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  1. #26
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    Jimmy McNulty's Avatar
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    I thought Masala was no better than decent. Excellent service but for that money, not worth it.

    I've started going to Alif Laila on soi 3 opposite soi Africa. Owned by the same guys who have the more upmarket Bawarchi. Alif Laila is inexpensive and the dishes are distinguishable unlike a lot of places in that area. Nice tikka and the curries are more like their British counterparts than the vague rather tedious stuff you generally get here. The naan breads are inordinately good for Thailand too. And you can watch people sell drugs over the road while you dine.

  2. #27
    Hangin' Around cyrille's Avatar
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    Thanks Jimmy!

  3. #28
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    Jimmy McNulty's Avatar
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    We've all been looking for that authentic drug market dining experience.

  4. #29
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    Down Silom Road, over the lights where the BTS turns left, towards the Hindu temple, there's a small Indian restaurant to your left on the ground floor of an average looking hotel; the restaurant is on the road, so you can't miss it. Not expensive, nice food, have Kingfisher. Took a Thai colleague there once, she enjoyed it.
    Cycling should be banned!!!

  5. #30
    Thailand Expat terry57's Avatar
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    ^

    Yes,

    The Indian Temple is on Silom and all the best Indian Restaurants are found around it.

    Not that I'm gagging to go to one as my 5 weeks in India in January this year was enough exposure to Indian food for a while.

  6. #31
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    Quote Originally Posted by Davis Knowlton View Post
    Mrs. Balbir's. Soi 11 Suk. Good, cheap, been there since 1975. Not in whore zone.
    I desperately wanted to like this place but experience suggests it should be avoided. First time I ate in the restaurant I was ill for 3 days. I have since been back and had two takeaways; the first, the chicken had been micro waved beyond redemption, the second, allegedly a biryani, was so sodden with oily onions I simply threw it away.

    The owner uses Burmese waitresses to cut her costs, which probably gives you an idea.

  7. #32
    Hangin' Around cyrille's Avatar
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    You're not alone.

    I've never seen why it's so popular either.

    Then again, I quite like 'Akbar' on soi 3, though I can well understand why others don't. The food is not stellar but it's really nothing to complain about for the price imo, and the service is efficient and cheerful.

    Akbar, Bangkok - Restaurant Reviews - TripAdvisor

    I concluded many years ago that Indian food in BKK really isn't all that great.

    The only place I could wholeheartedly recommend is Raang Mahal, as recommended by Jimmy earlier. And the prices there might put some off.

  8. #33
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    Davis Knowlton's Avatar
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    ^I bow to your more recent experiences...sounds horrible. Years ago, I thought it was very good. Back then, however, it was the one and original - I understand it has now become a chain, with the almost certain decline in food, service, and ambiance that comes with that growth and transition.

  9. #34
    Thailand Expat Bobcock's Avatar
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    My favourite Indian is Khana Khazana, at the front of 11/1 near Mrs Balbirs. Excellent, fresh but vegetarian. Great Dosas and sambar. Tandoori Gobi is the best, along with thei Paneer Tikka and the Paneer Bhurji.

    Just as good for Dosas is Dosa King same soi and going through to 11 also vegetarian.

    Mrs Balbirs itself. For me any negative comments about this place in the last 4 years can be ignored. Since it moved to it's new location it has been excellent, dine here regularly and also get delivery. I love it, the wife loves it, the kids love it. It is heavy though which is why as I get older I prefer vegetarian. Highly recommended is the King Prawn Malabar and the vindaloos. Best vindaloos I've had.

    Front of Soi 7, Bakhara, I got served meat on the bone.... don't waste my fucking time. Mate of mine loves it though, maybe I just got a bad day.

    The one on Sukhumvit between Asoke Junction and soi 23. I found some food in my oil, fucking shite. Never ever again.

    Pahurat is good, cheap but a long way from home, close to the area I'm there though. awesome samosas on the street.

    Best restaurant Punjabi Sweets, but it also has another name. Great and cheap. Naans 15B. Meat dishes, maybe the only one there, every other one I have tried has been veggie.

