One bite in Bangkok

If you thought Enrique Iglesias videos were dramatic, you should see what Thai pop has to offer. The lyrics are a mystery to non-Thai speakers, but somehow amputated legs, bullet wounds and broken hearts seem at odds with the happy-sounding songs.

These cinematic musical masterpieces can be seen at Jame’s Pub in Pâquis, a misleadingly named Thai restaurant-cum-karaoke bar where Thai expats come to sing their hearts out with near-professional aplomb. 

Monsieur Gourmand and I came for the tom yum soup and spicy papaya salad, both of which had been highly recommended by a friend. He wasn’t wrong – both these dishes, as well as the red curry and delicious dumplings, were flavoursome and warming.

Served by a cheeky waitress making innuendos about bananas and beer froth, and cooked by a slinky dress-wearing lady chef, Jame’s Pub is great value, highly unusual and outrageously entertaining.


Jame's Pub, 64 Rue de Monthoux, Pâquis 
022 731 6310

Chilly curry

It seemed a shame to sit inside Thaï on the first warm evening of the year but, like many of her compatriots, our American friend preferred shivering in icy air conditioning to soaking up the spring vibe al fresco.

Having subjected us all to sub-zero temperatures, she then picked and nibbled at morsels of cucumber and carrot while the rest of us tucked into the tasty Thai food. If she allowed herself to consume a single carb or gram of fat, she might have liked the Thai tacos stuffed with shrimps, chicken and soybean sprouts, which Monsieur Gourmand found to be full of taste and texture.

The other two of us went for veritable Thai classics to start: a tasty and tangy spicy papaya salad with lashings of lime and peanuts, and chicken satay. Alas, the latter was ruined by an errant vinegar bottle lid, but the staff brought another satay without fuss, much to the delight of our hungry friend.


Served on a banana leaf, my sizeable steamed sea bass fillets were both meaty and zingy, but I thought Monsieur Gourmand’s grilled beef in black pepper sauce rather bland.


Little did we know that Thaï’s trump card is their curry: the spicy Panang sauce was subtle enough not to overpower the giant, juicy prawns, while the classic Thai green curry was a triumph of creamy coconut. And if, like me, you find steamed white rice the dullest dish imaginable, they offer organic brown jasmine rice as an enticing alternative.


This isn’t the place to come for exciting atmosphere – indeed retired tennis players can be found here escaping the admiring crowds – but the food is reliable and it offers chilly respite on hot summer nights.


Thaï, 3 rue Neuve du Molard, 1204 Genève; +41 (0)22 310 1254
 www.thai-geneve.com