After the drinking and debauchery of New Year it’s time to sober up and face reality. What better way to kick start the next twelve months than by indulging in the most important meal of the day? Take your pick from our selections carefully chosen to match your personality.
YOU ARE: AN EXEC
The Rain Tree Café
Plaza Athne, 61 Wireless Rd., 02-650-8800.
Open daily 5:30-10:30am, noon-2:30pm, 6-10:30pm
Apart from a long line of coke on the boardroom table, nothing screams “power” louder than taking your fellow suits down to Plaza Athénée for some creations by three-Michelin-star chef, Jean-Georges. If he can get rich steam scrambling eggs with an espresso machine, you should feel inspired to peddle whatever deal you’re after—even if the result is a bit soggy. You can surely justify the expense to your accountant (the one that hasn’t jumped out the window, yet) by saying nothing gets your creative juices flowing better than a shot of “eye opener” (addictively spicy and sour fruit juices with flavors changing daily) and that you simply can’t function without smoked salmon that swaps tofu for cream cheese (so good you can’t believe it’s healthy). If you want to impress your Japanese client, complain that the buckwheat crepe is not buckwheat, the brioche not brioche, and the sourdough not sourdough. Warning: you may just come across as annoying. This is certainly one delicious, creative breakfast menu.
YOU ARE: FROM LE CONTINENT
La Boulange
2-2/1 Convent Rd., Silom, 02-631-0355. BTS Sala Daeng.
Open daily 7am-10pm
The French as a nation simply don’t function until they’ve had their croissant, maybe two, and a bowl of café au lait. French bistro, La Boulange caters to this simple, but essential, dietary need with their breakfast sets. Available until 11am, you can drop by for the La Boulange breakfast, which includes a bowl of coffee, a baguette, and a croissant, before stumbling into work. They are flexible so you can choose the choco-croissant or apple turnover instead. Impressive, but what’s not impressive is the fact that if you go too early (as late as 10am, we’ve found) you’ll be served yesterday’s baguette. Unacceptable! So if you’re fussy about your bread check before ordering or stroll in for a very late breakfast, noon or so. Still, it’s our favorite French breakfast vibe in town, especially if you sit out on the petite terrasse and get the complete café experience.
YOU ARE: A DEDICATED DRINKER
The Dubliner
440 Washington Square, Sukhumvit Soi 22, 02-204-1841/2.
BTS Phrom Phong. Open Mon-Fri 9-1am, Sat-Sun 8-1am
This watering hole isn’t only good for knocking back the imported Irish ales but also serves a killer fry up to tackle that killer hangover. And killer might be the operative word, as you can indulge in the gargantuan heart-attack on a plate all day long. The full Irish breakfast, also known as the fry (since everything is fried to within an inch of its life) is sure to sate the appetite. Traditionally eaten by laborers to give them enough carbs to get through the day, now it’s a way of lining the stomach to make sure you get through a day of drinking while watching sports on the big screens. The full plate comes with bacon, eggs, sausages, soda bread, potato bread, sautéed potatoes, hash browns, baked beans, black pudding, sautéed mushrooms and grilled tomatoes. The mini breakfast is B200 and a bit more manageable, have it with some orange juice (the vodka is optional).
YOU ARE: A WASTED CLUBBER
Greenhouse
G/F, The Landmark, 138 Sukhumvit Rd., 02-254-0404. BTS Nana. Open daily 24 hours
The famous 24-hour congee establishment, popular among hungry party-goers looking for some late night grub, is still going strong after 15 years. The secret recipe behind chef Fai’s porridge is still hidden from prying eyes, as he cooks his congee behind closed doors, letting no one in while he is conjuring up his mixture. Still he can’t stop us guessing, and we believe that part of the reason behind the silky smoothness of the porridge is the fact that he uses soymilk in the broth. You can get eight kinds of congee containing everything from seafood, to tripe and abalone. The most popular comes with plump and juicy pork meatballs. A must with the congee is an order of the deep fried Chinese dough (patongko) with its free side serving of condensed milk. A portion of the fluffy and delicious dough and a bowl of congee is the perfect way to sober up after a hard night of partying.
YOU ARE: OLD SCHOOL
On Luk Yun
72 Charoen Krung Rd., 02-223-9621. Open daily 5:30am-5pm
What better way to celebrate the New Year than by saying no to the constantly changing fads and fashions and simply enjoying a real ol’ school breakfast served up with ol’ school smiles and hospitality. If you want traditional Thai then On Luk Yun is definitely the much older and wiser version of Starbucks. This 70-year-old café is still trucking along opening up at the wee hours of the morning to its loyal and graying customers. Breakfast is all day and the coffee is no bullshit. You don’t order a non-fat, mocha, with skim whip and cinammon stick here, its simply sweet Thai-style coffee or nothing. The breakfast menu is equally no fuss goodness. Feast on steamed bread with sangkhaya, simple buttered toast, and two poached eggs with ham and sausage.
YOU ARE: KHUN NUU
Minibar Royale
37/7 Citadines Bangkok, Sukhumvit Soi 23. Open daliy 6:30am-midnight
Put on your Prada shades and head over to the hit hi-so hot spot of the moment, Minibar, for a spot of liquid brunch. If you are an early riser then they do offer some actual breakfasts here, like the hungry man treat that’s corned beef hash with poached eggs, eggs benedict and waffles. But of course you don’t get out of bed before ten so head down mid-morning and order yourself some sparkling cocktails, like the bumble bee with sparkling wine (tell them who you are and they might make it real Champagne), gin, rum, honey, and lime. The shot of honey and the splash of lime are both healthy options and, anyway, no one can judge, you’ve got a full afternoon at the mall and beauty salon ahead of you.
