Rang Mahal is on the 26th and top floor of the Rembrandt Hotel on Soi 18, just off of Sukhumvit.

My buddy (who happens to be of Indian descent), assured me that it was the best Indian restaurant in Bangkok, and after dining there with him and his wife one night, I am not about to disagree with his assessment.

Two dishes stand far above the other very excellent entrees - The roast leg of lamb and the dal. Both are slow cooked all day and perfectly prepared.

The lamb is extremely flavorful, without being hot, and there's not even a hint of that gamey mutton taste you occasionally run into with lamb that's pushing the age limit.

The dal is creamy and earthy, with just the right amount of spice.

The mutton vindaloo (which absolutely does not taste of mutton - I would bet they actually use lamb) was also outstanding. I only place it in a lower category because the previously mentioned entrees were in a class of their own. I would rate the vindaloo among the best I have tasted. If there is one thing I could point at as needing attention it would be the spice level. Vindaloo should be roaring hot, and this one was not. Its hard to fault them for backing off the heat in favor of a more subtle nuance of flavor, but to me the heat is an intrinsic part of what vindaloo is about.

The chicken tikka may have been even better than the Vindaloo. Nicely flavored and fork tender.

The vegetable samosas were huge and tasty, as was the keema and the onion naan.

The atmosphere was very upscale, with many subtle room dividers that seemed to provide just the right amount of privacy. Tables were nicely separated, and we never heard a word other than those spoken at our table.

A very nice group of Indian musicians occupied a "stage" in the center of the room and provided just the right aural ambiance.

Service was very attentive without being intrusive, with the first entrees arriving seemingly moments after we ordered.

And we ordered an enormous amount of food (there were at least a half dozen other dishes I haven't mentioned) for three of us, plus cocktails, a bottle of wine and dessert, so the bill was not cheap. Still, 5000 baht was not out of line with any decent restaurant in the US, and a restaurant of Rang Mahal's level would cost considerably more.

So in the end I'd rate it an excellent value if you're looking for what may very well be some of best Indian food you've ever tasted with better service than I've ever seen in an Indian restaurant.

Definitely a "must do" on my future Bangkok agendas.

Forgot to add:
For reservations (reccommended) the number in Bangkok is 261-7100 and the fax is 261-7016.
I believe the phone number is for the Rembrandt operator who will then connect you to the Rang Mahal.
I just ran into one of their cards with a photo of the interior. I'd forgotten how elegant it was inside - very classy place.

drew