More than just meat at this rooftop resto
The fun and funky Hotel Indigo Bangkok is already one of the newest bright spots Wireless Road, but with the recent opening of Char on the 25th floor—the hotel brand’s signature restaurant—there’s even more reason to visit. And with the amount of fantastic dishes this busy kitchen can churn out in an evening, one visit most likely won’t be enough.
The restaurant’s jovial chef de cuisine, Lionel Vinatier, is the man behind the delectable French fare here, and his passion and expertise is evident in every bite. Meanwhile the spacious dining room itself exudes urban sophistication, especially with the beautiful floor-to-ceiling windows that offer all diners marvellous views of the twinkling city lights below.
We begin dinner with the stellar Smoked beef tartare (B200), in which minced Charolais beef is sided with dollops of pickled onion and fruit mustard, and topped with wafer-thin crostini bread slices (for scooping). The second dish to arrive is the Tuna tartare (B200), which sees a generous portion of yellow-fin tuna inventively offset with guacamole and picked apple, and topped with more crunchy crostinis.
After the mouth-watering twin tartares we move on to a pair of foie gras plates. The luxuriantly rich Foie gras parfait crumble (B590), served with apple and red onion marmalade, is the more exotic of the two, and can almost be compared to a dessert because of its sweetness and creamy texture. On the other end of the spectrum the Chef’s foie gras ballotine (B530), served with apple compote and brioche, will get top marks from purists who prefer their goose liver old school.
Classic Gallic fare continued with the arrival of French onion soup (B280), served in a mini crock pot. As a die-hard fan of this simple dish I can attest that Char’s version is the real deal, right down to the gooey Gruyere cheese melted on top. We also sample the savoury Lemongrass infused lobster bisque (B350), which gives a nod to Asian influences, but it’s the next two seafood plates that really steal the show—namely the succulent Seared Hokkaido scallops (B560) with mango and tomato concassée, and the unforgettable North Pacific black cod steak (680) in lemon beurre and zesty tamarind sauce (we couldn’t stop talking about that last one).
Finally, when the gargantuan plate of tender 45-day, dry-aged Charolais Prime rib (B420/per 100g) arrives, we knew we had saved the best for last. Meaty, moist, and marbled—this was sheer beef bravado. It’s also worth noting that there are many side dishes available for the main courses, so do try the silky smooth Truffle mashed potatoes, and/or the yummy Creamed spinach (B100 per item).
And, if you still have room for dessert, order the Tiramisu deconstructed (B280) and be sure to thank us later.
Char
25F, Hotel Indigo Bangkok, 81 Wireless Rd
Tel: 02 207 4999
Open daily: 6pm-11:30pm
www.hotelindigo.com/bangkok
