Bangkok 2013 - Vanilla Cafe @ Vanilla Garden

Bangkok F&B entrepreneurs never cease to amaze and there are always interesting trend-setting concepts popping up here and there. Vanilla Garden is one that is a bit obscure and difficult to find. It seems to have been purposely hidden away so as to keep away the crowd - not sure this is the best business strategy, but it keeps the place wonderfully serene and private. The location is near trendy Thong Lo, but off a quiet street Ekkamai Soi 12 which is filled with private houses instead of commercial entities. Even the taxi driver had a problem finding the place.

Vanilla Garden is made up of 3 buildings set within a lush garden. The buildings are immaculately built with a retro-architectural vibe. One of the building houses Sauce - a bookshop specializing in cookbooks - a haven for foodies. Vanilla Cafe is right at the back, behind some big trees. 

The interior of Vanilla Cafe is like a house with split levels. At the entrance is a reception with an impressive cake counter. Further up are some intimate seating areas filled with period Japanese furniture and decor. The overall ambiance is relaxed and homey - yet very stylish and chic.

The food here is a fusion of Japanese and Italian cuisine. To start off we ordered a salad with grilled chicken. The ingredients were really fresh and top-notch, and the Japanese dressing was light and refreshing.

Miso grilled chicken was very well seasoned and tender. The miso paste packed a punch and was great with the cucumber sticks.

The spaghetti with pancetta was very tasty, but the portion was a bit small.

One of their signature all-day breakfast items - omelet with bacon and mushrooms.  The omelet was perfectly executive - still moist and creamy inside and was a perfect combination with the crispy bacon and mushrooms.

Being a cafe they have quite a large selection of cakes and desserts. We ordered the dark chocolate cake with banana and it was very good.

The crepe with banana, vanilla ice cream and strawberry sauce was delicious.

The pricing at Vanilla Cafe is a bit high by Bangkok standards, but you are paying for the ambiance, and the quality of the food can't be faulted.If you are looking for something a bit different in Bangkok then give this place a try.