinese bistro from Singapore is a bit more upscale than its sister branch at Erawan but features a selection of familiar Cantonese specialties, like la mian and xiao long bao. More venues at www.crystaljade.com.
Cakewalk Café is a vintage-style bakery decked out in cute white and purple décor--great spot for hi-so tea parties thanks to the girly surroundings and the sheer range of cakes on offer, which are artfully displayed on glass covered plinths. Try the strawberry shortcake, Charlotte royal, orange Bavarian, or the Maria cake and revel in the rich flavors and elaborate presentation. If they haven’t got what you want then just ask as they also make cakes to order. No corkage.
Cakewalk Café is a vintage-style bakery decked out in cute white and purple décor--great spot for hi-so tea parties thanks to the girly surroundings and the sheer range of cakes on offer, which are artfully displayed on glass covered plinths. Try the strawberry shortcake, Charlotte royal, orange Bavarian, or the Maria cake and revel in the rich flavors and elaborate presentation. If they haven’t got what you want then just ask as they also make cakes to order.
A sprawling, village-themed restaurant, café and beer garden just down the stairs from BTS Ekkamai, Baan Rie lends a touch of foresty calm in the middle of the city. Live music in the evenings.
