Blue Elephant Bangkok : A Dinner To Remember

When I got the invitation to dine at the Blue Elephant Bangkok, I kind of stared blankly at my computer screen for a moment equal parts shocked and delighted. Naturally – no, obviously – I accepted! Thai food is one of my favorites, and I love cooking it, learning to cook it, and experimenting with vegetarian versions of Thai dishes.

Can you tell how excited I am for this?

Blue Elephant is a restaurant chain who is internationally famous for arguably the best Thai cuisine in the world, so I couldn’t wait for the day to arrive when I got to try it in their Bangkok location.

First impressions : the colonial style house sits in juxtaposition next to a busy and loud Bangkok street, and right outside a popular metro exit. The neon blue lights drew me in like a fly.

The interior of the restaurant is a quiet haven in comparison to the outside world.  We started off with a delicious and refreshing welcome drink while given the cocktail menu to make an impossible choice from. The starter beverage was a tropical juice medley that was perfect after the super sweaty Bangkok humidity.

Welcome to The Blue Elephant

The hardest part of dinner? The cocktail menu! Honestly, I wanted to try them all. Madalin chose the blended Mango and I went with the more streamlined Thai Sabai featuring Thai whiskey and holy basil leaves. Perfect. I wish Blue Elephant would open earlier for a cocktail tasting hour!

So Many Cocktails to Choose From

A far cry from the finger foods we’ve been eating on the noisy streets of Bangkok, our appetizers arrived and were beautiful. First was a fried peanut ball with spices served on a fresh lettuce leaf : delicious. Next was a thoughtful spoonful of local fruit dressed with a sweet, creamy, and tangy sauce. The third was an orchid, which instead of eating (I don’t think you’re supposed to) I put in my hair, and felt even more tropical and happy.

Let’s Start

As I am a vegetarian and Madalin is not, we ordered two separate menus. He had a great crab dish with coconut cream, a beef and taro root Massaman curry, and lamb. He loved all three, though one dish was too spicy for his farang palate and left him slurping away all his cocktail.

Delicious, As Expected

My first dish was fried mushrooms and lemongrass, served with a tangy dipping sauce. I loved the balance between the textures and appreciated that kick of heat at the end!
The second dish was tofu in a sweet and spicy sauce. Both were tasty, but I preferred the tofu as I ate it on a bed of black rice. Every morsel was better than the last; I never wanted it to end.

Beautiful Service

But when it did, it was the most exciting part of the meal : dessert!

Mango Sticky Rice, Coconut Ice Cream

Seriously, who could say no to dessert at Blue Elephant? No one, and especially not me. We enjoyed the platter so much : let me tell you. There was so much to choose from: mango sticky rice, coconut flan, durian cheesecake, and the handmade coconut ice cream was my absolute favorite. The perfect balance of cream, coconut and sweetness.

The Other Half of the Dessert Platter

I am forever spoiled and thankful to the Blue Elephant Bangkok for having me as their guest. If you’re in Bangkok and want a special lunch or dinner that you’re sure to enjoy and remember for years to come, I cannot recommend them enough.

The End

Please note that we were guests of the Blue Elephant, however all opinions are my own and not for sale. For more info on how I handle these types of promotional exchanges, please see my disclaimer here.