THAILAND TIME OUT

November , 2005                     

We all need a restaurant we know we can rely on. One where we are well known by the owner and the staff, where we can take out-of-town friends, family, or anybody else who we may want to treat from time to time, and where we can even pop in on our own when we just want to feel wanted.

It's hard to believe that Le Banvan has been open for 17 years now. I wouldn't even like to speculate how many other French restaurants have opened and closed during that time, but Le Banvan has an enduring quality about it. 

The restaurant is always there, its décor remaining essentially the same, and its two owners, Michel and Bruno, also pretty much unchanging. The welcome you receive is always unchanging too. So many restaurants simply don't understand that customers need to feel wanted, and they need a bit of face when they are taking friends along. With Michel and Bruno it is like visiting old friends. In fact, they are old friends.

I went along the other evening, wondering (as usual) if I had somehow missed the sign as I headed into the dark depths of Sukhumvit Soi 8. But then I saw the glow of lights under the trees,

got out of the taxi and just stood for a moment to admire the appearance of this lovely old house and its warmly lit windows. When I went in, Bruno was there with a cordial greeting, Michel popped out of the kitchen to add his broad grin, and I went to sit at my favorite table.

When l say that Le Banvan is essentially unchanging, I don't want to give the impression that the place is stuck in a rut. Michel

has just created a new menu, and I was keen to see both what was still available and what was new. I was greatly relieved to find that the pressed duck is still listed. This is the real Rouennaise-style duck, prepared with a press that has to be certified by the controlling authorities in Rouen. Silver colored, and very traditional, it sits in the middle of the restaurant and in fact is used for Le Banvan's logo I believe that this is currently the only place in Bangkok that lists pressed duck on it’s a la carte menu.

Much as I enjoy the duck, it is a meal for two people and I was dining on my own this evening. So I took my time and studied the rest of the menu.

'There are Fine de Claire oysters served both hot and cold, and an iced vichyssoise with French crayfish, which would be a delight on a hot evening. While I was hesitating over these appetizers, Bruno arrived and recommended the steamed potato filled with goat's cheese and a slice of bacon, and served with black olives. That sounded exceptionally good, and proved to be so - very rich and creamy. Bruno's other suggestion of a glass of Sauvignon Blanc from Domaine de L'Engarran proved to be spot on as well, as it had the lightness and slight acidity needed to counteract the potato and cheese.

As I was treating myself, I had ordered a second appetizer. Michel is good with foie

gras, and I had been unable to resist the foie gras terrine served with port wine jelly and toasted brioche. This was given an earthy undertow by shavings of black truffle that Michel had placed around the rich pink slab - a thoughtful gesture, as truffle was not mentioned on the menu. To accompany this was a sweet wine, a Gewürztraminer from Alsace.

There are some interesting additions to the main course listing. Steak tartar, for example, which is raw fillet of beef prepared at your table. There is a châteaubriand flambed with Armagnac, which is for two people, and a tempting ­looking fillet of salmon served with cèpes mushrooms and bacon in a peppered white wine sauce. But 1 wanted yet another rich, traditional French dish, because this is the kind of food I always think of in association with Le Banyan, so I ordered a duck leg confit. It was a huge portion,

After these indulgences, I passed on the dessert but instead ordered a small plate of mixed cheeses. To balance the combination of blue and creamy cheeses, it seemed wisest to return to a glass of Sauvignon Blanc. By this time it was about 9.30pm, and Le Banyan was full. So was I for that matter. And home I went, with Michel calling a friendly au revoir from the kitchen and Bruno organizing the taxi. No doubt I'll be back soon enough.

ChefChat
                         Camus

Independently French

F or over 15 years, Le Banyan has been one of Bangkok's most outstanding independent restaurants. It is run by Michel Binaux, who began his career as a chef at the Carlton Hotel, Strasbourg, and Bruno Bischoff, a graduate the Strasbourg Hotel Ecoliere.

Both did their military service in airborne regiments, both decided to work abroad afterwards and they finally met while working in hotels on Australia's Gold Coast. They met again in Bangkok and worked at The Oriental as chef and maitre d' of Le Normandie for a year. By that time, Michel had found the old house at the lower end of Sukhumvit Soi 8 which was to become Le Banyan.

There have been many changes over they ears, extensions, renovations, renewal and refurbishing, but its core values have remained constant, and so has its popularity. What did they owe their success to?

There was a pause: they took the question seriously. Then, "Consistency," said Bruno firmly. "Every time you come here you know you'll find the same level of quality in the food, in the service and in the restaurant itself.

"It's a lot to do with discipline," Michel added, and I had a picture of the two former soldiers snapping to attention on a brisk word of command. It was mid-afternoon and they were wearing civilian clothes drinking coffee at a table in the bar area. Come 6 o'clock, they and the staff now laying the tables would be on parade and ready for inspection.

"We can be having an argument," Bruno added, "And in 15 years there's bound to be one sometimes. Voices may be raised, but as soon as that door opens, that's it. We're all smiles and ready to go."

I wondered if this wasn't some memory of military training, and Bruno laughed. "I've taught the guard on the gate to give the French military salute when customers come in," he said. "But that's really to remind them this is a French restaurant so you get a French-style greeting."

There is an element of the theatre here, too, and that is not surprising, as all good restaurants put on a show.

At Le Banyan. You'll see it at its height, when you order the pressed duck. The Christofle duck press, a gleaming piece of culinary ordnance, is wheeled to your table. In the kitchen, a duck is roasted for 20 minutes, the legs and breast are removed and the carcase is chopped up put into a cylinder inside the press. Bruno then turns the handles at the top which presses down on the carcass, liver and kidneys. The resulting liquor pours from the press into a shallow copper pan and with it Michel makes the sauce, stirring in Armagnac or Port wine. While the legs are being grilled, he cooks the breast in the rich sauce and Bruno assembles the parts on two plates with a flourish. Voila! And following the Tour d'Argent tradition, each duck is identified by a number.

Is this kind of complexity and dedication the reason why French cooking is so admired, we wondered.

"I think that diversity has a lot to do with it," said Bruno. "France is a big country and there's an amazing variety of produce and ways of cooking it.

"The sauces are what make French cooking special," Michel added. "They are there to enhance the flavour, not to cover it up. You start with a fond, the stock. There are four basic stocks and they can be the origin of a thousand different sauces."

While they import some items from France, they are unanimous in their praise of local pork, and their snails are not from Burgundy, but raised in a specialist garden outside Bangkok.

