It’s common knowledge that a nice view doesn’t always guarantee you nice food. Sadly that’s the case here, despite a rooftop setting offering sparkling views of the river and Rama VIII Bridge. From the tables filled with young couples and families smiling for the camera, it’s pretty obvious that food is not the main focus for In Love’s clients. The dishes themselves show that there isn’t much attention paid to fresh ingredients in the kitchen either. The menu is comprised of classic Thai dishes—think tom yum, somtam and fried chicken—but somehow it seems they’re not even doing these time-worn recipes justice. Take the pla chon lui suan (fried catfish topped with chili sauce, B280), for example; with no herbs and no sweet and sour sauce, it’s more like a watery seafood dipping sauce poured over fish that is way too dry. The disappointment continues with the gaeng som cha om gung (spicy tamarind soup with shrimps, B160), which is not very balanced. Rather sloppily put together, the dish is too acidic and, at the same time, too sweet. The shrimp were also very, very soggy on our last visit, tasting as if they had been cooked several times. Neither does the moo sab ron (stir-fried pork with chili and peppers, B140) live up to its “sab ron” (hot and tasty) name due to its bland flavor and dry texture. The safest dishes are probably the salads, like the yum takrai gung yai (spicy salad with lemongrass and prawns, B260), which is reasonably well balanced. With a décor that goes heavy on the stainless steel furniture, the view really is all one can get excited about, here. If you’re tempted by the idea of chilling on the riverside, this place does still trump its neighbor, the inferior Khin Lom Chom Saphan. Just make sure you head there well before sunset and enjoy the affordable but limited range of booze (Heineken, Singha and Tiger, from B90 for a small bottle). Corkage charge B100 (wines), B200 (spirits).
