Bangkok | Lunch at the Blue Elephant

The Blue Elephant has been a name that I have heard much about for a long time.

Seen it at the airport during transits and used some of its products like curry paste for cooking and their Thai-style chili sauce as a dipping sauce which you could find in Singapore's supermarkets.

I remembered Daniel from Food Memoirs loved to visit the Blue Elephant each time he visits Bangkok as well. Thus during the last trip to Bangkok, I finally made the point of visiting this restaurant for lunch.

The Blue Elephant, while specializing in Thai cuisine wasn't a native of Thailand per say. It started out in Europe, in Brussels by Chef Nooror Somany Steppe, her brother and her husband to be exact, before finally finding its way to Thailand. Chef Nooror however was a native of Thailand's Chachoengsao province. Nonetheless, this is the past now, as Blue Elephant is not only back in Thailand but found its way to other cities in the world.

Lunch started off with a coconut to quench my thirst on a hot afternoon.

The Blue Elephant offers a rather affordable set lunch from 980 to 1100 THB which changes depending on the day of the week.

The first course is a trio of appetizers, there was a zakouski (like an amuse bouche) before this as well to whet your appetite. It was a Coconut Cake topped with Crispy Rice Field Catfish and Prawn Salad. It is quite a like a kueh pie tee but with a layer of crispy bits which adds variety to the textures of the dish.

The appetizers include foie gras, prawn cake and scallops. The Foie Gras with Isan Sauce was the most memorable. Creamy, smooth and paired with a mildly spicy and tangy sauce. The rest: Grilled Thai Scallops in Butter with Garlic & Black Pepper Sauce and the Crispy Prawn Cakes were just decent.

The main course is an assortment of hot main samplers like curries, grilled items or salad served with chili sauce and a side of vegetables. The beef in Grilled Thai Marinated Beef with Long Beans Salad was lightly seasoned with cumin and coriander and rather tender. 

There is a also a Stir-Fried Assorted Seafood with Yellow Curry Powder, which has a more tangy and spicy range of flavours to go with the rice.

Lastly, a Green Curry with Free Range Chicken, a ubiquitous item on a Thai food menu. This is more savoury than what we are used to eating back in Singapore which is normally creamier with a stronger touch of coconut milk. Nonetheless, this little bit of sampler was quite tasty and makes a mix with the rice.

There are two kinds of rice : Jasmine Rice and Wild Rice.

Finally, there is an assortment of home made desserts. Nothing particularly memorable here.

The Blue Elephant Bangkok is located in a stately Thai Chine Building, an early 20th century building that was once the Bombay Department Store and the Thai Chinese Chamber of Commerce. Thus to dine at the Blue Elephant, is not just for the food which is a mix of hits and misses. 

I think it is also for a slice of historical, quaint ambiance which is quite attractive for a traveler from Singapore where much of these have since turned into condo clubhouses or "redeveloped". Parts of Blue Elephant's presentation may come across as "touristy" Thai but it is still an enjoyable experience like having a Sacher Torte in Vienna or Ichiran ramen in Tokyo, it is still a worthwhile dining experience that doesn't break the bank (if you go for their set lunches).

The Blue Elephant Bangkok is located just next to Surasak Station, which makes it very convenient to visit.

Blue Elephant Cooking School and Restaurant Bangkok

233 S Sathorn Road

Khwaeng Yan Nawa, Khet Sathon

Krung Thep Maha Nakhon 

10120, Thailand