The Thai restaurants where they most enjoy eating, Lemongrass and Baan Khanita, seem to be similar in character to their own. All have the same kind of dedicated professionalism and cultured restaurant atmosphere. What, though, of the future for Le Banyan and for French res­taurants in Bangkok?

"We're certainly not standing still," said Bruno. "What we are thinking about at the moment is forming an association of French chefs in Thailand, like the Italian association," said Michel. "We should aim for more aware­ness of French cooking. People acknowledge that it's good, but may not know exactly why."

So, how would they encourage people to learn, we asked. Bruno laughed. "One way is to look at the menu on our website, www.le-banyan.com," he said. "And if you want to cook French, do it with French products," added Michel. "There are many good suppliers in Bangkok right now."

I think the advice they declined to say out loud was, "Come to Le Banyan and taste for yourself."

Bangkok Post December 2004

THE NATION

March 28th, 2004

15 years of cuisine extraordinaire

By  Melissa Slade

I IMAGINE A BEAUTIFUL Thai house with a spacious garden bang in the center of Bangkok.

A place where you step inside and are warmly welcomed by one or both of its owners. Relax in the small bar lined with literary works and sip the house special - a serious martini that sets the mood for serious dining. And take time to read the menu.

The names of the dishes have a poetic feel and the artistic descriptions will have your gastronomic juices flowing.

Next Sunday marks the 15th anniversary of Le Banyan. It is no coincidence that it's the oldest French-run independent restaurant in the City of Angels:

Chef Michel Binaux and maitre d’ Bruno Bischoff have constructed a palace to the arts of cuisine and service, and pretenders have never made it past the moat.

The idea for Le Banyan was conceived in a major casino complex on Australia's Gold Coast back in 1985. Did Bischoff and Binaux meet by chance, or was it destiny? It's a question that's answered with Gaelic shrugs and smiles; But the 'why' isn’t important - the result is.

The decor is refined French. The food isn't merely ordered and served, but rather orchestrated. There is no coming and going of customers. An evening at Le Banyan is a leisurely affair, an appreciation ,of the finest, a place to chill to the medley of soft jazz and evergreen instrumentals played at exactly the right tempo.

Bischoff and Binaux are on hand to help you , select the dinner and make suggestions on the wine. Here, the restaurant scores very high; A wine cho­sen by Bischoff always just dry (or sweet) enough and it is rarely the most expensive. It does, however, enhance the flavors of the food.

Most wines are decanted for quick breathing. So if you want to drink during your appetizer, have another of Bischoff's martinis delivered to the table.

Once you have chosen your dishes, the show begins.

Foie gras - imported to ensure high quality - is - extremely well prepared here: The flavorful duck liver is pan-fried and served either with a blackcur­rant vinegar (magnificent), as a terrine or with snails.

Another favorite is prawns, scallops and crab meat baked in puff pastry with a beurre blanc sauce, a dish that has been on the menu since the early days of the restaurant:

Le Banyan's fish soup " Saint Tropez " style is better and much more attractively presently than its Mediterranean cousin. And the salad with goat's cheese and bacon bits is positively outstanding.

The specialty of the house is pressed duck, and its equivalent to the crescendo of an orchestral oeuvre. The duck, which is roasted for just 20 minutes, is rolled into the dining room, where the cooking process continues: The breast is thinly sliced while medium rare.

After carving comes the pressing of the carcass - with a traditional silver Christophe press – and the final preparation is done at the table. The juices of the duck are mixed with a rich sauce made from truffles and truffle oil. The dish costs Bt 1,200 and it's money well spent. Alternative sauces are made with Port wine or Armagnac (Bt 8OO).

My personal favorites include the fillet of Atlantic snow fish with a leek julienne and paprika sauce, the rack of lamb and a seafood platter of lob­ster, rock lobster, icing prawn and sea scallops, which is ideal for those with large appetites.

  Three cuts of steak are offered, five sauces (the hot and spicy sauce is perfect for the Thai palate). And there is chateaubriand for two, a melt-in-the-mouth bargain at Bt 1,440.

The service is excellent: Waiter unobtrusive military precision and are always on hand when you  need them.

Le Banyan is one of the few Bangkok to offer a dessert menu; devoted entirely to chocolate. The chocolate mousse is a dream.

Highly recommended are the hot whisky souffle with vanilla sauce and the crepe suzettes, deftly prepared table side by the captain, who enjoys getting the flames to flicker all the way to the ceiling. Finish the night with coffee, herbal tea or one of the many liqueurs. Take time too to admire the oil paintings by Binaux, whose talents extend well beyond the kitchen.

Finally, to celebrate 15 years of success Le Banyan is offering certificates for the press duck to its customers, both old and new. Check it-out and discover a new dining experience.

URBAN GASTRONOMY

APPRAISING THE FOOD AND AMBIENCE OF FOUR MORE RESTAURANTS IN THE VERSATILE AND ENDEARING CITY OF BANGKOK ONCE AGAIN, WE FIND THAT THE FLAVOURS WHICH DO LINGER ARE NOT STRICTLY THAI, BUT EXCEEDINGLY MULTICULTURAL.

Le Banyan

The mood in this delightful 'old house' set in a tropical garden is calm, relaxed, elegant and bright. On arrival, Maitre d' Bruno springs to the door to greet guests personally. Before dinner there is a small cozy bar for cocktails, and a nice touch I noticed was that the waitress stirred my gin and tonic.

Both Bruno and Chef Michel are on hand to help guests with their selection and make recommendations. The waiting staff are stylishly dressed in black suits with a white collarless shirt, and service here is effective without being obtrusive. They are there when you need them, and melt away when you don't.

The starter of pan-fried goose liver with blackcurrant vinegar was perfectly cooked - sealed on the outside while still moist on the inside. The prawn and scallops with crabmeat in puff pastry and Riesling-flavored butter was deliciously fresh without any fishy smell. A glass of Alsace Riesling '96 is perfect with this choice of starters.

We were recommended noisettes of lamb, 'Michel-style', in a port wine sauce for the main course. The meat was beautifully lean. Lamb is a meat avoided by many Asians due to its smell, but this dish was skillfully prepared to make it easily palatable, even for Asians. It was served with a potato gratin, individual dishes of buttered carrots, ratatouille and saut้ed potatoes. As each dish is placed on the table and the cloches lift, the servers say in chorus "Voila, bon appetite!" Theatrical, but it works well. The main course was served with Domaine de I'Engaran 99, Pay d'oc.

