There’s something about being on or right beside the river that always seems to put life in a better perspective. As the water races purposefully to the sea, so one’s ruffles are rinsed away.
But some places get you closer to the poetry of the river than others. Places like The Terrace@72 Restaurant & Bar on Charoen Krung, just along from Asiatique Night Plaza, where the sensation is not unlike being on one of those large dining cruise ships and the outlook is always soothing.
With floor to ceiling glass along the entire considerable length of the air-conditioned part of the restaurant and the expansive al fresco terrace, The Terrace@72 scopes far up- and down-stream and full across the medium-wide sweep.
It’s all particularly incandescent over dinner in the evening while lunches and Sunday brunches sparkle with sunlight reflected off the water.
The restaurant design is clean, modern, low key with suspended tubular bell arrangements calling to mind Mike Oldfield.
The live-kitchen backed, island-stacked buffet line is considerable and there’s enough variety to satisfy a full sitting of the United Nations. The unifying theme is upscale international comfort food, largely without gourmet pretensions.
Nevertheless, the authenticity of each culinary ethnicity is unimpeachable. The Chinese, Thai, Indian, Japanese and Korean selections are clearly inspired by the preferences of diners indigenous to those nations.
Start with excellent cream of mushroom soup with crouton or definitively Chinese bamboo pith with seaweed soup. Follow with homemade pâté de campagne and pickles with a side of Caesar salad whipped up from the comprehensive contingent of ingredients.
And/or explore the Thai, Chinese or Vietnamese salads, for example, minced chicken salad (laap), spicy beef salad, chilled pork leg or spicy Vietnamese sausage salad.
Hot dish selections may include succulent spare ribs in BBQ sauce, with meat so tender it literally falls from the bone. Also among the carnivorous selections are tender chunks of grilled beef in a lavish red wine sauce and classic pork cordon bleu. Aquatic attractions variously offer dory fish baked with cheese and sautéed river prawns. Also tempting among Chinese hot dishes and dim sum selections are duck and pork with abalone mushroom sauce while steamed squid with chilli and green curry with fish strike Thai notes and Indian selections are equally comprehensive. So why not compose a mini curry of fried chicken with Indian herbs, roti paratha, Pilao rice, chana daal, vegetable curry, chicken tikka with a token spoonful of fish masala?
Meanwhile, the traditionally toqued grill chefs await your selections of the likes of white shrimp, lamb rack, dory, salmon, chicken breast, pork sirloin and beef sirloin for preparation to taste, accompanied with East-meets-West condiments, from chilli sauce to BBQ sauce to white wine sauce.
Here, too, is a strong selection of sushi and creative maki rolls, also prepared a la minute.
Nor do they stint on the desserts, with four ice cream flavours and lots of toppings, along with raspberry cheesecake, cherry pie, white chocolate cake and shoofly pie, a sticky molasses-based dessert.
Cap it all with some cheese and good coffee. Something more to savour as you linger longer to enjoy the riverine ambiance and sense of being exactly where you’re meant to be right now.
Lunch (11.30 -14.30) B790++
Sunday Brunch (11.30- 15.00) B1,400 ++
Dinner (18.00- 22.00) B1,400++
Tel 02-688-1000 x 80118/80173.
