Fifth Food Avenue

5/F, MBK Center, 444 Phayathai Rd., 02-620-9814. BTS National Stadium. Open 10am-9pm.
MBK’s 5/F is one of the more style-savvy food courts; its black chairs contrasting with smooth white tables elevate it to more of a restaurant feel. Kiosks serve Thai (try Thai Fusion Cuisine’s stir-fried chicken with cashew nuts for B80), Indian (such as Indian by Chutney’s lamb masala), Mexican (Burrito Loco’s quesadillas for B85), Italian (Angelo does a seafood spaghetti for B80) and many more. And although in most food courts, you can see who’s cooking what, here it feels more like a collection of open-air kitchens because everything’s neat and orderly. For the most part, everything’s a bit more expensive than B100 but, it’s probably one of the best semi-affordable inter meals you can get in the ‘hood. Our faves? The Tamarind Tree cooks some fantastic vegetarian Thai food, sans MSG; and Sultana’s halal Thai food.

Central Food Loft

7/F, Central Chidlom, Phloen Chit Rd., 02-793-7070. Open daily 10am-10pm
With its black and steel grey décor, its large windows overlooking Sukhumvit and its army of staff that holds your table while you saunter off to order and brings you your food, the place is a bit of a hybrid between a traditional food court and a sit-down restaurant (which can sometimes get confusing). Externally contracted restaurants supply international cuisine: Indian by Ind Spice, Vietnamese by Dao Vien, Italian by Gianni’s, Japanese by Hou Yuu and much more. Instead of coupons, they have a card swiping system, though the protocol between self-service and table service is a bit ill-defined, so there can sometimes be confusion. That, and the place is always packed to the gills at mealtime, making it a bit of a market place rather than a hi-so chill-out zone.

READ MORE:

The Battle of Bangkok's Food Courts

BK Asks: What’s Your Ultimate Food Court Nightmare?

MBK FOOD CENTER

Overall Score: 4/5
Vibe: 3/5. Narrow and crowded as it sits in the middle of the building with no views on the outside world, the court’s use of bright colors and lights does little to save the day. There are flat wide-screen TVs at every corner to catch up with the news or some boring documentary, but the most annoying thing is the cash-back counters located a hundred yards away. Are they hoping we won’t bother?
Selection: 5/5. Mind-blowing. The food ranges from a la minute stir-fries to shark fin soup but most importantly, this is one of the rare food courts where the stalls have legendary reputations that rival those of street food.
Cleanliness: 4/5. The cleaners do a surprisingly quick job of clearing dishes and cleaning tables despite the crowds, with plates getting whisked away as soon as you finish them. Utensils and the counters in front of stalls are not always as clean though.
Cost: 3/5. It’s not street cheap, with dishes starting from B40 and climbing up to B70 even for simple Thai dishes. But it remains incredibly affordable.
Top Stalls: Where do we begin? The beef noodles, the Khamoo St.Louis, the somtam, phadthai, hoithod and Thai dessert stalls... Some of these are considered the best in town.
6/F, MBK Center, 444 Phayathai Rd. BTS National Stadium. Open 10am-9pm.
Takeaway Terrace

Paradise Park Seri Market
Food Court and Food Bazaar

Overall Score: 3.5/5
Vibe: 2/5. Recently overhauled, Paradise Park has two food court options on the ground floor. One is the original Seri Market and another is called Food Bazaar. Seri Market has an old market theme with wooden signs on the top of every stall and a seating section also resembles an old wood house. Gift shops that pop up along the food section are a bit of an annoying distraction, though, and we’re on the fence about the dim lighting. The Food Bazaar, on the other hand, is new and boasts a bright and colorful decor. The good thing here is you don’t have walk around looking for a coupon counter as all the shops take cash.
Selection: 4/5. Prices here start at B30, and there are several popular franchise stalls like Rod Dee Ded and Guayjab Bangrak at this section. The Food Bazaar too has famous downtown shops: Khamoo Roddee (B40) or our favorite Yentafo J.C. Silom, where prices are B50 and there are more options, like radna yentafo (B50), guaytiew lod (B45) and por pia sod (B45). Although it’s mostly a take-away sort of place, Food Bazaar also has a cute seating area called Food Bazaar Terrace.
Cleanliness: 3/5. Staff is quick about clearing tables, and they do have clean utensils and tables. But the black, wooden chairs and lack of light make this place look a little gloomy.
Cost: 4.5/5. Surprisingly affordable given the revamp.
Top Stalls: Somtam Ranraek, Guaytiew Tomyam and Roti Fahtima.
G/F, 61 Srinakarin Rd., 02-787-1000. Open daily 10am-10pm.

