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Charles Pelham's Thai Tips!

If you are lucky enough to be travelling to the very special Kingdom that is Thailand, you should definitely take a trip to the North and to the former capital of Siam, Chiang Mai.

In terms of accommodation, you will encounter one of the very finest hotels in Asia, The Regent. It is surrounded by a paddy field where water buffalo ply their trade. There are heavenly little cottages, with their own relaxation day bed areas abutting a private balcony. This place, incidentally, is good for a little Reflexology action of an afternoon.

Their Spa, by the way, is remarkable. Remarkable because of their Herbal Steam Room. Instead of an ordinary steam bath, one of the Spa Staff places a concoction of Galangal, Kaffir Lime Leaves and Lemon Grass into the hopper outside and then you inhale this powerfully cleansing steam right into the depths of your Hong Kong polluted lungs, (if you live there that is!)

Time for food!

Time to repair to this fabulous hotel's Thai Restaurant. Cool towels await as you reflect on the flame torches surrounding the tranquil rural idyll. What should you order? Try the Chiang Mai Sausage as a starter. As a sausage fan, I can state unequivocally that these are exceptional, they are spicy, but have cooling Lemon Grass running through the middle! They compare well with other great sausages of the world, such as the great spicy ones from Newmarket, the ones from the formerly great Paxton & Whitfield shop in Jermyn Street, now sadly some kind of Tourist Food Shop and of course the majestic chourico from Brazil. Salad? Yes, try the Rare Beef, so good. Main course? Go with some fish, which will complement the other choices. I'll leave the rest of this excellent menu as a surprise.

Do go, this place is magical. 

The Regent,
Mae Rim,
Chiang Mai.
Tel: 298 327
Fax:298 190

Back in downtown Chiang Mai, after a little Night Bazaar shopping action, (you will love the Burmese antiques), you should try The Gallery, which is alongside the river in the centre of the city. It is a converted Chinese Temple that is partly an Art Gallery and partly a very nice relaxed and informal restaurant.

Here you should go for the grilled red snapper, preceded by a seafood salad. Make sure that you have a table right by the river. The atmosphere is magical.

Before proceeding south to the green and sparkling waters of Krabi, to try out the New Fern Restaurant, (please see previous review), you will want to spend a couple of days in Bangkok. Much has been written about the new Peninsula Hotel, and especially about their US$85 a night special deals. For me, however, The Oriental still wins hands down. It is just a very special place and the service is quite exceptional.

The Gallery,
Charoenrat Road,
Chiang Mai.
Tel: 248 601

For a wonderful change, I really recommend The Normandie Restaurant, which is on top of the Garden Wing part of the Hotel, where you should stay incidentally, as the views of the river are better.

While you might think it is a bit strange to have French food in the heart of Bangkok, people say that this is one of the best French restaurants in Asia, a sentiment which I heartily endorse. The view is wonderful and the furnishings are lovely too with elegant soft ochre damask. A nice touch always is the little stool for your guest's handbag!

The set lunch is the best option as this place is quite costly, even for Thailand. The fish here is wonderful; I particularly recommend the fresh crab cakes (one of The King's sister's favourites!) Also excellent was the Red Snapper in a Champagne Sauce and the Sea Bass in a tomato fondue. The cheese was in exceptionally good condition, with a good Livarot wanting to make our acquaintance. It seemed churlish to leave him there! We had delicious Chablis by the glass and a spot of Dow's '80 with the cheese. The coffee was top notch. 

The Normandie Restaurant,
The Oriental Hotel,
48 Oriental Avenue,
Bangkok.
Tel: 236-0400/39

As our French lunch was intentionally quite light, we were ready for the culinary high spot of the weekend in the evening, which took place after 90 minutes serious pampering in the finest Spa I have ever found, which is The Oriental's, across the Chao Phraya river. So popular is this wonderful place that you need to book your treatments 2 weeks in advance! The place is all in beautiful teak wood, and each treatment room has its own steam/shower room, which means that you can sit in the steam, covered in Siamese Lemon Grass suds while being simultaneously pelted with water. Bliss! Those in the know have realised that the Thai restaurant of choice in Bangkok is Celadon, which resides in the quite excellent Sukothai Hotel. Friends have liked this place so much that they have eaten there twice in the space of one weekend.

We had an extraordinary dinner. Banana Blossom Salad, Morning Glory Flowers sauteed with Pork, Rare Beef Salad, White Snapper, a Prawn and Coconut mixture, all rounded off with Banana Ice Cream. Bliss! 

The Celadon Restaurant,
The Sukothai Hotel,
13/3 South Sathorn Road,
Bangkok 10120.
Tel: 287- 0222

Before going back to the airport, with a heavy heart I might say, we did find time to squeeze in a quick lunch, in a place we had been before and liked enormously. There is no question that this is a better place for dinner, but it is very special. It is called Thanying, and it is situated just off Silom Road, less than 10 minutes drive from the Oriental. This is a private house, with a lovely 1930s family feel. Superb cuisine is on offer, we had River prawn Salad, which was the highlight of the lunch, as well as some rather too spicy soup and some delicious steamed white snapper. This is a very classy place and merits 'le detour'. (Small tip, keep the car waiting outside, as it is hard to get the return taxi.)

Thanying,
Silom,
10 Pramuan Road,
Bangrak,
Bangkok 10500
Tel: 236 4361/235 0371

I heartily recommend all of the above. As well as all of the great food you will revel in the elegance and grace of this ancient kingdom.

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