Bottomless Brunch in Bangkok: Brasserie Europa, Siam Kempinski Hotel
PUBLISHED October 1st, 2019 11:00 pm | UPDATED July 25th, 2024 01:59 pm
Siam Kempinski Hotel Bangkok’s stylish all-day dining restaurant is known for its attentive service and interactive show kitchens on the buffet line. And in our humble opinion, Sunday brunch is the best way to enjoy Brasserie Europa and its European delights, especially since they’re pouring oh-so-delicious vintage Louis Roederer Blanc de Blancs Brut champagne at the Black & White brunch edition till 27 October 2019. All you have to do? Wear white or carry white accessories when purchasing the free-flow champagne package to get upgraded to vintage bubbles.
You’ll want to keep the entire day free for this as it’s one of the longest Sunday brunches in Bangkok from 12.30pm to 4pm (and it feels right to be able to pass out in a food coma when you get home).
We highly recommend going for the free-flow boozy package since it’s priced at THB 4, 900++ per person for all you can eat and drink that includes wines and cocktails from their trolley – try the espresso martini – while food and soft beverages only will set guests back THB 2,900++ per adult. The staff, too, are on the ball about settling guests in with the first glass of champagne, and refills after.
After making a round in the restaurant to draw up a plan of attack for brunch and stories for the ‘gram, we returned to the table to refuel on bubbles and were pleasantly surprised by plates of Brasserie Europa’s signature lobster bisque. Skip the cream and have some black pepper with it to get your stomach ready for the stuffing that’s coming. Another trolley that made its way to us quickly was a theatrical one, where two members of the staff cooked orecchiette in a wheel of Parmigiano Reggiano with truffle sauce. The flavour was not half bad, but pasta was definitely overcooked.
The selections on the buffet might not be the most extensive we’ve seen, but it certainly shines in quality. Seafood lovers can look forward to three types of French oysters (Fine de Claire, Normandy, and Marennes-Oléron), Canadian lobster, and Alaskan king crab legs – all of them fresh, juicy, and waiting to be plucked off the crustacean bar.
The sushi counter covered the basics in sashimi, but also offered Hokkaido scallops and aburi salmon sushi if you swing that way. We passed that over for the cold cuts section, which hosted two legs of jamon Iberico Pata Negra from Spain that were cured for 18 months and 36 months – certainly not something you see at any Sunday brunch line-up. Don’t miss out of the chicken liver parfait with truffle or the house-made hot smoked salmon here either.
As appetising as the choices at the live carving station looked – think whole sea bass baked in a salt curst, honey glazed ham, and roasted beef picanha (a cut also known as the rump cap) – we skipped them to be able to try the main courses cooked to order and served at the table.
I tend to choose beef over lamb, but the pan-fried Murray Land lamb cutlet was spot on. Paired with roasted baby eggplant feta cream and gremolata, I would order it again over the Wagyu beef medallion served with pan seared foie gras. If you prefer seafood, go for the seared Hokkaido scallop, where apple salad and kumquat puree accentuate the natural sweetness and creaminess of the shellfish.
Just as we thought things couldn’t get more indulgent, another pair of servers upped the ante by hustling over with caviar and German vodka. No fuss (and no blinis) at this point; they simply put a dab of these umami pearls on your hand and pour you a shot of vodka.
We count ourselves lucky the magician on duty – there has been one every Sunday for the past nine years – arrived at our table, giving us a bit of a break before we hit the dessert and cheeses. We were too tipsy to remember what he did exactly, but I remember being somewhat impressed.
With the black and white theme, there’s no surprise that chocolate dominated the sweet corner. The shocker was my dining partner never had luk chup, a Thai mung bean dessert shaped like fruits and vegetables, so we spent the better part of the last hour enjoying the bubbles over luk chup, coconut ice cream, and the live jazz. A lovely finish to a wonderful Sunday brunch experience!
Brasserie Europa is located at Siam Kempinski Hotel Bangkok, 991/9 Rama I Rd, Pathum Wan, Bangkok 10330, Thailand, +66 2 162 9000.
