The sheer number of hotels and shopping malls in Bangkok means there are plenty of buffet options. Since this vibrant city was recently crowned the world’s most popular travel destination recently, you can be well assured of the quality in their buffets to satisfy the appetite of travelers from all over the world.
Red Oven of SO Sofitel Bangkok hotel is highly recommended restaurant for buffet because of its all day dining option. Food is served throughout the day and the spread is remarkable with a strong emphasis on seafood.
Imagine all the premium seafood you can feast on like Alaskan King Crab, Snow Crab, sashimi, oysters and shrimps – just to name a few. More impressively, they serve freshly pan fried foie gras too!
Here’s a quick run down on what you could expect at the buffet. The huge Molteni Oven, specially designed for cooking on one side and serving hot food on the other captures every guest’s attention the moment they step into the restaurant. In fact, Red Oven is named after this center-piece.
The restaurant is further divided into different live cooking sections with their own style, atmosphere and cuisine. SOVEN features hot oven selections like pizzas, pasta, paella and other local dishes.
And this must be the seafood lovers’ heaven. At SoOcean, a variety of shellfish are beautifully displayed on ice and are constantly replenished.
Just a few steps away is a selection of crabs from different parts of the world, which really befits Red Oven’s “world food market” dining concept.
Here you will find American Snow Crab, French Brown Crab, local Blue Crab and Alaskan King Crab – all delicious in their own ways.
SoDeli and SoCheese – selection of charcuterie and assorted cheeses served with bread, dried fruits, fruits chutney and paste and lavash.
Sashimi is served upon order at SoShi for maximum freshness. Common cuts like salmon and tuna are expected but we were glad to see snapper as well. One portion is approximately five slices.
SoRobota – a Japanese barbecue station where your selection of meat will be cooked and sent to your table hot. Each meat is glazed with different sauces while being grilled so they don’t all taste the same.
SoSweet is one of the busiest stations for the obvious reasons – homemade ice cream! Get creative and pick the ice creams flavors you want to be ‘fried’ together with fillings and toppings. We tried mixing chocolate, durian and mango – as weird as the combination might be, it was surprisingly awesome.
Other desserts include pastries of the day, chocolate fountain and traditional Crepe Suzette with your choice of ice cream.
And here’s a tip: always refer the blackboards for the full listings as not to miss anything they have to offer.
As mentioned earlier, pan seared foie gras is available at the other side of SoOven. It’s without a doubt one of my favorites and simply gratifying. That alone is worth half the buffet’s price.
It was quite impossible for us to sample everything, but we were extremely satisfied with everything we had that night. The seafood is superbly fresh and we piled on the Snow Crab, King Crab legs and Fine de Claire oysters.
The selection of desserts also proved to be too good, as we found ourselves returning to SoSweet repeatedly just to try every ice cream, cake and pastry we possibly could. Beverage wise, you will be presented with a menu that includes freshly squeezed juices, smoothies, teas and coffee.
Scrumptious food aside, guests will also get to enjoy an expansive view of Lumpini Park and its surrounding city landscape. No matter if you are coming alone, as a couple or in large groups, Red Oven has plenty of seating options in the dining room.
For a casual dining experience, the terrace and canteen tables are great for conversations and celebrations. But if you are looking for a more private and sophisticated seating area, then proceed to the back of the restaurant near the Japanese section.
FYI, our buffet dinner was priced at THB1,500++ and we came on a Friday night. For the full range of buffets and prices (starting from THB750++), check out Red Oven’s Facebook page. Getting here is a breeze, as SO Sofitel Bangkok is only 3 minutes walk away from Lumphini MRT station.
Red Oven @ SO Sofitel Bangkok
7th floor SO Sofitel Bangkok, 2 North Sathorn Road, 10500 Bangkok
Reservations: +66.2. 624 0000
Operating hours: 6.30am – 11.30pm
Website: so-sofitel-bangkok.com
Instagram: @SOSofitelBangkok
Twitter: @SOSofitelBKK
