Bangkok's Flame-Fired Icon Serves Romance on a Plate
Opened in 1966, Fireplace Grill and Bar was one of Bangkok's original luxury dining destinations, launched at a time when the Thai capital had just a handful of five-star hotels. Nearly 60 years later, it's more than a restaurant—it's a chapter of Bangkok's hospitality heritage. And under the meticulous eye of Chef Gaetano Palumbo, the legacy lives on with fresh vibrancy.
A Setting That Smoulders with Elegance
Step inside and you're transported. Soft lighting casts golden hues on polished wood and leather, while the centrepiece—a commanding open grill—crackles with the primal beauty of live fire. It's culinary theatre at its most refined, where the chef is both artisan and performer.
Prefer to people-watch from a cosy corner seat or bask in the glow of the flames with front-row seats to the kitchen action? Either way, the ambience invites lingering conversation, romantic glances, and a second bottle of wine from their Wine Guru digital tablet, offering an extensive range of global labels at your fingertips.
Starters that Startle the Senses
The menu begins as it means to go on: with unapologetic indulgence. The Seared Foie Gras with Scottish Brown Crab is a standout—its richness offset by a clever pairing of green apple and rhubarb. For traditionalists, the Escargots à la Bourguignonne is a reverent ode to French cuisine, elevated by an unexpected touch of Tabasco and served with lightly toasted, housemade garlic butter bread—perfect for mopping up the fragrant, herby butter.
Meanwhile, the Canadian Lobster Bisque, poured tableside over butter-poached lobster chunks, is decadent without being heavy. Smoky, rich, and laced with bourbon, it's proof that true craftsmanship lies in elevating the classics.
If you're visiting during the truffle season special menu, which runs through the end of August, be sure to try the Green Pea Soup with Onsen Egg and Truffle. It's a lesson in balance: earthy, silky, and topped with crisp bacon for contrast. This dish alone could convert a minimalist into a maximalist.
Fireplace Grill and Bar's calling card, of course, is in the name. And nowhere is the heat put to better use than in its signature seafood and steak dishes.
On the seafood front, Butter Roasted Canadian Lobster, Pan-Fried Toothfish, and Sicilian Red Prawns with Tagliolini demonstrate the kitchen's range, from comfort food to elegant refinement.
From the seasonal truffle menu, the Egg Tagliolini with Truffle and Porcini Sauce continues the theme—an ode to Italy's forest floors, with Parmesan, truffle, and handmade pasta in perfect harmony.
Yet for carnivores, the holy grail awaits in the steak selection. The Mayura Wagyu Tenderloin, marbling grade 8–9, strikes the sweet spot between indulgence and value. Raised in Australia, its Japanese genetics give it the melt-in-your-mouth richness wagyu lovers crave. Served with charred pimento, roasted garlic, and a dazzling choice of sauces—from veal jus to Thai-style nam jim jaew—each bite feels tailored to your personal taste.
Feeling curious or indecisive? The Grilled Beef Tasting Selection is a 450-gram tour of the world's finest cuts—Blackmore Wagyu Striploin, U.S. Prime Rib Eye, and Stockyard Tenderloin—each with a distinct texture and flavour profile. Compare, contrast, and marvel.
Don't skip the Baked Bone Marrow Gremolata, a dish that marries indulgence with health benefits, boasting collagen, monounsaturated fats, and a herbaceous zing that cuts through the richness.
Craving the deep, earthy allure of truffle? This special seasonal menu takes it to new heights. Start with the crisp Kohlrabi with Hazelnut and Black Truffle—a clean, vegetarian composition—or opt for the Seared Hokkaido Scallop atop melted leek, sharpened by apple and cucumber slaw and a whisper of truffle dressing. Mains include the Grilled Stockyard Beef Tenderloin with shiitake jam and shaved black truffle, or the Turbot with Celeriac in a silky miso beurre blanc. The Egg Tagliolini with Black Truffle, laced with porcini and Parmesan, is pure comfort. And for a final flourish, the 'Cacao Truffle' delivers layered decadence: chocolate coffee truffle, truffle cream, cookie crumble, caramelised hazelnut crunch, and whipped coffee Chantilly.
Desserts that Dazzle (and Flambé)
If you've somehow left room for dessert, prepare for spectacle. The Crêpes Suzette is flambéed tableside in a thrilling ritual of flame, sugar, orange zest, and liqueur. The pancakes arrive folded into warm citrus caramel, served with vanilla ice cream and fresh strawberries—a crescendo that's as much visual as it is gustatory.