    Indus Soi 26, very good, but I prefer Balbirs.

    Masala Art, good, but not the best in my opinion. Close to home and I still haven't been in there for well over 2 years. Not enough bite, the dishes were too samey.

    Rang Mahal. Very Very good, but expensive. I had the Tandoori King Prawns to start there..... 300B for one prawn but just beautiful. Very disappointing Vindaloo, seemed to lack all the qualities of a good vindaloo. Rogan Josh made up for that.

    Near the Indian temple on Silom, some good restaurants, the one described at the bottom of the nondescrit hotel is very good, but I'm rarely over that way.

    India Hut I've heard good things about but never been there or seen it.

    Soi 20 has some good vegetarian restaurants but I forget the name. The one upstairs not that good in comparison.

    India Today front of Soi 8, not bad but nothing special to make me choose it over the others.

    Namskhar Soi 8 sub soi before Soi 8 Bar. Used to be Malaysian Aunties after she got kicked out of the Soi 10 beer bar complex. Was excellent, but she moved on. Last time I went there it was tooooo salty and I just don't do excessive salt.

    Akhbars Soi 3, haven't been in 15 years but it was good then.

    have I missed any?

  10. #35
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    Don't ask me the name now but on the corner of Sukhumvit and Soi 8 there is a good one upstairs. (India Today - thanks Bobcock - I like their food)

    I know a superb one on Phuket, the Royal Indian on Nai Yang beach.

    The worst Indian meal I have ever experienced was in another one close to Soi 23 on Sukhumvit. I'll check the names of these places as I pass by later today.

    I have yet to find a Thai lady who will eat Indian food. Thankfully at the Royal Indian Mr. Shah will permit your Thai companion to order from the Muslim restaurant across the road where they serve a really good chicken. Proprietors of the Muslim restaurant get their alcohol from Mr. Shah because their restaurant isn't allowed to sell it on religious grounds so it all kind of evens out.
    I see fish. They are everywhere. They don't know they are fish.

  11. #36
    Hangin' Around cyrille's Avatar
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    ^^Nice work, Bobcock!

    I like meat on the bone personally.

    Nothing like a Chicken Jalfrezi, thighs with bone in. Makes for a far more flavoursome sauce.

  12. #37
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    Quote Originally Posted by Bobcock View Post
    The one on Sukhumvit between Asoke Junction and soi 23. I found some food in my oil, fucking shite. Never ever again.
    Yes that's the one.

    Quote Originally Posted by Thormaturge View Post
    The worst Indian meal I have ever experienced was in another one close to Soi 23 on Sukhumvit. I'll check the names of these places as I pass by later today.
    I won't got there again either. God awful food.

  13. #38
    Thailand Expat Bobcock's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Thormaturge
    I have yet to find a Thai lady who will eat Indian food.
    My wife loves it.... particular a lamb vindaloo.... more often that not a lamb dish for her....

  14. #39
    Hangin' Around cyrille's Avatar
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    Yeah, my wife's favourite is my Lamb Rogan Josh.

    Regarding restaurants, once she'd found her way around the menu she was fine, so no different from anyone trying a style of food for the first time.

    All this stuff about Thais being biased against India and everything to do with it is a vast over generalisation. Though true up to a point it only applies to the vacuous, and why bother with them?

    I even proposed in the Maharajah on soi....6 or 8 I think it was. How could she say no?

    It's yet another Irish Pub now, I think.

  15. #40
    Thailand Expat Bobcock's Avatar
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    The Maharajah on Soi 8.... now that brings back memories went there after an England game in the 2006 World cup, two days later walked past it and it was gone*

    * If you know otherwise, but I think that's true. I was with two guys and I'm sure that was what we were doing.....
    Last edited by Bobcock; 24-06-2014 at 01:20 PM.

  16. #41
    Hangin' Around cyrille's Avatar
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    Used to be my favourite for frequent visits.

    Had a bit more subtlety than Akbar's.

  17. #42
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    The best Bangkok curry so far is the Indian Hut in Surawongse. Relatively light and spicy although the sauce was possibly somewhat generic and probably began as a base for most of the variations on the menu. This is a typical practice of the Bangla High St. curry house in the UK so I suppose one shouldn't complain too much.

