Ad Here 13th Blues Bar

13 Samsen Rd., Phranakorn, 089-769-4613, [email protected]. Open daily 6pm-midnight.
If your old man is a music lover then there’s no better place to take him than the spit and sawdust charm of Ad Here. This tiny little shophouse, a short walk from Khao San, remains one of the premium joints to catch some authentic live blues thanks to its constantly rotating line up of very talented, and often slightly gnarled, local and inter musicians losing themselves in the moment. Your dad will also love the impressive collection of classic vinyl covers that serve as the wall decorations.

Humidor

Lobby/F, InterContinental Bangkok, 973 Ploenchit Rd., 02-656-0444. Open daily 8am-12:30am.
You’re not far from the Fireplace Grill to get that manly steak dinner and the Humidor has plenty of black leather and chrome to stay in the mood. But what makes this bar really special is that it’s also one of the rare places where you can puff on a big cigar indoors. Expect a solid selection of single malt whiskies to go with that stogie and live music Mon-Fri, 9pm-midnight.  

Brew Beers and Ciders

G/F, Seen Space, Thonglor Soi 13, 02-185-2366. www.brewbkk.com. Open daily 4pm-2am.
What real dad doesn’t love a beer or two, and this place has arguably the most impressive collection in town. With a range of intriguing brews that come from America, Britain, Belgium and beyond, there’s sure to be one that tickles his taste buds. Grab a seat out in the courtyard and he’ll get the added bonus of being able to ogle the bright and beautiful young things that flock to Seenspace every night.    

Manhattan Bar

2/F, JW Marriott Bangkok, 4 Sukhumvit Soi 2, 02-656-7700 ext.4230. Open daily 6pm-1am.
Located on the second floor of the JW Marriott Hotel Bangkok, at the heart of Sukhumvit, the Mahattan Bar is run by the same folks behind New York Steak House, considered one of the top places for a slab of red meat in Bangkok. Start your night with something from the grill before imbibing a few of the martini offerings in the stylish gentleman’s club ambiance.  

While everyone is arguing over which B30,000 ultrabook to get, you might have missed out on how insanely cheap entry-level laptops have become. Lenovo S300 is one such PC, with enough power to get work done, but not much multimedia oomph.

Plugged:
· Nice keyboard design and spacing, accurate and easy to type on.
· Lots of ports, whether it’s USB 2.0 and 3.0, HDMI and a card reader.
· The One Key Recovery button allows you to back up your system to an image file and restore it, create a bootable recovery disc or reboot your computer to system recovery mode.
· Although the speakers are located underneath, the sound is pretty loud and clear.

Bugged:
· The track pad is not located at the center often leading to mixed up left and right clicks.
· Although it is designed to be portable, it feels both heavy and a bit flimsy.
· Shut down takes a bit longer than expected.
· Screen sharpness (1366x768 pixels) and clarity isn’t the best.
· You often need to refresh the wireless network list for your desired connection to show up.

Verdict:
If you don’t mind the weight, and can get used to the off-center track pad, the Lenovo S300 is one solid budget laptop. Perfect for basic operations like web browsing and all the usual Microsoft Office duties. But if you’re looking to do more heavy tasks like Photoshop, gaming and video editing, then the screen’s lack of clarity and the CPU’s low specs means the S300 doesn’t quite measure up.

Specs:
Intel Core i3 1.6GHz, Windows 7 Home Premium, Intel HD Graphics 3000 4GB DDR3 RAM, 720p HD integrated webcam, HDD 500GB, battery life 5 hours

B13,990. Available at Lenovo retailers nationwide, try 4/F, CentralWorld, Ratchadamri Rd., Bangkok, 02-640-7000.

1.) Gildo

(dried crab imitation sticks in curry flavor, B35)
Gildo is really pungent. The second you open the bag you’re torn between aromas of Mama noodles and dried squid. We admire the concept, though. If you’re going to make a fake flavor, why pick “fake” crab sticks instead of just crab? Half-snack, half-conceptual art, Gildo divided our testers—as bold concepts often do.
Try Tops Supermarket, Silom Complex, Silom Rd., 02-231-3333. www.tops.co.th for more branches.

