COCONUTS HOT SPOT — We all need a break from modern life and fast food sometimes. And this break is offered by the “Chan & Yupa Tea Room” which provides diners with a pleasant, homelike atmosphere with tea and food.
First built for the owner’s grandparents (the eponymous Chan and Yupa) around 1954, what was formerly a residence was renovated and transformed into a place that allows people to relax, check out the grounds, have a spot of tea and/or lunch, and just enjoy a casual conversation in the afternoon.
The menu features a surprising array of items, ranging from tea sets to western delicacies to fusion food to basic local dishes to kid’s meals. While those looking for more Thai dishes might be disappointed, the overall menu works rather well for a place focused more on tea and quiet time than being a big-time restaurant.
Still, don’t expect to be dining here too regularly unless you’ve got money to burn. While not as expensive as some of the trendier places in Bangkok, the prices are in line with the sort of meals you might find in restaurants at nice department stores (although I’d argue the quality of the food here stacks up favorably, at the very least).
The tea room itself gives off a rather comfortable vibe that feels dignified without coming off as pretentious. In fact, it felt rather homey (then again, given the place’s history,that makes sense). Beyond the main room is an indoor sunroom, which is where diners are seated for their meals. Right outside is a garden. The setup of the building has a British feel to it.
The hot chocolate (THB140) is not just nice to look at, but actually sweet without being too sweet or just plain bitter (now, that last part might not seem like much, but from my personal experience dining in Bangkok, when hot chocolate is available, it’s either bitter or sickeningly sweet, with little of anything in between). It’s arguably some of the best hot chocolate I’ve had in the city, if not in Thailand.
The traditional afternoon tea set for one (THB420) comes with condiments to apply to the scones and other desserts, including homemade jam, which was made up mostly of fruit with just a bit of gelatin. The jam’s flavor can be described as more tart than sweet although that isn’t a bad thing. The warm scones with clotted cream, as well as the various assorted desserts are solid enough in their make-up, nothing special, but safely edible.
The rocket salad with smoked salmon (THB270) is definitely something you can recommend to friends who usually don’t care for salads, and they didn’t skimp on the salmon, although the overall amount of food is rather small. The dressing is slightly sour, but not obnoxiously, while the salty salmon offers a nice contrast with the rest of the dish’s contents.
Grandpa’s Favorite (Beef) Hamburger (THB260), a burger with a side of potato wedges, can be summed up as something akin to the hamburger with fries you keep trying to make yourself at home. The potato wedges were nice, fresh, and a healthy size. They are also available as a side dish (THB70). As for the burger, the meat used is good quality, with a feel that tells you this is the starting point on what you want your patties to be like, which is always appreciated when you’re having burgers or anything similar at a place other than a fast food joint.
All in all, if you’re looking for a relatively relaxing spot to sip tea or have a nice conversation without constant interruptions, the Chan & Yupa Tea Room isn’t a bad choice. While the prices are not too easy on the wallet and the food itself was merely good rather than spectacular, I’d say that those of you wanting to find someplace other than Starbucks or all the other mainstream cafes/tea rooms should find Chan & Yupa a rather nice treat.
FIND IT:
Tuesday-Sunday, 8am – 6pm
Sukhumvit Soi 10
BTS Asoke
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