Deterioration of Dining Quality and Experience

[In Full Agreement]

On 12/26/2024 at 12:55 PM, Patong2021 said:

I was laid out with awful food poisoning for 2 days. I was literally leaking crap and could not stray far from the toilet. 

 

 

That's a more than adequate description, thank you..

[cdemundo]

19 hours ago, AndreasHG said:

When it comes to quality of the (sweet) bakery, my favored is Paul bakery, not available in Hua Hin.

The scent and flavor of the real butter and the few selected natural ingredients used in its recipes are a triumph of simplicity and pastry art.
Starbucks is a chemical laboratory not a bakery. Its chemists and physicists playing with artificial flavours, colorants and preservatives to bake eyes appealing cakes. Those cakes stay fresh on the shelves for days in a row, worryingly without showing any sign of decay. I never performed the test, but I am under impression that they may glow of an innatural violet light when observed in the dark.
But it's just my opinion, and to each its own.

My daughter lectures me on avoiding preservatives, meh.

They might be harmful to health, apparently might not be harmful as well.

I was in Laos and bought a loaf of bread in the evening.

Next day I went to make a PBJ and every inch of that loaf's surface was spotted with mold.

So I see why preservatives are used.

[kingstonkid]

21 hours ago, AndreasHG said:

When it comes to quality of the (sweet) bakery, my favored is Paul bakery, not available in Hua Hin.

The scent and flavor of the real butter and the few selected natural ingredients used in its recipes are a triumph of simplicity and pastry art.
Starbucks is a chemical laboratory not a bakery. Its chemists and physicists playing with artificial flavours, colorants and preservatives to bake eyes appealing cakes. Those cakes stay fresh on the shelves for days in a row, worryingly without showing any sign of decay. I never performed the test, but I am under impression that they may glow of an innatural violet light when observed in the dark.
But it's just my opinion, and to each its own.

 

Last time I checked STARBUCKS was a coffee shop that served coffee and had cakes and treats for people toeat withtheir coffee. No one I know goes there just to eat the food.  

 

YOu can not compare STARBUCKS to a restaurant as they are 2 different service routes.  Micorwaving a mass produced item is the not same as cooking it.

[kingstonkid]

2 hours ago, cdemundo said:

My daughter lectures me on avoiding preservatives, meh.

They might be harmful to health, apparently might not be harmful as well.

I was in Laos and bought a loaf of bread in the evening.

Next day I went to make a PBJ and every inch of that loaf's surface was spotted with mold.

So I see why preservatives are used.

 

I lived in Pakistan, where everything is fresh without preservatives.  Imagine butcher selling meet on sid or road.  It was explained to me by my driver that that is why there is so  much spice in Pakistani meatsd when cooked.

[Patong2021]

Thank you for the observations and comments.

 

On 12/26/2024 at 7:44 PM, SiSePuede419 said:

I'm going there next year and people are raving about the nice restaurants there.

Yeah, classic upscale Thai restaurant scenario.

They start out good, lots of customers but then they realize they're losing money so they start to cut corners or get a cheaper cook and the customers drift away.

Aren't there several Swedish restaurants there?

Osot place?

Ogen Israeli food?

Dim sum?

Seems like there's some choices there. 😋

 

Ogen has moved up the road, into a new and much fancier location. It also slightly rebranded as Mediterranean Food. I found the  food at the old place a bit too salty, but otherwise interesting. Haven't tried the new location.

 

On 12/26/2024 at 11:09 PM, AndreasHG said:

Frankly speaking (and with due respect) if you really believe that the ‘only reliable and consistently good experience has been with Starbucks’, then I believe you set the bar unusually low when it comes to food.

No surprise you get food poisoning.

 

I received food poisoning from a Thai curry at a midscale restaurant that I frequented for 2 years straight without problem. Once or twice, fish was off, but otherwise, reliable midlevel Thai restaurant.

 

Starbucks has consistency. It's bakery items are produced to exacting quality standards. Despite comments to the contrary, the baked goods do not rely on chemicals and additives. I purchased a piece of apple pie the other day. It was mostly apples and it was good.  It was not a palm oil palm oil crust. The croissants are made with butter. The blueberry muffin has real blueberries.

 

There are several "French"  and "Japanese" style bakeries in the  2 shopping malls here. The products look good, but the quality is generic  western grocery chain. I have tried 3 different European bakeries, one is French and the either 2 German. Quality is decent, but it is a hastle to have to make a special trip to the bakery , especially since I can't consume a loaf in a day or two like  a normal family does.  I go to the Europeans because I don't want sugary bread, and like a good rye or whole grain.

 

I will be back to eating more salads and fruit at home again.

[wavodavo]

On 12/27/2024 at 7:59 AM, Colabamumbai said:

Agree about poorer food quality and smaller portions. 