Interchange Tower
Food Court

Overall score: 2.5/5
Vibe: 2/5. Most people who dine here are office types working in the high rises close by. In the basement level of the Interchange Tower, it’s nice and cool, but obviously, there’s not much of a view. Given the narrow corridor with metal white chairs and white tables lit with fluorescent lights, it’s a desperate office worker that comes here to escape the office.
Selection: 2/5. There’s a bit of an eat-and-go attitude, and most of the food is stuff you can find anywhere, like the usual somtam Thai (B40) and pad krapow gai (B40). They have bountiful dishes of shrimp pad Thai with normal noodles or glass noodles (B50), and hoi thod (fried mussel omelets, B40). What they do have, though, is quite delicious.
Cleanliness: 4/5. An abundance of staff keeps this place spic and span for the most part.
Cost: 4/5. This place has the best bang for the buck if you’re not the adventurous type and don’t mind sacrificing selection for low cost, no-fuss food.
Top Stalls: There’s an Isaan joint that’s painted bright orange. They serve fantastic Isaan style pork (B40), spring rolls (B50) and about a dozen different types of spicy salads (B40-B50).
B/F, Interchange Tower. Corner of Sukhumvit Soi 21. BTS Asok. Open daily 10am-8pm.

Platinum Food Center

Overall Score: 3/5
Vibe: 3/5. The home of the ever-busy and bustling Platinum Fashion Center is packed with tourists and Thais looking for cheap fashion. Despite it being always extremely busy, there always seems to be a place to sit in its hectic food court. As for the atmosphere, it’s just your normal, run-of-the-mill food court lined with stalls: sit in their plastic orange chairs, chow down and go.
Selection: 4/5. There are many delicious east-Asian delicacies to choose from. B55 can get you some kanom krok, a variety of coconut-y treats with savory ingredients, or more dessert-style ones for B35. On top of a great variety of Thai food, there are also nice, ethnic dishes like Brazilian Chicken (B60) served with a salad and a side of fries.
Cleanliness: 3/5. Your average food court cleanliness. The stalls are OK but tables can get messy from all the traffic.
Cost: 3/5. B100 could get you a simple dish and a beverage, but if you want to upgrade, expect to put a little more on your card.
Top Stalls: One of the busiest stalls is the one dishing out rice with stewed pork (B40). It also has some intriguing high-end options, from B100 to B150 and even a B400 stewed pork dish. At that price, we’d rather go to a restaurant.
6/F, 222 Petchaburi Rd., 02-121-8000. Open Mon-Fri 9am-8pm, Sat-Sun 8am-8pm.

The City Complex

Overall score: 2/5
Vibe: 1/5. This is like the ghost of food courts passed. What used to be a bustling and lively food court is now left half-lit (Are they trying to cut their electricity bill?) and almost empty. All of its customers must be at its neighbor, the Platinum Food Center.
Selection: 1/5. Not too much to choose from, seeing as half of the food court is closed. There are basics like noodle soop with beef (B40) and a variety of somtam (B40 each).
Cleanliness: 3/5. It’s pretty clean, seeing as no one is there to leave empty plates on the tables.
Cost: 3/5. B100 will fill you up on stuff you can get on your soi: somtam and fried rice with B5 to spare.
Top Stalls: The self-proclaimed Thai, Myanmar and Chinese style food kiosk, The Mother House, is keeping the lights on in this otherwise desolate place. The chef whistles in high spirits as he cooks up a pretty decent Myanmar-style fried rice (B45), a spicy rice dish with lots of seafood.
831 Petchburi Rd., www.citycomplexbangkok.com. Open daily 11am-9pm.

CENTRALWORLD FOODHALL

Overall score: 3/5
Vibe: 3/5. Very bright and white with touches of red. It’s not the most convenient food court, though, at the furthest end of the top floor of a mall with poor BTS access. Strangely though, it gets packed with a great variety of people: boisterous students from 3-5pm, lost Chinese tourists (half of them gay, it seems), families on Sundays, office workers for Central Offices on weekdays. It also offers nice views if you can grab a couch by the big windows.
Selection: 3/5. A lot of Western food, Asian cuisine (Vietnamese, Japanese, Chinese) and typical Thai street food. In the middle there are two islands: one for drinks, one for desserts (the pumpkin in coconut milk is great, B30-40) and somtam (around B60-100 for special ones). Mostly the quality is good, but we don’t recommend the khao man gai.
Cleanliness: 4/5. When there’s an empty table, it’s always clean—except when the teens swoop in after school. If you’re facing the food hall, don’t go to the far left, because that’s like the Central Food Hall canteen—and you don’t want to interrupt a cook’s lunch.
Cost: 2/5. A little pricey for a food court.
Top Stalls: The Vietnamese is great and reasonable. The pasta station isn’t too bad, not too sweet, with a fairly standard Western taste.
7/F, CentralWorld, Ratchadamri Rd. BTS Chit Lom. Open 10am-10pm.

