Showing 1 - 10 of 10
'Risky' gatherings banned
Gary Boyle, Published on 31/12/2020
» The government on Wednesday banned all gatherings "posing a risk of disease transmission", effective immediately in Covid-affected zones.
Face time
Holiday Time, Gary Boyle, Published on 11/12/2018
» If you haven't fine-dined by the river in a while, it's perhaps time to show your face at Volti. Shangri-La Hotel, Bangkok's Italian outlet (Volti means "faces" in Italian) has excellent food, fine wines, river views, and handsome young chef who has created a menu with surprisingly reasonable prices.
Such great heights
Holiday Time, Gary Boyle, Published on 21/12/2017
» When was the last time you were this high? We’re 60 floors above Sathorn Road and if you haven’t been up here for a while, you might have forgotten how spectacular the view is.
Annual extravagance
Holiday Time, Gary Boyle, Published on 20/12/2016
» What a year it's been! The world of music alone has seen a greatest hits compilation of legends leave the stage, while the kingdom suffered its heaviest loss imaginable. Politics was even more of a global shambles than ever, and there are those that believe 2017 could make 2016 seem like a dress rehearsal for the end of days.
An anthology of fabled fare
Holiday Time, Gary Boyle, Published on 19/12/2016
» Action! A vintage Merc pulls off Sathorn Road, glides around a fountain and slows to a halt outside a grand mansion. A suited concierge opens the car door, allowing an immaculately dressed couple to exit the vehicle. The mansion doors swing open to reveal an immaculate time capsule of late 19th century luxury chic. The couple are led to a pair of deep leather armchair and sit at the precise moment a pair of welcome cocktails arrive. Cut!
A pleasant pillage
News, Gary Boyle, Published on 04/12/2014
» The high-ceilinged lobby plays tricks of scale; everything seems Alice in Wonderland odd and Gulliver's Travels large. Guests sip tea in giant chairs, staff wander amongst oversized flora and fauna, and everywhere there is art. Big art, like the 10-foot tall traditional Thai drums outside their Sra Bua by Kiin Kiin restaurant. It all adds up to a surprisingly subtle yet impressive effect, as entering a lobby should feel like an event or a passage to somewhere other: a place for escape, for relaxation, or for gorging on international cuisine.
Between Heaven and Earth
Life, Gary Boyle, Published on 27/12/2013
» The name means new heaven and Earth, and although the altitude of the 22nd floor is not quite heavenly, the food certainly is. Master chef is the talented Singaporean-Chinese Lam Kok Weng whose skills ensured that this place won the Chinese category in the 2013 awards from Bangkok's Best Restaurants.
A touch of Michelin magic
Life, Gary Boyle, Published on 19/12/2013
» Who are the heavyweights of cooking right now: Heston Blumenthal and his avant-garde creations? Bellowing TV bully Gordon Ramsey? The woman who wrote 'Cooking with Poo'? Yes and no. Yes, they get plenty of column inches and television moments, but the real powerhouses of cooking are Michelin magnets like Ferran Adria, Alain Ducasse and, for Thai cuisine, David Thompson.
A luxury of choice
Life, Gary Boyle, Published on 13/12/2012
» Traditionally at this time of year, calorie-watchers worry about what they eat between Christmas and New Year. A better policy would be to worry about what you eat between New Year and Christmas, and leave this season for a dose of rewarding indulgence. Luckily for those fond of extravagance, one of Bangkok's best hotels has created a festive menu featuring the finest ingredients from every gastronome's wish-list.
Asiatique The Riverfront: Eat, shop, learn history
Life, Gary Boyle, Published on 07/12/2012
» With all the capital's downtown hustle and jams, it's easy to forget that Bangkok is almost coastal. Heading anywhere south of Sathorn along the Chao Phraya, where the riverside hotels cede the valuable real estate to more industrial enterprises, you are reminded that Bangkok is indeed an active port, a tradition that began over 100 years ago with the opening of the East Asiatic Company's Siam pier. Hans Niels Andersen founded the company to create passenger and freight links by sea between Denmark and the Far East. He organized the construction of the pier and warehouses, the oldest of which date back to 1907, and would hopefully be impressed by a tasteful renovation of the area which is now Asiatique The Riverfront.