2.) Entrée

(chicken with teriyaki flavor, B20)
Take Japanese skewers, slice them up, and throw them into a bag. This is culinary genius. Why didn’t we think of it? The chicken is cut into very little pieces so the texture is a bit mushy but the taste isn’t that bad—sweet and completely unrelated to yakitori, which just goes to show how far they’ve taken their original idea.
Try Tops Supermarket

3.) Pumpui <BK PICKS>

(baked baby clams, B10)
If baby clams were baked in sugar and left out in the sun to dry, you’d get this wonderful surprise of a beer snack. And just like in the promotional TV ad, we were very tempted to just pour the little critters down our throats—shot style. Highly recommended.
Try 7-Eleven.

4.) Hed Tod Nanhode

(deep-fried mushroom and vegetables, B20)
This snack has the subtle sophistication of a kaiseki dinner at Aoi: it actually comes with a sweet dipping sauce, meaning the completely plastered may struggle with the added level of complexity. Also, it’s for vegetarians—as is beer. Mercifully, though, it doesn’t taste like vegetables, or mushrooms, or anything really. Hence, the dipping sauce.
Try 7-Eleven.

5.) Pumpui

(baked shrimps, B10)
Pumpui does it again. Only this time they’re using baby shrimps instead of clams. Very crispy, sweet and a bit salty, it reminds us a bit of the namprik gung siab (dried shrimp Southern paste with herbs). We could swear beer was invented for this stuff, but apparently it’s the other way around.
Try Tops Supermarket.

6.) Pretz

(bread sticks in laab flavor, B13)
Ah, laab, that quintessentially Northeastern mix of MSG and chili. Or at least that’s what an alien being introduced to the minced Isaan salad via these pretzel sticks would think. And if that alien decided to destroy our planet after tasting these, we’d have to agree it would not be entirely undeserved punishment.
Try 7-Eleven.

7.) Nut Candy

(peanuts coated with squid flavor, B33)
While the outside is crispy, there’s something squishy and frankly weird inside. Something unknown. Something whose taste we can’t even describe. This is like a ghost movie made into a 4Dx beer snack complete with the smell of nuts, old people and faux squid. Fear this snack.
Try Tops Supermarket.

8.) Mr. Capp

(deep-fried pork skin with no fat in chili sauce flavor, B15)
Even though the logo is a pig roasting in a fire, this kab moo doesn’t feel all that hot. Clearly, this pig is overstating his case. We would argue that the spice levels in this snack are more akin to a warm afternoon in Copenhagen than the fires of a barbeque pit. The texture is very floury and light, too, making us wonder: were any pigs really harmed in the making of Mr. Capp?
Try 7-Eleven.

“From the bottom of my heart thank you... to Bella, Edward and Jacob for letting us laugh, cry, debate, and pick sides while you three bastards stare at each other.” Mark Ellis, Schmoes Know

“With so many scenes of well-dressed vampires sitting or standing, stiffly, while Taylor Lautner or Robert Pattinson or Kristen Stewart passes another micro-slab of dialogue like a kidney stone, [Sheen’s] overacting’s greatly appreciated, thanks.” Michael Phillips, Chicago Tribune

“The final Twilight movie, bizarrely actionless for much of its length, may be the longest whimper in Rom-Goth history. Even the title weakens the will to live.” Nigel Andrews, Financial Times

“This fifth and mercifully final installment features so much idle anticipation that it’s unclear whether we’re watching a movie or an Apple product launch.” Wesley Morris, Boston Globe

“You’re going to hear a lot about Breaking Dawn Part 2 being the best of the Twilight movies. That’s like saying a simple head cold is preferable to swine flu.” Peter Travers, Rolling Stone

Steve Café

68 Soi Sri Ayuthaya 21 (Wat Devarajkoonchon), Sri Ayuthaya Rd., 081-868-0744, 02-281-0915. www.stevecafeandcuisine.com. Open daily 11:30am-11:30pm.
Located in the small community behind Wat Devarajkoonchon next to Thewet Pier, this 60-year old house was damaged by the floods last year but has now been revamped with bright colors and homey wooden furniture. There’s a nice open-air terrace to take in the breeze and the kitchen is manned by one of the owner’s moms who has been working in Bangkok kitchens for the past 20 years. A true Southerner, she likes nothing better than to whip up powerful, pungent classics like gaeng luang sai bua gung (Southern sour soup with lotus stems and prawns) and gaeng tai pla (Southern style fish curry).  Beer: B70, Cocktails: B70

