Via Vai Italian Restaurant

[MeetJohnDoe]

Just so you Bangkokians don't think I only want to body-slam your metropolis, I will certainly put in a plug for the really great value lunch set menus on offer at Via Vai Restaurant on Suk. Soi 8. I have been going there for years when up in Bangers and am amazed at what you get for B 199...a good quality all you can eat salad and appetizers bar and a mains from a wide selection of pastas or a pizza (nicely sized, i.e., not a mini). With water/soda and tax/service, the total check-bin is about B 260 pp...must be one of the best value Western meals in Bangkok.

I have not found anything comparable in Patters...feel better now

[angiud]

Slurp. Via vai AFAIK is a good quality italian restaurant and one of the best italian pizza (so the best pizzas) in BKK

(and in Samui too)

Edited June 12, 2009 by angiud

[sanmiguellight]

Lasagna is delightful in there.

[rgs2001uk]

Cheers,

thanks, for those of us who used this spot, can we now expect it to be ruined by an influx of backpackers and down at heel english teachers, sorry just re-checked 260baht is a teachers allowance for the day, what a relief.

[sanmiguellight]

Cheers,

thanks, for those of us who used this spot, can we now expect it to be ruined by an influx of backpackers and down at heel english teachers, sorry just re-checked 260baht is a teachers allowance for the day, what a relief.

Its a business the money from these people is worth the same as yours ... apart from youre obvioulsy richer and know all about Thailand.

The ony thing i hold against Via Vai is the 10% service charge can anyone confirm it goes to the staff or is it just a way to rip us off?

[pdavids]

I was there today and the 199bt is JUST the salad bar. It goes up if you want pasta or pizza and then up again if you want meat or fish - say 300bt. And re the service charge - it probably does not go to the staff if today's service is any indication!

One or two of them are on the ball - the other two to three are not even on the field.......

However, the salad bar is good value - no corn kernels here - asparagus, tuna, carpaccio, etc.

[sanmiguellight]

And re the service charge - it probably does not go to the staff if today's service is any indication!

One or two of them are on the ball - the other two to three are not even on the field.......

Theyre ok in there, they do seem to get through a lot of staff though, maybe this is a sign its a 10% scam as opposed to a service charge.

[HYENA]

Just so you Bangkokians don't think I only want to body-slam your metropolis, I will certainly put in a plug for the really great value lunch set menus on offer at Via Vai Restaurant on Suk. Soi 8. I have been going there for years when up in Bangers and am amazed at what you get for B 199...a good quality all you can eat salad and appetizers bar and a mains from a wide selection of pastas or a pizza (nicely sized, i.e., not a mini). With water/soda and tax/service, the total check-bin is about B 260 pp...must be one of the best value Western meals in Bangkok.

I have not found anything comparable in Patters...feel better now

Patters, Bangers? strange. I guess that's along the lines of the latest "my bad"

I personally enjoy the local cuisine of the country I am in. When in Rome.... I never understood why there's such a hunt for western food while abroad. I had a friend I brougght to BKK; he stayed for a couple months and the entire time I think he ate two Thai dishes. It usually takes me about a week and I can eat the Tom Macoom with the rest of em, no problem. Train my stomach for a couple days, cry the spicy tears out and there's nothing I can't eat after a weeks time. I enjoy immersing myself in the culture; the whole point of staying abroad (for me) also eating in local portions (too many of us westerners are...fat (for lack of a better word) from eating western food in western portions. For me while abroad, I try to do as the Romans and not try to make their country my own, judging as my own and how things "should be" but rather how things are. That way I get a far better experience (and better health)....but that's just me!

Edited June 14, 2009 by HYENA

[sanmiguellight]

I personally enjoy the local cuisine of the country I am in. When in Rome.... I never understood why there's such a hunt for western food while abroad.

Because i and many dont like it, i met some stupid backpacker cow 10 years ago who got all woundup about me not eating Thai food, so if i thought like her it means i can start an argument with any foreigner coming to England who doesnt stick to bangers and mash or beans on toast.

I try to do as the Romans and not try to make their country my own

But the Romans did make many countries their own, hence the bleedin Empire.

Besides my evil foreign food costs a lot more then your Thai food so im better for the Thai economy and create more jobs.

[MeetJohnDoe]

I was there today and the 199bt is JUST the salad bar. It goes up if you want pasta or pizza and then up again if you want meat or fish - say 300bt. And re the service charge - it probably does not go to the staff if today's service is any indication!

I think you are wrong unless things have changed since last Wednesday (which I doubt) unless due to my op business has gone through the roof so they feel they can raise their prices

There are several variations on the set-lunches: salad-bar only, salad-bar + pasta/pizza, or salad-bar + meat/fish entre. If memory serves, the salad-bar only (which includes bread, tomato-bruchetta, and a selection of finger appetizers in addition to the salad) is about B 150, the salad + pasta/pizza is B 199, and the salad + meat maybe the B 300 you quote. They claw-back a little on the bottled water at B 40 and there is 10% service charge.

I have found the service there to be good and many of the servers have been there for years. Also outside seating for smokers and clean bathrooms. When I am there, most of my fellow diners are groups of Japanese ladies "who lunch."

Edited June 14, 2009 by MeetJohnDoe

[SpoliaOpima]

Just so you Bangkokians don't think I only want to body-slam your metropolis, I will certainly put in a plug for the really great value lunch set menus on offer at Via Vai Restaurant on Suk. Soi 8. I have been going there for years when up in Bangers and am amazed at what you get for B 199...a good quality all you can eat salad and appetizers bar and a mains from a wide selection of pastas or a pizza (nicely sized, i.e., not a mini). With water/soda and tax/service, the total check-bin is about B 260 pp...must be one of the best value Western meals in Bangkok.

I have not found anything comparable in Patters...feel better now

Patters, Bangers? strange. I guess that's along the lines of the latest "my bad"

I personally enjoy the local cuisine of the country I am in. When in Rome.... I never understood why there's such a hunt for western food while abroad. I had a friend I brougght to BKK; he stayed for a couple months and the entire time I think he ate two Thai dishes. It usually takes me about a week and I can eat the Tom Macoom with the rest of em, no problem. Train my stomach for a couple days, cry the spicy tears out and there's nothing I can't eat after a weeks time. I enjoy immersing myself in the culture; the whole point of staying abroad (for me) also eating in local portions (too many of us westerners are...fat (for lack of a better word) from eating western food in western portions. For me while abroad, I try to do as the Romans and not try to make their country my own, judging as my own and how things "should be" but rather how things are. That way I get a far better experience (and better health)....but that's just me!

Cuisine is a global art and lot of us expats have been here a long time. Some of us may eat Thai meals most of the time, but go out now and again for Italian or Mexican, or Chinese or whatever for a change. Variety is the spice of life, etc. I'll bet you don't eat Thai food at every meal and I'll bet back home you don't eat your native cuisine all the time either. Or maybe you eat only Thai if you're only here on holiday, which is understandable.

All Thai, all the time, eventually gets boring. As would all Italian, all Turkish, all Japanese, etc.

Back to Via Vai - it's gets my vote as well.

[joblolboj]

For my .02 cents worth, Via Vai is one of the best places for Italian in BKK.  I eat there quite regularly since it is right across the street from my residence and have never had a bad meal.  The staff have always been attentive and helpful.  Also have had the wood fired pizza delivered, always hot and within 20 minutes.  Give it a try.