Siam Paragon Food Hall

Overall Score: 3/5
Selection: 3/5. Very international, including mainly Thai, Hong Kong, Chinese, Japanese and Halal cuisines. Most of the stalls appear to be original famous names like the Hualumpong’s duck noodle, Ros Dee Ded and Yaowarat’s Golden Noodle. Main dishes start from B45 for somtam and B55 for chicken and rice to B300 for a bowl of bamee with crab meat. Apart from the permanent stalls, you can check out special food stalls for their frequent food festivals. Too bad the quality doesn’t live up to the famous names.
Vibe: 2/5. Tasteful decoration with fashionable purple furniture, though the high number of seats gives the place an over-cluttered feeling. There are a few flat screen TVS, with some aquariums decorating the place. Ubiquitous tourists and Chula students working on their papers get a bit annoying, given that it’s really hard to grab a table at peak hours. Also, this may be on the “ground floor” but it’s so deep into the mall that it might as well be underground.
Cleanliness: 3/5. Clean utensils and tables, but we spotted some food on the floor. Staff is very quick about clearing dishes, though.
Cost: 2/5. Definitely one of the priciest food courts, which is not justified by the quality of the food.
Top Stalls: Chatuchak’s famous Somtam Foon Talob, Kuo Gai Peng Pochana and Ros Dee Ded beef noodles.
G/F, 999, Rama I Rd., 02-690-1000. BTS Siam. Open daily 10am-10pm.

READ MORE:

The Battle of Bangkok's Food Courts Part 1

Bangkok's Upscale Food Courts

BK Asks: What’s Your Ultimate Food Court Nightmare?

Amarin
The Cook

Overall Score: 2.5/5
Vibe: 2/5. A modern décor in white, orange and yellow with a good number of seats. There are also some fake plants added to give a green touch, but they are a bit lame. Come here at lunch and you’ll have to fight for seats with the office workers.
Selection: 2/5. All Thai except one or two stalls. Vegetarian is very popular here. Prices start at B35 and B40 for a plate of boiled chicken with rice.
Cleanliness: 3/5. The place looks satisfyingly clean although lots of tables are left unclean for awhile before staff get to them.
Cost: 3/5. Nearly street-like, which is pretty good, given the neighborhood.
Top Stalls: Vegetarian Food, Nang Learng Rice & Curry and Jutathip Chicken Rice.
4/F, 496-502 Amarin Plaza, Ploenchit Rd., 02-256-9111. Open daily 8am-4pm. BTS chitlom

BIG C Rachaprasong
Food Park

Overall Score: 4.5/5
Vibe: 3/5. This extra-large space has a tropical forest theme so green, brown and white colors dominate the place. Walls are decorated with both fake and real green plants, and there’s a large pond with a fountain at the center. They’ve overdone the mixing and matching with the furniture, but we like the idea of their open-air area, and also the views afforded by the tall windows. For better or for worse, there are flat screen TVs as well.
Selection: 3/5. Sectioned into three categories: rice express, international and noodles. Inter includes Japanese, Indian, Chinese and Vietnamese. The guaytiew Sukhothai is lovely, but the fish balls in the kanom jin by Khun Lek taste like boiled flour.
Cleanliness: 3/5. Since the mall was recently renovated, everything looks very new. The staff seems to be a bit inactive, leaving some of the tables a mess for long minutes. We once spotted hair on a spoon—eek!—but other than that, the utensils look fairly clean.
Cost: 5/5. Cheap!
Top Stalls: Guay Tiew Sukhothai Mae Boon Rod
4/F, 97/11 Ratchadamri Rd., 02-250-4888. Open daily 9am-9:30pm

CentralWorld
Centerpoint Can-Teen

Overall Score: 2/5
Vibe: 2/5. CenterPoint Can-Teen, tucked away in CentralWorld’s massive teen center on the 7th floor, is a small food court where all the teens hang out. It’s a perfect place for a date if you’re 13 or 13 going on 30, but the dim lighting (not the good kind of dim) can get creepy. With electric blue and green signs plastered everywhere, and illustrated wallpaper, you’ll definitely feel like you’re in kiddie town.
Selection: 2/5. There’s not much going on for food other than the basics—kao pad, guaytiew, etc—and they’re not worth mentioning. But, it is a good place to find different kinds of ice cream desserts and crepes on the cheap. You can get a classic three-scoop banana split garnished with all the traditional add-ons, like strawberry syrup, crushed nuts, whipped cream and cherries for a mere B50, and an elaborate nutella and banana dessert crepe.
Cleanliness: 1/5. Though the stalls are kept tidy enough, they’re cluttered with empty boxes and cleaning products in full-view. The lack of light makes the stalls look even sketchier.
Cost: 4/5. B100 will buy you all the ice cream you can ever eat want to eat.
Top Stalls: The ice cream stall, in the middle.
7/F, CentralWorld, Ratchadamri Rd. BTS Chitlom. Open daily noon-8pm.

