A great dining experience does not begin and end with just the food. For me the journey begins when you leave your hotel room. The JW Marriott Hotel is a superb hotel and I strongly recommend it but if you are not staying there then it is easily reached by the Sky train.

On arrival I was welcomed by beautifully attired and very accommodating staff. Almost immediately I began to inhale the exotic aromas that represent the best of Thai food. The dining space was subtle, with plenty of space between tables.

The meal began with beautifully prepared cocktails. The hardest choice was which wine to choose from the small but excellent selection of wines.

Now when I hear the word buffet, I sometimes cringe but this was like no buffet I have ever experienced. The selection of food was very fresh and I noticed constantly changed. Our soup was made to order and we were informed that any meal could be adjusted to our palate. This obviously was no ordinary buffet.

In the name of research, my dining companions and I sampled most of what was on offer and we were unanimous in our agreement that every dish was supurb.

The seafood was cooked to perfection. It was moist and to my great relief not overcooked. The curries ranged from subtle to firey but all had that quality of fine Thai food that allowed the individual flavours to shine.

There was a significant selection for vegetarians too. All the great classic dishes were represented with the addition of some regional specialities.

One of the great treats of Thai cuisine is its fabulous fruit. The selection was premium quality , very fresh and ripe .. It seemed a bit decadent but the Thai ice creams had to be sampled. What can I say, we went back for seconds.

Now I’m a bit of a coffee snob and to be honest did not expect it to be anything I would write about but my double espresso long black was as good as any I have tried.

All the while the service was attentive, polite and friendly. Oh I almost forgot… we were also entertained by classical Thai musicians and dancers. And they were very good indeed.

One of my colleagues is an expat businessman and long time resident of Bangkok. Without prompting, he thanked me for introducing him to such a great place and told me he would be bringing his clients here.

Actually I think it is we who should thank the cooks and staff of The White Elephant Restaurant for such a wonderful evening. The White Elephant Restaurant is on Lvl 2 of the JW Marriott Hotel and seats 60.