HAVE YOU EVER TRIED ROOFTOP DINING IN BANGKOK?

If you ever come to Bangkok, one experience you should not miss is rooftop dining.  It must have been more than two decades ago.  I was staying in the Banyan Tree Hotel, which was then a Westin.  In any case, at the top was Vertigo, the first roof top dining restaurant in the city.  The building has 61 floors, and you are at the top.

Since then I've dined at a few more.  As the second of its kind, Sirocco opened in 2003 on the 63rd floor.  Read about my experience in 2015:

• 
  ...the symbol of supreme dining extravagance in Thailand, remaining as the highest place to enjoy a meal with only the sky above you, on the 63rd floor of the State Tower.   I took the photos below awaiting my table and saw the sunset. Maybe your mind might recall this scene, for parts of Hangover 2 were shot here.

• This posting provides cuisine and wine details for every dish.

So, the chef came by to chat with me, for maybe the third time, and we joked around enough that I don't think he was insulted by my comments.  Chef Gonzalo Ruiz is from Barcelona, and ran his own restaurant when he was 28.  I wished him well on his next adventure, for I had similar chats with Chef Rene of Nomo and Chef Gaggan here in Bangkok before they became #1 in the World and Asia.

• I'll show you only the dessert, a Red Autumn Berries with Chocolatre, including a Mythical Garden Ice Apple Wine.

The whole meal with wines cost $300. 

There are now at least 20 rooftop dining options in Bangkok, with Vertigo and Sirocco at the top, both in terms of quality and height.  Well, five years ago the Mahanakhon Skybar on the 77th floor eclipsed the two, but it does not have the restaurant style of the early two.   So on to our Sirocco adventure for tonight.

But first, just about when we were about to leave for dinner, my 7 tailored vests arrived.

The Luxury Collection Sheraton Grande Sukhumvit we're in has flower arrangements everywhere.  First, a lotus flower opening session, then some micro anthuriums.

The taxi ride to Sirocco cost $8 going and $5 returning.  More flowers entering the restaurant, plus a startling first view of the Chao Phraya River.

A table with a view.

Ordered a Penfold's Shiraz and New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc.  First, an amusement, followed by Hokkaido Scallops risotto, foie gras and asparagus risotto for the appetizers.

The entres were pork and lamb.

Ended with petit fours.

A grand meal.  Remember my blog yesterday where a decade or so ago I paid $300 for this meal?  This time because of more judicious wines and so forth, the cost was $200/person.

Woke up at 4:45AM for limousine pick-up by Emirates Air.

Nice Emirates lounge.

Next, we land in Dubai, then after a stopover of 2 hours, on to Munich.

-

LV THE PLACE AND SIROCCO

The Bangkok Post has a once a month feature segment, Elite Life, bringing the best of luxury lifestyle in Bangkok.  The front page highlight was entitled Journey from Jura, featuring the marriage of Louis Vuitton and Chef Gaggan Anand.  

In short, here is the story:

• Louis was born in the Jura region of France in 1821.
• At the age of 33 he established his eponymous brand in Paris in 1854, 170 years ago.

• 
  He established his reputation by making travel trunks for Napolen III's wife, Empress Eugenie.
• His trunks were weatherproof and light, with an unpickable lock.  That design began then.
• In 1987 LV merged with Moet et Chandon and Hennessey, becoming LVMH.

• 
  Today, a LV bag can cost from $1,200 to $36,000, but knock offs can be found in Thailand, China, etc. for $20 or so.
• You probably did not know this, but Bernard Arnault heads LVMH and, with a worth of $235 billion, is the richest person in the world.  #2 is Jeff Bezos of Amazon at $194 billion and #3 Elon Musk of Tesla/SpaceX at $193 billion.

• 
  Segueing on to Chef Gaggan Anand, in 2007 he arrived in Thailand from Kolkata, India with $500 in his pocket.  Of course, he had the good fortune or skill to have worked for Ferran Adria (right) of El Bulli, where he learned molecular gastronomy.

I featured Chef Anand a decade ago, for one stop on my Fall Circle Pacific Adventure was Bangkok, where I had dinner at Gaggan.  This photo has Gaggan to my left.  To quote from that posting:

Chef Gaggan asked me if I thought he could attain #1 ranking?  As I dined at Noma and took a similar photo (below right) of Chef Rene and his staff when Noma in Copenhagen was not yet #1, I later thought about that question and can now feel comfortable in saying that his steeple of excellence in Bangkok cannot.  His kitchen is too small and the two floor home he is in is not fashionable.  Narisawa in Tokyo is in a high tech setting.  Pierre Gagnaire'srestaurant at the top of the Lotte Hotel in Seoul has a spectacular view.  This will almost surely gain 3-Star Michelin ranking when they bother to come to Korea.

However, I can suggest that a #1 Pellegrino world ranking is possible if he finds a situation at the top of a new sky rise in Delhi or, perhaps, a venerable castle in Kolkata, and call it Gaggan's Palace.  He did indicate that rents in his home country are 25 times higher than Bangkok, so this would be a life-changing challenge to gain financial backing for such a magnificent opportunity.  But #1 in the world does not come easily.  Ask Chef Rene, who had to make a comeback after a norovirus outbreak one night.  However, Chef Gaggan is destined for greater things, so I would not be surprised if he someday ascends to a new level of high.

