Foodies know Jim Thompson specializes not only in silk, but also in food. Located at the end of the non-descript soi in the same leafy compound with the Jim Thompson Thai House, Thompson Bar & Restaurant is a well-kept secret among local diners. Enter the two-story house through the automatic glass door and you are not in Thailand anymore. This restaurant-cum-tourist attraction is ever bustling with tourists and expat families who visit the museum. The tables on the outdoor patio by a lotus pond are the most coveted and the first to be snatched up, but inside is equally packed and pleasant with smooth decor that blends traditional Thai decorative elements and lively, easy-on-the-eyes fabrics. With a full house to serve, the service here is surprisingly attentive and helpful. We were a bit offended when the I-am-too-busy-to-spend-too-much-time-at-one-table waitress didn’t even jot down our orders, but it turned out that she had an excellent memory, delivering every dish correctly within a mere 15 minutes. The medium-sized menu offers medium-priced Thai and western favorites. The portions, unfortunately, are smaller than when we first visited. For starters, Golden Triangle, a sample of Thompson’s best-selling appetizers, offers tiny prawn cakes, chicken spring rolls and shrimp spring rolls—two pieces each. It was nothing to write home about. You’d get more bang from you baht with other hors d’oeuvres like larb moo thod (deep-fried minced pork with chilies and mints) and yam som-o (pomelo salad). As for main courses, like you would expect from a Thai restaurant cooking for foreigners, the heat is tempered and the spices are muted, like in our tom yum goong, which was bland and one-dimensional. In other dishes like stir-fried softshell crab with black pepper, sweetness reigned supreme. However, despite a number of misfires in its Thai dishes, Thompson Bar & Restaurant excels in western and fusion recipes. Larb spaghetti was very good and paired nicely with deep-fried crispy wontons. Another winner is the delectable spaghetti carbonara, with just the right amount of cheese, hearty bacon and al dente pasta. The major drawback of this restaurant is that it closes at 6pm. Still, with relaxing, nostalgic ambiance and reasonably priced fare, Thompson Bar & Restaurant makes a great lunch spot to treat your clients or your date.
