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It then moved down the road for a few years until it pitched up at its present location.

It has always offered a Thai and Western menu and the Thai food was fairly inventive for its day with such dishes as green curry fried rice. They also made Western food that pleased a Thai palate, with more seasoning and a heavier hand with the hot spices.

Dishes such as baked clams in butter and garlic, or baked creamed spinach were delicious. I lost touch for a while, mainly since my home was quite a way from the restaurant.

The next time I heard about it was from a friend who told me a brand new restaurant, called Pier 9 The Original, had opened near Kantana Studio.

The opportunity to try it came when I scheduled a meeting with a client near the studio. The restaurant was bright and airy with many windows that allowed lots of light in. I was pleased to find some of the original menu items I have already mentioned along with some brand new ones I tried. The original items were still good.

I remembered the time when I'd sent all the food back, then told the waiter not to tell the cook the reorder was for me. The second time the food was delicious; the kitchen staff were more relaxed and cooking without pressure.

This time, at the new Pier 9, I didn't have to reorder. The food was excellent so I guess I no longer intimidate the chefs!

I decided to try some new dishes, among them the rolled, stuffed chicken with cheese. I think they were too generous with the cheese - I would rather it be stuffed with a cheese sauce. But it still tasted good, something like a Thai version of chicken cordon bleu.

Pier 9 still serves German pork leg, which seems to be standard fare for restaurants that serve alcohol and have a band, most Thais preferring the convenience of dipping the meat into a spicy sauce. If you like one-plate meals, you should try the green curry fried rice with crispy salted fish. It's not too hot and spicy, and the combination really works.

The same holds true for the grilled sirloin steak with Isaan dipping sauce (jaew). Tell the chef how you like your steak, because they usually overcook it.

I still prefer the Thai-influenced pasta dishes like pasta with salted fish, or jungle style. But if you are adventurous, try the sautéed squid-ink pasta with grilled prawns. This is interesting, though I would make it more Thai than Western by adding chilli peppers.

Probably because the restaurant is near one of Bangkok's largest movie and television studios, it's usually open in the evening only. People in the media business work strange hours, and I'm sure the majority of their customers are from there.

But, of course, the restaurant is open to all, and despite being a little out of the way for people living in the centre of town, it's worth a trip. So, should you be in the area or live close by, give the new Pier 9 a try. It could become a favourite.