Best Value Meal In Bangkok

[greenwood01]

So it is wrong to hate a place that asks for a ton of money for cheap meat and horrible cooking skills?

Even in the west for that price u get more than 2 cheap sausages and instant-mashed potatoes

[onnut]

[jfchandler]

I like Molly Malone's. Their 99 baht breakfast special is good. I like their Sunday special buffet. And the other food I've had there from time to time has been perfectly fine. They have an (IMHO, deserved) reputation as one of the better pubs for eating in BKK.

But every now and again, someone comes along and complains bitterly about the food there. I've never been able to replicate those bad experiences.

[sagaris]

jw marriott lunch buffet for two with gold card 50% discount. YUM. Water 70 baht a pop though. Bah

[jfchandler]

What kind of card exactly do you mean by "Gold Card"???

[bkkjames]

What kind of card exactly do you mean by "Gold Card"???

AMEX

[jfchandler]

OK... back from the U.S., and time for catching up on some value eating places around BKK...

One place that's really worth a visit is the Best Beef BBQ shop on Sukhumvit Road near On Nut BTS, where they have a 199 baht, "all you can eat in two hour buffet".

See my review and photos here.... The quality is good. The price is good. But the two together, and you've got a great deal.

This is a place where you can really enjoy some good food, and eat as much of what you like as you want among many choices offered in their buffet. Add in very reasonably prices beers and other drinks, and you'll be in heaven!

[jfchandler]

Also, been meaning to try the 224 baht lunch buffet special weekdays (Monday to Friday, noon to 2:30 pm) at the Grand President Hotel's cafe, also nearby on Sukhumvit Soi 11.... Anyone else sampled it???

I've been waiting for an invitation all this time from BKKJames...but since it didn't come...

I ventured the other day to Cafe 11 (located in the Grand President Hotel on Sukhumvit Soi 11) to sample their Monday to Friday luncheon buffet. The result was a great buffet meal, good enough, in fact, to return the next day with the GF in tow for a second go-round, which was every bit as good as the first time.

If you're thinking of stale, warmed-over buffet line foods or fried chicken nuggets and sausages, that's absolutely not the case at Cafe 11. One of the things I liked about all their choices was everything in the buffet pretty much looked and tasted exactly as if you'd ordered that item as a stand-alone regular menu entree from a quality hotel restaurant. The food was very good, and the buffet deal is a great value.

Their sign outside advertises their 224 baht buffet. But even that's a bit of a misnomer, since the 224 baht actually INCLUDES the hotel's 10% service charge and 7% VAT. So the real menu item price of the buffet is 190 baht, which gets to a total of 224 baht net net. Add in a bottle of water and ice for 20 baht, and my total bill (including drink and tip) the first day came to 247 baht.

Cafe 11 has an Indian food orientation. So their buffet indeed usually has a couple of Indian style dishes at the end, usually including a meat dish and a vegetables dish, and/or a dal, along with some Indian breads. But that's just the start, and you can eat very well here without every touching the Indian fare if it's not your cup of tea.

Elsewhere on the buffet, they seem to deliberately try to cover all the essential bases. On the days we were there, each day, they had different buffet offerings of fillet of fish, steak or sliced beef, chicken, sliced BBQ pork, etc. Add in steamed rice, a cooked-to-order pasta table, a small salad bar, and a desert table with ice cream, some Thai sweets, a cake and custard flan.

The interior setting is modern and air conditioned, of course. The service staff is good, attentive, polite and efficient. The upholstered chairs are comfortable, and the whole setting makes it an easy place to relax, chat and enjoy a quality meal.

The only down side is their buffet is only offered Monday to Friday, and not on the weekends...

That and, the manager answered in response to my inquiry, this same restaurant has now discontinued what used to be a very well reviewed, reasonably priced Sunday brunch. I never was able to try it, but from various reports, it was more elaborate than their weekday buffet and, of course, higher priced as well.

Give Cafe 11's weekday buffet a try, and I'm sure you won't be disappointed.

[jfchandler]

A couple of updates on Molly Malone's Pub on Soi Convent near Saladaeng BTS....

1. Much to my delight, they have their pitchers of sangria (wine with sliced fresh fruit) back in stock now, with the large size pitcher going for under 200 baht. Order one, and it's enough to keep you and a friend happy for the evening... if you can stop at only ordering one.

2. Management has spruced up their excellent value Sunday carvery buffet a bit, including expanding their included desert options beyond the reliable (and very tasty) hot apple crumble with vanilla ice cream. Last time there, for a change, I opted for a decent (though not great) tiramisu cake, one of several new desert items to choose from.

As an interesting aside, the MM all-you-can-eat Sunday Carvery continues to go for 349 baht, including a glass of wine and desert. Just the other day, I was passing the Landmark Hotel on Sukhumvit where they are advertising their weekend carvery at the Huntsman Pub for 450 baht net on Saturdays and 650 baht net on Sundays.

I've never tried those weekend meals at the Landmark's Huntsman Pub, though I've eaten regular meals there in the past. And even though I live nearby, they haven't managed to pull me away from my favorite weekend roast meal at Molly Malone's. The comparison with the Huntsman gives you some idea of just what a good value MM's Sunday meal is.

3. Since others above have mentioned MM's ribeye steak dinner, my GF happened to order one the other day when we were there for a bit of sangria. I tried some of her ribeye steak and it was good, very tender, nicely prepared and tasty. No complaints whatsoever. The fries and accompanying pitcher of gravy were good too...