Alternatively, the Cacao Truffle is a sensual layering of textures and temperatures: truffle chocolate cream, cookie crumble, hazelnut crunch, and whipped coffee Chantilly. A sophisticated twist on comfort, it's the kind of dessert you can't help but dissect… before devouring.
Sips to Start or Seal the Deal
Start strong with a Yellow Submarine Cocktail, a showstopper with yuzu, mango, bee pollen, and a touch of cheese—yes, cheese—in the foam. It's an avant-garde experience that challenges expectations in all the right ways.
Prefer to stay dry? The Mango Carrot Mocktail is no afterthought. Mango, carrot, orange, agave, pepper—served tall and chunky—it refreshes and surprises with every sip.
The Verdict: A Rare and Refined Classic
In a city that churns through food trends like a buffet line, Fireplace Grill and Bar stands firm—not by resisting change, but by evolving with grace. It honours its legacy without being trapped by it, delivering meals that satisfy the soul and stir the senses.
For couples seeking romance, for gourmets seeking truth through fire, and for travellers seeking a taste of Bangkok's heritage—this is where experience meets excellence.
This isn't just dinner. This is the reason you travel.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Bangkok Post
15 hours ago
- Bangkok Post
Why Thai people type '5555' to laugh online (and what '525255' means)
In Thai online spaces, you'll frequently encounter "5555" following sentences or standing alone as a response. This serves as the Thai equivalent to "haha" or "lol" in English, or "jajajaja" in Spanish. The connection lies in pronunciation: in Thai, the number five (5) is pronounced as "hah", making "555" phonetically equivalent to "hahaha". The length of the sequence often correlates with the intensity of amusement—the more fives, the funnier something is perceived to be. However, excessive repetition (like 555555555555555555555555555) can sometimes be interpreted as sarcastic rather than genuinely amused. Conversely, a brief "55" might suggest polite acknowledgement rather than genuine humour, indicating the person doesn't find something particularly funny but is responding out of courtesy. It's important to note that these interpretations aren't universal and can vary significantly depending on context and the reader's perspective. As a conversational tool, adding "5555" after a statement in online conversations can soften requests, reduce tension, add warmth, or provide face-saving opportunities—much like how emojis and emoticons function in digital communication. Alternative ways Thai people express laughter online 555+: Adding a plus sign indicates extreme humour without requiring extensive typing of additional fives. ฮ่า: This directly means the laughing sound "ha" in Thai script. ฮ่าฮ่าฮ่าฮ่า represents "hahahaha" through repetition. ฮ่าๆๆๆ: This also means "hahahaha" using the symbol "ๆ" (called Mai Yamok), which is placed after a syllable to indicate repetition of the sound. ถถถถถ: This represents laughter from Thai users who forget to switch their keyboard language from Thai to English. Since the "5" key corresponds to "ถ" on Thai keyboards, this becomes an accidental but recognised form of digital laughter. ๕๕๕๕: This uses traditional Thai numerals instead of Arabic numerals, where ๕ represents 5, maintaining the same phonetic principle as regular "5555". 552525252525 or 565555656: This represents a Gen Z evolution of Thai internet laughter. Instead of standard "5555", younger users intentionally scatter random numbers throughout the sequence to suggest they're laughing so uncontrollably that they're "mistyping" from the intensity of their amusement. Traditional Thai Numerals Reference For context, here's how Thai numbers are pronounced and written in traditional script: 0 - ๐ (sǔun) 1 – ๑ (nùeng) 2 – ๒ (sǎawng) 3 – ๓ (sǎam) 4 – ๔ (sìi) 5 – ๕ (hâa) 6 – ๖ (hòk) 7 – ๗ (jèt) 8 – ๘ (bpàaet) 9 – ๙ (gâo) 10 - ๑๐ (sìp) Understanding these variations provides insight into how Thai digital culture has evolved its own unique expressions of humour and emotion, adapting traditional language sounds to modern communication platforms while creating generational variations that reflect changing online behaviours.
