Dial Nine for nachos

AFTER TWO relocations since it opened its doors some four years ago, Le Neuf bistro has finally settled into a brand new home at the Paseo Town community mall on Sukhaphibal III Road off Ramkhamhaeng. It is however tucked away at the back of the mall and while that gives diners a great view of the landscaped gardens, it is also easy to miss. Just look out for the large 9 logo.

The homey bistro has been in its current location for four months after moving from Sukhontasawat Road in the Kaset-Nawawin area.

Run by siblings Nattavud and Nattapon Eamsakulrat, Le Neuf was born as Le Ritz at Crystal Design Centre on Ram Indra-Ekamai Road but was forced to close after just six months following a conflict with the landlord. 

More spacious than its previous premises on Sukhontasawat Road, the new Le Neuf can accommodate 70 diners. Most of them, the owners say, are long-time customers addicted to its signature American-style dishes spiced up with an Asian touch. The menu is impressively large with more than 100 dishes on offer but steak, taco and nacho remain the favourites.

Nattapon, who earned his degree at the Dusit Thani Culinary School before taking a Western cuisine course at Le Condon Bleu in the US, is in charge of the kitchen while elder brother Nattavud, who holds degrees in hotel management from Silpakorn University International College and Vatel International Business School in France, handles the business side. 

“The owner of Paseo mall, Charn Lertprasertpakorn, convinced us to move here. He was one of our regulars back when we were Le Ritz and though we would do well in this area,” says Nattavud. 

“The last location became much quieter after the severe flooding in 2011 and business fell off. Before moving here, I chatted with our regular guests and discovered that many of them live around this area and would be happy to see us move nearer to them.”

And those guests have proved as good as their word, often dropping in for a meal of New York tenderloin and sirloin, New Zealand striploin and rib-eye, Thai-French chunk steak, Kurobuta loin, lamb, duck, chicken or seafood. Vegetarian tacos and nachos are also available for non-meat eaters.

If you’re unsure what to order from the extensive menu, try choosing the dishes marked with the logo Shell 

 Chuan Chim – Thailand’s very own Michelin guide to good food given by the food critic MR Thanadsri Svasti. Le Neuf was honoured with the logo in 2011 for its excellence in New York steak, beef/pork tacos and nachos as well as spaghetti crispy bacon and the home-baked bread. 

“Our food is cooked American style but adjusted to please the Thai palate. The gravy isn’t salty and doesn’t have that typical American tangy aftertaste but has a touch of sweetness from the carrots,” says Nattapon who was a chef at Coffee Bean by Dao for several years.

“I also offer fusion dishes like tom yum goong spaghetti but substitute the coconut milk with whipping cream and fresh milk.”

Few diners can resist the Homemade Bread Basket (Bt120) stacked with fragrant freshly baked rolled breads, French breads and croissants served with butter and chilled home-made orange jam. The orange jam is more like orange sherbet as Nattapon uses the concentrated juice and flesh of American or Australian Sunquick oranges mixed with other species such as Valencia orange before adding gelatin and a bit of sugar and keeping it in the freezer. No preservatives or artificial additives are added.

Mushroom Cream Soup (Bt99) is a simple but tempting dish with Nattapon thinning the basic roux with cream and milk before adding straw and eringi mushrooms. Another favourite is the Baked Baby Clam on Garlic Bread (Bt185) though I found the seafood a little too salty for my taste.

Must-orders are the tacos and nachos with a choice of fillings of beef, pork and green salads for Bt270 each. 

Good for kids is the Good Morning Salad (Bt279) – scramble eggs with ham served with mixed vegetables and Cesar sauce. 

Nattapon’s brand new electric pizza oven has just arrived from Germany and he’s offering a six-inch crust with a choice of salmon and black olive, Hawaiian, and assorted mushrooms topping priced from Bt199 to Bt299. The texture seems right – the crust is thin and the edges crisp – but the flavour that comes from the wood oven is definitely missing. 

A good choice for a main dish is Kurobuta Chunk Steak with Mushroom White Sauce (Bt399) served with toast, salad leaves, blanched broccoli, baby corn, carrot and corn. The Tom Yum Goong Spaghetti (Bt299) that doesn’t compromise on the spiciness, and a new dish called Prawn Torpedo (Bt859) – grilled tiger prawns stuffed with mashed potato and mashed green bean and baked to brown the mozzarella and spices topping also please.

 

 

SUCCULENT STEAKS

>>Le Neuf is at the Paseo mall on Sukhaphibal III off Ramkhamhaeng road. It’s open Monday to Thursday from 3 to 9pm, and Friday to Sunday from noon to 9pm. Call (086) 050 7779 or |(081) 315 9689.