Senor Pico – Where
the Tequila Sunrise Never Sets!
It was another Monday
morning and I was already planning
my evening, ready to travel across
the city to Ram Intra and discover
what the latest satellite of spectacular
beer house chain Tawandeng had to offer
when my telephone went. To cut a long
story short, I never made it so far
off my traditional city-centre beat
and eventually headed instead a few
sois down Sukhumvit where I suddenly
found myself virtually transported
to distant shores thanks to the music
on offer, and the arrival of my host
from the deserts of Arabia .
I was resigned to
staying downtown if a little miffed
that I could not finally visit one
of the mega Ram Intra gigs, but as
it turned out, I had a great evening
even though I did spend most of the
evening in Dubai so to speak. That's
because I was dining with my friend
Rajesh Iyer who apart from being a
great musician with Indian rock sensations
13AD, is one of the UAE's greatest
fans.
He lives and plays
there after all, and as he told me
at least once, Dubai is a city that
is simply larger than life and in every
respect. He even likens the awesomely
outré airport to New York's swanky
Bloomingdales.
He was here in Bangkok
on business and insisted I meet him
at his favourite hotel - the Rembrandt
on Sukhumvit Soi 18. Of course, and
‘just by coincidence', the band at
the hotel's Senor Pico restaurant comprised
four Cuban friends of his who just
happened to have spent the last 10
years playing their smooth Latin grooves,
as resident musicians in Dubai of all
places.
But I am not complaining
because Senor Picos is a very pleasant
evening out in what comes across as
an authentic South American cantina ,
replete with gingham-clad senoritas and
very authentic Latin music serenading
the throbbing roomful of diners comprising
local and hotel residents.
And it's a fun atmosphere
too, a kind of party atmosphere even,
helped along by groups who dine here
and the various families scattered
around the room which could probably
comfortably seat 260-300 diners. There
really is the genuine hustle and bustle
of a busy Mexican cantina with loads
of fresh-faced, brightly dressed, smiling
lads and lasses hurrying to and fro
with jugs of margaritas, trays of tortillas
and all the other trappings you might
expect at any South American dining
extravaganza.
And always the music.
Fascinacion –
the Spanish spelling of fascination
- are a four-piece group of gifted
Latino musicians from Cuba featuring
flute, Spanish guitar, double bass
and bongos with soft and delicious
vocals complimenting the cool and classy
South American standards and favorites
they deliver. They are indeed the perfect
compliment to the food and the fare
on offer and no one can deny they are
at the very least in the right place
at the perfect time. The combination
of food, music, the hustle and bustle
is all so typically Latin and the ambience
has a wonderful authenticity.
And in case you thought
I was bought and paid for and have
gone a tad far in praising the place,
my buddy Rajesh would not be pleased
as he swears they make the best Margaritas
here that he has ever enjoyed after
a lifetime of gulping the tequila/lime/lemon
juice/triple sec/syrup combination
down.
By the way, a jug
of frozen Margaritas will cost you
980 Baht, two for 490 and one for 250.
Original recipe unfrozen Margaritas
cost will set you back 800 for a jug
(4 punters), 440 for two and 220 for
a single.
A Senor Pico Tequila
Punch will set you back 190 as will
a Calvados, a Grappa or a Kirsch. A
Sonora Daiquiri (the real deal) slips
down after you have parted with 200
for one, 440 for two and 880 for a
jug for four.
A Tequila Canyon
- which is the obligatory Tequila,
with Triple Sec and Cranberry Sauce
over ice – will set you back 250 baht,
but after a jug or two of Margaritas,
who's counting.
There is a nice little
dance floor and eventually as the evening
and the jug count wore on, there were
a few punters attempting their Mardi
Gras steps and feeling no pain.
Arriba!
But we were busy
enjoying the great food which is simply
the best Mexican and South American
food in town and we buried quite a
few kilos of tacos, nachos, tortillas,
refried beans and gorgeous Mexican
salads done the way only Thai cooks
can.
The hotel outlets
all feature their Wines of the Month
and November/December saw them host
some fruity Italian Villa Cornaro Soave
and Valpolicella, the latter of which
was not bad at all. But you need to
go the hotel's more Europena outlets
if you want to spend the evening pouring
over the wine lists and trying a snifter
of this or that from the vineyards
of the world.
But if you want a
simple night our with the family or
friends and a good feed try Senor Pico
– he will not let you down!
SENOR PICO
Rembrandt Hotel
Sukhumvit Soi 18
02 261 7100
Music every night from 8:00 pm