Bangkok Post
15 hours ago
- Bangkok Post
The best of land and sea at Espresso
Espress at InterContinental Bangkok becomes a playground for beef buffs and seafood connoisseurs on Friday, Saturday and Sunday evenings, during which the Premium Seafood Dinner Buffet with a special addition of Australian wagyu beef are served. The latter is a time-limited add-on, available until the end of August, to the already sumptuous and expansive dinner buffet that Espresso is known for. Located on the mezzanine level of InterContinental Bangkok, the weekend dinner buffet at Espresso is an indulgent one indeed, as you'll be spoilt for choice with many delicacies from various cuisines to savour. With the two highlights being seafood and Australian beef, you can technically enjoy all the surf and turf you want. There's a corner behind a stylish partition, perfect for those who want semi-privacy. Alternatively, you can find a table near the glass railing to overlook the beautiful lobby below, while being serenaded by a live jazz band from 6.30-9.30 pm on Friday and Saturday. Various counters and stations can easily increase your appetite, but none may be more so than the seafood on ice display, which showcases fresh fruits of the sea and DIY caviar sets. The catches come from far and wide, from Irish and Fine de Claire oysters, Chilean king crab legs, New Zealand green mussels, Canadian lobsters, Swimmer blue crab claws and more. Dig around and you may find a lobster claw that's bigger than your phone. Assemble a caviar tasting set by yourself with a selection of salty and savoury pearls, including Avruga, ikura and lumpfish roes. Of course, the Thai-style seafood dipping sauce is on standby to add zest to any seafood. More savoury seafood awaits at the BBQ station, which serves Marinated tuna steak, perfectly grilled Grouper with dill crème sauce and succulent Rock lobster with seafood sauce. On the freshwater front, don't miss out on Goong Ta khrai. The aromatic Thai-style roasted river prawn is enhanced with garlic, lemongrass and turmeric. From the Chinese BBQ station, Chinese favourites like Peking duck, Crispy pork belly and BBQ pork are available next to delicious dim sum. The good news is that Peking duck comes neatly wrapped for you. More Asian delights await at the Indian corner, where pre-cooked dishes can be enjoyed with naan bread or jeera bhaat. Of course, Japanophiles should check out the tempura, sushi and sashimi selection, which includes Aussie beef nigiri topped with tobiko, at the Japanese food station. More importantly, pair your seafood with time-limited premium Australian beef for a truly indulgent dinner, and you have many choices to choose from. Combine the best of land and sea, if you will. Espresso's grill station serves a rotation of MBS (Marble Beef Score) 8-9 wagyu topside beef from Margaret River and the famed Sir Harry's MBS 6-7 citrus-fed rump cut. The latter deserves a special mention for its combo of succulence and mouth-watering aroma. Meanwhile the carvery features a rotation of the 200-day dry-aged MBS 4-5 Ebony Prime Grain Fed Ribeye and tomahawk steaks. The Aussie beef is also presented in the form of pre-cooked dishes — red wine-braised brisket, beef massaman curry, crying tiger grilled beef, to name but a few — that you can help yourself to while waiting for your cook-to-order succulent beef steaks or lamb chops to be served at your table. Save some room for desserts for a sweet (and decadent) end to your meal. The selection of Thai desserts alone is quite expansive. You can go for crowd-pleaser Thai mango with sticky rice or something less known like Pumpkin custard or Thai gocchi in coconut milk. Or enjoy made-to-order Crepe suzette or bathe fresh seasonal fruits with a chocolate fountain. The Premium Seafood Dinner Buffet at Espresso is available every Friday, Saturday and Sunday from 6pm-10.30pm with the addition of Australian wagyu beef available until the end of August. It's priced at B2,250++ per person and B1,200++ per child. Email InterContinental Bangkok at call 02-656-0444 or visit to book a table. Don't forget to bring a big appetite.
Bangkok Post
a day ago
- Bangkok Post
Cross-cultural mooncakes
The Mid-Autumn Festival is tied to the traditions of the autumn harvest, when cakes were made as offerings to the Moon. Mooncakes have different symbolic meanings across various the Asian countries, where their flavours and forms differ, shaped by local ingredients, climate and culinary heritage. For the first time, three Singapore chefs have collaborated with Asia's Best Pastry Chef 2025, Dej Kewkacha of Kyo Roll En, to launch a limited-edition mooncake collection in Thailand. The one-of-a-kind collab brings together the culinary expertise of the Singaporean-Chinese chefs with Michelin-starred restaurants to deliver Thai, Chinese, Japanese and Singaporean flavours. Chef Jason Tan of Euphoria Renowned for his "gastro-botanica" cuisine that highlights botanical elements in French sauces, chef Tan has chosen to make a quintessential Singaporean-flavoured mooncake. Kaya Toast is inspired by Singapore's iconic snack and features a kaya custard filling with a touch of salted peanut butter. "I am always open to interesting collaborations and I know Kyo Roll En and chef Dej has being doing mooncakes for years. This is my first time creating and making a mooncake. My mooncake flavour is inspired by my childhood breakfast. I used to like