by Miss Terry Diner
Just opened this year is Caf้ Cosmo. Another
restaurant which has resulted from a business partnership of some
experienced operators in the restaurant game. This is important, because
it means that it has every chance of still being here next year! A week
may be a long time in politics, but a year can be forever in the culinary
stakes.
At the invitation of two of the partners, Khun May and
Khun Sunny, the Dining Out Team arrived for dinner. Parking outside was a
good start - so many restaurants get by-passed because there is no place
to park.
There is an outside patio section, complete with
umbrellas, but we chose the inside air-conditioned area on these hot
nights. The restaurant is very clean and modern, with very
“continental” paintings spot-lighted throughout. Comfortable high
backed chairs with attractive (real) wood tabletops with woven place mats.
At the far side of the area is a long bar with 10 seats
where you can have pre-dinner drinks or have a post work tipple on the way
home. The atmosphere is a relaxed one and it becomes obvious that this is
a “bistro” style restaurant.
The
menu begins with the wine list, an admirable selection of wines from
France, Italy, Spain, Australia, California and Chile. These range between
740 baht and 1650 baht, with the bulk under B. 1,000. Tyrell’s Long Flat
Shiraz at B. 975 is a good one to start if you are unsure. There are also
house wines at B. 100 per glass.
Since the Caf้ Cosmo serves the hotel, it is open
for breakfast and the first page of food is devoted to the early part of
the day, with an ABF at B. 95, or a Continental at B. 70. There are also
Thai breakfasts at B. 50 and sandwiches at B. 80.
The next three pages are devoted to Thai food,
generally around B 75-85, with all the standard favourites, plus a few
interesting items such as a lemongrass grilled chicken and a fried
asparagus with shrimps.
The next page is all spaghetti (B. 145-175) with again
some different presentations, with green curry or Thai anchovy, or a clam
sauce for example.
The final page is European food with 5 soups (B. 65)
and 3 salads (B. 75-95) and 5 mains (B. 165-275) including a pepper steak,
grilled chicken and a pork chop.
There is also a small “specials” menu on the table
with B. 50 E-sarn food items on one side and some European specials on the
other (B. 115-185) including a Seafood Royal in pineapple.
The tables confirmed the cosmopolitan appeal, with
Swiss, Thai, British, Australian and Belgian diners on that evening. We
began with the Cosmo chef’s salad, complete with a hefty serving of
beef, chicken, cheese, capsicum (bell pepper), tomato, cucumber, croutons
and egg. This came with their own tangy sauce dressing and was a meal in
itself.
Next we sampled a tom yum goong, the traditional Thai
prawn soup, which was not only very tasty, but it was not too spicy
either. Hot enough, but not over the top as can be the case.
For mains we had the Seafood Royal which featured
prawn, fish, squid and mussels in a mustard cream sauce with buttered
rice. This was the dish of the night for Madame. Beautiful flavours and
the mustard sauce was excellent.
Sunny then insisted we try the grilled lemongrass
chicken. Again, this was an excellent item, with the lemongrass flavour
permeating the chicken meat. This was my dish of the night, being
particularly partial to lemongrass.
Desserts? We were all to full to try. Even Madame.
We found the Caf้ Cosmo to indeed have a very
cosmopolitan air and the varied nationalities at our table all enjoyed the
fare. It is very inexpensive, particularly for the quality, and the Dining
Out Team gives this restaurant a highly recommended rating. With the
experienced management team and the excellent chefs, this restaurant
should do well.
Caf้ Cosmo, 146/82 Thappraya Road (just past the
Captain’s Corner and in the front of Mr. Mac’s Hotel), tel. 038 250
416.