It seems to me Patong Dong , that you must be a pommy born whinger. I think that you would be better off eating at home from now on as you will never be satisfied.Can I suggest that if you are at a Buffet breakfast and as long as it is not on closing time and you find emty food vessels that you politely ask one of the staff or the manager to refil them. I always do that and it works every time.

[thurien]

On 12/27/2024 at 9:18 AM, newbee2022 said:

However, the bit more expensive hotels here offer good food. (maybe possible by influence of Chinese tongues and taste?)

 

"good quality food" and "Chinese tongues" just wont go together ... 🤕

[Chris Daley]

Stench of urine, filthy tables, broken plastic chairs, no english menu, no aircon.  And then you have the bad ones.

[SiSePuede419]

On 12/28/2024 at 1:55 PM, Patong2021 said:

Ogen has moved up the road, into a new and much fancier location. It also slightly rebranded as Mediterranean Food.

Rebranded?

Israeli food is Mediterranean food.

Specifically, Palestinian food.

Jews in Europe weren't eating Mediterranean food.

They adopted the local cuisine upon arrival. 

But yeah, I can understand why they're running away from the "Israeli" brand...

 

Baby killers® brand "We kill'em, cuz their parents don't want peace" 😲

 

Many dishes that are considered "Israeli national food" were learned from Palestinians, including hummus, falafel, msabaha, baba ghanoush, and knafeh. 

[Patong2021]

3 hours ago, SiSePuede419 said:

Rebranded?

Israeli food is Mediterranean food.

Specifically, Palestinian food.

Jews in Europe weren't eating Mediterranean food.

They adopted the local cuisine upon arrival. 

But yeah, I can understand why they're running away from the "Israeli" brand...

 

Baby killers® brand "We kill'em, cuz their parents don't want peace" 😲

 

Many dishes that are considered "Israeli national food" were learned from Palestinians, including hummus, falafel, msabaha, baba ghanoush, and knafeh. 

The restaurant previously had a more pronounced Israeli identity. I expect it made some subtle adjustments because of people like you, who despite knowing nothing about the  establishment come up with idiotic statements  like baby killer,

Iaraeli food is not Palestinian food anymore than Jesus was a Palestinian, as is now claimed. It's like comparing Mama noodles to Italian pasta. 

 

And yes Jews in Europe most certainly ate Mediterranean food. Greece, Southern Italy, and Spain all  offer their variation of Mediterranean cuisines. Jews were present in those countries long before Christianity.

 

Palestine was an invention of the Roman occupation and was intended to both insult and act as a forced cultural destruction to eliminate the indigeneous Israelites who had rebelled against the  Roman occupation. There were no Palestinians until the Romans created them.

[Jingthing]

Fancy some Persian food?

Israeli food isn't Palestinian food.

It's a fusion of different cultures with of course Arabic origins being important.

I like the spicier Yemenite Jewish origin dishes.

Israeli kids are crazy for chicken schnitzel. Does that sound Palestinian?

I can understand in the current environment why some Israeli restaurants might want to play games like the Iranians did with Persian. 

Nobody owns foods.

Does Italy get a commission for every pizza? 

[geisha]

On 12/27/2024 at 2:06 AM, newnative said:

      I am in Pattaya.  Spouse and I eat out fairly often and we have not noticed any deterioration at the restaurants we go to regularly.  Yesterday we had a delicious lunch with four friends at one of our favorite restaurants here on The Darkside.   We don't eat at too many chain restaurants but those we do eat at, such as Miyazaki and Fuji, have maintained quality and food portions.   Luckily, living in Pattaya there is a wide variety and number of restaurants to choose from.  If one goes downhill, we can stop going to it and there are plenty of others to choose from.  

How’s chez Pascal these days ?

[geisha]

My usual restaurant that was stuck onto immigration on soi5 Jomtien has moved to Nong Prue somewhere. Looks great from photos if it has kept all the staff. I nearly cried.   When I asked “ no sugar” or not too “ spicy “ , I got it. 
it was decent food for the price.  I like Aqvavit on beach rd Jomtien and eat there twice a week.  I asked about Chez Pascal Pattaya ? I’ve been away so  would like some news of good restaurants. 

[Peabody]

On 12/27/2024 at 1:46 PM, bkk6060 said:

Probably the place for me which is consistently decent is Sizzler.  Hard to find good salad here Sizzler is pretty good and fresh. Add, I get the pork loin meal with a baked potatoe 399 all in. If you hit the salad bar 2 or 3 times it is above average and decent value.

