It often happens in Bangkok, when a good restaurant opens up, the food is good and the ambiance is pleasant but no one comes to eat. This is probably because they have not done enough advertising and probably the location is tucked away down an alley off the main road. A lot of places opened up hoping that their cuisine will carry the business and be the marketing point of the restaurant. Unfortunately not enough is done to promote the place and eventually it closes down. I hasten to write about such a restaurant before it closes down.

           This restaurant is called “C’est bon” French words which means its good! It has been opened for over four months and I was invited to eat there to sample the food by friends who hoped that I would like it and write about it. It first I was fairly non- committal. I did not want to be bribed or be made to feel indebted to my friends who paid for the meal and consequently feel obliged to write about the place. Well, to my surprise, after telling my friends about my concerns I went to eat the food and did not commit myself to anything.

           C’est bon is a restaurant which is indeed hard to find because it is tucked away down the entrance to the hotel Meridien President, off Pleonchit road. If you were coming from Pleonchit towards Rajdamri intersection, you turn right into the entrance to the Meridien President hotel and go straight through toward the end of the building; you will come to the President place building infront of you. The road dead ends there and you will have to turn left to exit at Gaysorn Plaza.

           The restaurant is right infront of you before you turn left. It is decorated in a hip modern style. Its menu is French and Vietnamese but the Chef Stephen in Canadian French. I tried the food and returned by myself three times before I decided to write about it. Chef Stephen is still young and bald. I asked him jokingly why he shaved his head. He replied that it was hot in Thailand especially in the kitchen so for comfort it was better this way.

           Lets talk about the food. I tried everything by ordering his degustation set menu, which was a five or nine course meal. The portions were small enough and I was able to try everything on the menu during the three times I have eaten there. Chef Stephen’s talent lies in his ability to create very rich and wonderful sauces to go with all his dishes. I particularly like his fresh Foie Gras in corn pancake and poached Pear William.

           The combination of the richness if the foie gras and the pears which compliments it by cleansing your palate with its sweet and tartness. Here, the accompanying sauce is a rich glace the viande enriched with raspberry and caramel.

           His pasta with clams sauteed in garlic and herbs is excellent. He seasons food the way Thais like it. White and green asparagus salad has a punch to it because it has thinly sliced Parma ham added to it. The whole thing is dressed with truffle oil and egg chive dressing. They do fish particularly well. Pan seared red grouper and king prawn is cooked slightly under done to retain the sweetness of the fish. It is served on a fennel and potato ragout and of course the wonderful sauce made from coriander and ginger jus. I can go on about it all day but before I write about the special desserts I need to mention his lamb rack which is roasted and served over a bed of ratatouille, not the mushy vegetable stew we are familiar with but fresh and crunchy vegetables.

           There is a small piece of fried polenta tucked under the rack and tender fava beans for more starch. It was not too rich because all the accompanying vegetables and starch had enough acidity to cut down the richness. Well, now we come to desserts. I am diabetic and cannot have too much sugar in my system but on all three occasions that I went I had to have the warmed chocolate cake which had a melted center and served with hazelnut ice cream and coffee crème Anglaise.

           When you cut into the cake, the center melts and it tastes as good as it looks because when you put it in your mouth the chocolate center melts on your tongue. Why a wonderful finish to your meal.

           Address of restaurant : C’est bon President place building, Pleonchit Road, Tel: 02 656 1531-2