In any big city, such as Bangkok, there are a multitude of choices for pretty much everything. It is certainly true when thoughts turn to dining. Bangkok is a haven for food lovers from all nations. One of my favorite meals of the week is Sunday Brunch and Bangkok’s brunch scene is one of the best in Southeast Asia. After a long week and a busy weekend a lazy Sunday Brunch with family or friends is the perfect way to relax and chill before Monday raises its ugly head once again.
One of the most delicious and diverse as well as arguably the longest Sunday Brunch takes place at Flow, located at the Millennium Hilton on the riverfront.
Here Sunday Brunch begins at 11AM at their rooftop 360 Bar accessed from the 31st floor. For an hour, as you prepare for the food-fest that awaits, you are served free cocktails and nibbles while soaking in the view of boats transiting the Chao Phraya and the the city of angels beyond.
The 360 Bar features two distinct areas: One, a large rectangular open air space covering the entire middle part of the high-rise building and the other an amazing 360 degrees cupola balanced one floor above. Viewed from a distance the 360 bar brings back memories of Spielberg’s “Close Encounters of the Third Kind” as it truly looks like a gigantic flying saucer has landed on the edge of the Millennium Hilton tower.
Brunch starts at 12 and is served at the lobby level, all day restaurant called Flow. What makes this particular Brunch experience so special is that not only do you have all the dining/ food choices of Flow, you can also choose delicacies from their other award winning dining establishments such as the Hilton’s steak restaurant Prime which for the 8th year in a row was recently recognized as Thailand’s Best Restaurant by the well-known national Thailand Tattler magazine. The beef tartare and the Caesar salad are signature dishes of Prime and are highly recommended.
Another signature item from Prime, which brought a smile to my face, was Alaskan king Crab legs. The crab was served already cracked so enjoying the sweet meat was effortless. Additional signature items include sea scallops, goose leg confit, glazed with lemon and potato cream, slow roasted lamb loin, eggplant and thyme emulsion, roast prime rib; prime, veal orloff, truffle fondue, and Italian soubise.
For more Asian tastes there were Thai dishes like ‘som tum poo nim’ (spicy papaya salad) with soft shell crab; ’miang kum’ with cha-plu leaves and ‘hor-mok goong mae nam’ river prawn soufflé. Offerings from the Millennium Hilton’s Yuan Chinese restaurant includes such delicacies as jumbo shrimp dim sum; wok-fried Chinese pancakes filled with chives; and BBQ pork.
The International Brunch selection is made all the more impressive with free access to the private Cheese Room – the first of its kind in Bangkok and considered to be one of the best in Asia. The cheese room is air-conditioned and fully enclosed which you will understand why when you first walk in.
At FLOW you can gaze out over the river from there large windows or for a relaxing alternative, you can dine al fresco on their riverside lounge terrace. From both areas you can hear the live duo of Khun Prode Thanapat and Steve.
Sunday Brunch at Flow lasts from 12 until 3pm however guests are encouraged to visit and stay until 4 pm at the hotel’s Lantern café where Executive Pastry Chef Urs Rohrbach prepares the sweetest of sweets. A few of Chef Urs’ signature items include Teppanyaki ice cream, chocolate whisky truffle and fresh strawberries, meringue and Chantilly. Various kinds of coffee and tea are also served.
This masterful four hour brunch is priced at just 2,200 nett and for an additional 1,000 baht more you can enjoy free flow red, rose, white and/or sparkling wine during your 3 hours at Flow.
If after 4 hours of eating and drinking you are still not ready to go home then as a brunch guest you are welcome to use their beach swimming pool to relax while contemplating the drive home. If your mode of travel is the BTS sky train then you’ll be happy to know that the Hilton offers free regular rides on their boat from the hotel to the Saphan Taksin BTS station.
For additional information or reservations you can call +66 (0) 2442 2000
