An American Serenade

It is only when you walk into Serenade that you realize what you have been missing for so long in the city’s culinary creations. And once you see it you understand that you need it. And once you taste it you can’t live without it.

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Serenade fits well with the Thong Lor character with its understated, neighbourhood eatery lounge vibe. The modern American menu with tapas style eating, superb chef talent and without breaking-the-bank price tags is so needed and wanted in Bangkok that Serenade should be cherished, wined and dined as any dining institution should be. Oh and it just so happens to be possibly one of the best restaurant too.

The menu, the dishes, the ambience and the décor; everything about Serenade is simplistic sophistication that can only come from classic knowledge and an underlying passion for food and the eating out experience. Grilled longon with feta and rocket salad at 145 THB is unique and the balsamic infused feta is wonderfully crumbly, balancing delicately with the longon and roasted bell peppers and tomatoes.

The grilled cobia fish with smoked paprika buerre blanc is a wonderfully meaty fish that most people have never even tasted. The white wine and the butter are velvety against the fish and the best seasoning flavours of garlic, shallots, black pepper and Himalayan pink salt.

The grilled kurobuta is Berkshire pork collar with mushroom duxelle and a mustard, sage, cream sauce. The sauce has truffle oil added and the mushrooms are sautéed with Serrano ham. The combination is delicate, delicious and the best of bistro at 480 THB. The roselle infused salt is made at the restaurant using local ingredients and this attention to details is charming and worthwhile. The white tiger prawns sautéed with garlic and cha krarm uses this Thai mangrove plant for its dill-like flavour with a bite and for 280 THB, every bite is worth every baht.

The rest of the menu delivers big, meaty plates for small groups to share and the outside decking and loungers add to the kick back ambience. There is even a cheese counter which adds in a touch of the American deli, as does the specials menu written on the glass window of the kitchen. The brown leather chairs, grey cement floor with splashes of colour and the big, wide, dark wood staircase welcome for a special meal out or a mid-week chill-out.

Serenade is just too good a restaurant to be focused on being trendy, which only adds to its appeal. It is not trying to be the latest cool dining place but a restaurant you can rely on for delivering just the right food in just the right atmosphere. Just because the food is praiseworthy doesn’t mean you have to stand on ceremony. With its sense of place, reigned in passion for food and innate understanding of what makes people feel good, Serenade has done all the thinking for you. All you have to do is sit back, eat and enjoy.

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