From time to time you have to switch things up a little and try something new. Inevitably I have friends who visit Bangkok and are looking for a good place to eat vegetarian food. For some people that may mean just ordering Thai dishes without meat but having lived in the San Francisco Bay Area for a good portion of my adult life, I understand what vegetarians mean when they say they want some good vegan food. So the last time a friend was in town it was suggested we go try Tamarind on Sukhumvit Soi 20 - which is a great location BTW since after dinner once can easily walk to Soi 33 or Cowboy for dessert.
The first thing that must be said about Tamarind is the building. It is essentially a multi-story mini art gallery/restaurant. On the less scorching Bangkok nights I suggest eating on the rooftop patio for a change of pace. The gallery cycles through various artists and photographers as well as having special shows from time to time. I am not a big art buyer but it is nice to eat in a well designed restaurant while looking at various art pieces that change from visit to visit.
The menu is entirely vegetarian with a large appetizer menu, various meat replacement dishes, Thai dishes, pasta dishes and daily specials. I was immediately impressed with the scale and variety of the menu. My buddy went for pasta and I had a salad and a few appetizers. Everything was tasty. Tamarind also has a decent wine menu, various non-alcoholic inventions and some pretty cool cocktails as well. All the food I tried was excellent. I would say that even if you are not a vegetarian that having a nice dinner at Tamarind is well worth it.
The dessert menu is quite large as well with a bunch of pastries and cakes made on site. The chocolate gauteux looked amazing with the vanilla ice cream but I was too stuffed to eat anymore. My plan is to go back just for wine and dessert one night but I also I am going to get a Saturday morning breakfast as well. The breakfast menu looks awesome with pancakes, french toast and a brunch as well. I think breakfast is only on Saturdays and Sundays.
Either way, if your vegan friends needs to go somewhere different or you are in the mood for some new eats - check out Tamarind on Suk Soi 20.
laterz
I like a bit of veggie food now & again. Is it totally vegan, or would they use (say) fish sauce in the Thai dishes?
View all comments by Combover
I think it is vegan but I am not sure.
It was all very tasty!
View all comments by smitty
I found the food rather bland and boring. 160 Baht for Pad Thai without any meat - thats way overprized. The waiter was so slimy! The positive thing is that they have free w-lan. And the cakes really looked delicious.
View all comments by hschmid
Aren’t you sposed to add shitloads of condiments to your pad thai anyway? Thoughts that what the chillis, sugar, fish sauce, peanuts etc etc were for…
View all comments by Combover
Interesting.
When I go to non-Thai places I rarely get Thai food since I can get it cheaper on the street. I went for the vegan stuff and thought it was pretty good. I guess your mileage may vary but I am still going to swear by the desserts.
View all comments by smitty
anyone know the best indian restaurant in bangers? i had 1 in soi 3 and wasnt bowled over - plus being halal they laughed when i asked for a beer
View all comments by Stevie G
My favourite East Indian restaurants in the Nana area are:
1. Akbar
2. Mehman’s
3. Bukhara’s
http://www.bkkpages.com/eating-out/indian
Walking into a muslim restaurant with a beer is frowned upon!
View all comments by KMS
Two up-scale Indian places worth taking someone to:
Indus way down Soi 26 - past Sopranos and the dog-leg set of turns on the left (great garden with lighting)
Rang Mahal - top floor of Rembrandt Hotel, Soi 20 - superb views, terrific food and service
Neither of these places are cheap, but both are first-rate Indian restaurants.
View all comments by Mochalover
i wish i remembered the name of the one i had on a sub soi between 3-5 so i could name and shame it because it was shyte!
one thing i cant grumble about was/is the portions. fucking gigantic - im talking comically big. i went with my girlfriend who wasnt eating, and the portion of rice i had came in a fecking metal bucket
The Tikka Masala was like a 1.99 tesco microwave job, and was more like stew
wont be rushing back
im gonna give the Rembrandt one a try, i dont mind paying top dollar if you get moneys worth
KMS was that list of top 3 in order?
View all comments by myspace.com/penfold_xxx
Yes, that was my top 3 in order.
Correction: the second one is spelled Mehmaan. It and Akbar are side by side on soi 3 beside Nana Square shopping center.
New Bukhara’s is on Suk’ near the corner of soi 7.
View all comments by KMS