Walking into Michael Wendling’s T for Thai heightens your sense of anticipation, as it is located just on top of Cuivre, a renowned bistro also by the same French chef. Digital panels of verdant greenery light your climb up the stairs to the restaurant. Upon entering, you are greeted by a halved tuk-tuk, which is set against a digitized backdrop of a busy Bangkok street and the other charmingly against two amorous elephants. There is no doubt you are now in Thailand, and our delighted 6-year-old immediately propped herself on the tuk-tuks.The overall fresh, modern feel of the restaurant is enhanced by plants at every table and juxtaposed with rustic Asian elements such as bamboo back rests on chairs, colonial ‘parasol’ ceiling fixtures and rattan swing-chairs suspended from the ceiling – another child-engaging prop. Overall, one has the feeling of dining in the jungle, but amongst neon lights. A definite trendy vibe!Menus on iPads make it easy to order, and photos of each dish help alleviate fussy eater fears. There is a children’s menu (RMB88) offering a Thai option of satay with rice, or a French option of steak and fries (from Cuivre downstairs). A dessert is included with a choice between chocolate mousse or vanilla yoghurt. Given our daughter’s peanut allergy, we erred on the side of French and she was thrilled. However, she could only eat half of her mousse as it was quite rich.
We could not ignore the bar, so we began our dinner with cocktails (RMB68 each). The signature lemongrass mojito is as refreshing as it sounds and the “Ginger not Marie Ann” doesn’t disappoint with the right amount of spice unspoiled by sweetness.
For appetizers (RMB88 each), we had the Yum Sum-O (roasted wild prawn and pomelo salad with toasted coconut) and the larb paed (spicy minced duck with herbs wrapped in betel leaf), which was presented with leaves hanging off a metal rack and were quite fun to tear off and wrap. For mains, we ordered the satay plate (RMB98), a mixture of beef, pork and chicken served with two sauces: sweet peanut and chili. We also enjoyed the exceptionally delicious Tom Kha Gai (spicy chicken coconut soup, RMB68).On recommendation, we also had the Gaeng Kiew Wan Gai (green curry chicken with basil and eggplant, RMB88). This proved spicier than anticipated but was nonetheless tasty.
For dessert, I couldn’t leave without sampling the mango with sticky rice (RMB48). Though the rice was thicker and stickier than others we’ve had, it was nicely offset by the succulence of the Thai mangoes.All in all, the food was exceptional but slightly pricey for what it was. Considering the unique ambience and setting, however, it was worth it.The facilities of the restaurant are conducive and entertaining to families. Kids will enjoy the tuk-tuks, the swings and the children’s play area (only set up for weekend brunches). The toilets are very clean, and the ladies’ room is equipped with a changing table, wipes and individual change-pads – convenient for any families with young ones. Food-wise, choices are limited if someone has a nut allergy or an aversion to spice. If kids are happy to nibble off parent’s plates, the satay skewers (without the sauces), spring rolls and plain rice could be a good choice. Overall, there is plenty to love about this restaurant from a child’s perspective. Price per person: RMB88 for children, RMB400 for adults Recommended ages: 3 and above depending on their spice tolerance Good for: Brunch on the weekends, Dinner2/F, 1502 Huaihai Zhong Lu, by Wulumuqi Lu Check out more family-friendly restaurants online, click 'read more' at the bottom.
************************************
Michael Wendling的T for Thai就坐落在他的另一家餐厅Cuivre楼上，甫一进门就能可拉高你的期待值。一块闪着挑眼荧光绿的电子板指示着台阶上的餐厅入口。在入口处，你将会看到一辆半截嘟嘟车被放置在繁忙的曼谷街景背景墙前，车头则正对着一对热恋的大象。毋庸置疑我们已“来到”泰国，随行的6岁小姑娘已经迫不及待的跳上了嘟嘟车。每桌摆放的绿色盆栽，椅背上的竹子靠背，殖民地时期的“太阳伞”状天花板挂饰及颇受儿童欢迎的从天而降的藤条秋千等俯拾皆是的亚洲田园元素整体提升了餐厅的清新、现代的感觉。一言蔽之，食客们有一种伴着霓虹灯在丛林中用餐的新奇感受，好不时髦。ipad上的菜单让点餐变的更加方便，而且每道菜的配图则有助于缓解食客们的“选择困难症”。其中价值88元的儿童套餐可以任意选择一份沙嗲烤肉配白米饭，或法式牛排配薯条（由楼下的Cuivre供应）。甜点则可以选择巧克力慕斯或香草冻酸奶。由于我们的女儿对花生过敏，出于谨慎考虑我们选择了法式风味，把她开心坏了。但由于口味有些腻，所以她只吃了一半。
我们不由得注意到了餐厅的酒吧，并选择用鸡尾酒开始我们的晚餐（一杯68元）。招牌的柠檬草莫吉托像它的名字那样令人振奋，而名为“ginger not marie ann”的鸡尾酒以其恰到好处没有被甜味破坏的香料同样令人满意。
我们点了Yum Sum-O（焗烤野虾和柚子沙拉配烤椰子）以及larb paed（辣鸭肉切碎配包裹在荖藤叶中的香草）作为开胃菜。第二道菜以藤叶丛金属架子上悬挂下来的形象上桌，将叶子一层层剥下并卷在一起吃的体验十分有趣。主菜我们点了沙嗲拼盘（98元），其中混合牛肉、猪肉和鸡肉并配有两种酱汁：花生酱和辣椒酱。我们还点了格外美味的Tom Kha Gai（椰浆香辣鸡肉，68元）。作为推荐，我们还点了Gaeng Kiew Wan Gai（绿咖喱鸡肉配罗勒叶和茄子，88元）。这道菜比想象中要辣，不过还是十分美味。
甜品我们点了让人无法抗拒的必尝特色芒果糯米饭（48元）。虽然糯米比我们吃过的其他糯米要更厚实和粘腻，多汁的泰式芒果完美中和了糯米的口感。总体来说，这家餐厅的食物非常出色，不过就其本身来说稍稍偏贵。考虑到餐厅独特的氛围和布置装修，还是很值的。这家餐厅的设施非常有利于家庭用餐，同时让它变的趣味横生。孩子们会爱上嘟嘟车，悬挂秋千和儿童玩乐区域（只在周末早午餐时间开设）。卫生间十分干净整洁，女盥洗室装有一个育婴桌，湿纸巾和尿布，对于带着小孩子点家庭来说非常方便。食物方面，对花生过敏或不喜香料的人来说选择就比较少。如果小孩子们愿意从父母的盘子里蹭食，沙嗲串烤（无酱），春卷和白米饭都哦是不错的选择。总体来说，这间餐厅从一个孩子的角度来看非常可圈可点。 人均消费: 每位儿童约88元, 每位成人约400元 推荐年龄: 依吃辣程度而定，一般推荐3岁及3岁以上人群查找更多亲子餐厅，请点击下方“阅读原文”