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Published on December 5, 2007

Vietnamese restaurants have been part of the Bangkok skyline for years now, ranging from dilapidated shophouses to swanky restaurants in five-star hotels. However, it's only at the Triple Two Bar & Restaurant that you'll find Vietnamese cuisine served tapas-style on a buffet table. And not only do these nibbles save you time, especially if you have to rush back to the office, but they keep the taste fresh and real, too.

The restaurant, at the Narai Hotel-affiliated Triple Two Silom Hotel, also offers a reprieve from the busy Silom traffic - it's located on the first floor right next to a lush garden.

"The restaurant has been serving Thai and international cuisine since it first opened," says Yongyuth Duttangkorn, resident manager of the Narai Hotel. "But since there's a great demand for Vietnamese food, we decided to make it our highlight. However, we still offer Thai and International a la carte menus as an alternative."

Since Silom is practically in the heart of Bangkok's business world, most people are short on time, especially where lunch is concerned. So, the team came up with the idea of offering Vietnamese favourites in convenient and stylish, bite-sized presentations.

The man behind this innovation is sous chef Kangwal Charoensri, 31, a native of Nong Khai province who has gained the relevant experience by working with a Vietnamese chef at a Vietnamese restaurant in the Sathorn area.

"Actually, my dad wanted me to be a doctor," laughs Kangwal. "That's why my nickname is Mor [the Thai word for doctor]".

Chef Mor loves trying out different styles of cuisine and seeks inspiration everywhere. That's probably why he decided to serve his lunch Spanish style.

"Tapas in Spanish means a variety of appetisers," Kangwal explains. "Presenting Vietnamese food tapas-style is a lot more difficult than serving platefuls. For instance, with deep-fried marinated sea perch, I have to make sure the sauce is perfectly balanced and the flavour isn't too strong."

The dish, known in Thai as mieng pla tod, tastes sweet, sour and slightly salty. It's fragrant with garlic, young ginger and fresh shallots, and works beautifully either as an appetiser or as a main course with lots of fresh vegetables and steamed rice.

"The dish is more flavoursome because I've adapted it to suit Thai tastes," he says.

Another recommendation from the chef is the deep-fried crabmeat flute, or klui poo. Though they look like deep-fried spring rolls, these mouthfuls are a lot more filling. The chef first sautés chopped onion, water chestnuts, crabmeat, spring onions and breadcrumbs with soy sauce and a bit of chicken stock, before rolling the resulting mixture up in a spring roll sheet then frying in medium-hot oil until golden brown.

This crispy snack is eaten with a dip made of vinegar, sugar and fish sauce. Roasted peanuts, coconut flakes, sliced shallots, cucumber and coriander are added later.

Another not-to-be-missed favourite are the grilled pork-balls served with fresh herbs and peanut sauce  or naam neung. While elsewhere diners have to make their own bite-sized wraps, at the Triple Two Restaurant it's all done for them. All they need to do is transfer the parcels to their plates and spend some time deciding on the sauce and the fresh vegetables they might want as accompaniments.

Also on the table are steamed vermicelli with grilled pork, grilled pork spareribs with garlic, grilled baby pork spareribs with lemon grass, grilled minced prawn on sugar cane, and deep-fried crabmeat on lemongrass sticks. And that by no means exhausts the selection.

Kangwal's grilled pork and beef snacks are tender and full of flavour. His secret is marinating the meat overnight, then boiling it for 15 to 20 minutes before drowning it in the marinade then sticking it on the grill. Though Vietnamese noodles, or pho, are also included, the bowls need to be ordered with the waiting staff. It takes just a few minutes for the steaming receptacles to arrive at the table.

Though this buffet isn't groaning with hundreds of choices, each and every offering is delicious, and small enough for you to try everything and still have room for dessert. The sweets on offer change everyday.

Lemongrass juice and ginger juice go beautifully well with Vietnamese food, and fresh fruits, coffee and tea are also included. All this for just Bt259.

Call (02) 627 2222.

Juthamas Cholthavornpong

 The Nation