Ben Hopkins swaggers into The JW Marriot Bangkok Texas Steak House
for a slab bullock and a bucket of Champaign.

“I drink Champagne when I’m happy and when I’m sad. Sometimes I drink it when I’m alone. When I have company, I consider it obligatory. I trife with it if I’m not hungry, and drink it when I am. Otherwise I never touch it – unless I’m thirsty.”

So said Madame Bollinger, but as the one time owner of some of the finest vineyards in the Champagne re­gion of France such excess is hardly surprising.

For most of us, alas, champagne only flows on special occasions. One such was a recent visit to check out the new champagne cocktail menu at the Marriott Hotels New York Steak House on the Sirkumvit Road. Dark wooden beams and pillars frame the interior of this dimly lit and stylishly adorned restaurant while the black upholstered chairs are large and luxurious enough to engulf a Texan rodeo and tame his raging bullock.

Hanging from the wall above our table is a sepia tinted photo of early 20th century construction workers toiling on beams hundreds of meters above New York cities skyline.

Down below on the other side of the world things are looking up. The man­ager emerges from the shadows of our black upholstered chairs. Settles us down and spreads out the large white napkins. Meanwhile, the waiter intro­duces the champagne cocktail list.

My saliva almost bubbles with anticipation as I cast my eye over the drinks menu whilst Robert takes time to explain the various cocktails on offer. Pausing; I rub my chin in an attempt to look sophisticated before the waiter comes to my rescue and suggests the Belini, orange juice and champagne, otherwise known as Bucks Fizz.

This one is a hit. The orange juice seems to improve the taste of the cham­pagne whilst the champagne most certainly improves the taste of the orange juice. It’s so good I decide to try another. The second glass of Belini imparts a feeling of exhilaration. The nerves are braced; the imagination is agreeably stirred; the wits become more nimble.

I fling it back perhaps a little too hastily before looking up in a jealous fit of intrigue to see my partner beaming over a glass of… “ce qui?”

“French 75; Champagne and gin – keep away!”

Snarling and dejected I turn to the waitress to save my life with another glass of liquid stars; French 75. Tasting like an apple peeled with a steel blade and shot with ten thousand effervescent bullets this one is near perfect. The ami­able waitress recognizes the bubbles rolling in my eyeballs and reminds me that the New York Steak house also serves pretty ‘darn good’ food.

By now my attention has long been diverted from those emaciated workers toiling above the New York skyline to focus on the epicurean offerings down below.

The waitress wheels in the starter; a succulent slab of Norwegian smoked salmon accompanied with an array of flavor enhancing extras. As she skill­fully slices strips off this Nordic delight I continue my ‘tour de Champagne Cocktails’ with a Flirtini; vodka pineapple and lime forming a perfect pool for the salmon to slip into.

The atmosphere at The New York Steak House is both bold and serene. The tables are spread far enough apart to offer a sense of privacy. The music plays low but the large wooden plates decorated with huge chrome bull horns on their northern edge speak loudly of American symbolism. At one point I half expect to see George W Bush and his cronies stagger in to sodden their sorrows.

There’s more than steak on offer at this restaurant but both my partner and I opt for a slab Texan bullock. All the steaks arrive chilled (not frozen) and are flown in fresh from Australia and the US. Steak and red wine, both the color of blood seem made for one another. A smoky Chilean red served in glasses large enough to swallow a bottle provide the perfect culinary and aesthetic accompaniment. Even the cutlery is bold and fearsome enough to give the diners a sense of power as they cut into the huge and succulent slabs of steak which are, needless to say at around 1,500 Baht, delicious.

With the meat fest over we slow down the pace with another Champagne cocktail. Robert returns to recommend a Champagne de Menthe; a perfect accompaniment to a dessert of warmed chocolate and cream cake that melts in the mouth.

“Once, when the manager brought me dinner all I ate was the chocolate des­sert because it’s so delicious,” the waitress guiltily confesses.

If anything were to unite the revolutionary zeal of the champagne guzzling French with the ‘bring ‘em on’ fury of the steak chomping Americans it would be such a suggestion. But at the New York Steak House I believe even the most macho of those New York construction workers and Madame Bol­linger herself may be inclined to forgive her. It really was that good.

New York Steak House
Marriot Hotel Bangkok : 4 Sukhumvit Soi 2
Bangkok  Tel: (66-2) 656 7700