The fruit souffle takes 25 minutes to prepare but is well worth waiting for. It comes from the kitchen having risen double the height of the ramekin and even stays that way while it's on the table. Being a chocoholic I couldn't resist the iced chocolate terrine with preserved mint leaves.

The house specialty here is the pressed duck and Le Banyan is one of the three restaurants still using an old-fashioned duck press. It is prepared under the accreditation of L'Ordre des Canardiers de Rouen with either a port wine, armagnac or calvados sauce. At 790 baht (for a minimum of two persons) this is affordable indulgence.

A mark of the attention to detail at this establishment is how red wine is decanted with a candle at the neck of the bottle to ensure that there is no sediment in the glass. Le Banyan is a beautiful restaurant that you go to only with somebody you really like and whose company you want to share.

LE BANYAN
59 Sukhumvit Soi 8
Bangkok 10110, Tel: (66) 2 253 5556

Laurence Civil
www.laurencecivil.com 

Une inaltérable fidélité à soi-même telle est sans doute la clé du sucs du Banyan. Ce restaurant français qui célébrera en avril prochain son 13่me anniversaire, a su maintenir, dans une ville ou les réputations se font et se font à un rythme endiabler, un niveau de service et une exigence de qualité sans faille. L'entente complice qui lie depuis le premier jour le maître de cuisine Michel Binaux et le maître de salle Bruno Bischoff explique aussi cette réussite. A eux deux, les compères du Banyan comptabilisent 60 ans de métier! C'est d'ordinaire l’âge de la retraite, mais que les fidèles de I'établissement se rassurent : ce duo n'est pas prêt de quitter le tablier et la toque.

" Ce qu'on appelle le succès du Banyan tient sans douter à notre ancienneté, remarque Michel Binaux. Les bases de notre travail restent les mêmes, mais nous pouvons maintenant nous adapter aux demandes d'une clientèle que nous avons fini par bien connaître. Si on arrive à percevoir les attentes des gens, on arrive aussi à stimuler leurs envies. "

Au menu actuel figurent une salade gourmande (foies gras poêlés, crevettes grillées et champignons sauvages) et, en entrée chaude, une assiette de coquilles St-Jacques et crevettes, avec crabe en millefeuille. Parmi les plats principaux, on remarque le filet de boeuf poêle façon "Nicolas" (foie gras et moelle rôtie) ou encore le filet de loup braiser aux pommes avec une sauce parfumée au Calvados. Enfin, du cote des desserts, le nougat glacé aux amandes et miel de Chiang Mai ainsi que la tarte aux pommes au sabayon (Calvados) comptent parmi les classiques de la maison.

Ne croyez pas les gens qui vous assurent que le climat tropical et la tapageuse scène politique et sociale thaïlandais finissent par user les âmes les plus trempées et les projets les plus exigeants. Le Banyan a enduré 13 saisons des pluies, neuf gouvernements différents, un coup d’état, un miracle économique et une crise financière majeure, sans rien perdre de sa douce élégance et de ses incomparables saveurs. (PPA)

LE BANYAN 59 Sukhumvit Soi 8; Nana Stn (02-253 5556, fax 02-253 4560) 
Mon-Sat 6.30pm-midnight, kitchen closes 9.30pm; AmEx, DC, MC, V.

In this old Thai house with tiled floor and warm lamp-light, theatre is everything-maitre d' Bruno Bischoff strides around the room like a circus master, while tiny chef Michel Binaux, creating dishes at tableside in his crumpled white jacket, resembles a garret artist. He looks constantly pleased with himself, as if he's just painted the 'Mono Lisa'. All wine is decanted (with panache) and diners like to offer Bruno a glass-little rituals that equate dining here to a religious experience. Refreshingly, the music's loud enough only to fill the gaps between conversation. And the food's exquisite. The prawn and scallop salad in hazelnut dressing (B290++) is wonderful, as is rock lobster in saffron sauce. Soups (from B190++) include foi gras, potato and leek (B350++). Main dishes run from B350++, but many opt for the house specialty, pressed duck in port wine or armagnac sauce (B750++/person, minimum two persons). There's a comfortable bar area for pre- and post prandial drinks. You could easily eat three courses here for B1,000 per person plus wine. Fantastic value.

SIMPLY THE BEST RESTAURANT OF THAILAND !

If you want to be in a beautiful Thai House, have service like in Lasserre, Paris, and have some of the best French food of Asia - I should say, one of the best experiences in your life - there is only one place: Le Banyan. It is beautifully located on a quiet little Soy (little street) off Sukhumvit Road. It's named for a prestigious local tree. The inside is, I will say, refined French. Be ready to have a superb meal orchestrated by the two French partners Michel Binaux and super Maitre D' and former French Paratrooper Bruno Bischoff.

I knew Michel twenty-five years ago, when he was the promising young chef at the Montien. Afterr a stay in Australia, he came back to Bangkok (he lives in the same house) and is now co-owner of the restaurant of the Thai Capital, where the Thai and international jet set converge. Michel was the one who introduced the Duck Press in Thailand. Guess what? He still has a Duck Press and loves to do perfectly the traditional Canard au Sang (Pressed Duck). Khun jurgens Chopar, Director of the Hotel School in Glion, Switzerland and great lover of this country, and I had number 5731 (duck, here are also numbered as it is done at La Tour D'argent in Paris). The service, as I said, is impeccable, traditional and classical which is very difficult to obtain from Thais as they are generally very nice, but not disciplined.

Michel Binaux is a great chef and his cuisine is at the same caliber of Chateau Margaux in Shangri La, Kwoloon, Hong Kong. However, where Michel excels (thanks to his innate knowledge of the country) is in educating local producers to have impeccable products (vegetables and duck) suitable for French cuisine. The dinner was one of the most memorable I have had as it mixed reborn friendship and top quality French cuisine: With champagne, Bordeaux and Alsacian Marc from the birth region of Bruno Bischoff.

Foie Gras de Canard Poelle aux Raisins confits de Sauternes; Foie Gras with Sauternes marinated Grapes; Le canard เ la Rouennaise au Porto; (Rouen Duck with Porto) Ah! the taste of the pressed bones ... and a variety of deserts based on delicate local fruits.

Prices are very reasonable for such quality. You should expect around US $60 for such a memorable experience.

We recommend you to go to the Banyan - it so good, so typically Epicurean, that we would have to consider suspending your subscription to The Epicurean Revue if, in Bangkok, you do not enjoy this fantastic restaurant run by two impeccable professionals. I do not know Thai, but for me Epicurean is translated in Le Banyan.

