The Verandah at Mandarin Oriental Hotel (Bangkok, THAILAND) ★★★★☆

Little nugget loved his boat ride up Chao Phraya River so much last time that I decided to give him another chance on this trip. Since we have plans to visit ICONSIAM on the other side of the river after lunch, I thought it would be the perfect chance to explore the dining options by the river. Among the abundance of restaurants offering al fresco dining by the river, The Verlandah at Mandarin Oriental was the obvious choice for me since they have their own boat pier right on the terrace. With their fleet of boats leaving the pier every 30 minutes, we can enjoy a relaxing lunch there without the hassle of waiting for our ride under the heat.

The temperature was considered pretty cool this afternoon so we elected to sit outdoor to soak up the river view.

I have to admit, sitting at these long tables wasn't the easiest way to share dishes together but.....

Little guy and I just loved watching the traffic up and down the river.

Thai Milk Tea (฿190) – Surprisingly, not much fragrance coming from the tea and it’s supposed to be touted for its rich and distinctive flavors. Slow start.

Calamari Fritti (฿580) – The batter flavored with lemon and garlic was a little bit thick for me but the tenderness of the calamari made up for it.

Chicken Alfredo (฿580) – Everyone jumped all over the creamy pasta that was not spicy (the elder ones seemed to be afraid of Thai-style spicy pasta these days 😂😂). This came with grilled chicken thigh, green asparagus, garlic, onion, and just enough Reggiano Parmesan cheese for a rounded finish.

Phad See Iew Moo, Gai (฿490) – Some Stir-fried large wide noodles instead of the Pad Thai this afternoon. A nice local classic with grilled pork, crunchy kale leaves and egg, finished off by a shower of dark soy.

Hokkaido Scallops (฿1,350) – Everybody’s favorite and most definitely the favorite dish of mine this afternoon. The Hokkaido scallops, perfectly seared, were beautifully decorated with green pea purée, mango and saffron coulis, charred sweet corn, crispy coppa, and ebiko.

The Verandah Fish & Chips (฿1,350) – My second favorite dish was the beer-battered French snow fish, served with crushed minted peas, French fries, and condiments of tartar sauce, malt vinegar and fresh lemon. The deep-fried fish fillet was really fresh, crisp and succulent working well with the minted pea purée as a refreshing dip.

As planned, we started walking over to the boat pier a few minutes before 1pm (about a 20metre walk) and caught the boat just returning from ICONSIAM. It was another nice ride which little one enjoyed tremendously. Instead of just yelling, he's now old enough to hold his own camera up for a few scenic photos.

Food Rating: 5.8/10

Price: ฿฿฿

Address: G/F Mandarin Oriental Bangkok, 48 Oriental Avenue, Khwaeng Bang Rak, Bang Rak, Bangkok, Thailand

Closest BTS Station: Saphan Taksin

Tel: +66 (0) 2659-9000

Opening Hours: 6:00am - 11:00pm daily