Check Bin Shock At Kami Irianian In Pattaya

[Jingthing]

Another Weho moment in Pattaya. What would Weho do?

Here is the setup.

Had a nice meal at Kami Iranian Restaurant near the Beverly Plaza Hotel and Soi VC in South Pattaya. I have been before and their Iranian food is pretty good. Not the best I have had by any means, but the best I have had in Pattaya.

But I digress, back to the Weho moment.

I ordered a main dish, a side dish, and a drink. A full meal by any means.

On a previous visit, I was offered soup FOR FREE by the waiter, help yourself. The soup is in a big asss metal container right in the middle of the restaurant. No price indicated by the container.

So after I ordered, I assumed (silly me!) that the soup was free with a meal order as before. Just in case, I asked the fluent-English speaking waiter, can I have some soup, and he said, sure thing! So I helped myself to a very small portion of the soup. A small portion because once I had a look at it, it looked not so wonderful, and tasting it confirmed. Not bad, not bad for FREE.

So, fast forward, the bill arrives ...

Soup 60 baht

Of course, as I learned from Weho (actually he could have learned from me) I questioned this charge. I said to the waiter it had been free on a previous visit and I had asked him if it is was OK to have the soup and he said yes. Of course, I didn't ask if it was free, and he didn't say it was, nor did he say how much it was when I asked. So, I don't entirely blame the waiter at all, its just a change in policy and a misunderstanding.

Anyway, the waiter said he could take it off the bill. I was pleasantly surprised. So then he comes back and says no he couldn't take it off, because the last time must have been with the buffet. This was where I got annoyed. No, the previous time had nothing to do with the buffet, I had ordered a meal as before. I was now feeling that they were accusing me of trying to scam them, as if I go around plotting how I can score free bowls of sub-par soup. But I am a lover, not a fighter, and of course paid up, as legally I had no legs there. However, what are business owners THINKING treating customers REPEAT CUSTOMERS so shabbily?

I probably know the answer. Short sightedness. One off-itis. Beach resort-itis. Everyone is a tourist to be milked. Nobody is gonna blab about being dissed on an worldwide internet forum, now will they?

And, more importantly of course, what would Weho do? (WWWD)

BTW, check out the food there. It is pretty good. Skip the soup though. They also have Thai food there, but I wouldn't bother with Thai food at an Iranian restaurant.

Edited July 8, 2007 by Jingthing

[kurgen]

Stop thinking about what Whacko would do and start thinking like George UU Bush if some Iranian camel jockey wouldn't give you what you wanted for free.

Just hand over the cooking oil man

[Jingthing]

Stop thinking about what Whacko would do and start thinking like George UU Bush if some Iranian camel jockey wouldn't give you what you wanted for free.

Just hand over the cooking oil man

I don't resemble this attitude.

Iranian peoples are my brothers. And they are cute too.

Peace man.

And Persian cooking is where the word gourmet originated.

[Ulysses G.]

Sometimes restaurants offer something for free, but later decide that they can not afford to do it anymore. For example, several restaurants in Chiang Mai used to offer all the ice tea you could drink for free until too many customers started ordering nothing else, but sitting there drinking ice tea for hours for 25 baht. Now you only get one glass for that price.

According to Weho, should I insist that I want to pay the price that I used to pay and refuse to pay more?

[eek]

Ah..these things are sent to test us.

[Fred Sanford]

Man pal, you've had your share of problems with discounts/freebies at local restaurants. Hopefully you figured out by now that you should order off the menu pointing to the item that you want

[tuffy]

I see 2 mistakes that were made. 1st the original waiter ( i am guessing it was a different waiter the second time around?) was in a good mood and offered you free soup (probably a day or two old and they were trying to get rid of it?)

Second you "assumed" that the soup was always free...everyone know what you get when you assume something. As you pointed out yourself you didn't ask if it as free only if you could have some, what if you asked if you could have a shish kebab, I'll bet you would have gotten the same answer and would have been charged accordingly. Just remember in LOS logical is only a mispronounced word, not a thought process!

[Jingthing]

I see 2 mistakes that were made. 1st the original waiter ( i am guessing it was a different waiter the second time around?) was in a good mood and offered you free soup (probably a day or two old and they were trying to get rid of it?)

Second you "assumed" that the soup was always free...everyone know what you get when you assume something. As you pointed out yourself you didn't ask if it as free only if you could have some, what if you asked if you could have a shish kebab, I'll bet you would have gotten the same answer and would have been charged accordingly. Just remember in LOS logical is only a mispronounced word, not a thought process!

Yes, well, not exactly.

The only sitting out food was the soup. In a communal looking large metal bin. It looked like it was an offering. Also saw other people get up and "help themselves" to the not wonderful soup.

I have to admit I am now wondering whether everyone was charged, if you get my drift.

I would never assume a shish kebob was free.

And if you saw and tasted the soup, you would have thought it should be free too.

But, yes, I am learning my lessons. Never assume anything.

