Chocolate Ville, Bangkok

If you love taking pictures and enjoy eating good food.  This place is definitely perfect for you.  Chocolate Ville is a total package, you can find great dishes and their decorations and photo spots are absolutely pretty and instagrammable. 

You can find great ranges food from Thai to Western dishes in their menu.  So, it would suit everyone taste-bud.  And they are all pretty decent in taste as well.  Dining area is very spacious but do come early to get the best table by the water I suggest because around 6pm they would have their bear mascot waving hand to everyone from a boat.  This place opens daily from 3pm and a little earlier on weekends and they close at midnight.  So, Octie Appetie all ...

Pork knuckle

Parma and rocket pizza

Creme brulee

Chocolate Ville, Bangkok

23 1-16 Prasert - Manukitch Road, Ram Inthra, Bangkok

Open: Daily 3pm-12am

Cherry Blossom Festival at Auburn Botanic Garden

 

Sakura could be blooming around April in Japan.  But luckily for Sydneysiders, you can enjoy those beautiful cherry blossom not so far away from our backyard, in Auburn Botanic Garden to be exact.  In these 9 days, they are also holding a special event where you can experience strolling under those lovely pink sakura trees, located in the 'cherry trail' within the traditional Japanese Garden while participating in their activities and workshops as well as trying some delicious Japanese and other food at the Japanese Food Village.  It will definitely make a great day trip with friends and family.  

However, this festival is held across 9 days only and it will end this 27 August 2023.  Better be hurry and grab your ticket.  There are 3 sessions for entering the cherry trail, 9:15-11:45, 11:45-14:15 and 14:15-16:45.  The garden itself opens from 9am-5pm.  So, while waiting for your session to begin, you can visit other sites like fauna reserve, aviary or grab some food and drinks from food trucks.  

The good news is for whoever lives within Cumberland City Council area, you can enter the festival for free also for kid age 4 and below.  Otherwise, it costs $15.30 for an adult and $6.65 for senior and kid.  Click here to book for a ticket.

Japanese Food Village

Ube calamansi and pineapple tea

Sakura matcha tiramisu

Mini golf

Thong Smith Mega Bangna Restaurant

When you heard of boat noodle, you might imagine of a dish that served from boats or simply a street food dish.  Thong Smith had elevated boat noodle as a luxurious dish.  It is like a Louis Vuitton version of boat noodle class.  Thong Smith has been established not long ago, in 2019 and it was very boomed at that time and yet still very popular now.  

They use premium quality meats like kurobuta pork and wagyu beef.  Although it will cost you around 200-500 baht per bowl, but it is totally understandable as we really get what we're paying for.  

We picked the most expensive dish from their menu which is a boat noodle soup that comes with sliced Australian wagyu ribeye, beef balls, braised shank and tendon.  OMG!!! The meat was super super tender and their soup is to die for.  Thicker than any noodle boat I've tried and full of flavour.  It was totally divine.  Don't forget to get some pork cracklings for toppings as well.  They are 20 THB each.  Noodle boat also comes in dry form, some people prefer that. 

Sliced Australian wagyu ribeye with beef balls, braised shank and tendon 529THB (around $23.20)

Huge slice of beef, longer than my palm

On top of that, they have rice menus and side dishes that are pretty good to give them a go.  

The restaurant that we went to was in Mega Bangna mall, but there are a few branches around Bangkok, such as in Central World, Central Embassy, Sukhumvit, and so on.  Octie Appetie...

Nua Lao Thai Restaurant, Haymarket

 

Eating in a Thai restaurant won't be completed without having Thai milk tea and o'liang (Thai black coffee).  The drinks were sweet but freshening. 

We went for a full-on Esan (Eastern Thai) food tonight, so sticky rice is the best partner to all of our dishes. 

Esan sour sausage $17.90

This fermented pork sausage was absolutely delicious.  Perfectly grilled and the right amount of sourness as well.  It is normally eaten with peanuts. freshly chopped chilies and ginger, also cabbage.  However, they didn't give me those gingers otherwise I will give 10 out of 10 for this dish.

BBQ chicken liver $3/stick

This BBQ chicken liver is another great dish for the night.  Nicely grilled, not overcooked at all.  And that brown sauce that they poured on the meat is surely to die for.  Slightly sweet but I scrapped clean from the plate with my sticky rice.  Honestly, I can't get enough of this sauce and I could finish the whole basket of sticky rice just with this sauce.  I didn't even try their spicy dipping sauce though because it is already perfect on its own.

Fermented sour pork ribs $19.90

Unlike the sausage, for me, this fermented pork rib hasn't got enough flavour in it.  It is too subtle for my liking.  I love it when it's more sour.  

Deep fried chicken $17.90

This chicken was an ok dish.  I say this simply because to be frank I can't really remember what it tasted like.  So, if nothing in my memory this dish must be just mediocre, nothing outstanding nor nothing terrible. 

Pork liver salad $19.90

This pork liver was overcooked, so it was a little tough.  It had a nice color with all the fresh sliced onion and herbs however, it didn't taste as good as it looks.  Quite disappointing.

Thai papaya salad with salted egg and corn $25.90

This corn papaya salad with fermented fish (pla ra) sauce was really spicy, pungent and got a nice balance of flavour.  It was sweet, salty, sour and spicy, in the right proportion.  It would be even better if they gave more of those salted eggs.

Sour and spicy tendon soup $16.90

This soup is another let down again.  The tendon was nicely cooked but the flavour wasn't there.  I didn't get the punch-on-the-face effect when I slurped the soup.  

In my honest opinion, their food is kinda hit-and-miss.  They do some great dishes but some not so great dishes.  But hey!!!  I will not judge them too early.  Next time we're in the city, we will give it a go for different menus. 

Nua Lao Thai 

203/209 Thomas Street, Haymarket

Ph: 02 9281 3180

Open: daily 11:00-22:00