The Colonnade, The Sukhothai
13/3 South Sathorn Rd., 02-344-8888. www.sukhothaihotel.com. Sun noon-4pm. B1,850
The mood: The Colonnade’s décor and clientele are the most refined of the lot. We just love the impeccable service (waitresses somehow manage to ask gay Singaporean or HK couples if they had a good time at DJ Station last night without sounding vulgar), Frank-Lloyd-Wright-goes-to-Sukhothai architecture and—sorry, mom and dad—the absence of kids.
The food: Sukhothai finally woke up to the fact their buffet wasn’t exactly up to par with their service and locale. Recent improvements have fixed that, including an expanded selection of French cheese that benefits from much better affinage (aging), various cured meats and salmons (cured beet-vodka, whole Norwegian smoked, gravlax) and an organic salad bar. These join old favorites like foie gras, oysters and Japanese delights from a small sushi bar.
The Rain Tree Café, Plaza Athenee
Wireless Rd., 02-2650-8800 ext. 4346.
Sun noon-3pm. B2,100
The mood: Plaza Athenee’s vast open space avoids the canteen feel of some hotel buffets. But it’s not exactly warm and cozy, either. At least, parents don’t take their children here until they’ve reached high school or university. Who’s to complain? A hot 20-year-old sitting across from you makes a perfect accompaniment to your plate of libido-awakening oysters.
The food: Boxes of “Caviar d’Aquitaine” surround dishes of little black pearls! But don’t get your hopes up: these are just for decoration. Instead the spread features your standard fish roe—and even a “vegetarian” version. The grilled meats can be unforgiveably dry, but their roast rib is delicious. As for seafood, the oysters we slurped down were some of the best in this roundup, as was the Alaskan King Crab. Gorge yourself on those while you down free-flow wine (Chilean, not bad) and creative cocktails. Finally, the “live” desert cooking station makes a mean soufflé.
ISO Restaurant, Nai Lert Park
2 Wireless Rd., 02-253-0123. www.swissotel.com/bangkok-nailertpark. Sun 11:30am-3pm. B1,200
The mood: Dirty pillows on the seats, children crawling absolutely all over the place, a garish Chinese restaurant in a corner that didn’t seem to have any windows at all… There’s plenty to cringe about here. But we do love that towering ceiling that escapes into an even higher lobby and the view on the courtyard.
The food: At this price, ISO could well be the best deal in town. The buffet packs the usual roast beef, freshly shucked oysters, appetizers, etc. but it exceeds expectations in many departments: the selection of quality French cheese and cold cuts is unrivalled, and the pan-seared foie gras is better than in some much more expensive brunches. No free-flow wine for that price, but you can still get hammered on their perfectly acceptable bottomless mojitos.
Trader Vic’s, Anantara Riverside
257 Charoen Nakhon Rd. 02-476-0022 ext. 1416.
Sun 11:30am-3pm. B1,499
The mood: Trader Vic’s is stuck on a 50s tiki tiki wave—full of tropical kitsch and technicolor fantasies of exoticism. On a Sunday, that’s sometimes the kind of mood we’re up for: upbeat, resort-y and borderline Disneyland. Take the boat from the Taksin Pier and make a day out of it.
The food: Oysters, shrimp, crab, lobster, sushi, freshly pan fried foie gras, bruschetta bar, laksa, curries, noodles, salads… This is an impressive spread. If you have room for dessert, gorge yourself on petite cakes and mousses, homemade ice cream, made-to-order crepes and a chocolate fountain. Did we mention that booze flows freely? Wine, mai-tais, sorbet cocktails—you name it. If you want to drink yourself silly, this is a deal. Don’t make plans afterwards unless it involves a Marriott bed and a nap.