Sorry for the quality of the photo below, but the interior environs at night were a bit dark, and my mobile's camera lacks a flash...

[tangoll]

The 49 baht lunch special at Izumi in Century Movie Plaza is now no more. On offer is a 115 baht barbecue special for lunch, but there are a slew of other restaurants in that same mall, all with some form of lunch specials.

[Moonrakers]

Sorry if it's been mentioned here already, but I went to "The great American rib Co." on Soi 36 (I think) a couple of weeks back.

For 600 baht between us, my wife and I had so much food in a meal for two that not only could we not finish it, but the doggie bags filled our fridge at home.

Bloody good food as well.

[gregb]

Sorry if it's been mentioned here already, but I went to "The great American rib Co." on Soi 36 (I think) a couple of weeks back.

For 600 baht between us, my wife and I had so much food in a meal for two that not only could we not finish it, but the doggie bags filled our fridge at home.

Bloody good food as well.

If you're up for American food and in the northern part of Bangkok, there is a great new American restaurant that just opened last week next to Rangsit University called Boomerang's. Was talking with the owner and he told me they stole one of the cooks from Outback at Siam Center.

Full slab of ribs that will match the quality anywhere in Bangkok for 249 baht. (Half slab 149) Really good cheese burger for 99 baht. They have deep fried mushrooms on their menu, but they were out the night I was there so no chance to try them.

Since they've only been open for a week I haven't had an opportunity to try most of their menu, but what I have tried has been very good.

[bkkjames]

Today's post is a big beef!

As a follow up to my last about a certain restaurant / bar on Soi 8 that is part of a hotel, wanted to update you on my experience today.

Ordered a cheeseburger (seemed simple enough). 40 mins later a monster of a burger showed up on my table, presented very nice with fries and coleslaw. So much for first impressions...

Sadly, when I cut through the burger it revealed something more appropriate for steak tar tar - absolutely raw (not pink, raw) on the inside.

After waiting for my raw cheeseburger for 40mins, it was the last straw for me. Paid for my coke and left. Won't be back sad to say, as the service girls are nice.

[Meridian007]

For good pizza and pasta lovers, Via Vai Restaurant in Sukhumvit Soi 8, just a short walk from Nana BTS, is having a great set of 7-day-a-week lunch specials, as well as Tuesday and Wednesday night dinner specials.

Do they still have their buffet? I remember almost 3 years ago I went there a few times for their buffet, and I was quite pleased with their spread. It was a good price as well, B240 or something. I know things change fast in the restaurant biz, but that was my favourite "good value" buffet downtown.

I'm thinking of exploring tonight, and trying out a Korean BBQ all-you-can-eat near the river in Pinklao. I used to go to one on Phahon Yothin near Kasetsart that was good value, B89 for all you can eat with seafood, beef, pork, chicken and veggies that you cook yourself. As long as you are careful to cook everything fully, these places are great. I haven't been in years, so maybe I'll try the one near me, and report.

[mauiguy90]

For good pizza and pasta lovers, Via Vai Restaurant in Sukhumvit Soi 8, just a short walk from Nana BTS, is having a great set of 7-day-a-week lunch specials, as well as Tuesday and Wednesday night dinner specials.

I had the lunch special today, which for 199 baht plus tax gave me my choice of any regular size pizza or pasta dish along with an all-you-can-eat salad bar that was well stocked with a variety of Italian antipasti along with the salad basics.

Stopped by Via Via last week and had the 199 baht special. The salad bar is great, with roasted veggies and antipasto. Its not a huge spread but everything tastes terrific especially the roasted eggplant and zuchinni! I don't even like salad much but I had 3 servings. The pizza took a bit of time to get there but was also very tasty and large. I would dare to say, it does compare well to those at Limoncello, especially price wise. My friend managed to eat the whole thing, while I took more than half a pizza home.

Excellent value--thanks JF Chandler!!!

I also want to mention that the owner/managers were quite friendly. At first, I thought they looked a bit like mafia types, but my friend introduced himself and we ended up having a tour of all the restaurant explaining all the fine pictures they have of historical performers, directors, etc.

Edited November 24, 2009 by mauiguy90

[onethailand]

Time to revive this thread again...

Via Vai is still going strong - went there last week with a friend from out of town. Same good deal, though that day they slightly undercooked the pasta.

Been seeing a lot of buffet offerings lately, there's a place at CentralWorld (can't recall the name, begins with a G) with an all you can eat international buffet at 399... Kuroda on Ekamai still has their all-you-can-eat Japanese at 399 but they are raising the price to 450 from April 15th. Be forewarned, however, that the food they serve is not always consistent and seems to change with whichever cook and whatever ingredients.

Anyone found any new places lately?

Edited March 29, 2010 by onethailand

[MiG16]

any recommendation for a nice relaxed place in the siam sqaure area?

non western food would be good

cheers

[needforspeed]

Molly Malone's Irish Pub in Convent Silom has a lunch deal. 199 baht for any of the following during 12 and 2pm everyday including weekends.

Fish & Chips

Rib Eye Steak egg and chips

Pork Chop & Onion Gravy with mash

Bangers & Mash

BBQ pork ribs

Corned beef and cabbage

Irish Smoked Bacon Loin with mash

thats good value for an irish pub. the portions are the same as the normal menu.

Agree with onnut, had a bite to eat this week, better than expected.

Hope they going to have some promotions on foreign brewed beers and wine.

Not bad

Edited April 2, 2010 by needforspeed