Central Ladprao,
Tops Market

Overall Score:4/5

Vibe: 4.5/5. Since the big revamp of Central Ladprao, the food court’s atmosphere is ten times better. The brand new table sets are in a lovely eggshell tone and the overall color palette is cloudy grey. Too bad the seating is very limited, compared to the abundance of food stalls. We even saw some customers having to share their table with strangers—the horror!
Selection: 4.5/5. Lots of Thai options, with decent choices for Japanese, Chinese, Vietnamese and Western food. The stall selection ranges from very ordinary tam sang (stir fries made to order), to a kebab place and a hi-so Italian chain, Scoozi, that does pastas starting at B100. Rarely seen in any other malls, Crepes & Co. and Chokchai Steak Burger also have outlets here—B120 for a pork burger.
Cleanliness: 4/5. Everything is clean and pleasant. Although, with seating spread out over three different areas, the cleaning staff has a hard time getting to all the tables.
Cost: 2/5. Not “food court cheap” but definitely cheaper than standalone counterparts.
Top Stalls: Tue Huan Ladprao 64, Krapor Pla Yaowarat and Vegetarian Food by Major General Jumlong Srimeung.
Basement, Central Ladprao. 1691 Paholyothin Rd., 02-541-1111. Open daily 10am-10pm. MRT Paholyothin.

Central Rama III
Food Park

Overall Score: 3/5
Vibe: 3.5/5. The décor has an underwater theme, so white and ocean blue are the main colors. The proportion between seating and empty space is not too cramped, and apart from regular tables and seats, there are also hi-so looking tables with black leather chairs which are set up along the glass-window corners offering a great sky and city view. There’s a toddlers’ ball pit and decent amount of arcades in the area, so expect screaming and noise. Tutors and high school students make up half the crowd.
Selection: 2.5/5. Choices are limited and mostly Thai with a few basic international additions like Japanese katsu curry rice and EZ sausages and steaks. The place does offer some interesting snack choices like the cold Japanese crepe and takoyaki. All dishes are priced under B100.
Cleanliness: 3/5. Stalls and utensils are sufficiently clean, but dirty tables don’t get noticed right away by the staff, so you may eat your meal next to a table piled up with leftover food.
Cost: 3/5. Average, but you can still fill up on B100.
Top Stalls: Guay Tiew Yhib Yum, Kamoo Nakorn Pathom and Cold Crepe.
6/F, 79/3 Satupradit Rd., 02-673-5555. Open daily 11am-9pm.

Chamchuree Square
Raintree Food Square

Overall Score: 2.5/5
Vibe: 4/5. Oriental meets modern tropical. There are various styles of seating including Chinese tea table sets, grey leather chairs and a few tall tables with bar stools. The place is crowded by Chula students and office workers at lunch time and appears to be used by some as a library in the afternoon. If you’re looking to enjoy your meal with a bit of entertainment, there’s live music every day at 5-9pm, if you call soft jazz on an electronic piano.
Selection: 1/5. Mainly Thai and noodles but there is also a stall selling Samyan style steaks. Somtam poo plara tastes like real Isaan but costs as high as B50 and B15 for sticky rice. Baked rice with chicken and chestnuts (B69) is probably the fanciest dish you can get here.
Cleanliness: 3.5/5. Floors and tables are exceptionally clean, as well as the utensils. Food displays at the stalls are pretty average, though.
Cost: 1.5/5. Given the student clientele, we expected street prices. Are Chula kids getting too much pocket money?
Top Stalls: Oab Aroi, and Guay Jab Samyan.
B/F, 315 Rama 4 Rd., 02-160-5454. Open daily 10am-10pm.

Five-Star View, but a Work in Progress

Emporium Food Hall

Overall Score:3/5

Vibe: 3/5. The eating area is open, with natural light coming from the huge windows that showcase a scenic view of Benjasiri Park. The faux book case along the walls and plants on every corner give it a homey, library feel. Unfortunately, it’s even more cramped during lunch hours and it’s hard to find a place to sit. Be ready to fight for your seat.
Selection: 2/5. There isn’t much choice: you can get combination seafood plates for B80-B100, noodle soups (B50) and rice noodles with shredded duck (B60)—not that they’re any good. If you’re into sweets, they have ruam mit, a traditional Thai dessert where you can choose from an assortment of jellies and syrups, cherry, coconut milk, or regular (B25 for two desserts, B10 for each additional one).
Cleanliness: 4/5. Maybe it’s the nice lighting and decor that makes it all seem cleaner than most mall eateries, but staff is also quick to clear tables.
Cost: 3/5. You’ll pay B60-B100, rarely more, rarely less. Kind of pricey, but it is Emporium.
Top stalls. White Kitchen does a mean fried rice with Thai sour sausage (B65) and garlic meat or combination seafood dishes (B55-B75). There are also more elaborate creations like their tom yum goong spaghetti with shrimp, squid or a combination of both (B90-B100).
5/F, Emporium Shopping Complex, Sukhumvit Soi 24. BTS Phrom Phong. Open daily 10am-8pm.