eating bread with kaya and butter, which is traditionally Singaporean. However, I used to add peanut butter, too, for the savouriness. "I liked this combination so much that when I was at Corner House [the chef's previous restaurant], I used to have a dessert called 'My interpretation of childhood breakfast' on the menu. I created a dessert called 'Peanut Butter Kaya'. Naturally, for this mooncake collaboration, I thought of these flavour combinations. The filling is kaya and there is a thin peanut butter fritter centre. The pastry is made of brown sugar. "I don't think people usually associate peanut butter and kaya because it's usually just kaya and butter. As a child, a sweet breakfast did not really appeal to me, I wanted something sweet and savoury. "Dej created the prototype and got someone to deliver it to Singapore for me to taste and make sure it's how I wanted the mooncake to be. It went back and forth for a while before we achieved the exact flavour and consistency of the mooncake." Chef LG Han of Labyrinth The first Singapore restaurant to be awarded a Michelin star for modern cuisine, Labyrinth's chef LG, as he is affectionately known, is renowned for his innovative exploration of Singapore's culinary heritage. Mooncakes aren't left behind either, though with an interesting twist. "Doing a Singaporean flavour-inspired mooncake was quite natural to me, the culinary philosophy of how I came up with the idea of the flavours is the same as how I create the menu at Labyrinth. "Being 100% Singaporean, but being half Thai, I wanted to do something that I love and also has crossroads with Thailand. So I chose orh nee, the Teochew yam paste dessert. In Singapore, we cook the yam paste with sugar, coconut cream and ginkgo nuts. I really enjoy eating this at the end of a Chinese meal. "I discovered through my discussions with Dej that there's a Thai version, which has a similar base -- the yam paste -- cooked over fire with water and sugar and ginkgo nuts, which is similar. The difference is that Thais also add water chestnut, salted egg yolk sauce and goji berries. I thought it might be the perfect flavour to introduce to the Thai market, considering the similarity or familiarity. "Getting the balance right was a bit difficult since there is a lot going on in one mooncake. I gave Dej a traditional recipe and we had a back and forth of three to four prototypes before deciding on one. I was quite surprised the flavours didn't overpower each other. The key was the consistency of the yam paste. "I am at an age where I don't like my desserts to be overly sweet and I prefer it to be more natural, which also fits into Dej's dessert philosophy. I wanted to keep that ethos of who Dej is as a chef and who I am as a chef." Chef Zor Tan of Born Known for his skilful blend of French and Chinese techniques for a unique East-meets-West fine dining experience, chef Tan's flavour is sweet potato and oolong tea. A refined blend of Japanese satsuma imo, or sweet potato, and rich Chinese oolong tea, are flavours derived from the chef's signature dessert at the Michelin-starred Born. "The dessert at Born has Japanese sweet potato, different textured sweet potato, an oolong Chantilly and sea salt ice cream. I wanted to make a mooncake of these flavours that connect to me and to Born," said chef Tan. "As a child, I loved sweet potato, my mum always cooked it with rock sugar. Mooncakes always have three layers, the crust, the filling and the inner filling. My crust is potato and oolong, then oolong tea and the inner filling is baked sweet potato." Chef Dej Kewkacha of Kyo Roll En Asia's Best Pastry Chef 2025, chef Dej's mooncake this year will be a Yuzu Lava, which has the aromatic yuzu from Kochi in Japan, and when warmed, presents molten "lava". "This year, the highlight for me is the mooncake crust, which while you're eating it will taste more like cake and less like a mooncake," said chef Dej. The limited-edition mooncakes are packaged in a handbag-style gift box with a bamboo-shaped handle, wrapped in traditional Singaporean batik fabric, a national textile pattern symbolising joy and friendship. The box is refined with intricate laser-cut detailing that frames illustrated scenes inspired by the Mid-Autumn Festival. With each box comes premium yuzu Sencha tea from Kyoto, Japan, infused with yuzu peel, a perfect pairing for the mooncakes. Traditional mooncakes Chef Dej is also offering a traditional Cantonese mooncakes, apart from the limited-edition mooncakes. "For these, we use millennia-old recipes of classic flavours that can be kept for a longer period [max 60 days] at room temperature," he said. The flavours are Cookie Crust, which is Thailand's first ever crispy cookie-crusted mooncake filled with almond and cheese; Pistachio Lava, buttery pistachios with flavour notes reminiscent of the viral Dubai chocolate; Lava Custard, which is a traditional Cantonese style with oozing salted egg yolk; and the Thai favourite, Durian Lava, where Monthong durian is used for the filling. Presented in two sizes, the eight-piece is a two-tier jewellery box with a clear acrylic lid and includes two pieces per flavour. The four-piece comes in a chic, handbag-style hard paper box, adorned with illustrations of a Full Moon and rabbits, longstanding symbols of abundance and prosperity in the Mid-Autumn tradition. The mooncakes are open for orders with delivery beginning from Aug 25 to Oct 12.