Edited July 8, 2007 by Jingthing

[bazmlb]

Just exactly how much did they sting you for the not free soup?

if it was like 30 baht just not leave a tip

[raro]

Stop thinking about what Whacko would do and start thinking like George UU Bush if some Iranian camel jockey wouldn't give you what you wanted for free.

Just hand over the cooking oil man

right on! 60 Baht for a soup that ought to be free??...nuke 'em!

...see Weho's avatar...

[Humphrey Bear]

If you are a follower of WeHo, then you'll know that he recommends the Sizzler buffet.

There the soup is included with the buffet portion of the meal.

I would say that this was probably the case here - but on your earlier visit the waiter was doing you a favour because the soup wasn't moving very fast.

What's the Chello kebab like? And the spice mixes? It's a long time since I was in Iran - left when the Shah left. But lovely people - I'd still be there if the Americans had backed their man.

[chuckd]

........ It's a long time since I was in Iran - left when the Shah left. But lovely people - I'd still be there if the Americans had backed their man.

I can agree with this! I still miss the Rainbow Cabaret.

Jimmy Carter did none of us a favor when he was in office.

[sometimewoodworker]

Just hand over the cooking oil man

I don't resemble this attitude.

Iranian peoples are my brothers. And they are cute too.

Peace man.

And Persian cooking is where the word gourmet originated.

Would you like to show how you think that is true? As my information does not agree

1820, from Fr. gourmet, altered (by infl. of M.Fr. gourmant "glutton") from O.Fr. grommes (pl.) "wine-tasters, wine merchant's servants," of uncertain origin.

[Jingthing]

If you are a follower of WeHo, then you'll know that he recommends the Sizzler buffet.

There the soup is included with the buffet portion of the meal.

I would say that this was probably the case here - but on your earlier visit the waiter was doing you a favour because the soup wasn't moving very fast.

What's the Chello kebab like? And the spice mixes? It's a long time since I was in Iran - left when the Shah left. But lovely people - I'd still be there if the Americans had backed their man.

There was NO buffet going when I was there, either time.

If you really know great Persian food, you won't be impressed, but it will address a craving.

It seems I was misinformed that the national dish of Iran ghormeh sabzi, and when done well a truly etherial, gourmet dish, indicated the Persian origin of gourmet. Now I don't think so. But it can be ###### fine food, nonetheless.

Hilariously, it turns out the word CHECK is Persian in origin:

The word, CHECK, is perhaps one of the commonest vocabulary items in English. However, this is a loanword from Persian and the origin of it goes back to the word, SHAH. Those who enjoy playing chess would know that once in a while you get to say, "checkmate." MATE in, "checkmate" is from Persian MAUT. The word, chess is also from the same root.

http://www.tapesh.com/forum/archive/index.php/t-6253.html

Edited July 9, 2007 by Jingthing

[Weho]

(3rd person):

weho needs a little more time to sort out this mess. but weho wonders what you would be doing in that restaurant in the first place. have they been checked out by the health department? have they paid up on their music license to play copyrighted songs from the Iranian hit parade? weho thinks you would be safer just going to the Sizzler buffet, where everything is always on the "up and up", and where now, thanks to weho, you can get chilled bottles of water, rather than in the past, when they would hand you a HOT bottle of water, and give you a glass with questionable ice, to pollute the supposedly pure water. you're welcome.

[Jingthing]

This Iranian restaurant is now long closed. No soup for anyone!

[eljeque]

My high school was 1/2 Iranian; graduating class 2/3 Iranian, 1/2 Jewish and 1/2 Muslim. great food. Beautiful and sexy girls. They could really cook well on the weekend parties. Would have liked to trry some again.

[Jingthing]

My high school was 1/2 Iranian; graduating class 2/3 Iranian, 1/2 Jewish and 1/2 Muslim. great food. Beautiful and sexy girls. They could really cook well on the weekend parties. Would have liked to trry some again.

There are still a number of Iranian restaurants in Pattaya. The last time I checked there is only one dedicated Iranian restaurant in Bangkok and it is not as good as the Pattaya places. Actually, your comment is interesting. The best Iranian food I ever had was home cooking by an Iranian Jew.

[siggie2]

My high school was 1/2 Iranian; graduating class 2/3 Iranian, 1/2 Jewish and 1/2 Muslim. great food. Beautiful and sexy girls. They could really cook well on the weekend parties. Would have liked to trry some again.

There are still a number of Iranian restaurants in Pattaya. The last time I checked there is only one dedicated Iranian restaurant in Bangkok and it is not as good as the Pattaya places. Actually, your comment is interesting. The best Iranian food I ever had was home cooking by an Iranian Jew.

Was he cute

[Jingthing]

Was he cute

No but he was a dentist.

[theoldgit]

This Iranian restaurant is now long closed. No soup for anyone!

But as you said they didn't think you were going to post a comment on tinternet, they have now paid the price.

I understand they closed the day after the soup ran out.

[raro]

so we know now the restaurant is closed and so is this thread.

Amen.