Just a short walk up Convent Road from the Saladaeng (Silom Road) BTS station, The Swiss Lodge Hotel is home to the 3 ON CONVENT Restaurant.

After a less than impressive performance of many years, the hotel changed their only restaurant, the Cafe Swiss, from its chalet-styled ambience and Swiss menu to a Swiss/European and then finally a California-style cuisine which would include seasonal organic produce. Using certified organically grown produce has been a growing trend in Bangkok for some time. Harvey's …Bangkok's original restaurant of Californian Cuisine uses seasonal organic veggies from California, such as, fresh imported figs, avacados, artichokes, citrus fruits and mushrooms to help assure their healthy lifestyle philosophy while Anothai, a vegetarian / organic restaurant, grows all their own produce in Northern Thailand on a true organic farm that adheres to the strictest American standards that are required to certify produce to be "certified organic", as many farms in Thailand that say they are organic, are not. In turn many restaurants that say they are "Organic" also are not.

With that in mind, a menu was designed and their chef was to create dishes for guests that similate Californian cuisine. I guess most places like to state that they have an Executive Chef from the native origin of the cusine they serve, like the master chef in the kitchen of a French restaurant being from France. A local magazine (BC) recently did a complete interview with the "3 on Convent" Executive Chef, Mr Patrick Bundock, who in reality has been the General Manager of the Hotel for a number of years and recently became their Executive Chef as well. Of course an American name as the Executive Chef may sound more professional for their California cuisine than using the name of the Thai chef that really is running the kitchen but it isn't really the best way to help a new restaurant become successful.

As a starter they offer Italian Bruschetta with thick slices of crisp sourdough bread, dressed with shredded lettuce, black olives, blue green goddess dressing and topped with an assortment of seafood or meat. The dish may be more Italian than Californian, but it was a good way to start the meal. The menu is concentrated on roasted and grilled fish and meats with the grilled lamb being quite delicious. Unfortunately, it is still a long cry from an authentic Californian-style restaurant, if they want to call it that …fine, but no attempt should be made to deceive the public.