We are now residents at this most precious of Bangkok treasures. The following grainy iPhone photos* are but a snippet: more to follow...
* (I am playing with my new app)
Lunchtime, February 22: I am sitting opposite an engraved mirrored stating that just to my right, amid plush surroundings of teak panels and silk drapes, white table linen, solid silver cutlery and gloved waiters in tails, Her Majesty Queen Rampai Consort of King Rama VII dined here regularly on Wednesday nights in the early 1960s.
We are now in residence at Bangkok's most brilliantly eccentric hotel, the infamous Atlanta. Checking in on Sunday, I was ever so slightly disappointed to discover they've added the establishment's name above the door, where previously the only sign read: "This is the place you are looking for, if you know it. If you don't, you'll never find it".
Everything else is just as wonderful as I remembered from when I last stayed in 2002. The spectacular 1950s Art Deco lobby has never been updated, classical music is piped into the restaurant all day (including an hour of compostions by the King of Thailand at lunchtime), replaced by jazz in the evenings: most of the staff have been here for decades. I could go on, and probably will over the next few days.
The menu is one of Thailand's jewels, supposedly the biggest vegetarian menu in the world, but also boasting huge varieties of carnivourous nosh.
After several days of sweet talking, the very stern, wonderfully enigmatic restaurant manager/cashier Ms?* has today taken me under her wing, spoon feeding me muesli at breakfast, and producing this lunchtime's brilliant dish, the Conrad Paulus Special, off menu.
Mrs Paulus was a former editor of Fodors Guide, who like many guests at The Atlanta came as a guest, and left as a friend.
A Thai variation of beef meatballs made with cornflower, these were sour, sweet, salty and hot all at the same time: the sauce employed garlic, chilli and a secret tomato ingredient that may very well have been Heinz Tomato Ketchup.
The manager says she won't reveal her name for anything less that one million bhat (£20,000). I'm working on it...
[Update: a couple of days later Anong finally revealed her name]
The Atlanta has strict rules, and the restaurant is not normally open for non-guests. The hotel only takes reservations by fax (yep, not by telephone or email). You are strongly advised to carefully study the hotel's website, at www.theatlantahotelbangkok.com, before booking.
Lunch for one including steamed rice and a Coke, 145B (£2.80, US$4.40, AU$4.85)
The Atlanta Hotel, Soi 2 Sukhumvit Road, Bangkok, Thailand +66 2252 1650
