Bangkok Restaurants

Blue Elephant

#2 of 718 things to do in Bangkok

#2 of 2961 things to do in Thailand

5 reviews | Write a review

Good for: atmosphere, service, food, Romance, food service

Not good for: food

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Lonely Planet review for Blue Elephant

The Blue Elephant got its start in Brussels more than two decades ago as an exotic outpost of royal Thai cuisine. After spreading to other cities, the owners boldly chose Bangkok, the cuisine’s birth mother, as its ninth location. Set in a stunning Sino-Portuguese colonial building with service fit for royalty, the restaurant also features an impressive cooking school.

 

Traveller reviews for Blue Elephant (5)

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    Great Food and Service

    watermarkbkk9 recommends this,

    Have been to Blue Elephant many times already and can't wait to be back. I was one of the first visitors to this restaurant and fell in love with it instantly.

    The service is warm and kind, the food is exactly my taste and I feel like coming home when I go there. Absolutely recommended to try.

    Good for: food service

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    Excellent service; cuisine a bitter disappointment

    marquisfleur recommends this,

    Arriving at the restaurant, we sat down at a splendidly set table, and ordered the most expensive set menu at approximately 1500 baht a head, the equivalent of an average Thai's monthly food budget. Such a detail would not normally be appropriate if it weren't for the fact that the assortment of starters presented to us - fish cakes, chicken brochettes, spring rolls - could have easily been purchased down the road at the local street market.

    Yet my mind and palate remained open in anticipation of the main course. The pumpkin stalks were magnificently savory and the duck was divine, although it lacked imagination as it was simply a carbon-copy of the French "magret de canard". The masaman curry was adequate and the tiger prawns were tender and tasty. However, my disappointment reached maturity with the green curry and the pat thai noodles. The "keng kiaw wan" had been robbed of its "wan" (sweetness), leaving an attractive yet bitter, spicy, inedible substance that was graced but once by the serving spoon. The pat thai noodles were just as untouchable, completely overwhelmed by the taste of dried shrimp and whose noodles, perhaps in the spirit of "fusion cuisine", were served "al dente", unacceptably under-cooked by Thai standards.

    Then came the dessert - overly sweet coconut ice cream, a sickeningly-sweet flan whose only possible Thai attribute was the element of coconut, and a durian cake which left my palate disturbingly confused. The dessert platter was partially saved however by a slice of delicious, succulent mango.

    Overall, I applaud the fine service and the painstaking attention given to the atmosphere. However, if the Blue Elephant continues to serve the dishes I sampled tonight, I can only assume that they are content in fooling the average customer's palate by the smoke and mirrors of a sophisticatedly-presented, yet gastronomically unsatisfactory product.

    Good for: atmosphere, service

    Not good for: food

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    OK, but not really worth it

    lsiryan recommends this,

    If you're a Westerner looking for accessible Thai food, and you don't mind paying a little too much, it is worth it. All the customers are non-Thai (what does that tell you), and it is easy to order, the feel is nice, and the service is all in English.
    The food? We'll I have had better in Los Angeles. I had a Sea Bass, and my date Catfish. The catfish was probably 2 stars..... not really good at all, and for Thailand, pretty terrible. The Sea Bass was much better, but not amazing. A stuffed prawn appetizer was OK, but again, nothing to write home about.... unless you are into bland letters ;-)
    As usual some of our Western guests decided that jeans with holes and marajuana leaf Tshirtshirts are appropriate for fine dining. With hurt the feel a bit, but that is a whole other thing to talk about, and really a problem almost everywhere in BKK, except the really top top places, or somewhere only Thais go.
    The price for two (two main dishes, an app., one glass of wine, one cocktail, and a bottle of Pellagrino) was 2600 Bhat. About $80 US. For $80 US I could have had better Thai food at at least three places I know in Los Angeles.
    So, if you are looking for something easy, and a nice atmosphere, give it a swing.... but otherwise you can do MUCH better.

    Good for: atmosphere, service

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    The Most Romantic Restaurant in Bangkok

    annaficek recommends this,

    The Blue Elephant is one place that you have to see to believe. Cleverly tailored to high-class Westerners, but retaining a concentrated paradise atmosphere. It is not the place to enjoy food the way Thais do, it is a place to indulge in fusioned dishes with garlands of tropical flowers, it is Thailand the way the movies would like you to believe. Being mainly a thai restaurant, vegetarian options are aplenty, with the Coconut and Shitake Mushroom soup being the big winner, creamy and perfectly spiced and served in a coconut (what more could you ask for?). The drinks menu is to die for, each cocktail perfectly created with a myriad of tropical fruits with orchid garnishes. It is a place for lovers - for the perfect date or the place for an amazing anniversary. Service is exquisite, each customer is treated like royalty. This is a place to escape reality, and a joyride for all the senses. A small portal into fantasy and fairytale, an oasis to take time out from the hectic, high-paced life of Bangkok, even if just for a little while.

    Good for: Romance, atmosphere, food, service

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    Elegance at the Elephant

    melfrommanly recommends this,

    The Blue Elephant was my favourite Thai restaurant in Bangkok. Our group dolled up, into our finest travelling clothes and caught the train from our hotel near MBK to Surasak Station. The beautiful building is across the road from the station, very easy to get to. And very difficult to miss. Apart from the neon lights overhead, it made you feel as if you were stepping out of an era gone.

    We had reservations, and the service was superb. It made you feel like royalty. Nothing was too much trouble and they were very attentive. The food was fantastic! My sister and i sipped cosmopolitans and we shared a few different mains and starters. My recommendation would be the Chicken and Cashew, which is served in a fresh pineapple shell. The presentation of the delectable food and formal but stylish atmosphere combined to made this a truly amazing evening. The menu is available on their website- start tempting yourself and planning your evening! The food is also reasonable prices, especially given the gorgeous setting and amazing service.

    What made this night even more special was the King of Thailand's birthday. The Thai people truly love their King and during his birthday speech, all diners were asked to join the staff outside where we crowed around a tiny television with poor reception. We were all given candles and marked our respect while they sang the national anthem. It was special to be part of and we felt very included and able to interact with local people.

    Good for: Romance, atmosphere, food, service

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