It is not difficult to find a "13 Coins" location as there are almost 30 scattered around Bangkok. I've visited the Surawongse Road location many times over the last couple years which is open 24 hours and like most of the branches it offers guestrooms to customers but this time we chose to visit the new location, not far from the airport, the Airport Grand Resort. This place is huge, with all types of things to do, it is truly a resort but we were here for the food and looked forward to having a feast.

When entering most "13 Coins" a person is usually quite surprised at the interior. First thing inside the door is often numerous tanks filled with fresh fish and seafood. The dining area offers imported marble floors and are filled with lovely fabric chairs and couches generously spaced for people to relax during their meal. Most locations have televisions hanging throughout the dining area for customers to view football games, movies, or the latest news. My first visit was on Tuesday night and the live entertainment included a duo that sang and many of the patrons favorite hits and olddies - both Thai and Western versions.

Most dining rooms lead to a large counter where guests can dine while watching the chefs perform their expertise in preparing the food. Most counters offer high back cushioned chairs with televisions placed along the length of the counter for you to view while dining but the show really starts and stops for guests watching the chefs work their culinary skills with a kitchen of state-of-the-art equipment. Via a speaker system, an expeditor reads out customer orders to the chefs, then they start to demonstrate their cooking talents. The acrobatic cooking feats start as they fill steaming pans and shake flaming woks, work the grill, prepare soups and sauces, pizzas and salads all in plain view for the customers sitting at the counter to enjoy. Before you know it, two, three, or even four chefs have joined forces, preparing complete platters of food ready to be served. There's 400 items on the Thai menu and the English menu has just about as many hosting many of your International favorites. What seems to amaze most customers is how a place can be so luxurious and offer such good food that is nicely presented in a quick manner while having such reasonable prices. That's part of the attraction of "13 Coins" and just one thing that makes it one of the most popular dining attractions in Bangkok. Of course, there are other factors, such as being open 24 hours and most locations offer great rooms and suites at rates not often found for comparable accommodations.

Stop by and visit a "13 Coins". They are located throughout Bangkok and some of the favorite menu features include New York Steak & Prawns, Som Tam Kung Paw (Lobster) in Papaya Salad served with assorted vegeables. Taco Salad is another hit as is the Grilled Salmon in White Sauce and the fresh Sea Mussels baked with Basil.