A lunch worth the money.

[FolkGuitar]

7,000 calories, and 8km later, we are back at home with HUGE grins on our faces! Buffet lunch at the Empress Hotel.

What a feed! Beef Bourguignon, Chicken Masala, Medallions of Pork, Rosemary Lamb, Rare roast beef,... and this was just 'part' of the Western dishes. There were a half dozen different Chinese dishes and a dozen different dim sum, another half dozen Indian dishes, numerous Thai dishes, and even a Japanese table with fresh sushi, sashimi, and even takoyaki! I can only speak to the dishes that I tried, all 12 or 15 of them, and say that everything was delicious. The beef was just a little bit tough, but TIT. I was expecting shoe leather and was pleasantly surprised! Despite being steam table presentations, nothing was over-done. The chefs on hand grilling chicken, beef, and pork were able to deal with the crowds. The freshly cooked-to-order noodles where just that. The fellow slicing the joint of ham and lamb was cutting just the right thickness of each, and keeping up with the demand. I never saw a single tureen stay empty for more than a minute or two. Staff was really on the ball!

The center of the room was filled with the dessert offerings; dozens of different fruit presentations, cakes and petit fours, and even a chef making fresh crepe to go along with two different flavors of ice cream, hot fudge toppings, strawberry toppings, and fresh whipped cream (that was the western desert. The Thai dessert table had fresh mango, sticky rice, coconut cream with different fruits, etc.) Unfortunately, it was all topped off with Lipton's Yellow Label tea. Bummer. We walked home (about 8k) and are now sitting with some good East India Company's 'Royal Breakfast' tea! Had this been served after dinner I would give the Empress Hotel 5 stars for its Sunday Buffet lunch.

Not a bad feed for two hungry people - 580 baht for the two of us!

Edited August 11, 2013 by FolkGuitar

[CMKiwi]

Cheers for the review....now I know where to take the missus next Sunday for a surprise lunch. That will get me a few brownie points for sure...cheers again

[cooked]

So this is a cute little place in Buriram? Where the hell is it man, Bangkok ? You forgot that some of us live elsewhere..

[CMKiwi]

Ummmmm it IS the Chiang Mai forum that you are reading.....or is that too obvious???

[andreandre]

So this is a cute little place in Buriram? Where the hell is it man, Bangkok ? You forgot that some of us live elsewhere..

hahaa..your sig is very appropriate....

[chiang mai]

Isn't the Empress part of the hotel group that owned the Downtown Inn, not that it's entirely relevant to what sounds like a great buffet lunch but it might make me avoid using the napkins!

[Thailand]

Get the Empress card and I think it is 15 percent discount.

A great value buffet although the entertainment is too loud so get seating away from the band area. There are larger rooms for parties and the area outside the restaurant are prime positions.

One of our regular haunts.

And it is available every day not just Sundays. Very popular and worth booking a table particularly in the high season.

Edited August 11, 2013 by Thailand

[PETDCAT]

Was this typical of the food they have on Sunday or was it Mothers day special?

[Thailand]

Was this typical of the food they have on Sunday or was it Mothers day special?

It's standard, every day!

[KRS1]

Yep the Empress is one of the better ones in town.

weekdays are around 300 baht i think.

[FolkGuitar]

We used to go there often many years ago, and the quality is even better today than it was in the past. But there has been a change in the clientele. 10 years ago, even 5 years ago, 3/4 of the seating was for small tables, either 2 person or 4 person. The other 1/4 of the room was for tour groups. Today I noticed that it was reversed. 3/4 of the dinning room was set up with long tables for the package tourists, with just 1/4 set up for individuals.

The food variety was staggering. Even going back for a third plate there was just no way to taste everything... though I confess to trying. I even avoided the Steak Fries just to give me more stomach room... And it is this way every day for lunch. And if they are still doing it, they put on a breakfast buffet that is just as mind blowing, including a chef who will make an omelet for you to your specifications as you wait. Tureens full of bacon, sausages, beans, various porridges, cold cuts and cheeses from around the world, and a selection of breads and rolls, both bread and sweet. Even freshly made croissants. And that's just the Western selections. There will be Thai and Chinese selections too, and just as varied.

The music today was quiet and peaceful. A piano and a singer, not loud at all, playing old dinning room standbys; Patti Page, Rosemary Clooney, Doris Day, etc. It was nice. We almost didn't get a seat though, as the place really does fill up, but the Maitre d' put out two more tables for two, right next to the carving chef, so close to the food, but out of the way of the other tables.

And yes, Cooked... this IS the Chiang Mai forum. The Empress Hotel is off Changklan Road in Chiang Mai.

Something I read DID say it was part of some hotel group, but I didn't notice which one.

For my money, the Empress Hotel does the very best buffet breakfast and lunch in Chiang Mai. The Oriental Dara Davi or Shangri-la may offer fresh prawns or oysters, but at three times the price. And they don't come close the variety of foods presented by the Empress Hotel. 15 years ago the Westin almost matched it for variety, but was more expensive.

[Ulysses G.]

15 years ago the Westin almost matched it for variety, but was more expensive.

