So reads the slogan of Cabbages and Condoms, a fantastic restaurant just off Sukhumvit Road in Bangkok. Its unusual name comes from the fact that the profits from the restaurant go to help aids charities in Thailand. You also get condoms instead of after dinner mints, which struck me as a brilliant, not to mention practical, idea. This is their down to earth method of promoting a better understanding and acceptance of family planning, which in a city with such a thriving sex trade can only be a good thing.
As the place is run on a charitable basis I wasn't expecting it to be very swish. I was wrong. It's set back from the road in a beautiful little garden compound with overhanging trees and chickens strolling between the tables. It's easy to forget that you're in the centre of the city as it's such an oasis. You can choose either to sit downstairs or on the terrace. I suggest you go upstairs as at night the trees are strewn with fairy lights and the whole effect is enchanting. Try to get there just before sundown and watch the place come alive around you. They also have private rooms and can cater for quite large groups. What a way to impress your buisness contacts!
The cheapest thing on the menu was the pad thai. It was wonderful, the best I found in the city. For those that have never tried it pad thai is a noodle dish with meat and bean sprouts and all sorts of good things. Here they wrapped the whole thing up in an omelette which was novel. For dessert I recommend the ice-cream, especially the coconut. The banana split also went down well!
There is a huge range on the menu, from curries and soups to something called the 'Spicy Condom Salad'. The mind boggles. Check out the link at the bottom of this op for the full menu and some mouthwatering pictures.
Our meals were both under £5 including drinks and dessert, which was incredibly good value for money. The setting was priceless, though, and the service was wonderful. The waiters and waitresses manage to appear from nowhere at just the right moments and are entirely unobtrusive. I was so glad that we chose to have our last meal in Bangkok here. It was a truly magical evening and made up for the sadness of going home.
You can get leaflets at the restaurant on the sexual health projects they help fund which make for interesting reading and make you feel like ordering dessert is helping someone other than just yourself. Who could ask for more! There is also a gift shop downstairs where you can buy handicrafts. Our favourites were flowers made out of condoms which would make great gifts. Their range of over 500 handicrafts were all produced in the rural areas of Thailand, so, again, everyone's a winner.
This is a must see if you go to Bangkok. After dinner you can explore the markets up and down Sukhumvit Road or take in a cabaret show. We were staying at the Suk 11 hostel (see Suk 11 op) so it was just a short stroll door to door. You have to keep a sharp look out for the signs, though, as they are quite easy to miss.
All in all a wonderful find and a definite recomendation.
For more information and some lovely photos visit http://207.5.19.165/about/
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