Roast (Cafe)
Unit #T1 The COMMONS
335 Thonglor Soi 17 (Akkhara Phatsadu Alley)
Sukhumvit Road
Wattana
Bangkok 10110
Thailand
1st Floor The Helix Quartier
EmQuartier
651 Sukhumvit Road
Watthana
Bangkok 10110
Thailand
http://www.roastbkk.com/
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| Slow Roasted Fried Chicken Set (THB ฿480 / SGD $18.50) |
Fresh, Modern, Casual Fusion, Made In-House
(Ratings: On a scale of 1 to 10, with 1 = Worst and 10 = Best)
Overall: 9
Ambience & Setting: 9
Food & Beverage: 8
Service: 9
Value for Money: 9
Spent about THB ฿490 / SGD $19 per person.
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Founded in May 2011 by Mr. Varatt Vichit-Vadakan (or just Tae), Roast (Cafe) is among the most hipster of hipster cafes in Bangkok, Thailand, and regularly makes lists of "Best Cafes" around. Many have insisted that it's not to be missed, and having visited Roast (Cafe), I totally agree. So many reasons make this cafe a must-visit place, from the good coffee roasted on-site (they're award-winning, national championship baristas), to the hand made dishes (like their outstanding bread and bacon), the friendly service, and ambience that you just fall in love with.
Ambience at Roast (Cafe) is extremely inviting, and totally chill. Industrial chic, with dark wood, brick, and glass, ample open space, and bright natural lighting with a good view. Furniture is sturdy yet comfortable, suitable for long, relaxing meals. The place buzzes with activity, yet doesn't feel hectic. Warm, intimate mood lighting fills the place in the evenings, setting a cozy tone. Thumbs up as well for the large glass panels around the kitchen, which allows you to watch the chefs at work!
Service at Roast (Cafe) is better than most regular cafes. Staff are friendly, polite, and professional, befitting of a fine dining restaurant! They greet you warmly upon entry, and are quick to seat you. Fluent in English, and able to provide descriptions of dishes from the rather extensive menu, staff are also efficient are clearing away empty / dirty plates or tables. The menu is in English, with helpful and illustrative pictures, but what I love most is that it's designed to read like a magazine, and even contains additional information on the cooking process and Roast (Cafe) efforts at sustainability!
Food at Roast (Cafe) is modern Western fusion, and dishes are very well executed. Big on flavour, nicely done in texture, most of the items we tried were outstanding, though there were some dishes I didn't like as well. Roast (Cafe) chefs go the extra mile and hand make many of the items in-house! It's also evident they've put thought into crafting each dish, highlighting the main, star ingredients, with the other side ingredients chosen and designed to support the flavour of the star. Portions are large, suitable for sharing. Prices are affordable, and reasonable for the high quality you get, budget about THB ฿490 / SGD $19 per person for a meal here.
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| Roast (Cafe) Exterior |
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| Roast (Cafe) Interior |
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| Seating |
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| Menu Brunch |
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| Menu Appetizers |
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| Menu Mains |
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| Menu Desserts |
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| Menu Drinks |
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| Menu Coffee |
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| Menu Magazine Cover |
No surprise that the Piccolo Latte (THB ฿100 / SGD $3.90), Cappuccino (THB ฿100 / SGD $3.90), Lungo (THB ฿90 / SGD $3.50), and Caffe Mocha (THB ฿120 / SGD $4.70) here are very good. Specialising in artisanal coffee-making, they have a giant black and gold coffee roaster on-site, and they freshly roast single origin coffee beans in-house. You cannot visit Roast (Cafe) without trying their coffee! Little wonder they usually make the lists of 'Best Coffee' places in Bangkok, Thailand!
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| Piccolo Latte (THB ฿100 / SGD $3.90) |
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| Cappuccino (THB ฿100 / SGD $3.90) |
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| Lungo (THB ฿90 / SGD $3.50) |
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| Caffe Mocha (THB ฿120 / SGD $4.70) |
The Pink Lemonade With Thyme (THB ฿120 / SGD $4.70) is a chilled, refreshing beverage, with notes of sour, zesty, and minty. Perhaps a little too strong on the sour side, I felt it could be better balanced with some sweetness. Decent as is.
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| Pink Lemonade With Thyme (THB ฿120 / SGD $4.70) |
The refreshing, earthy floral Fresh Coconut Water (THB ฿90 / SGD $3.50) is served chilled, with slices of young coconut meat within. Best paired with 'heavy' sauces or fried food, this also makes a great thirst-quencher on a hot day.
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| Fresh Coconut Water (THB ฿90 / SGD $3.50) |
The Cocktail Eastern Sky (THB ฿350 / SGD $13.50) will appeal to those who like their liquor light and fruity. One of only a few cocktails on the menu, really just to appease the masses. In fact, you're better off ordering their wine instead, which has some nice varieties.
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| Cocktail Eastern Sky (THB ฿350 / SGD $13.50) |
Living up to their belief to make as much of their food in-house as possible, the Bread Baguette is also made and baked on-site, fresh daily. Love that it's complimentary, and it's also well executed, with a crisp texture to the crust, and a fragrant taste of bread yeast. Good!
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| Bread Baguette |
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| Bread Baguette |
While I commend the effort to make the Hand Cut Fries (THB ฿120 / SGD $4.70), featuring thick-cut strips of skin-on potato fries, this was also the worst dish in terms of taste. Bland with a dry texture, this appetizer is executed wrongly, as they freeze it between the double frying process, which sucks out all the moisture within. Terrible, avoid at all costs.
