Christmas Lunch

scary lobby, originally uploaded by Dianthus.

Christmas Day! We spent the morning chatting with family (with some technical issues). D had suggested that we have a Christmas lunch at one of the hotels in Bangkok, since we were away from family and without a real kitchen to make our own. There had been many, many articles in the newspapers about Christmas buffets and dinners. D had expressed in the Grand Hyatt, which was having a huge buffet with fresh oysters, sashimi, turkey, ham and all the fixings. Since I do enjoy fresh oysters, I agreed. We weren’t sure where the hotel was exactly, so we inquired at the front desk. They so generously took us in the hotel van (again!). It turned out that we had passed it on our walk the other evening. Whoops! We made our way into the hotel, and up some stairs to the buffet.

We have discovered that Christmas is a big deal here, so it was no surprise to see the place full of over-the-top decorations, people dressed up in animal suits and a huge spread of food. We both splurged a got a glass of wine (wine is crazy expensive here, I’ve seen glasses for the same price as our entire meal, we went for the cheapest that was still quite good), and went to check out the offerings. Our plan was to try one of each of the different things, since there was so much to choose from and so we wouldn’t over do it. We started at the oyster and sashimi table, and each had a little sample of oysters and sushi. The oysters were good for being shipped in from somewhere and the sushi was tasty as well. After our seafood starter, we checked out the assortment of antipasti/pupus and salads. There were flavors from all around the globe: salamis, hummus, grilled peppers, tomato salads, seared tuna, and so much more. We each sampled a few of the different items. I liked the hummus and pita (with some tomatoes) and seared ahi the best. Great flavors and so fresh! We chatted and sipped our wine, taking in the spectacle of it all. Up next was the carving station, and the turkey. D had been looking forward to the turkey and brussel sprouts, part of the reason she had liked this place to begin with. We had to jockey for space at the carving station and mistakenly stood in line for the foie gras. Once we got in the correct line, we each got a slice of turkey and some brussel sprouts. I also had a few potatoes, while D had some stuffing. We had to ask if there was any cranberry sauce (since I had been shut out at Thanksgiving =) ) and ended up with some that had a ketchup like consistency and tasted like it had been made with dried cranberries. It wasn’t bad, just different. It wouldn’t make me forget mom’s homemade cranberry sauce anytime soon, though.

While we were enjoying our turkey, it was time for some “entertainment.” The entertainment was a group of kids dressed up in various costumes singing Christmas carols (in English) and dancing around. It was kind of cute, in a bizarre way, since they didn’t know all the words and it seemed a little forced. The strangest part was the apparent “ring leader,” a young woman dressed in a black skirt, red t-shirt, strange boots, and (the oddest part) a black cape. She was singing loudly and bouncing around, encouraging the kids to sing. By the end of the performance, D and I were really wishing that the piano/violin/bass ensemble would start up again, and soon. We ordered some coffee, and went to check out the dessert offerings. Again, they had items from all over with a bit more focus on what I would consider European offerings. Lots of tart and cake-like things, some real fruitcake, a Buche de Noel, and lots of chocolate items. D was stoked, and had a small sampling of the chocolate desserts. I had a raspberry macaron and a piece of pecan pie/tart. Both were tasty and festive. We left with happy tummies and a bit more Christmas spirit.