The buzz: This new upscale steakhouse on the 2/F of the Marriott is all about American-style grilling. The District’s modern and elegant setting takes its cues from New York while all the cuts of beef are from Queensland, Australia.
The décor: Mature but with youthful flourishes, The District latches onto the latest trends and imbues them with an elegant ambience. Amid the black steel lamps and crafty chalk drawings of New York buildings and the different parts of the cow are big leather chairs and a marble bar. The open kitchen provides quite a spectacle, too.
The food: The menu is short and filled with classics like creamed spinach and Caesar salad, but the aim is to be a steakhouse where you don’t have to spend quite as big as elsewhere. The beef here is not all priced at B2,000-plus; rather, expect to pay around B1,350 for the 240-day grain fed Australian Angus or tender tenderloin (180 grams). There’s also ribeye (B1,350 for 330 grams/B2,350 for 600 grams) and Australian lamb rack (B980). All are served with the sauce of your choosing, such as peppercorn or béarnaise, while sides include the addictive French fries (B220) or green salads (B220). Taste the picks of the seafood bar with the platter (B2,800) which comes with a good selection served either hot or cold. And do try the lobster ravioli (B720) for an appetizer.
The drinks: There are many (mostly new world) bottles of wine to be found in the lavish wine cellars at the front and rear of the dining room. Wine by the glass ranges from B280-B380. If you’d prefer a cocktail, try the Black Truffle Martini (vodka, black truffle, pear brandy, B270) or the Salt & Pepper (gin, bitters, grapefruit juice, B270). Drop by this month to get a complimentary bottle of wine when you dine as more than two persons. Otherwise, go for some bubbles, as suggested on the menu, like Prosecco la Gioiosa Bianco Frizzante (B320/B1,200) or Moet et Chandon Brut Imperial (B1,100/B5,500). The brief list of beers includes Singha, Phuket, Heineken (B120) and Hoegaarden (B250).
The crowds: It’s pretty new so mostly expats and some sharply-dressed Thais coming to check out the newest steakhouse in town. Pieng-or Mongkolkumnuankhet
