BISTRO CLASSICS
An all-day dining café offering a taste of France
Bistro Convent, a 12-monthold eatery that mimics the comfortingly quaint ambience of a Parisian sidewalk café, fits well in an unpretentious end of Bangkok’s dining scene.
The 100-seater, which has managed to humbly dodge the ravenous social media radar, serves up classic French fare prepared by a European-trained Thai chef.
The place occupies a lovely two-storey atelier with a roofed terrace on the shady, pedestrian-friendly Convent strip.
Lulled by soothing French tunes, the mallard-green trimmed interior was lent a cheery avenue café feel by a row of round marble tables along the restaurant’s extensive window façade. Adding a more neighbourly touch to the room was wooden booth seating (which I found a bit uncomfortable) and a coffee bar underneath a chalkboard listing specials of the day.
On a breezy Monday, business was brisk with four full tables when we arrived at noon. Yet the service, manned by two front-ofhouse staff, seemed a bit uptight.
The restaurant offers an all-day à la carte menu featuring Gallic favourites such as baked snails, duck confit, chicken coq au vin and a variety of quiches and sandwiches.
After our order was placed (upon the staff’s recommendations), we were treated to a complimentary platter of cheese-leavened choux pastry. The light and hollow treat went well with soupe à l’oignon, the bistro’s best-selling caramelised onion soup with gratin cheese topping (300 baht).
The soup was followed by vol au vent (280 baht), two flaky and buttery puff pastry cups generously filled with a hearty mixture of chicken, ham and mushroom cream, served with a small side salad.
My shellfish-loon friend’s order of moules marinière (480 baht) turned out to be delightful. A decent count of steamed black mussels came drenched in a tasty concoction of shallots, parley and white wine. The plump shellfish and the sauce were complemented by a side dish of lightly-seasoned home-cut fries.
Beef aficionados might not want to miss the bistro classic steak frites (680 baht). The chef uses Australian rib-eye, which provided a nice proportion of fat and juicy mouthfeel. The steak, scrumptious by itself, had a very light seasoning of salt and pepper, and came with a side option of red wine sauce (which I didn’t need or taste) and home-cut fries.
More noteworthy even was the boeuf Bourgignon (380 baht). The tasty stew, beef cheek slow-cooked in Burgundy until soft and the juice thickened in flavour and consistency, was served on a bed of fresh fettuccine pasta and proved an excellent one-dish meal. Of an eight-item repertoire of desserts, profiterole (380 baht) was suggested. Four hefty pieces of choux pastry sandwich filled with vanilla ice cream and a drizzle of chocolate sauce and toasted almond flakes arrived, however, it left a mediocre palate impression.
Other options that might give you a better sweet finish are tarte tatin, crepe Suzette and crème brûlée.
Other than a selection of cocktails, mocktails, smoothies and coffee, a house choice of Sauvignon Blanc and Merlot by the glass is also on offer for 180 baht.