Starwood takes a stand

Bangkok’s fine dining scene has ratcheted its sophistication up to new heights with the recent launch of a new culinary web portal by Starwood Hotels & Resorts in Bangkok and its award-winning Starwood Preferred Guest (SPG) loyalty programme.
To allow SPG members the opportunity to explore restaurants and bars in their home city, the portal brings together more than 500 restaurants and bars worldwide under the Starwood umbrella, and 29 of them can be found right here in Bangkok.
“We are thrilled to present a platform that showcases our award-winning portfolio of restaurants and chefs from around the world,” says Lothar Pehl, regional vice president of Starwood Hotels & Resorts, Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia, Japan, Korea and Guam. “Through proprietary programming, content, special access and discounts, we’ve created a resource that is ideal for our loyal guests.”
In Bangkok, these restaurants range from Thai and Japanese to Italian and French and include Rossini’s at the Sheraton Grande Sukhumvit, Viu at the St Regis Bangkok, Crave at Aloft Bangkok, Latest Recipe at the Le M?ridien Bangkok, Utage at the Plaza Ath?n?e Bangkok, On the River at the Royal Orchid Sheraton Hotel; Taste at the Westin Grande Sukhumvit and the Eatery at the Four Points by Sheraton Bangkok.
“These restaurants have some of the best chefs in the world,” notes Chris Holdren, senior vice president of Starwood Preferred Guest.
Gone are the days of booking a table by phone. SPG members simply go to the portal. The website is mobile optimised, has Google Maps and online booking integration. Among the features are menus, venue event calendars, exclusive SPG member promotions, chef cooking classes and videos with SPG chefs demonstrating how to create their signature dishes. Members will also have a chance to experience cooking sessions with such world-renowned chefs as Thomas Keller, Daniel Boulud and Masaharu Morimoto.
A recent media tour of these properties demonstrated that the hotel restaurants and bars are popular with denizens who love wine and quality food, whether Asian or Western. All are centrally located and some are blessed with a spectacular view of the Chao Phraya River and the urban sprawl.
The tour started 3pm at the St Regis Bangkok, where media members had afternoon tea on the 12th floor St Regis Bar near the Viu restaurant. Taking its inspiration from the original in New York City, the Bar offers a panoramic bird’s-eye view of the greenery at the Royal Bangkok Sports Club.
At 5pm, we moved to Sambal Bar and Grill at the Royal Orchid Sheraton, which offers stylish alfresco dining alongside the Chao Phraya River. We had sunset drinks while watching the boats and munched on luxury canap?s featuring foie gras terrine with ginger and champagne with strawberry chutney, pan-seared tuna, along with chicken tikka mousse in spinach cone.
We then went one floor up to check out Giorgio’s and meet Gaetano Palumbo, who hails from the sleepy fishing town of Sciacca in southern Sicily.
An atmospheric restaurant serving authentic Italian cuisine, Giorgio’s boasts chandeliers and dark wood columns and a faux patina on the walls Giorgio's is an ideal venue for a romantic meal.  Diners can choose to eat in air-conditioned comfort or alfresco on the terrace overlooking the Chao Phraya River.
Palumbo welcomed us with extraordinary finger food that conjured up the quintessential Sicilian sunshine and refreshing citrus aromas. 
Alongside prosecco, we enjoyed scallop carpaccio with orange flavour, then octopus salad, caprese salad, deep fried Arancini balls and risotto seafood.
The group then moved on to the Le M?ridien Bangkok for the main course at the Latest Recipe and wrapped with dessert and coffee at the Plaza Ath?n?e Bangkok.

 
Save with Starwood
Check out the portal at www.SPG.com/restaurantsandbars.com.
Until September 30, SPG members can receive a 15-per-cent discount at wxyz Bar, Crave, BarSu, Silk Road, Decanter, Thara Thong and The Reflexions among others, as well as more than 300 participating restaurants and bars in the Asia Pacific. Find out more at www.SPG.com/RestaurantsAndBars.com