READ MORE:

The Battle of Bangkok's Food Courts Part 2

Bangkok's Upscale Food Courts

BK Asks: What’s Your Ultimate Food Court Nightmare?

Aree School of Dance Arts

1521/2 Sukhumvit Rd., 02-714-0812/3. www.areeschool.com. Open daily from 10am-6:30pm.
Probably the most serious school in this roundup, Aree offers ballet (for kids and adults with experience, following the curriculum of the Royal Academy of Dance in London), jazz (five levels, with styles divided into real jazz, Broadway, Latin, lyrical and street jazz), Spanish dance (following the syllabus of the Spanish Dance Society; styles include regional dance, Flamenco and classical) and contemporary dance, which is more freestyle and encourages self-expression, movement and gestures. Prices range from B4,200-6,600 per three-month course. Apart from the main studio at Sukhumvit, there is a branch on Silom (3-4/F, Silom Complex Building, BTS Saladaeng. 02-233-3291/2) and the Dance World School (6/F, CentralWorld, Rama 1 Rd., 02-613-1739).

La Rueda Dance Studio

Sukhumvit Soi 18. 083-685-8285. Open daily from 1-10pm.
Offering a much more fun and laid-back vibe than the other more formal places listed here, La Rueda is a dance bar and studio offering group and private dance classes in a friendly atmosphere. The classes include salsa, bachata, Argentine tango, sexy jazz, lyrical jazz, basic dance elements and stretching classes (B3,200 per eight-hour course, B500 for a one-hour drop-in).

Rum Puree Dance Studio

5/F, Amarin Plaza, Ploenchit Rd., 081-430-6684 or 081-439-0200. Open daily, Mon-Fri 10am-9pm, Sat-Sun10am-6pm. www.rumpuree.com
Rum Puree Dance Studio offers a pretty diverse selection: classical dance which includes ballet, contemporary dance and modern jazz; ethnic dance like Afro-Carribbean, bellydancing, Flamenco and Thai dance; social dance like New York salsa, Argentine tango and swing dance; and popular dance like hip hop, music video dance and striptease. They even do dance-themed exercise classes like jazzercise, zumba and pole dancing. Try out a class for B400 (1 hr), or opt for a whole course (B3,000-8,400). They also do private lessons. And do be on time as they won’t let you into class if you’re more than 20 minutes late.

Dance Centre School of Performing Arts

53/3 Sukhumvit Soi 33, 02-259-8861. www.dance-centre.com. Open daily from 10am-8pm.
It used to just be a ballet school, but the Dance Center now offers classes in both Western and Eastern styles. This peaceful little house in a sub-soi of Soi 33 does ballet, Argentine tango, yoga for health and relaxation, Tai Chi Chuan, ballroom, Latin, contemporary dance, street dance, hip hop and jazz. You can just drop by and join in an hour-long class for B500 or a one and a half hour-long class for B750. Full course packages range from B4,200-12,600.

Bangkok International Dance Academy (BIDA)

2/F, Peninsula Plaza, 153 Ratchadamri, 02-253-9529. Open from 11am-8pm, close on Monday.
Specializing in Latin dance and traditional ballroom, this school has both Thai and international teachers. The program is open to drop-ins which start from B800 for 50 minutes while the price for 10-lesson courses (50 mins per lesson) ranges from B6,000-12,000.

Free Soul Studio

620 Sena Villa 84, Bangkapi, 086-323-9874 Open Sat-Sun 10am-8pm.
This house converted into a studio is crawling with hip, urban youths practicing street dance. They specialize in hip hop, contemporary dance, K-pop and J-pop. You can opt for either private or group classes for B2,900 (9hrs) or drop-in class B500 (1hr).