Le Banyan Restaurant Fran็ais 59 Sukhumvit Soi 8, Banghok, Thailand Tel: 253 55 56; Fax: 253 45 60 Booking Mandatory. Please mention that you are Epicurean reader to get the red carpet treatment.

FOUNDER GEORGES PRADES

Bangkok, où les meilleures adresses gastronomiques passent rarement le cap d'une saison et semblent s'épuiser aussi vite qu'une vigne soumise au régime des moussons, la pérennité du Banyan semble un défi lancé à la nature.

C'est sans doute le professionnalisme sourcilleux de ses dieux patrons de toujours, Michel Binaux en maître queux et Bruno Bischoff en maître d'hôtel. qui permet aujourd'hui à ce restaurant prisé de boucler son premier cycle de vie bouddhique (douze ans) sans avoir rien perdu de ses exigences de qualité.

Dès son ouverture, le 1er avril 1989, le Banyan se fait remarquer par le haut niveau de sa cuisine et l'élégance de son décor. Une vieille maison traditionnelle thaïlandaise perdue dans la verdure d'un jardin du centre de Bangkok, quelques tables éclairées comme à voix basse et des plats qui ne tardent pas à se voir accorder 16120 Par le Gault et Millau :

Cette médaille a cependant son revers .«Nous sommes perçus comme un restaurant français de classe et cela effraie certaines personnes, regrette Michel Binaux. On nous reproche d'être guindés. La vérité c'est que nous souhaitons maintenir un standard Sans être stricts pour autant ».

L'interdiction des espadrilles, des shorts T-shirts est sans doute pour quelque chose dans cette réputation et fait contraste avec nombre d'établissements de la place connus pour l’ambiance bon enfant et leur convivialité tapageuse.

Pourtant le Banyan entend désormais «décoincer et alléger l'atmosphère ». Grâce à une nouvelle terrasse d'hiver (si cette expression est autorisée dans un pays où on sort sa petite laine des que le thermomètre passe sous la barre des 20 º la capacité de la salle devrait passer de 10 à 15 tables.

« Surtout, nous souhaitons tenter une ouverture du côté de la nourriture méditerranéenne annonce Michel Binaux. Cela devrait nous permettre de casser cette image figée qui lie correspond pas à ce que nous entendons offrir. »

Un nouveau menu se prépare en conséquence : notamment une soupe à l'oignon où un soufflé de fromage remplacera les traditionnels croûtons, une crème glacée de courgettes à l'huile d'olive ou un galet feuilleté de rouget à la tapenade. Quelques plats seront à commander à l'avance, comme le filet de bœuf en croûte où Ie soufflé aux deux fromages.

http://www.cnn.com/TRAVEL/CITY.GUIDES/WTR
/internat.profiles/ip.bangkok.html

Le Banyan—Bangkok's best-known French restaurant offers both traditional and nouvelle cuisine in a lovely, colonial-style house with gardens. The wine list is astounding (and so are the prices). Dress up for this establishment. Monday-Saturday 6:30-9:30 pm. Reservations recommended. $$$$. Most major credit cards. 59 Sukhumvit, Soi 8. Phone 253-5556.

DURING the past week, Ung-sang Talay has been fortunate enough to enjoy two meals at the excellent French restaurant called Le Banyan which opened a few months ago on Sukhumvit Soi 8. On both occasions, everything served to Ua T, as well as the samples filched from the plates of friends, was so impressive that Le Banyan immediately joins at least one critic's shortlist of Bangkok's very best restaurants.

Le Banyan's dining room strikes the difficult-to-achieve balance of elegance and relaxed comfort set on the lower floor of a converted house, it is roomy and has the rare quality of seeming to have decorated itself. Although there are many choice antiques, there is no feeling of artifice and one responds to the comfortable ambience immediately.

Tables are set far enough apart to create a sense of privacy. Lighting is mellow and at just the level where conversation flourishes, and the tone set by the staff is one of refinement and taste without snobbery.

The menu states on its opening page that every item on it has been created by the chef especially for the restaurant. It also lets patrons know at the outset that the meal, if enjoyed properly will take time. "If time is not yours to enjoy," it cautions, "please let us know."

By no means all of the specialties served at Le Banyan are listed on the menu. The most imposing of all, a dramatically prepared pressed duck does not appear on it and must be ordered specially. Possibly these dishes are omitted because they are not unique to Le Banyan (the pressed duck was once served at the Montien Hotel), or are only intermittently available.

The appetizers portion of the menu is divided into cold and hot entrees, and there is also a page of soups. Ung-sang Talay chose the Ragout d'escargots en feuitteté au Riesling et pousse d’épinard, ragout of snails in puff pastry with Riesling sauce and spinach). The snails are not found inside the puff pastry, as the name might lead one to believe; they are arranged in a circle around the pastry, which contains the spinach, and everything is aswim in the creamy and delicate Riesling sauce. Rich as the sauce undoubtedly is, the overall impression is one of lightness appropriate to an appetizer. It effectively stimulates the appetite and raises the highest expectations as to what would follow. (On a separate visit Ung-sang Talay ordered a special appetizer not listed on the menu, a superb fried fois gras. Do check to see if this is available should you dine at Le Banyan, as it is memorable.)

Both of the main courses Ungaang Talay selected -- a baked rock lobster with wine sauce and home-made noodles, and the pressed duck mentioned above deserved equally high praise.

The preparation of the duck is a point of pride with Le Banyan, and justifiably so. The bird is first seared over high heat so that the outside is somewhat blackened but the inside only slightly cooked. The breast meat is then cut away to be braised and seasoned separately in a small copper pan. Meanwhile, the remainder of the duck meat, bones and all - is placed in a large silver press and squeezed to extract all of its juices. These, together with the duck's liver, serve as the basis of a splendid, fragrant sauce, which is served over the breast meat.

Although its preparation is imposing to watch, this is basically a simple dish. Everything serves to enhance the natural flavour of the duck, which becomes irresistible with its resonance of wine and subtle seasonings. The vegetables and potato gratin served with it are just, right. A singular experience.

The rock lobster entree (Cigale de mer roties au four et pates fraiches aux légumes) ingratiated itself immediately with its attractive presentation. Large pieces of rock lobster tail meat are arranged in a circle around a disc of home-made green egg noodles, and all are in rich white wine sauce. The laud quality of the cooking at he Banyan was also in evidence here. The lobster meat had been cooked precisely the right length of time, as it was juicy but not gelid from, undercooking. The noodles, al dente, supplied the proper feeling of substance and texture. Once again, a rich dish but not a heavy one.