Babble + Rum

1-2/F, Riva Surya, 23 Phra Arthit Rd., 02-633-5000. Open daily 6:30am-1am. www.rivasurya.com
Babble & Rum is not only the name of the main restaurant located on the first floor of Riva Surya, the new boutique hotel sat beside Phra Arthit Pier, it’s also the moniker for the bar next door which combines an outdoor terrace and a laidback upstairs area, perfect for a breezy riverside night out. The riverside terrace shares the same black and white theme as the main restaurant, while the second floor offers a square-shaped open bar painted with Thai poetry and daybeds from which to soak up the river view. Mixologist Surachit “Art” Jarumanee serves up signature cocktails like the candy flavored Jelly Riva (vodka, melon syrup, lime juice on top of jelly) and the Jamaican Fizz (vodka, mango fizz, mango, syrup and lime juice). Happy hours are 5pm-7pm with buy one get one free on cocktails.  Beer: B99, Cocktails: B250, Wine: B160

Chon

The Siam Hotel, 3/2 Khao Rd., 02-206-6999. Open daily noon-10:30pm, reservation only.
Overlooking the Chao Phraya River and Krung Thonburi Bridge, Chon is the signature Thai restaurant of Bangkok’s newest riverside hotel, The Siam. To match the classic views, Executive Chef Blair Mathieson, former head chef at The Chedi in Chiang Mai, promises authentic Thai recipes that utilize the finest ingredients. Set in a beautiful Thai teak house that was brought down from Ayutthaya and painted all in black, Chon also boasts an impressive array of antiques and collectables belonging to the owner.  Beer: B250, Cocktails: B320, Wine: B425

Viva & Aviv

River City Complex, 23 Yota Rd., 02-639-6305. Open daily 11am-midnight. www.vivaaviv.com. Sri Phraya Pier.
Fitting for its riverside location, this new venue has a rustic-yet-relaxed nautically-inspired theme with a dash of industrial chic and pirate-inspired interiors. Soak up the river view and breeze while watching the tourist boats plying up and down the river and enjoy the range of inventive cocktails created by the masterminds behind the established Hyde & Seek. Try the signature Pina Colasi (Appleton rum, pineapple, coconut foam and more) and decent pub grub like the Four Cheesons pizza.  Beer: B100, Cocktails: B250, Wine: B230

Buri Tara

762/2 Rama 3 Rd., 02-682-9457-9. Open daily 5pm-midnight.
This bar is decorated in a classy black and red theme, with a mix of Balinese and Thai styles. The most popular cocktails are the Buri Tara Sunset and Falling in Love (B180 each). And, of course, there’s the charming view surrounded by trees and the nearby river while bands play soft jazz and acoustic music. Beer: B180, Cocktails: B180, Wine: B1,090/Bottle

The Deck

Arun Residence, 36-38 Soi Pratu Nokyung, Maharat Rd., 02-221-9158. Restaurant opens Mon-Thu 7am-10pm, Fri-Sun 7am-11pm. Bar opens Mon-Thu 5pm-midnight, Fri-Sun 5:30pm-1am.
Few restaurants can boast a spectacle as inspiring as the brightly lit Wat Arun directly across the river. There is a modest list of wines, so you’re probably better off bringing your own (no corkage). As for the food, try poh pia gung (B180) and kai satay (B180). To watch the sun set behind the wat while enjoying the open air, call in advance for the best spots. Beer: B130, Cocktails: B175, Wine: B200

Samsara

1612 Songwat Rd., 086-978-9331, 02-639-6853. Open Tue-Thu, Sun 4pm-midnight, Fri-Sat 4pm-1am.
Samsara is one of our favorite spots by the river. Set in one of those charming wooden houses you pass as you ride the express boat along the Chao Phraya, the restaurant is tucked down a little alley behind Wat Pathumkongka (where you can hardly park your car). The place feels halfway between a gallery and a friend’s house, brimming as it is with personality: expect to find colorful vintage furnishings, all sorts of cat-related curios and paintings hanging on the wall. Most of the tables are set out on the terrace and reservations are a must for the ones with the best views. The tasty Thai cuisine is augmented by Japanese touches since some of the owners hail from Japan. Beer: B140, Cocktails: B200, Wine: B900/Bottle