Monsoon Valley Muscat

Hua Hin, Thailand. B850 (375ml) from Siam Winery Wine Shop
Many sweet wines are made by stopping the fermentation process before the yeasts have had a chance to consume (and convert into alcohol) all of the sugars in the grape juice. As a result, traditional sweet wines have relatively lower alcohol content than dry wines. That’s not the case with the Monsoon Valley Muscat, which packs a whopping 15% ABV. It’s a fortified wine, which means an extra dose of distilled spirit has been added to bring up the alcohol level and preserve the grape’s natural sugar. It’s also made with the muscat grape, which is known for its strong floral aromas.
Our tasting: One of our favorite things about dessert wines is how much prominence there is in the nose. This wine stays true to the muscat grape, with its strong rose perfume and lychee flavors. The extra dose of alcohol gives it a robust mouthfeel that’s not too acidic, so do pair it with a tart dessert or else it’ll be syrupy.

Batasiolo Moscato Spumante

La Morra, Italy. B490 from ItalAsia
Yes, dessert wines can be sparkling, too. Spumante is a general Italian term for sparkling wines, and Moscato refers to the muscat grape. It’s not as fine as a Champagne or a prosecco, but it’s a good, all-purpose dessert wine for when you don’t have too involved a dessert going on. The bubbles refresh the palate and it’s great to have with fruit or just on its own.
Our tasting: Discerning palates will find the flowery perfume of this sparkling wine a bit soapy, but we largely thought it was cheap and cheerful. The fine bubbles and foam go well with the sweetness—and hey, it is very cheap.

GranMonte Bussaba Chenin Blanc

Khao Yai, Thailand. B490 (375ml) from GranMonte
The 2011 harvest is the first time the folks at GranMonte, who’ve already been rolling out delicious bottles of Chenin Blanc and Shiraz, make a foray into dessert wines; and the Bussaba Sweet Chenin Blanc will be available for purchase in the next couple of weeks. The chenin blanc grapes are left on the vine for a bit later than usual (late harvest) so that the flavors become concentrated and juicy (but not so long, we are assured, that the grapes lose their acidity). With no added liquor or sugar, the Bussaba promises a nose of passionfruit, mango and apple.
Our tasting: A pale, unfortified wine, the Bussaba is low in alcohol and lighter in body than the Monsoon Valley. It’s got a strong fruity aroma that reminds us of lemon candy, and we love that slight bite of acidity in the beginning that’s very important in sweet wines. Enjoy with a dessert like apple crumble.

Castello di Pomino Vin Santo

Tuscany, Italy. B2,599 from Central Wine Cellar
To experience a whole other level of fortified dessert wine, invest in a bottle of this vin santo. There’s a very good reason why this wine is pricier. In like with a traditional type of Italian winemaking, the grapes (a blend of Chardonnay and Trebbiano here) are left on the vine until they’ve shriveled and the sugars are concentrated. The grapes are then picked and hung and dried further. Once pressed, they’re stored in small casks for more than four years. Traditionally had with petit fours and cakes.
Our tasting: Truly special, this vinsanto is worth the money, both sweet and acidic and gradually yielding a variety of aromas and flavors. It looks like a whisky, a soft amber color, and on the nose, it’s baked fruits and autumn spices. Have it with something simple, like nuts, so you can enjoy the full flavors.

Essentials

Central Wine Cellar. G/F Central Chitlom Food Hall, Rama 1 Rd., 02-655-7648/52
GranMonte. 17/8 Sukhumvit Soi 6, 02-653-1522. (Currently only available in Khao Yai, but mention BK Magazine for special consideration.)
Italasia. 1/F, CRC Building, All Seasons Place, 87 Wireless Rd., 02-658-3862
Siam Winery Wine Shop. 74/1 Viphavadee-Rangsit Soi 78, 02-533-5600
 

Can’t write, can’t take pictures? Be an online seller. While good-looking websites have a great impact on the shop’s apparent trustworthiness, there are also growing numbers of online shops that use Facebook as their business communication tool. We spoke to two online businesswomen who use Facebook in lieu of bricks and mortar stores.

Ploytasapan Jalayan started Eazy Pre Order on Facebook. The service works just like a personal buyer who will get you anything you want from abroad. “I started by uploading some nice photos of sunglasses with prices. When someone ordered and confirmed the payment, I’d then pass that order to my shipper. Once that item got delivered to me, I’d set up a delivery with the customer,” explains Ploy. Her service became so popular that her customers began to request items other than sunglasses, and Ploy expanded the product range. “I chose Facebook because it’s very easy to use and there’s no cost. Most of my target customers use Facebook regularly so I can communicate with them in a snap,” she adds.
With the help of her siblings, Pennapa Subhawat is able to eliminate the middleman altogether at PPandFamily (www.facebook.com/ppandfamily), which sells clothing and bags designed by the family and made locally. “We started by selling random items to check for feedback, and we found out that our customers’ preferences leaned towards workwear and dresses. After three months, we launched our first collection,” says Pennapa. Although produced in very limited amounts, PPandFamily’s products are so popular that the page now has over 10,000 likes and more than 1,000 orders since their first launch. “We have a long customer waiting list for our products, and being online requires very low investment, so it’s going great,” she adds. 