The dessert course was the occasion of other unanticipated pleasures. Ung-sang Talay's Terrine de chocolat amer glacées et feuilles de menthe poires confites was a slice of frozen, slightly bitter creamy chocolate that must have had the caloric density of a neutron star but was well worth it. Embellished with a crystallized mint leaf and a sweet sauce, it harmonized well the previous courses.

At one point during the dessert course, Ung-sang Talay's arm shot out to extract the mangosteen from the plate of a dinner companion who was enjoying a "Hot gratin of seasonal fresh fruits", and here again was struck by the way the chefs custard-like sauce complemented even as delicate a flavour as that of this ineffable fruit.

Coffee was accompanied by a plate of crisp cookies, prunes stuffed with cashews, velvety chocolate truffles and the like.

Le Banyan's cuisine, although rich, is not paralyzing in the Escoffier manner. One leaves the table completely satisfied but not debilitated. Nor does it have anything to do with the spartan quality of some dialects of the "new cuisine. It has its own character and its own personality; all of the dishes Ungaang Talay tasted shared a common, recognizable style.

Although Le Banyan has been open only four months, word has already got around and it is full every evening. Reservations are absolutely essential, a few days in advance if possible (telephone 2535556).

Service is efficient and gracious. Prices are probably considerably lower than one might expect to pay for food of this quality. A meal with wine costs in the neighborhood of a thousand baht per person. Regular readers of this column must be wondering just what has happened to Ung-gang Talay's diet, which has served as the pretext for so much boasting. Well, it went to hell for the duration of these two meals but will now be reinstated.

It is sweet to meet at Le Banyan. Open less than two years, this warm, elegant restaurant is number one when it comes to food eating in the French style. Behind its success is Michel Binaux, an extraordinary character and a great cook. He has conceived of a dream place, where you can escape from the often-Heavy atmosphere that pervades so many hotel restaurants. Fifteen years ago, this adventurous man came to Thailand and fell in love with it. After an Australian business interlude with billionaire Alan Bond, he decided to settle in Bangkok.

At the bottom of a narrow street, Binaux discovered an old house that had fallen on hard times. He cleaned, dusted and salvaged the remains of its Asian past. The residence now has a spellbinding charm. It’s the little things that create such suave atmosphere: a huge dark-wood bar that contrasts with white lacquer walls; pictures of old Bangkok; beautifully sculpted wood paneling and ravishing bronze table same style as in Maxim's of Paris.

All of Bangkok's beautiful people rush in to discover Le Banyan's cuisine-dishes that astutely combine the French tradition with individual flair and local fragrances. The ragout d'escargots in a feuilleté beurre blanc with garlic and Riesling mixed with a salad gourmande of lobster, foie gras and wild mushrooms; the chicken supreme with port wine ranks close to the duck magret with foie gras, and to the pork mignon with apple and basil. Binaux doesn't ignore such local products a perfect plakapong stuck with anchovies in a red wine sauce, or a lobster, roasted in the oven and served with fresh pasta. The highlight of the menu, however, is still the pressed duck the likes of which can only be found in such culinary palaces as Paris's Tour d’Argent. The master prepares the sauce before your eyes, flaming and extracting the juices of the duck with the help of a luxurious press. Evening reveals Le Banyan charms best, and you can spend a delightful time for a very reasonable tab-1,000 bat for two, without wine.

Chaine im Ausland

Feinstes in Fernost

Kein Zweifel, die Chaine weist dem Feinschmecker Wege ins Paradies. Er muß nur der Revue de la gastronomie et du tourisme dans le monde folgen, besser bekannt als „Bonne Table". die Grand Chancelier Jean Valby allvierteljahrlich herausgibt. Am besten gleich der allerneuesten Nummer. 

Die bescherte dem Fernostreisenden einen coup au but. einen gastronomischen Volltreffer. Die Adresse lautete schlicht Le Banyan - französisches Restaurant und verwies auf die achte Nebenstraße (Soi 8) einer der lebhaftesten Verkehrsadern von Thailands Hauptstadt Bangkok, der Sukhumvit Road.

Wie so oft im Ausland stellt sich die Frage: "französisches Restaurant", ist es eines oder möchte es eines sein? Der Empfang ist jedenfalls der Grande Nation würdig. Zwei Thais erwarten den angemeldeten Gast, einer in historischer Uniform mit militärischem Gruß, der andere im Sarong mit dem Wai, der immer wieder anhürenden Achtungsbezeigung dieses sympathischen Volkes. Verbeugung mit den vor der Stirn gefalteten Händen. 

Die Begrüßung im Innern des Holzhauses im alter Wohnstil erfolgt auf französisch durch Michel Binaux. Er, früher bei Kurt Wachtveitl im Oriental Hotel. und Bruno Bischoff aus dem Elsaß. Wonnezauberer in der Küche, sie beide sind die Inhaber des "Banyan". Weißgestrichene Wände mit gilbenden Fotos von AltBangkol ("vom Chef in Frankreich gekauft") und einem riesigen Wandrelief in Thai-Schnitzarbeit, der angenehm klimatisierte Gastraum gloßzügig mit Orchideen dekoriert, auf den Tischen Elsässer Weingläser. Christofle-Besteck und eine Speisekarte, die Neugier weckt

Wir entsschlossen uns einerseits uns für Schnecken elsässisch, in Riesling eingelegt und mit einer Koblauch Senfbutter, andererseits für eine Terrine von Languste und Aubergine in Aspik, umlegt mit Räucherlachs in zarter Vinaigrette und Nußöl. Dann die nachahmenswerte Frage: "Soll der nächste Gang in fünf oder in 15 Minuten serviert werden?" So etwas beweist Selbstsicherheit der Küche. Ein schadlos so weit transportierter Elsässer in der richtigen Temperatur steigerte die Spannung auf den Hauptgang erst recht, hatte ich doch kürzlich gelesen, französische Feinschmekker verzichteten am Indischen Ozean auf jedes andere Meeresgetier. werden ihnen "cigales de mer" angeboten. 

Der Geschmack dieser Meereszikaden wie hier " la Normandie" zubereitet. kernig and zart zugleich, stellt in der Tat andere Krustazeen in den Schatten. Ein Feuilleté Roquefort in Bierreduktion mit Kümmelcreme und ein Parfait glacé à la liqueur d'orange amère rundeten einen Abend höchster Offenbarungen ab. Der Service war perfekt (wies aber den Schönheitsfehler auf, das Wechselgeld nicht vorzulegen). Alle Tische waren besetzt, die Gäste offensichtlich Angehörige der High Society von Bangkok. Kein Zweifel, das Banyan hat sich in den drei Jahren seines Bestehens einen Namen geschaffen. Der abendliche Garten hütete trotz der tausend Glühbirnchen seine Geheimnisse. Steht aber auch ein Ficus benghalensis. ein Banyanbaum darin? Michel Binaux: "Soll ich ihn lhnen zeigen?" Und er brachte uns eine niedliche alte Bonsai-Ausgabe dieses mächtigsten Tropenbaulnes an den Tish--.