Well he found his match with Louis Vitton.

• LV The Place Bangkok opened on 1March2024 at Gaysorn Amarin, a new destination concept featuring the restaurant and the Louis Vuitton universe today.

• 
  There is a ground floor Le Cafe Louis Vuitton for desserts, etc.
• At the upper level is Gaggan's food journey for lunch and dinner called Gaggan at Louis Vuitton.

• 
  A seasonal menu is based on the 5 S's, for Sweet, Sour, Salty, Spicy and Surprise.
• Sort of a French/Thai/India fusion of these sensations.
• Works of international artists are on display throughout the space.
• Telephone?  1 800 01 1112.
• Open from noon to 11pm but closed on Tuesday and Wednesday.

Walked around a bit yesterday, through Robinson and down to Tops to buy take-out food to try to finish our bottle of blue sake.

Went Thai, for roast park and vegetables over rice.

Then at 6PM to the Library for Glenmorangie Single Malt, Coconut juice and Prosecco.

Loved the soft coconut meat.

We decided to order a meal to watch the Jazz Group.  Spaghetti Bolognese and Caesar Salad.  Just as the food came, the session started.

The singer tonight was from Thailand.

Walked 5249 steps.

Had a large and late brunch this morning because our next meal will be under the stars at Sirocco.

-

A STORY FROM THE BANGKOK POST ABOUT JULI BRISKMAN

This is an October 25, 2019 article from the Bangkok Post about Juli Briskman, the CYCLIST WHO FLIPPED OFF TRUMP, NOW RUNNING FOR LOCAL OFFICE.

• Happened in the fall of 2017.  I don't remember this story, so maybe many of you reading this posting might also find interest.

• 
  On that Saturday in October, 52-year old Juli on a bike was passed by an imposing convoy of black SUV's on the road outside the Trump National Golf Club.  Hey, he was then President of the USA.

• 
  She is a single mother of two teens and a marketing analyst for a military subcontractor.  Or was, for she got fired when an AFP photograph of her finger went viral.
• While some viewed her defiant finger as a sign of resistance, she received insults and threats.
• She sued her former employer for unfair dismissal, but her case was dismissed.

• 
  She has a journalism degree from Ohio State and a master's in business administration from The Johns Hopkins University,  and found a job.
• Was asked to run for county supervisor as a Democrat.
• Her marathon-running attitude persuaded her to not only be that person who flipped the President, but had more to offer.
• She lives in Loudoun County, Virginia, the wealthiest in the country.
• Of course her "fame" got donations from across the country, with media attention, but still gets death threats.
• She beat a Republican supervisor and to gain a seat on the board.
• She was re-elected in 2023 and now serves as Vice Chair.

So Julie was 2 for 2.  On page 4 of the Bangkok Post, Friday, 20March2024, is another kind of tale.

• 65-year old K Padmarajan, tire repair shop owner and homeopathic remedy provider from Mettur, Tamil Nadu,India, is gearing up to run for office again.

• 
  Known as the Election King of India, he has failed to win 239 straight times.
• He has lost to Narendra Modi, Atal Vajpayee, Manmohan Singh, Rahul Gandhi and many others.
• Says he has spent thousands of his own dollars, for a typical race requires a security deposit of $300, and the money does not get refunded if he fails to reach 16% of the vote.

• 
  A typical campaign could well be, say, for a Mettur assembly seat, where the victor might get 75,000 votes, to his 6,273.  But he says he expected no votes, so that showed people are accepting him.
• He does not get stressed, for he expects to lose, and meets his goal.
• His reputation has grown to where he now is asked to address students about resilience, and how to bounce back from defeat.  
• Asked what would happen if he won?  He'd get a heart attack.

We are in a minor rut regarding our meals, but enjoying the food and drinks very much.  You will see the sequence as lunch, dinner drinks/food and breakfast in that order because I complete this blog after having breakfast.  Thus, for lunch yesterday we went to Terminal 21, an easy walk through the Asoke MTS Station, looked around, selected a plate of tuna sashimi and cup of corn soup, then went to Hono Teppanyaki, where they prepared a steak plate for take-out.

The rooms we've had so far has windows that provided just enough space to serve as a table.  Across the street is the Westin Grand Sukhamvit hotel.  I've stayed there in the past.  They have an excellent Japanese restaurant, Kissho.

Amazingly enough, the corn soup was my pick as the best part of the meal, with the special sake.

This 1.8 liter of Koshi No Kanbai was a gift from a Japanese friend.  Note that building to the right.  It sits over Terminal 21.  The whole meal with the free sake cost around $20.

You ask, how many stores in Terminal 21?  The answer is 600, plus 8 screens operated by SF Movie Theater City.  Ala Moana Shopping Center in Honolulu has only 350 shops, and no movie theaters.

Well, the evening ended with our usual Glenmorangie whiskey and, today for me, a gin martini with cognac instead of vermouth.

Did not eat much because we were still quite satiated from the late lunch.

By the way, you can ask for exactly what pillows you want here.

From Cagle.com, the BEST Political Cartoons about Trump ON, IN or anyway associated with toilets.

-