HOW TO Open Your Online Shop

1  Trust is the most important thing when you have an online business. The customers don’t get to see and touch the products before they buy, so you’re competing with traditional shops. Be honest in your transactions and about the condition of your products and post good pictures that are helpful to buyers.
2  Both PPandFamily and Easy Pre Order emphasize putting customers at ease by keeping in touch with them. If someone posts a comment or question on your wall, respond right away to each and every post (so they won’t think you’ve just run away with their money).
3  Despite all the potential success, problems are also unavoidable. “Patience is a must for people in this business. I once got a customer’s complaint saying my product had a flaw, even though I was absolutely certain that I had checked it very carefully,” remembers Ploy.
4  Punctuality is key. If your business involves shippers abroad, be sure you account for this time in your delivery estimate. The more delayed your delivery is, the more creeped out and anxious your customer gets.

READ MORE:
Blogging: Can blogging still generate revenue with a content-saturated world wide web?

360 Fitness Bootcamp
Military-style fitness that takes its cue from the US army. #03-01 Hui Seng Building, 38 Carpenter St, 9640-6544.

Get Fit!
Tailored to a range of fitness levels from beginner to advanced, not only do you get fit, essential nutritional and dieting advice is also provided. Call 9732-0114.

IMPACT Fitness
Self-described as “leaner, meaner and more intense” than most boot camps, IMPACT keeps it fun by combining traditional exercises with sports like football and track & field. Call 9152-0950.

Phyzique
Founded and run by the rather charming Nikhil Abraham, Phyzique is conducted in one of the most scenic parts of the business district (you can see the Marina Bay Sands lightshow from where you’re stretching). The Lawn @ Marina Boulevard, 12 Marina Blvd, 9852-5266.

UFIT
All sessions take place outdoors at Fort Canning Park and the Botanic Gardens, giving a fresh spin on your regular fitness regime. Call 9225-0868.

Can blogging still generate revenue with a content-saturated world wide web? We spoke to Carl Heaton of Web Courses Bangkok, who provides web training to novices and experts alike. Several of his students have gone on to create their own websites and blogs, many of which generate money. Heaton claims that demand is greater than ever for real, quality content. “No longer is it just enough to have your keywords wrapped around fluff with some pretty pictures. You need compelling, relvant and engaging content,” he says. This means that the internet needs you to write regularly about what you’re passionate about, whether its restaurants, digital photography, caring for a Persian cat, putting together fixie bicycles from scratch or media criticism.

Making money with blogging almost always takes time. The payout is slow and extremely small as most monetizing schemes depend on heavy traffic to your content, which is built over a long period of time and with a commitment to quality, regularity and a few traffic-generating tricks. Still, if you already have a day job and would like to work on online projects that you care about, there are a lot of opportunities out there, like writing your own web courses and, of course, blogging.

HOW TO: Run a Blog

Blogging with the intent to make money is a long-term scheme, involving a comprehensive plan to generate a large and regular readership that will read your sponsor ads or click the Google ads running on your sidebars. A passion for your subject aside, you need to consider some ways in which blogging is different from print writing.
1.) CONSISTENCY
“The essence of good blogging is consistency, interesting content and bit-sized chunks. Consistency gives you credibility but also when people pick up on your rhythm of posting you will get regular readers more inclined to purchase that recommended product or click one of your ads. Interesting content comes from being passionate about what you are writing about and seeing what works. When you have your blog keep a close eye on what types of post work best, then just repeat and refine,” says Heaton.
2.) WRITE FOR THE WEB
“An essential skill is writing for the web. It is very different from writing for print. You need to chop all your writing into quick paragraphs that ask a question to lead people in, give quality information and then round things up by telling the reader exactly what to do. A great site to learn about this is copyblogger.com.”
3.) REVIEW
“When you have a readership you can start interjecting reviews about products that have an affiliate link attached to it. For example if you like writing about cooking why not recommend a book from Amazon.com on ‘healthy Thai cooking’ or ‘cooking on a student budget’.”
4.) USE ADSENSE
“You can also add Adsense to your blog. Register for Google Adsense, create the advertising blocks and then copy the code into your blog. Hey presto, you have advertising which makes money with each click.”