GF

59 Sukhumvit Soi 8 Tel: 253-5556 Open daily for dinner except Sunday.

• This is the French restaurant you introduce with the words, "Needs no introduction".
It's the oldest French run restaurant in Bangkok with Michel supervising the kitchen and Bruno welcoming the guests. It's in a pleasant, old (but newly refurbished) villa in its own grounds and attracts a fairly upmarket, discriminating clientele. Don't let that put you off, though: It's very friendly and accommodating and prices aren't that formidable given the quality. The house specialty is Canard Rouennaise, Pressed Duck (750 baht) which Michel will make at your table with the full silver lamp service. You'll also be presented with a certificate with the duck's 11) number The favorite dessert arc your- flaming pancakes, Crepes Suzette, 230 Bahts if you'd like a glass of champagne, it's 650 baht, but the house wine is 160 the glass and 950 the bottle.

BANGKOK POST WEDNESDAY DECEMBER 15, 1993

ALSACE, in the top right hand corner of the map of France, bordered by the Rhine, is one of the most celebrated gastronomic areas of a country which is historically the world HQ of good food and wine.

It is the only region of France in which the noble Riesling grape is permitted in wine-making. It's also the home of the spicy Gewürztraminer and the dry, grape-y Muscat.

The chief city, Strasbourg, and its environs are studded with Michelin starred restaurants frequented by the Eurostocracy. And, of course, it has a famous Hotel School. Michel Binaux and Bruno Bischoff are both graduates of the school, Bischoff a native of Alsace, Binaux coming from the Vosges.

For the past five years they have owned and managed one of Bangkok's most distinctive French restaurants with an unvarying high level of quality. They first worked together in Perth, at a hotel built by Alan Bond. Michel was the executive chef when Bruno came to work as maitre d'hotel of the French restaurant.

Michel had worked in Bangkok before and was keen to return. The idea of running a restaurant with himself as chef and Bruno taking care of front-of-house seemed a good one, if somewhat remote. As Michel remarked, "after working for someone as wealthy as Alan Bond, the next step had to be working for ourselves."

Then Bruno received an offer from the Oriental to be the Normandie's maitre d'hotel. After one year there, the idea seemed less remote. I began to look for a suitable place," said Michel. "The only way was by walking around and seeing what was available. 1 must have walked for about three months before I found this house in Soi 8. It was exactly right, and we were' able to open in 1988. "I think we were the first truly professional French restaurant in Bangkok, apart from those in hotels," added Bruno.

The house is tucked away near the end of the soi in a small garden shaded by large trees. It's a pleasant, cream-painted wooden building, not grand but comfortably welcoming, especially at night when the lights of the house glow through the trees. The interior gleams contentedly, very much a dining room in a house rather than a purpose-built restaurant. On the walls are old sepia photographs and a front page of an issue of Le Petit Journal from a century ago with a colored portrait of King Chulalongkorn. There's also an antique wooden bas-relief of elephants with floral scrolls, the kind of Southeast Asian art which contributed to the art nouveau style. Beside the L-shaped bar gleams a silver duck press.

If you're thinking of dining at a Thai restaurant in the West, the best bet is to go where the Thais themselves go to eat. The same rule no doubt applies to French restaurants in Asia, and several of the tables at Le Banyan were French-speaking.

"The customers vary from day to day" said Bruno. "But usually we reckon that half will be Thai and half expatriates." Which proved to be the case as the evening progressed.

The menu more than lived up to high expectations. Here were cold entrees in which lobster and crab meat were blended with aubergines and smoked salmon; goose liver with scallops and preserved duck (comfit de canard) with morel mushrooms. The oils used in the salads were walnut or hazelnut.

I chose the goose liver, which achieved the perfect balance of cooked and not-cooked for me. The balance is invariably right because you have the personal attention of both the maitre d'hotel and the chef and you can thus be sure that everything will be cooked to your liking.

The goose liver was served in an aromatic Calvados sauce with wild mushrooms. silver duck press and lit the gas fire beside it. Pressing the duck releases the liquor which is caught in a copper pan.

Michel heated this gently and thoroughly on a low flame, adding wine and a little calvados, and stirring the while. Bruno Bischoff explained that the duck was roasted for 20 minutes, then carved. The breast and legs were returned to the oven. Michel Binaux carried the remaining carcass from the kitchen to the. The segments of roast duck are now combined with the sauce in a dish which is a memorable experience.

The dish is recommended for at least two people, and the cost is 1,300 baht. A lightly-baked apple made a refreshing contrast to the richness.

Having embarked on a course of richness, there seemed to be no turning back. Noissettes of lamb with asparagus, or pressed duck were on the short list, and a wine which would be comfortable with either.

The wine list is very good and by no means highly-priced. It's mainly, but not entirely, French. The substantial Hunter Valley growers, Tyrrell are represented by a Chardonnay-Semillon at 850 baht, and Robrert Mondavi's much-admired Cabernet sauvignon is at 1,200. Barton"and Guestier's excellent Graves Nouvelle Tradition is the same price.

The Alsace Riesling and Cotes de Rhone from Chapoutier are both good value at 790 baht. There are quite a number of good wines below the thousand mark. The house wine, from the reputable Bordeaux growers and shippers Borie-Manoux is a friendly 550 baht.

Having plumped for pressed duck, or canard a la Rouennaise, I chose a Fleurie, in which elegance and complexity were allied with the clean, fresh and fruity Beaujolais flavor.

Le Banyan has a dinner menu every evening at 590 baht, and a lunch menu at 320. With cooking and service of su้h a high order at such sensible prices it's no surprise to discover that it has a devoted clientele.

It's also quite a small room, so it's equally unsurprising to learn that Michel and Bruno are planning to extend it, without altering its companionable nature.

There will be a verandah with long windows, and the bar will be augmented to form a waiting area with bookshelves and a generally clubby ambience. "We plan to do everything in three weeks flat," said Michel. "That means we'll close on January 3 and open again on January 24."

THREE weeks seems a short time to have everything ready by, but clearly they had worked out the details with great thoroughness.

