The Riverside Grill has relaunched with a new outlook that is sure to tickle your taste buds.

By Temur Yusuf

Two months ago, Mathieu Bellec came on board the Royal Orchid Sheraton Hotel & Towers with a singular goal of making their restaurants relevant again. One way to do this, he felt, was to completely revamp the Riverside Grill. “I wanted to create a youthful and casual vibe where you could come for a big meal or just wind down with a drink with friends” he says. Two months on, he has revived the spot into what he calls a “steakhouse with a heavy French accent” set in an airy and open layout with indoor and outdoor seating. No matter where you dine, the charming views of the Chao Phraya River exude a romantic vibe.

The Riverside Grill offers an easy to understand menu where firestone-grilled meats, of both the land and sea, take centre stage. There is also a renewed focus on healthier foods perfect for health nuts, while those looking for a hearty meal will not be left wanting either. Let’s dig in!

Food and Drink

For starters, we sampled the Quinoa and arugula salad (B320). The star of this appetiser is the goat cheese and citrus, which had just the right kick and tanginess. The leafy antipasto comes with four dressings, of which the basil pesto was our favourite hands-down. If you’re a sucker for soup, a great gazpacho will never disappoint. This was certainly the case with the Beetroot booster-gazpacho (B290), which was beautifully presented as a deconstructed dish with the soup base separated from the condiments and put together on the table. The delightful raw soup gave just the right kind of beetroot explosion, overpowering the kefir-yoghurt to lend an unbelievable freshness. We heartily recommend this one.

Next, we ordered the Rising sun sea scallops (B450), which was presented on a vast bed of thick rock salt. The crusted top and generous use of maître d’hôtel butter complemented the tenderness of the scallop’s meat. Don’t forget to pair this sea-licious affair with your choice of white wine.

The mains opened with the Norwegian marine farm salmon (B590), a 250 gramme portion grilled on the bone. A good dressing will either make or break a salmon steak, and the accompanying saffron mayonnaise definitely tipped this simple piece of meat over to the “make” side of the scale. The fish itself was crisp and flaky in all the right places. Meanwhile, the Kurobuta pork neck (B590) gave us an elevated kor moo yang vibe and was grilled to perfection. Roasted with Mediterranean herbs, the pork is well suited to the Spiced chilli-butter sauce (B90), which furthers the dish’s Thai twang.

Forgive us for being basic, but the real highlight of our night came in the form of chicken. The Half organic spring chicken (B590) had some of the very best marination we’ve seen this side of the river. The Dijon mustard marinade seeped through the meat thoroughly yet never overwhelmed the chicken. Instead, the tender bird had a wonderful balance of flavours, and pairing with the Mash black truffle potatoes (B150) is highly recommended.

For dessert, throw all pretense of healthiness aside, as each of the five dessert choices are based on chocolate. We treated ourselves to the Valrhona chocolate jar (B290), which was a satisfying blend of the namesake chocolate and whipped cream. The cool Dome of darkness (B290) that is served under an edible half-sphere of chocolate is also worth a try.

The drinks menu has a heavy emphasis on whisky with over 35 choices. The classic menu (B300) is split between Old World and New World, where you can find Negroni, Old Fashion, Whiskey Sour and other traditional beverages. But the all-new signature cocktails, ranging from B290 to B350, are perhaps the real treat here. The Little Miss Sunshine (B270) that we ordered might not be for fans of Bangkok’s spirit-forward booze obsession, but treat it as a palette cleansing dessert, and you will find it an immensely enjoyable way to cap off your night at the Riverside Grill.

Riverside Grill

Charoen Krung Road Soi 30,

Ground floor, Royal Orchid Sheraton Hotel & Towers

Tel: 02 266 0123 ext. 3126

The restaurant is open daily from 5pm to 10.30pm; the bar is open daily from 4pm to 1am 

www.royalorchidsheraton.com