I have always been a fan of The Sukhothai Bangkok's Chocolate Buffet for a number of years, so much so that I drag the Mothership to it every time she is in town!
But what keeps drawing me back, you ask? It's the choice of different kinds of liquid hot chocolates, from all over the world! Need I say more?
To keep it fresh, the hotel has reinvented the buffet with the introductions of a new spread, both savoury and sweet. The hot chocolate trolley now features more than 30 chocolates (up from 24), and includes the latest offerings from top chocolate brands and two artisan chocolates from Thai single origin cocoa beans.
The liquid chocolate is offered in three ways -- hot in an espresso size cup with whipped cream, in a fondue style to dip churros or dried and fresh fruit from the buffet, or to beat the soaring heat, "on ice", meaning the chocolate is served cold.
You can also ask for ingredients to be added to your chocolate or a blend of the chocolates. I always ask for chilli in mine and my record of the number of hot chocolates I can drink in one buffet stand at five. Beat me!
The desserts on offer have also been redone and now include four ice creams and sorbets. Try the wasabi chocolate sorbet, your palate will not be disappointed.
The Sukhothai's resident Swiss chocolatier chef Laurent Ganguillet chooses the chocolate based on quality, diversity of the origins of the cocoa beans, varied tastes from one chocolate to the other and personal preferences. He firmly believes there is "one chocolate for every mood".
Perhaps unusual is the pairing of savoury and sweet -- a chocolate buffet with predominately Japanese savoury treats. Chef Ganguillet says this is due to a combination of factors: the large Japanese customer base, the popularity of Japanese savoury treats with Asian and Western customers and mostly because Japanese savoury treats create a good balance with tea sandwiches. There are also a few Western and Thai savoury items and a new blini station.
The choice of pastries are a surprising combination of ingredients and flavours, without it being ostentatious. "The idea is to offer a different spread from what I see in other dessert places in town," says the chef.
The latest, and most welcome addition, is the hotel's sticky toffee pudding -- which I endorse as the best in town!
The sticky toffee pudding was originally intended to be part of the Christmas 2002 Chocolate Buffet, but because it is delicious it became so popular that it's much talked and written about in dessert circles. "When guests make reservations for the Chocolate Buffet, they often inquire if the pudding will be on the buffet. Some even request to have it served on the day of their visit... So I obliged!" beams chef Ganguillet.
Chocolate is not the only drink on the menu at the buffet. Indulge in the wide range selection of tea from Saro, the lotus tea being my favourite, or fresh Lavazza coffee. g
The all new Chocolate Buffet is open Friday, Saturday and Sunday from 2-5pm at the Lobby Salon at The Sukhothai Bangkok and costs B990++ per person. Call 02-344-8888 or email promotions@sukhothai.com.