"You're obviously very practical people, " I commented."Yes, we're practical people - but we work with feeling," said Bruno. That goes a long way towards explaining the success of this immensely likable Thai home of French gastronomy.

Le Banyan is at 59 Sukhumvit soi 8, and the phone number is 253-5556. Reservations are definitely advisable.

I dined out in two top Bangkok restaurants recently. One is in a luxury hotel. At this particular hotel my companion rang and ordered a particular table in the restaurant. We have dined there many times since the restaurant opened. and enjoy eating at this particular table. The woman who took the reservation said the table was available and she would book it. On arrival at the restaurant. we were offered quite a different table. In this hotel restaurant there are two very different areas, either one of which cannot be confused with the other. One has soft lighting and overlooks the garden, the other is too brightly lit and the seating is not as comfortable. The table my companion thought he had booked was empty. It remained unoccupied throughout the evening: it was set up for three, we were only two. We were shown another table, which we refused as it was too near the XXXX  and service area. Eventually we sat down at another table, but it would not have been one of our choice.

When the restaurant manager came over to our table. my companion told him that we had been promised a particular table and we were very disappointed not to have it. Instead of apologizing for the error on the hotel's part, the restaurant manager said the woman who took the reservation had no right to offer that particular table as she did not know what was going on in the restaurant anyway.

As my companion pointed out to him, the confusion over reservations is an internal problem of the hotel and not our problem. The restaurant manager kept pointing out it was not his fault. But neither was it ours. And as we were paying for the meal - which was jolly expensive anyway - he should have been prepared to shoulder the blame. After we had finished our meal, not content to let sleeping dogs lie, so to speak the restaurant manager returned to our table yet again, and said "that since we had finished our meal we were probably feeling better over the silly business about the table".

We were not. The food was good, but the table was awful. Once again my companion pointed out that the internal problems that had given rise to the confusion over the table should be sorted out. These days many restaurants in Bangkok serve excellent food: consequently diners may select a restaurant for its particular ambience. If diners can't find it in one place they search for it in another. Had we known that we would not have the table of our choice, we would have selected another restaurant. As a gesture - which came too late in the evening anyway (all we really wanted wad a courteous apology) - the restaurant manager waived our service charge.

In great contrast to what happened over on xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Road. I enjoyed a truly pleasing dining experience at the newly renovated Le Banyan Restaurant, run by Michel Binaux and Bruno Bischoff, on Sukhumvit Soi 8. The interior of the restaurant has been completely re-done - in a subdued and elegant way. The lighting is conducive to intimate dining, and the lounge waiting area offers tables and chairs and a bar, and is lined with a bookcase filled with Michel's books. The restaurant has an established graceful appearance and in its tropical garden setting provides the right atmosphere for pleasant relaxed dining. The extensive menu offers something to suit everyone with a discerning taste. The restaurant also has an excellent wine list. The Banyan is an Pleasant hideaway for dinner or lunch and is now high on my list of Bangkok's best eating places.

The next time you want an elegant 'night on the town', start out at Le Banyan. And tell Michel I sent you ....

                                                                                                                    LE GAVROCHE

Le Banyan : Quand le raffinement devient un art

Nous avons découvert cette maison par hasard abandonnée en 1988. Son architecture intérieure thaï classique du début du siècle correspondait au cadre que nous recherchions pour notre établissement. La restauration des boiseries nous a pris plusieurs mois. Nous avons ajouté à l'ensemble une touche néo-coloniale afin de créer une atmosphère luxueuse et confortable". se rappellent Michel Binaux et Bruno Bischoff, les cofondateurs du Banyan. "Le Banyan est un arbre sacré de la religion Bouddhique. C’est un nom à connotation mystique qui se grave facilement dans la mémoire des gens", continuent-ils

Ouvert depuis le ler avril 1989, ce restaurant français est aujourd'hui l'un des plus réputés de Bangkok. Il y a deux ans et demi. il recevait 16/20 au Gault Millau. Une marque d'excellence que les deux associés attribuent un subtile mélange entre un service de qualité, un cadre chaleureux et une cuisine raffinée et créative. Nos vingt cinq employées ont tous suivi l’école hôtelière et ont dans leurs bagages plusieurs années d’expérience. Nous avons une politique de formation continue du personnel à l’intérieure de l’établissement. Les clients apprécient particulièrement un service attentionné commente Bruno Bischoff, un ancien do l'Oriental. "Notre expérience et les années de travail en Thaïlande nous aident beaucoup » reprend Michel Binaux qui vit dans le pays depuis plus de 25 ans…

Seul à inscrire sur sa carte le canard au sang et parmi les premiers à avoir proposé du foie gras de canard, le Banyan se distingue par la qualité et la finesse de sa cuisine. Un mélange de cuisine gastronomique et de plats traditionnels français adaptés au goût de la clientèle locale et très apprécies par la clientèle internationale. Les mets sont travaillés avec une combinaison do produits importés comme par exemple la viande et des produits locaux comme le poisson. Le Banyan propose également un voyage à travers toutes les régions de France. "Nous servons des plats régionaux comme la choucroute, le coq au vin et des plats spéciaux tels que grillades, filer de bœuf, confit de canard, carré d'agneau... La maison propose aussi des plat à emporter, des menus composés à la demande et une grande carte de vin". commente Michel Binaux.

Rendez-vous incontournable de la gastronomie Française, Le Banyan est néanmoins à la portée de tous les budgets. Les prix sont très variables et les déjeuners d'affaires d'un très bon rapport qualité prix. Situé à l’intérieur du Soi 8 sur Sukhumvit, en plein cœur de Bangkok, son cadre très romantique et relaxant en fait un endroit privilégié pour vos soirées en tête à tête.

magazine 1996

Dining Out Anussorn Thavisin

The Pressed Duck is a must for the uninitiated.

WHEN the prestigious Gault Millau guide came to Thailand in 1991, it carried out a comprehensive survey of the Thai restaurant scene in both Bangkok and the provinces. This writer had the good fortune to be part of that operation and came away with a wealth of experience (and an extra inch or two added to the waistline).

My contribution to the Gault Millau effort then was to handle a substantial part of the Bangkok and Pattaya restaurant scene, but sadly that assignment did not covert the best of Bangkok's restaurants which were covered by a writer from the guide's headquarters in Paris.

From the survey three restaurants stood out heads and shoulders above the rest. They were The Normandie of the Oriental, Ma Maison of the Hilton, and a small relatively, little-known French restaurant in Sukhumvit Soi 8 called Le Banyan. The three received 16 out of 20 points and two toques by the very exacting Gault Millau standard.

