Tribeca Restobar

Industrial lamps, eggs benedict, marble tabletops—these status symbols of an education (or at the very least a holiday) in New York have become commonplace in Bangkok’s restaurants. While Tribeca, with its focus on brunch-y dishes and elegant bistro décor, isn’t hugely original on that front, it has come a long way since it first opened.

Overall, it now delivers a satisfactory experience : the design is cool, the service is efficient and the food, while fairly uninspired on the whole, packs a few nice surprises. We do like some of their elevated junk food, for example: the well-seasoned meatballs and toast (B260) or the positively decadent chili cheese fries (B210)—a mass of beans and fries smothered in melted cheddar.

But the crabcake benedict (B270)—the mother of all brunch standards— features a fairly flavorless, overly dense and eggy crabcake with only a smidgeon of Hollandaise. Tribeca’s foray into pasta and risotto can’t compete with true Italian restaurants, either. The prawn tagliatelle (B350) is a tad stodgy, overly salty and just not all that exciting. As for the beetroot risotto, it is on the gluey side, and it too gets boring after a few bites.

The flourless chocolate cake (B185) and New York cheesecake (B155) are simply amazing, though: massive portions of tender, rich, moist goodness. We also like the prices here: with a Bloody Mary going for B270 and water for B40, Tribeca is definitely not out to get you.

We can’t say we understand the big fuss over brunch food in Bangkok, but Tribeca is quieter and cheaper than some of its nearby competition, making it a perfectly acceptable choice for your weekend cravings or even just an afternoon slice of cake with their delicious Brooklyn ice tea (B115).