Thai iced tea

Chicken in pandanus leaf pockets

A Deluxe Food Court In A Department Store? Welcome to Central Chidlom's Food Loft.

There is no need to tame your shopping frenzy for some sustenance to keep on buying...not at Bangkok's fab Central Department Store, anyway. Located in the consumer paradise of Chidlom across from the BTS Skytrain Chit Lom Station just east of Siam Square, Central Chidlom's Food Loft is a deluxe version of the familiar tables and chairs among rows of food vendors seen in malls across the world, except this version is done with great verve and style. For one, the emphasis is on quality and variety so that everyone's cravings are catered for with scrumptious choices at very reasonable prices. From the tasty Vietnamese party set to authentic pastitsio and yummy sticky toffee pudding, expect to find a wide variety of flavours to enjoy in a chic sitting area where tables of all sizes accommodate couples, families, and large groups of friends out for the evening. There were many of those; the atmosphere is fun and lively without being loud and crowded thanks to the design of the curved seating area.

Unlike regular food courts in shopping malls, the Food Loft has wait staff. The system is easy; simply prepay for your 1000 baht card and hand it over to the staff behind each counter as you make your selections; you are issued receipts while the food is prepared to order. After you have made all your selections, you sit down at your table and hand over the receipts to the wait staff, who then collect your choices at the various food stations and bring them to you. The final bill is settled when exiting.

Also different from food courts we may know from shopping malls is the quality of the food here. Delicious! From Korean kimchi to American brownies with cheesecake frosting, everything is fresh and well prepared. While there are some familiar standbys like pizza, more adventurous types can try things not always found at home. Sugarcane juice, anyone?

Once the dining is done, the shopping can continue among Central Department Store's high-quality merchandise. Make sure to obtain your Tourist Privilege Card, entitling visitors to Thailand with a 10% discount and a 7% tax refund to derive maximum benefit.

Central Chidlom's brand-new LUXE Galerie showcases designer products found exclusively at Central along with a wide variety of other fine merchandise. When your credit card starts sweating, take a break at Central Chidlom's in-house exhibition space.

Central Department Store Chidlom
1027 Ploenchit Road
Bangkok
tel: 66 2 793 7777
www.central.co.th