Forget all the weird and wonderful dining experiences you’ve had in Bangkok, this place offers something completely different. Bangkok Sea View requires that you get a long-tail boat (B50 for adults and B20 for kids) from a pier on Rama 2 to go dine in the middle of the Gulf of Thailand. During the 20-minute journey to what is basically a big platform on stilts, you’ll pass through a mangrove forest where you see all sorts of birds and get a glimpse into the lifestyles of people living by (and on) the river. It borders on a day-trip, but it’s definitely worth it. The food is mostly seafood, obviously, but unfortunately it’s not as exciting as the getting there. The talay pao (grilled prawn, crab, cockles, mussels and squid, B550) wasn’t particularly fresh on our last visit. We could tell that the seafood was grilled quite some time before our arrival as it was dry and sad, not helped by an overly-sweet seafood sauce. The recommended poo talay pad pong karee (sea crab in yellow curry, B550) similarly falls flat; the crab lacks freshness and should be sweeter, while the yellow curry is pretty bland. Also disappointing is the khao pad poo (stir-fried rice with crabmeat, B150) which is dry, flavorless and lacks the requisite egg aroma. Thankfully, not all dishes are failures—the yam cha kram (sea blite spicy salad, B150) is excellent. The local greens taste similar to tam lueng (ivy gourd) or yod fak meaw (chayote choot) but with a softer and milder texture. OK, that’s not glowing praise for the food, but who cares? We would happily go back for the spectacular view. You can even bring along your rod for a spot of fishing while you enjoy beers at your table. Just don’t go there expecting to be surrounded by the hip and cool; Bangkok Sea View targets Thai families and you’ll encounter many kids sitting on mats at the low tables. Treat it like a fun day out with a little food thrown in—just drop by early as you’re also likely to be joined by mosquitoes once the sun goes down.Corkage charge B100.
