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The Orient Since 1981 Thai Bistro
It’s new to Thonglor, but not new to Bangkok’s foodies and Thai food aficionados, and it’s this year’s most exciting move/makeover! Now located on Thonglor (Sukhumvhit 55) in the Somerset Building, The Orient is sophisticated, casual, contemporary Thai dining at its best. You’ll love the relaxed atmosphere, gigantic deck out front, and a voluminous menu of traditional homemade Thai specialties presented with a fresh twist.
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For those of you who knew The Orient in its original location on Sukhumvhit Soi 49, you know that The Orient has been a Bangkok dining institution for over 30 years. However, when the people who owned the land decided to sell it, The Orient was forced to find a new home, and used it as a great opportunity to take something that was already fantastic and turn it into something brilliant. They’ve held onto two key things—exacting and delicious Thai food, and their two chefs, who have been with The Orient for forever.
Everyone got busy to make the new location the nicest place to eat on Thonglor. During the two months between closing and re-opening, the chefs traveled to Northern Thailand where they brushed up on their skills, picked up a few new tricks and worked with food stylists to come up with all new menu items to compliment old favorites. The owners worked feverishly with designers, architects and builders to create a welcoming and warm space in their new two-story location.
The results are impressive and The Orient is certain to become one of the most popular dining destinations in Bangkok, thanks especially to its great location—walking distance from the BTS (although also proving ample free parking for patrons) and on the way to Thonglor’s hottest night life. That said, there is a good chance that once you’ve eaten at The Orient, you may decide not to leave and instead stay for the evening to enjoy the extensive draft beer menu, super cocktails, great music, and fresh air on the patio- all until late night (the kitchen is open until 11 and bar stays open until 1 or later, and you can order snacks as well as drinks).
As for the food and menu, it is difficult to go wrong, as everything is prepared with fresh ingredients, flavorful herbs, cooked to perfection and made from scratch. They specialize in traditional Thai home-cooked recipes that these days, few people have the time to actually prepare at home. For vegetarians, they’ve got an extensive variety of dishes and can even adapt regular dishes serving them up sans meat. One thing diners will immediately feel is how much the staff and owners of The Orient truly want you to have a pleasant experience, as they will go out of their way to accommodate your tastes, your group, and your needs. They provide a wonderful English language menu and have a gift for serving ex-pats from all over the world. On most evenings you’ll see a mix of large groups of Thai co-workers, Indian and Japanese ex-pats, Thai families celebrating with a big family-style meal, and groups of mixed foreigners and Thais out on the patio enjoying the comfortable sofas, draft beer and French fries with their friends.
On our first visit to the newly re-opened The Orient at Thonglor, we tried a few of their new dishes as well as a few of the old favorites and they were all sooo good! You’d be remiss not to try their Roti with Beef Curry, as it is flavorful and the roti buttery and flaky, matching perfectly with the rich, stew-like curry. Order several dishes and share them amongst your friends—be sure to also try their Grilled Beef with Sticky Rice, the Crispy Morning Glory Spicy Salad, with huge succulent shrimp, the Deep Fried Seafood Papaya Salad and Spicy Curry with Spare Ribs, deservedly, one of their specialties. And save room for dessert, as they offer homemade ice-cream, and cakes as well as Thai classics like Banana Fritters and Mangos and Sticky Rice.
The Orient is a very special place to enjoy a great lunch or a relaxing dinner—you’ll come for the food, but stay for the relaxation, and enjoyment of quality time with people you care about. They are still around after 30 years for a reason!
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