Up till that time we had tried both the Normandie and ma Maison. But had never been to Le Banyan. However it did not take us long to rectify that situation, and we have been back a number of times since. We have yet to be disappointed.

What does one look for in a first-class restaurant?

For our part, we are looking for- not only good food, but also that which the chef has prepared with a certain flair. We are looking for ambiance - an atmosphere which allows one to enjoy one's meal in peace and to be able to enjoy talking to your companions without having to shout over loud music or others conversations. Moreover, we expect good and efficient service which should be helpful but not intrusive.

In most cases we were not disappointed at Le Banyan. Certainly, the food is superb. The French proprietors obviously care deeply about quality and we have yet to have a poorly prepared dish there, llx• service is experienced and attentive. without the suffocating attentiveness which one often encounters.

The ambiance is, for bettor or worse, dictated by the clientele and on our latest visit we were unfortunate to have to share the room with a gentleman and his two companions who were discussing their business plans loudly enough for the rest of the room to hear.

But we must not allow an isolated case of " logomania " to spoil one's feeling for an outstanding restaurant, for it is for the food and service that we came, and will keep coming back.

For economic reasons (a journalist's salary does not go all that far along Le Banyan path) we do not frequent such an exulted Mecca very often- So we tend to have a very fixed notion about what we will order when the happy occasion arises.

First, for an appetizer, comes Pan-Fried Foie Gras of Duck with Capers. It is not cheap at 490 baht, but then who's talking economy? It is about two thirds the price of the same dish served at the Fireplace Grill, and both use duck rather then goose liver. But it is absolutely delectable at both places. Even with the ten per cent service charge plus seven per cent VAT. we'll be running back for more.

For the main course, the piece de resistance at Le Banyan is, of course, the Pressed duck. In the old days, you had to order this in advance, but the restaurant must have streamlined its operation somehow for it is now available on demand. When we first tried this delectable dish several years back it cost 1000 bahts for two, but the price has now crept up to 650 baht per person for the duck with port wine or plum brandy, and 900 bahts if served with truffle juice.

But you must try it. Choose your favorite version and watch it being prepared by your table.

The lightly cooked duck is brought to the table and the breast carved off, one side (or each person. The rest of the duck is then placed into the press and all the sweet juice is squeezed out, to be blended into a delectable sauce with the addition of ingredients only known to the chef.

The above is almost obligatory on your first visit, but after that you can venture into new territory. We have tried the Noisettes of Lamb with Fresh Thyme and a Garlic Mousse (350 baht) and found it more than satisfactory. It consisted of three pieces of lamb fillet with a delicate gravy which gives a whole new meaning to the word. Although it is not a very large portion, it should satisfy most Thai appetites.

The Crispy Breast of Duck with an Apple Cider and Calvados Sauce (350 baht) was again succulent and flavorful. The duck had been cooked to perfection so that its meat was pleasingly light pink and the sauce was a masterful blend, which it you find the flavor of duck a bit strong, subdued it somewhat.

Le Banyan is a must if you have not tried it. Although it is certainly not cheap, if you are looking for a top restaurant where cost is of no concern and the quality of the food is everything, maybe I'll see you there.

Bruno Biscboff, an owner of a famous French " le Banyan "

The first thing I thought of Thailand was that " it's a land of smile". Warm weather all year round and lots of rain also came across my mind. But I was shocked when I first came here. The first day out was full of surprises. Pollution combined with the heat, humidity and very crowded streets and buses. I thought that nobody could be prepared for this such things. I was wondering whether it would be like this all over and whether I would be able to cope with this. I was thinking if I really gave up all my life in Australia ended up in the busiest city I have ever been. After that I went back to the hotel, I started to feel happy about coming here. I realized that I would experience lots of new things here in Thailand.

My main ones are about staff and product. I handle that by building up teams in the dining room and the kitchen. Thai manager and executive chef are there for their staff. I pass on the work or brief to my manager. I try to avoid dealing directly to the juniors unless necessary.

If comparing having business here with France, it is the operating cost that makes the difference. In France, the operating cost is already high as soon as you open the door. In Thailand, you can start with a smaller working capital and build your way up.

I really must say that the traffic here is the most irritating problem. I am lucky though, I don't spend that much time on the roads. I start work late and by the time I finish work, the traffic is already all right. The climate is another thing that will be difficult to cope with. It makes me feel sleepy and less energetic.

I have settled here for almost 7 years. For everyone's own sake, if you want to live here, be patient.Turn your tongue 7 times before you say anything. Learn to live like Thais and attend some cross-cultural courses.

My story before becoming involved in restaurant business is a long one. It started when I was 11. I wanted a motorcycle, so I started working at the restaurant in a hotel. I enjoyed it so much that I was kicked out of school and went back to work. Then I attended Strasbourg Hotel school. Before coming here, I spent 7 years in Australia. Five wars in Sydney as a Maitre d'Hotel, then some more time in the Gold Coast for the opening of the biggest casino in Australia by the Maitre d'Hotel. After that I went to Perth to work for the French restaurant. You know, after have been working in a new and very big company for awhile, one would want to do his own business. I am no exception. I made the decision very easily to open a French restaurant in Thailand called " Le Banyan " with Michel Binaux whom I worked with in the Gold Coast. He had lived here about 15 years when I came to join him.

I am very proud of my restaurant. I have put all my experiences working in restaurants and hotels for many years into Le Banyan. I think that a restaurant is like a theatre. Once the curtain goes up, it's time to perform. For Le Banyan, the customers come here and they expect to see something. For me, I spend most of my time at the restaurant taking care of the customers. My customers come back often and we have over 5 years to build up our relationship. I think it is exciting when the owner of the restaurant does the work himself. Good food and good service is our theme. Our food, I recommend " PRESSED DUCK " It is our specialty. Our customers said that Le Banyan is the house of Pressed Duck. Try it and you will never be disappointed.

Talking about Thai food, yes, I like it. I have that every day for lunch. I think I tend to like my food more and more spicy everyday. I have changed since I have been here. At least I have put a few kilos around my waist. The reason is that I spend most of my time at the restaurant and I can hardly have time to exercise.

Being here for almost 7 years, I found that Chiang Mai is a real great place. I like it there especially up on the hills. I like to see those villagers living in old fashion ways. I think it's fascinating. I am from France and it is something different from here. Thailand and France are something incomparable. One thing I can say is that " if you do not appreciate your lives in France, come here to Thailand and you might realize that LIFE CAN BE SWEET!! "