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| Hand Cut Fries (THB ฿120 / SGD $4.70) |
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| Hand Cut Fries |
The Grilled Corn (THB ฿120 / SGD $4.70) features fresh, sweet smoky slices of grilled corn on the cob, garnished with sharp feta cheese, salty parmesan cheese, and served with a spicy mayonnaise on the side. While the ingredients seem slightly disjointed, not really coming together as a whole, I quite like the fresh corn. Decent as a dish.
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| Grilled Corn (THB ฿120 / SGD $4.70) |
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| Grilled Corn |
Felt the home made Roasted Tomato Soup (THB ฿180 / SGD $7) was very good! Oven roasted tomatoes and garlic are mashed and strained to create this vibrant soup / broth. Rich, creamy, and smooth in texture, the sweet sour floral taste comes through nicely. Garnished with soft croutons, which kind of melted into the soup, this was the only component I didn't fancy. Otherwise, it's above average as a dish!
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| Roasted Tomato Soup (THB ฿180 / SGD $7) |
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| Roasted Tomato Soup |
What's unique about the Ham Hock & Croquette (THB ฿320 / SGD $12.40) is the crunchy almond coated mashed potato croquette, which gives it a distinct floral nutty flavour. Very creative! The perfect poached egg releases a flow of golden yolk over the savoury salty yet tender ham hock shreds, while the vibrant pea puree lends both colour and a grassy flavour to this outstanding breakfast dish. Highly recommended!
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| Ham Hock & Croquette (THB ฿320 / SGD $12.40) |
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| Ham Hock & Croquette |
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| Ham Hock & Croquette |
The Corned Beef Hash (THB ฿280 / SGD $10.90) was disappointing for me, because the house-made shredded corned beef was firm and dry in texture, and also very oily. The flavour was decent, salty savoury with a good kick of chili heat and spice. At least the poached eggs were perfectly done, with a bright golden runny yolk, and the sauteed potatoes were tender and tasty. Overall, not that great. Skip this.
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| Corned Beef Hash (THB ฿280 / SGD $10.90) |
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| Corned Beef Hash |
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| Corned Beef Hash |
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| Corned Beef Hash |
The Slow Roasted Fried Chicken Set (THB ฿480 / SGD $18.50) comes with a side of fresh, crunchy sour Red Cabbage Slaw, as well as a spicy garlic House Made Hot Sauce, and a thoughtfully wrapped Lemon Wedge, which prevents the seeds from falling over your food. But the star is the Slow Roasted Fried Chicken! The half chicken is marinated in buttermilk and a secret recipe hot sauce, slow roasted with herbs, then coated in a thin, crisp buttermilk and flour batter, and flash fried. The result of this 48 hours process is the incredibly tender, juicy chicken meat, fragrant and savoury sweet, with a crisp, aromatic, thin yet tasty batter. Totally non-greasy, it ranks among the best fried chicken I've eaten. Highly recommended!
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| Slow Roasted Fried Chicken Set (THB ฿480 / SGD $18.50) |
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| Red Cabbage Slaw |
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| Slow Roasted Fried Chicken |
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| Slow Roasted Fried Chicken |
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| Lemon Wedge |
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| House Made Hot Sauce |
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| Slow Roasted Fried Chicken Set |
The Baked Cod (THB ฿650 / SGD $25.20) was lovely, with its large, tender fillet of fresh cod fish, sweet savoury in taste with slightly oily flesh that flakes off beautifully. The olive mashed potatoes are unique in taste, with a floral earthy starchy salty flavour that delights. Finished with a Spanish inspired romesco sauce, which is less spicy than usual, but more floral sweet in taste. The thick sauce pairs well with the baked fish, and the sprinkling of nuts lends a nice crunch. Good!
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| Baked Cod (THB ฿650 / SGD $25.20) |
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| Baked Cod |
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| Baked Cod |
The Steak Frites (THB ฿890 / SGD $34.50) features chunks of perfectly grilled hanger beef steak cuts, medium-rare and so tender, yielding easily to the knife. Taste is very good, full flavoured and meaty, savoury salty with a good juicy bite. The spiced butter feels more like a pesto, being fully packed with herbs. As expected, the Hand Cut Fries were not that good, and I didn't finish it. While I loved the beef, I can't recommend this dish because of the fries, and the rather expensive price tag.
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| Steak Frites (THB ฿890 / SGD $34.50) |
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| Steak Frites |
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| Steak Frites |
The Passionfruit Semifreddo (THB ฿220 / SGD $8.50) is unique, and delicious! A block of perfectly executed semifreddo, which is half soft and half firm, is nicely infused with fruity passionfruit flavour. Dressed with mango sauce, strawberries, mint, and a fresh halved passionfruit, this sour sweet sharp dessert was outstanding. Highly recommended!
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| Passionfruit Semifreddo (THB ฿220 / SGD $8.50) |
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| Passionfruit Semifreddo |
The Chocolate Nutella Tart (THB ฿280 / SGD $10.80) is a recommended dessert on the menu. Loved the buttery, crumbly pastry shell, and the sweet chocolate and hazelnut filling. The counterpoint was provided by the sharp, zesty grapefruit slices and grapefruit sorbet, achieving a nice balance of sour sweet taste. Good!
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| Chocolate Nutella Tart (THB ฿280 / SGD $10.80) |
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| Chocolate Nutella Tart |
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| Chocolate Nutella Tart |
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CONVERSATION