    My wife is Thai and under my tutelage has become quite an expert. Bog standard Bangla British curries are anathema to her but occasionally we unearth the odd diamond. Her best standard, against which she compares all, is Gaylord in Kowloon and those restaurants to be found in Jalan Penang, Penang and I agree.

    Rang Mahal is bland and damned expensive for what it is. Chicken and prawns in Thailand are dirt cheap products and Imdian spices quite commonplace but anyone eating here might be excused for thinking they were the equivalent of mermaid breast.

  18. #43
    Thailand Expat Bobcock's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by thegent
    prawns in Thailand are dirt cheap products and Imdian spices quite commonplace but anyone eating here might be excused for thinking they were the equivalent of mermaid breast.
    Yup.... but it was a special occassion and they were top notch.

  19. #44
    Hangin' Around cyrille's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by thegent View Post
    Rang Mahal is bland and damned expensive for what it is. Chicken and prawns in Thailand are dirt cheap products and Imdian spices quite commonplace but anyone eating here might be excused for thinking they were the equivalent of mermaid breast.
    Quote Originally Posted by Bobcock
    it was a special occassion
    And what, you couldn't find the way to Gullivers?

    Yet again thegent's pleb roots are exposed.

  20. #45
    Thailand Expat Bobcock's Avatar
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    I doubt he's ever eaten at the Rang myself.....

  21. #46
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    Quote Originally Posted by aging one View Post
    For no problems at all but at a very high price take her to Rang Mahal in the Rembrandt Hotel on Sukumvit 18. Nice high floor location, very hoity toity, but damn good northern Indian food. The do a brunch on Sundays. If she does not like the food, with the atmosphere, parking, then give up and do Isaan.
    Agree with AO - a bit pricey but great atmosphere and fantastic food.

    Another posh one is the MAYA on the top floor of the Holiday Inn on Sukhumvit 22. Did not yet go myself but heard quite good reviews.

  22. #47
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    SiLeakHunt's Avatar
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    There was one in Pattaya the first time I visted in 95, I can't remember the name (it might have been Ali Baba's), made me so ill I was on the toilet for a fortnight..

  23. #48
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    Mr Earl's Avatar
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    Not for from the India Hut is an excellent Vegetarian Indian restaurant. On a little soi behind the Manohra hotel, Charoen Krung alley 45, Yogi restaurant, very reasonable prices too. Also some good non vegetarian indian on the same soi and a Pakistani restaurant.

  24. #49
    On a walkabout Loy Toy's Avatar
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    I have unfortunately never enjoyed a good Indian meal in Bangkok although I really enjoy the cuisine.

    Having said that everyone raves about the Indian food at the Rembrandt but I cannot afford to eat there so waiting for someone to shout me a meal there.

    I will just have to wait for my return to Malaysia where you can get the best Indian curries with chapatti for less than 200 Baht. Teh-Tarik to top the meal off.

    Absolutely heaven.

  25. #50
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    Quote Originally Posted by CNF55 View Post
    Another posh one is the MAYA on the top floor of the Holiday Inn on Sukhumvit 22. Did not yet go myself but heard quite good reviews.
    On looking at their menu it may be worth a punt although the pricing appears quite absurd for Bangkok, if it transpires the produce is sourced domestically. I'm fine with good food in pleasant surroundings where the chef is skilled and recognizably at the top of his profession and the produce is correspondingly of top quality. One pays the going rate. The problem arises when it is all flummery and show and prices are simply commensurate with the artifice. Now, this place proposes to serve 4 tiger prawns at 800 baht. Are these locally farmed down in those ghastly salt lakes south of Bangkok where they are fed 90% shit by slaves? Or are they imported by air, caught from Scottish waters and chilled 24 hours previously? Equally, is the chicken free range and imported from countries where certification is of integrity or is it battery farmed crap from CP also found in any KFC?
    The menu makes no mention so one must assume the worst in which case the place probably isn't worth it. Sitting about in decent surroundings is not a novelty for me and see it as no excuse for silly pricing.

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