Iconsiam

Having watched it being built when we’ve visited over the past four years we couldn’t not go to see Iconsiam, the multi-billion pound development that opened just two weeks ago. Part shopping centre, part hotel, part apartment block and part leisure space, the complex has even attempted to recreate some of the market trading that would have happened along the streets and klongs (small canals) before this massive development took over the site.

It’s certainly an impressive building and is massively spacious and airy. There’s still more to open, but already there are a combination of designer, high street and handicraft stores as well as multiple food outlets. Free shuttle boats are currently provided from Sathorn Pier since they didn’t have the foresight to construct the intended Skytrain extension while they were actually building the centre!

We compared the prices in stores we know well enough to know what costs would be in the UK and found that they were universally more expensive here. Even claiming back the VAT on departing Thailand it would be a close call as to whether products came in cheaper.

The market area on the ground floor is actually quite pleasant to walk around, although it’s odd to see the keenness to maintain the street food culture, whilst also obliterating the original trading areas by building huge leisure complexes. I’d rather see it inside than gone completely though!

Overall, I’m glad I visited, there’s plenty to wander around and enjoy, and there’s some good food and drink on offer. No expense has been spared on decor, inside and out, so it makes for an interesting potter. I won’t be hitting Iconsiam for a shopping spree anytime soon though.

Riverside Dining

In case I’ve not mentioned it (much!) before, my favourite place to be in Bangkok is by the river. In fact, this applies to my home city of London too, and pretty much to every city I’ve ever been to. If it’s not a river, any body of water will do. There’s just something I love about watching the inevitable activity that comes with water, and Bangkok has this in spades.

We’re back in Thailand for a couple of days before we head home and if we’ve not been by the pool (the water theme continues) then we’ve been by the Chao Phraya. Two locations in particular have enticed us, an old favourite and a new find.

The old favourite is Be My Guest, a riverside restaurant that we return to every trip, regardless of whether we’re staying at the Millennium Hilton (next to which it sits) or not. Neither this nor the new find is flashy. We’re talking friendly, characterful places here, selling the equivalent of street food at reasonably elevated prices to match their riverside locations. I’ve eaten much more expensively while I’ve been away but this was my favourite meal, watching the darkening sky reflected in the CAT building that my husband loves.

The menu at Be My Guest contains plenty of simple Thai favourites, plus a few dishes to test the more adventurous. We started with an appetiser of shrimp cakes while we enjoyed our first beer. I’ve never eaten anything quite like these donut shaped nibbles anywhere else, but they’re a good start for an evening on the Chang!

When we were ready to move on to food proper, it had to include the Wing Bean Salad. I’ve never seen one of these beans whole, and I have no idea if you can buy them back home, but I adore the variety of textures and the delicately balanced flavour of this gently spiced (by Thai standards) salad.

I was meant to order the red curry to avoid the strong Thai Basil that my husband dislikes but I got distracted and ordered the green curry instead. As predicted, it was indeed full of Thai Basil, and in my opinion was all the more delicious for that. Soft, plump prawns and chunks of small green aubergine in a heavily spiced, creamy coconut soup. Mmmmm. I have yet to find a green curry outside Thailand that comes close to this.

I went off-menu for the last dish because I had a craving! Chicken with garlic and pepper is one of my favourite Thai stir fries and the staff were very happy to make it for me. It totally lived up to my expectations and the husband loved it too, vegetables and all!

We crossed the Chao Phraya back towards our hotel before finding our newest riverside haunt, and also returned to it the next day for lunch. Jack’s Bar is a haphazard bar-come-restaurant that sits, in part, directly over the water. It’s busy with a mix of Thais and foreigners of all ages, and the staff are smiley and fun.

Lunch was an extended affair over a few beers, giving me time to just watch the river. The number and variety of boats that pass by is a constant source of amazement for me, and the occasional wetland bird floating by atop a piece of water hyacinth adds to the interest.

Thai fishcakes, flavoured with red curry paste and kaffir lime leaves, followed by fried rice and a puffy omelette is the simple lunch I remember from my working days living in the city. I love this food as much as anything more fancy and will miss it when we head home.

Cabbages and Condoms

A trip to Cabbages and Condoms, a quirky (now chain) restaurant that’s used to promote family planning and fund development projects, has become something of a tradition whenever we are in Bangkok. It’s my husband’s favourite place, in part because of the delicious food but also because of the cool, relaxed outdoor seating area.

Knowing that we had a big meal to come, we avoided eating properly for the rest of the day, instead relaxing by the pool with another staple when we’re in Thailand, the (no doubt sugar filled) yoghurt drinks that are available in every 7-Eleven. Somehow, being unable to read the labels, I can pretend to myself that they are healthy!

The downside of going to Cabbages and Condoms is that it means leaving my favoured riverside location and heading to Sukhumvit. I love Bangkok, but it can also be challenging and Sukhumvit puts under my nose many of the elements of the city that I prefer to avoid. My love of the city is based on life along the majestic Chao Phraya river and if I’m honest, that’s where I’d prefer to stay!

But for my husband, who had ‘saved’ his birthday meal to go to C&C, to Sukhumvit we went and were rewarded, as ever, by the ambience and food. Now, when I say quirky I mean it, and that includes numerous decorations made of condoms. Light fittings, life size human figures, even an after dinner condom in place of a mint. It’s a very entertaining concept!

If I’m honest, going to C&C with a larger group is preferable as the portion sizes and large and that means you have to resist ordering too much if you are a two. But everything is so good that what you really want to do is order everything on the menu! We have some old favourites, Pomelo Salad with Chicken and Prawns being my absolute favourite – it’s fresh, zesty and light, with deep fried garlic providing a rich little crunch. We also ordered Beef Massamun Curry, which is a favourite for the husband, but then wanted to try some new things too. So we started with Chaw Muang, purple little dumplings stuffed with slightly sweet chicken, and also ordered Deep Fried Cotton Fish with a Fresh Mango Sauce. I have no idea if we know Cotton Fish by another name, but it’s got lovely soft flesh and the hot, sour sauce made it delightful.

Climbing back on the very busy Sky Train from Nana Station to head back to Saphan Taksin, where we’d meet our hotel shuttle boat, was rather a shock after the tranquility of the restaurant and I was very glad to get back to my beloved Chao Phraya.