HOW TO: Sell Web Courses

Using websites like www.learnable.com and www.udemy.com, you can create a course about a subject of your choice and people can sign up to take it, for a small fee. A quick look at either of these sites reveals courses in Adobe Design, macroeconomics, wine-tasting, memoir writing and more. Prices range from free to about US$250 (B7,500 for an Introduction to Building iPhone Apps for Beginners), but remember, if your course is pricey but not dazzling, you’ll probably get some unhappy students and bad reviews. Most sites will retain a commission on your sales; Udemy keeps 30%.
1.) KNOW YOUR STUFF
“You have to have experience in the field. You need to know the ins and outs of what you are talking about, the quirks and the things to look out for. Experience counts a lot more than a degree. Provide information people can’t find elsewhere,” says Heaton.
2.) MAKE IT JAZZY
“You’ll have to explain things in natural, progressive steps to all types of learners. Some people are very visual learners, like me,“says Heaton. A picture will always tell me more than a worksheet—and a video is the best! Others want to work logically through instructions and respond to detailed explanations.”
3.) BE PASSIONATE
“Have passion for what you are teaching. I think this is one of the most important things. If you sound bored or unsure then your online course will not get the reviews it needs to bring in more customers. Also if you are writing about what you love, you’ll enjoy making the course much more.”

WORLD’S TOP BLOGS

1. The Huffington Post.
Once a three-person effort, it now has 9,000 expert writers and was bought by AOL for US$315 million. www.huffingtonpost.com

2.  Mashable!
This social media news website gets over 50 million page views a month and has over two million Twitter followers. www.mashable.com

3.  TechCrunch.
With news and analysis on everything tech, TechCrunch is ranked #2 on Technorati. www.techcrunch.com

4.  Gizmodo.
This site covers gadgets and, since humble beginnings in 2002, has gone global, available in nine languges. www.gizmodo.com

5.  Engadget.
The Managing Editor of this blog has broken the Guinness World Record for most blogs: 17,212 and counting. www.engadget.com

READ MORE:
Cash for Clicks: There’s money to be made online. But is it any more fun (or more lucrative) than going to the office?

Most Extravagant

Mega Mao Shan Wang Snowskin
At 50 bucks a pop, this is hands-down the most expensive mooncake we’ve ever stuffed our faces with. Goodwood’s latest creation is a 12cm snowskin mooncake bursting with rich and creamy Mao Shan Wang (mountain cat king) durian pulp. Only the most serious durian connoisseurs need apply.
$50 per piece from Deli, Goodwood Park Hotel

Craziest Flavor

Snowskin with Korean Black Garlic
Bite into the visually striking dark gray exterior and you’ll find a sweet, smooth mung bean paste which envelops a potent piece of Korean black garlic (purported to possess 10 times the antioxidant qualities of raw garlic). It’s no wall flower, and certainly not for everyone, but it sure is fun serving it to unsuspecting colleagues and friends.
$56.80 per box from Jewels Artisan Chocolate

Most Addictive

Fresh Milk Snowskin with Yuan Yang
We like all of chef Yong Bing Ngen’s handcrafted renditions, but if we had to pick a favorite it would have to be the delicate snowskin made from fresh milk and filled with a rich, addictive yuan yang (Hong Kong-style mixture of coffee and milk tea) white bean paste; they’re to die for.
$48 per box from Majestic Restaurant

Mooncake Numerology

The Mid-Autumn Festival treat by numbers

13
Weight in tons of the world’s largest mooncake made in Shenyang, China.

420
Year the Song Dynasty officially declared the 15th day of the 8th lunar month to be Mid-Autumn Festival.

10,943,539
Number of mooncakes needed to reach the moon if placed one on top of another.

0
Number of mooncakes taken on Apollo 11 mission to the moon.

23
Number of mooncakes needed to stone someone to death.

20
Age of a man who died in 1989 while taking part in a mooncake eating competition in Singapore.

Penny Black

Likely the numero uno watering hole for English fans hoping to go one stage further than the last World Cup in France. You can bet the atmosphere in this Victorian-style pub will be lively as punters put their faith in Jonny Wilko’s boot once again. With a selection of beers and spirits, even if the results go black (pardon the pun) for Martin Johnson’s boys, everyone will be in high spirits. Best not mention the Springboks while here though, unless you want first-hand experience of a ruck.

Boomarang Bar

Despite the chilled-out reputation this Australian bar has, tensions will surely be high during the competition, particularly with arch nemesis the All Blacks playing host. Not only will they be dishing out the hottest live action from Aotearoa; scrumptious Aussie inspired grub will also be served. Decked out in the gold and green of the Wallabies, you’ll probably need to reserve a table so as not to miss out on the convivial atmosphere while the national team negotiate a rather easy Pool C.

Muddy Murphy’s

One of the oldest Irish pubs on the island, the vibe here will be similar to a boozy St Patrick’s Day when Brian O’ Driscoll leads his lads out on the pitch in their first match against the USA. These dark horses might not be highly tipped to take home the trophy but that won’t stop their gregarious supporters from openly chanting “Ireland’s Call” throughout the tournament. While you’re glued to the on-field action, tuck into hearty Irish stew or Beef and Guinness Pie and wash it all down with some draught Kilkenny.