Even if you're not staying over, breakfast on the riverfront terrace of Bangkok's venerable grande dame, the 150-year-old Mandarin Oriental hotel, is a rite of passage for anyone passing through the storied part of town. It's a silver-cutlery, white-tablecloth affair, with a menu of made-to-order eggs, Thai noodles, and cinnamon-dusted french toast, alongside a room-spanning buffet that runs the gamut from perfectly flakey pastries to gem-cut tropical fruits and a dizzying array of cold cuts and cheeses.