Are you sure about that? I don't remember the Westin/Holiday Inn ever being that expensive until pretty recently. I remember when it was 150 baht, but that was before the 1997 crash of the Thai economy when the baht lost so much value and prices for foreign food went up a lot.

Excuse me, I just reread your post and it was 580 baht for TWO. That is a horse of a different color.

Edited August 11, 2013 by Ulysses G.

[RaysFan]

Ahhh, to 'cooked's defense, if hes using a cellphone and found this topic under most recent, it can be difficult to figure out what section the topic is under... You really have to search for it.

Anyways, Ive only heard about the buffet at the Holiday Inn, I'm really happy to see another review about a buffet on here (I'm America, we love buffets). I'll check it out next week for sure!

[andreandre]

Ahhh, to 'cooked's defense, if hes using a cellphone and found this topic under most recent, it can be difficult to figure out what section the topic is under... You really have to search for it.

Anyways, Ive only heard about the buffet at the Holiday Inn, I'm really happy to see another review about a buffet on here (I'm America, we love buffets). I'll check it out next week for sure!

I lived in Riverside Condos a couple of years ago and ate next door at the Holiday Inn buffet a few times.

To me it was as good as any i had eaten at,and i never bothered with the Empress because ;

{1] A couple of mates who ate at both convinced me that the holiday Inn was as good if not better

{2} was easy to waddle back to my condo after over eating to excess..

I can't remember the cost but was always full and you had to be in early to get a table...

Would be interested in hearing a comparison just for future reference as i aim to return to C/M this year.

[hellodolly]

Now you tell me. I just spent 1,000 baht for two at La Meridian for a 200 baht buffet. Any thing over 500 for two there is highway robbery. I had two vouchers worth 100 baht each or it would have been 1,200 baht. That was with out drinks.

Glad to hear the Empress is so good. There for a while it had kind of fallen behind.

[FolkGuitar]

Please keep in mind that the 580 baht cost was for two people but without beer. A couple of bottles would surely increase the cost. Fortunately, we don't drink very often which significantly increases our discretionary spending fund. (The advantages of being of pure heart but boring personality.)

[ARISTIDE]

I will give it ago. Last time I was at the Empress food wasn't fresh and I wasted 200 bath on membership.

Sent from my GT-I9300T using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[habfan]

Took some friends to the Empress 6 years ago for brunch 250bht each. The wife and I still talk about how good it was, glad to hear their still keeping up the good work with only a minimal price increase. Outstanding!

[trainman34014]

Ok Guys; what's the best time to get there to ensure a table ?

[vagabond48]

Please keep in mind that the 580 baht cost was for two people but without beer. A couple of bottles would surely increase the cost. Fortunately, we don't drink very often which significantly increases our discretionary spending fund. (The advantages of being of pure heart but boring personality.)

Is the the 580B before or after a discount?

[FolkGuitar]

The 580 baht for two cost was without any discount.

If wise, make a reservation before you go. Otherwise, get there by at least 11:45. By 12:00 almost all the tables, both inside and outside the main dinning room are filled.

Everyone has different expectations when it comes to foods. I'm sure there will be some people who would think that the meat was too tough, the vegetables over-cooked, or the soup too thin. Others, like myself, will be more than satisfied with what was there. Yes, the beef was a bit tough. This is Thailand. The beef is usually tough. But not too tough to chew and enjoy. The green beans didn't 'snap' when I chewed them. But they were still delicious. You just can't please all the people all the time. Give me a desert of fresh crepe with vanilla ice cream and hot fudge sauce on top and anything else I've eaten becomes a feast.

[Sophon]

How is parking around the hotel?

Sophon

[FolkGuitar]

How is parking around the hotel?

Sophon

We walked there, but from the looks of things, now that they have removed two large parking lots and built a building in their place, I'd guess not so great...

[Lobo4819]

Took some friends to the Empress 6 years ago for brunch 250bht each. The wife and I still talk about how good it was, glad to hear their still keeping up the good work with only a minimal price increase. Outstanding!

Went there today (Mother's Day) and the price is still 250 baht - add in tax and built-in 10% gratuity and it brings it to 290 per person.

[Thailand]

Took some friends to the Empress 6 years ago for brunch 250bht each. The wife and I still talk about how good it was, glad to hear their still keeping up the good work with only a minimal price increase. Outstanding!

Went there today (Mother's Day) and the price is still 250 baht - add in tax and built-in 10% gratuity and it brings it to 290 per person.

Save 15 per cent with a member card, about THB 200 per annum if I remember correctly.

[ianf]

Do they have seafood on the Sunday buffet?

[FolkGuitar]

Do they have seafood on the Sunday buffet?

Sushi and sashimi on the Japanese table, several different seafood offerings in the Chinese/Thai section too.

[ianf]

Thanks. But do they have things like crab, prawns, octopie and so on?

[KRS1]

Is there a dinner buffet?

[wolf5370]

I have an annual membership card - if its packed the card helps to get a seat too (they limit it to card holders and hotel guests if too busy) - also give 10% off. Cocktails are pretty good and cheap there too

Took my dad there a few years back when he came visit. He loaded his plate with Wasabi from the sushi counter - I couldn't understand why and watch his head nigh explode after he took a large spoonful. He had thought it was guacamole!!! Soooo funny I cried almost as much as he did !