Flavors Restaurant Renaissance Hotel

Flavors, a restaurant at the Renaissance Bangkok Hotel, might seem like just another hotel restaurant serving guests. But it's not; it's so much better.

The day we visited Flavors was one of the busiest workdays we'd had, full of back-to-back meetings. We were completely drained and felt like we needed a heavy meal to restore our energy. But we wanted a meal that was rich in quality, not just carbs and starches. We decided a buffet was the answer.

I scrolled through a discount app I use often and found a crazy 50% off deal for Flavors. With such a huge discount, I wondered if the food would be any good or if the ingredients would be high-quality. We took the BTS to Chit Lom station and walked to the Renaissance Hotel, where Flavors is located on the M floor.

We arrived for our 7:00 PM reservation and were greeted warmly by the staff, who led us to a table by the window with a view of the hotel's entrance. I started looking at the buffet line and couldn't believe the amount of food available for just over 900 baht after the discount.

A Seafood Lover's Dream, Iced to Perfection

The first station we checked out was the Cold Seafood Station. The day we went, it featured:

• Russian King Crabs

• Blue Swimmer Crabs

• Rock Lobsters

• Green Mussels

• Babylon Snails

• Fine De Claire Oysters

• Normandy Oysters

• Korean Oysters

• Chonburi Oysters (Thai)

Next, we stopped at the Charcoal Live Fire Grill. The meat selection was so good that I declared we would be loading up on protein and vegetables tonight to make it worth it. We tried everything the chef was grilling, and it was all fresh and delicious. My friend was especially happy that there was no pork at this station, as she eats only halal food, and the grill was also pork-free.

• River Prawns

• Rock Lobsters

• Squid & Cuttlefish

• Beef

• Lamb

The Sashimi Station had chefs slicing fresh fish to order. There was also a beautiful selection of sushi and maki rolls. What was most impressive was that the sushi station was always full, not because no one was eating, but because the chefs were constantly refilling it.

The Cold Cut Station offered a variety of cheeses and cold cuts, including smoked duck, chicken, salami, and different kinds of ham. They also had high-quality pickled vegetables and a delicious smoked salmon that I went back for two or three times.

I had announced I'd be eating only protein and vegetables, but after four trips to the buffet, I still hadn't picked up any vegetables! So, I decided to head to the Salad Station.

We also passed by a line with pan-fried, roasted, and deep-fried dishes, including large scallops, a whole roasted salmon, lamb ribs, prime rib, and roasted duck.

Of course, we couldn't miss the Thai food station. While the ingredients weren't as luxurious, the spicy, flavorful dishes were perfect for cutting through the richness and keeping us going. There was som tam (papaya salad), mango salad, fried fish, shrimp paste chili dip, khanom chin (rice noodles), and stir-fried stink beans with shrimp, which was absolutely delicious.

Finally, we got to dessert. They had ice cream, traditional Thai desserts like tub tim krob (water chestnuts in coconut milk) and mango sticky rice, and a variety of cakes.

We ate for a full two hours and didn't even notice how quickly the time flew by. When we arrived, the restaurant was fairly empty, but when we left, it was packed. Even though it's a large hotel restaurant, it was almost full. I noticed that a lot of the customers were like us—office workers from nearby companies enjoying a meal and conversation after work, as well as staff from a nearby hospital.

Flavors must be a favorite among people working and living in the Sukhumvit, Chit Lom, and Ratchadamri areas. If you're a business traveler, a tourist, or a permanent resident looking for a value-for-money international buffet, Flavors is definitely a place to consider.