shishafiesta

Why is the name of the bus company always missing from these "news" stories? Seems like that is pretty important info, especially when choosing which bus company to travel with.

I was staying at this hotel when the fire happened. As usual, Thai media gets it all wrong. The hotel is called Baan Sai Kao, which actually means White Sand Home, but what difference does that make. The fire started in a room on the rooftop (4th floor) which is used by the staff. The fire never spread beyond that room. At no point was anyone trapped. There was no working smoke alarm, but the staff did an excellent job of getting everyone out of their rooms and then moved us to their sister hotel down the street. The first fire truck showed up more than 30 minutes after the fire began. Locals said this was the first time they've had a major fire at White Sand Beach.

Right, I just checked out the Burger Factory on Sukhumvit 63, Soi 10 in Ekkamai.

That was a flippin' great burger!

Hit all the right spots and at the end of my soi, result!

I went for the house burger, their go-to burger.

They cook them medium, it wa done medium well which is perfect for a burger. The consistencey of the mince meat was right, something I thought was wrong at Fattys.

The bun was great - fresh, like a brioche influenced bun. So great burger, with cheese, two strips of very crispy bacon, some sort of burger sauce relish and also they put on the other bun a slightly spicy sauce which gives it a litle bit of heat but it really all works very well in combination.

The fries were good - better than Fatty's. Not the "best I've ever had" but perfectly good enough. A few more would have been nice but it wasn't under-average.

I ate it with my hands after compressing it all down - you HAVE to eat a burger with your hands, knife and fork just doesn't cut it (pun!)

It was very nice, I enjoyed every bite and took my time. Nice venue, nice staff. Good selection of beers and lots of global wines ranging from 750 - 2200 a bottle.

Bill for the house burger (comes with a side of your choice) and 1 Singha beer came to 450 baht ish.

So the burger is about 350. A supersized McDonalds in 210 so well worth going to!

I would recommend no problem and I will certainly go back. Not every day of course but a good place for a well made tasty burger.

EAT IT WITH YOUR HANDS!

Better than Fatty's... that's quite a statement. I had to check it out. The verdict? No way! It was okay, but nothing special, and certainly not worth the double price.

You are right about Fatty's fries, they are not the greatest, but the fries at Burger Factory aren't impressive either. At least at Fatty's you can pimp 'em with chili and cheese.

Fatty's reigns king of real American burgers IMHO, but if you're in the mood for a pricier, upscale option, 25 degrees in Silom is a better alternative. Plus, good fries.

Fatty's is #1 by a LONG shot. Not only the best burger in Bangkok, probably the best burger I've ever had.

Amp Burger near Ari is impressive, too.

25 degrees in Silom, very good but very pricey.

Chokchai most of the time, extra points for their homemade salsa-style ketchup.

Bully's also, surprisingly, as their other food leaves a lot to be desired.

Carl's Jr. is a step up for the local fast food scene.

Roadhouse is okay. Was not impressed with Firehouse or BKK Burger Co.

El Goucho sounds risky for the price, but shall try eventually.

McDonalds... you're kidding, right?

ENOUGH WITH THE BIZARRE SPECULATION!!!!

One of these men was my friend. I just got off the phone with his girlfriend, "the woman".

This is a tragic event that involved NO FOUL PLAY except for the accidental mix of drugs and alcohol.

There, now you can all get back to something more important.

Thank you, and PLEASE be respectful of the situation.

Yes, well said. Thank you.

Fatty's Diner and Bar on Asok / Din Daeng Road near Phra Ram MRT station. Delicious burger for a cheap price, you won't regret it.

Carl's Jr is overall better than Mc and BK, although the beef itself is a BK is better, but Carl's has better options/toppings. Higher prices, though. If you're craving a real American burger, check out Fatty's Diner on Din Daeng road near Phra Ram 9 station. It's in a league of it's own. All of their American food is the real deal, especially the jalepeno poppers, corn dogs, pastrami and philly cheese steak, and it's cheap enough that you can eat there often.

Mike's Mexian is good. Definitely much better than Tequila reef or Sunrise.

I think Que Pasa is the best Mexican restaurant south of Chiang Mai. The salsa (complementary) is a work of art. Homemade chips. All the Mexican staples including awesome chimichangas and enchiladas. Their other western food is great too, especially lasange and steak and cheese subs. I take a taxi there every weekend, which runs about 130 baht from Mo Chit station. Even when you add the taxi fare to the food bill, it's still much cheaper than the Mexican spots in Sukhumvit, and well worth the trip. The big strong margaritas are a bonus, too.

Danita's are the best locally made corn chips. The annoying thing is that only half the bag has chips big enough for dipping, the other half is always broken up into shreds. It's amazing that Doritos and Tostitos can ship theirs from America and Australia and breakage is minimal, but Danita's can get them across town without disintegrating them. Still the best available for the price.

For salsa, the best I've found is El Sapo, which is made locally by an American expat, and available at most Villa markets. Even better, they are now selling their same salsa in most Topp's markets under the store label "My choice." It's just as good as any imported brand (much better than most) and only a fraction of the price (under 100 baht).

The best nachos in Bangkok are Charley Brown's!

Danita's are indeed the best. It's very frustrating though, because in every bag I buy, half the chips are broken up into small pieces, which makes them un-dippable. It's strange that Doritos and Tostitos can ship their chips here all the way from America or Australia without a problem, but Danitas can't ship them across town without damaging the goods. But as now, there's really no other good (affordable) alternative.

On the salsa front though, El Sapo, which is made locally by an American, is just as good if not better than anything being imported, at a fraction of the price. Most Villa markets sell it. And now El Sapo is making salsa for Topp's markets, too. It's sold under the "generic" looking label called "My Choice." It's identical to El Sapo, and both are priced under 100 baht.

I think the Masters in Education program offered in Bangkok, by State University of New York, is the best option for teachers in Thailand. Real American Masters degree in less than one year with easy payment plan. Check out the link below. The new semester starts in August.

http://www.uecthai.com/bsc/

As an American, I recommend...

Best Corn Chips - Danita's (original)

Best Jar Salsa - El Sapo (especially the picante, if you like it hot)

Best Taco Shells - Old El Paso is definitely the best, but El Charro is also ok

Best Flour Tortillas - Danitas are the most traditional, but the El Charro brand are good as well

These are Thai brands and are available at all Villa Markets in BKK. For cheese, I generally use California Premium Monterrey Jack, as it's the most affordable - about 105 baht for 225 g - and tasty.

Of course you can get imported brands like Tostitos and Old El Paso as well, but you'll pay dearly.