I have to laugh! Actually got that very meal today. Had them put it all in take-home bag and made several trips to the salad bar. I just now ate the baked potato!  🙂

[FritsSikkink]

On 12/26/2024 at 12:55 PM, Patong2021 said:

This holiday season, I have been eating out frequently in Hua Hin  with my friends and am profoundly disappointed by the deterioration in the quality of food at many places that were once reliable and had some semblance of standards. It covers all types of dining. I don't believe it is attributable to the high season surge of  visitors, but rather a calculated selection of lower quality ingredients, and the cutting of  corners. Am I alone? Here are some examples;

 

- A couple weeks ago I was transiting through Bangkok and statyed at the airport Novotel. Breakfast buffets are never anything to celebrate, but  Novotel once had a decent breakfast spread. What I experienced was empty selection offerings and what was available was cold. This was at 8:30 AM after the  breakfast rush.

-Stayed at  a Dusit, which is usually reliable and consistent in its quality. 500 baht for breakfast buffet and that also featured empty serving  trays. It was a farce.

-Had dinner last week at my once favourite Brazilian steak house in town. They come along and carve off beef, lamb, chicken whatever. I had not eaten here in 6 months as I was scaling back on beef. Well, what a shock. The beef was  tough, and  limited. Instead, they tried to push the pork belly, pineapple, greasy chicken wings. The result is that I won't  go back.

- Had breakfast  at Coffee Club. It was just unappetizing . Not bad, but not good.

- Tried a chain -  ****  ***nection. A 3200 baht insult with a nasty beef serving.

- Had a Burger King Chicken crispy yesterday and it left me feeling ill. Smeared with white goo, wilted lettuce, and characterized by grease.

-Yesterday, breakfast at a local go to place that I usually enjoy. Just awful. The bacon was 2 flat wedges of fried sliced fat. 200 baht.

- Last week, Chicken  Curry at one of my regular restaurants. I was laid out with awful food poisoning for 2 days. I was literally leaking crap and could not stray far from the toilet. 

- Went to the fish strip at the night market. The fish I was served, was not fresh. The other dishes were  greasy. 1500 baht for a mediocre experience at a place that had once been decent.

The only reliable and consistently good experience has been with Starbucks. Its bakery items are always fresh.

 

I will be mostly eating at home for the coming weeks. Ok, so this may read like a rant, but I just can't get over how quickly the quality of restaurant dining has deriorated in the past  few months. Looking at many of the visitors who are in the estaurants, I don't think many of them know that they are being  taken advantage of. In years past there were lots of wine and cocktail drinkers, Now, so many of them are beer drinkers and ordering much less than before.

 

Ok, so I am over reacting, or have you noticed this now too?

Several breakfasts in Dusit Thani Hua Hin last January where good and no empty plates.

I haven't eaten at Burger King for decades, so can't compare and don't know the other establishments you are referring too. Most restaurants in BKK I am going to have same quality as before.

 

[SiSePuede419]

8 hours ago, Patong2021 said:

Iaraeli food is not Palestinian food

 

8 hours ago, Patong2021 said:

Many dishes that are considered "Israeli national food" were learned from Palestinians, including hummus, falafel, msabaha, baba ghanoush, and knafeh. 

You disagree with the facts.

Just because Palestinians didn't use that word doesn't mean they're weren't Arabs living there when the Zionists starting invading their land in the early 20th century.

 

Ashkenazi Jews from Northern Europe didn't eat "Mediterranean food".

 

They ate German or Polish food.

 

The Jews who migrated to NYC from NORTHERN Europe all opened shops selling NORTHERN EUROPEAN food there, not Mediterranean food.

Go to Katz's Deli.  It's German food.  Yeah it is a blend, like potatoes from South America.  That's because Germans were using them to make potato pancakes.  Now the New York Jews all think Latkes are "Jewish" food when it's really German.

 

ChatGPT says you're a religious partisan who doesn't know what the <deleted> you're talking about. 😂

 

Many dishes that are considered "Israeli national food" were learned from Palestinians, including hummus, falafel, msabaha, baba ghanoush, and knafeh.

 

 

8 hours ago, Patong2021 said:

 

 

[seajae]

I too have noticed that some of the more popular restaurants have dropped the bundle on their food quality, they were great at one stage but their quality has dropped a lot, The thing is I have also found that local mum & pop shops have maintained their quality and service so we have dropped going to bigger name shops and go to the smaller local ones  and still get great food. If I had to put up a reason it would be profits in the bigger name ones, they are now after a lot more profit and dropping quality and service are the result while mum & pop shops  havent changed, they rely on regular customers without all the fancy bits & pieces, they are cheap and very good while maintaining the quality of their ingredients as well as service.

As for coffee I find starbuck s coffee is garbage as is most of the brand name coffee, again they rely on their name only and not the quality. If I want to get a good coffeee I go the the smaller shops, I select the roast not accept the style they make the shop use or I make it at home with beans I buy and grind it myself. Many thais as well as other only go to branded shops because they want people to think they are more than they really are, same with some restaurants, when I read about all the crap about big brand shops I cant stop laughing, this is Thailand, its not the west so everything depends on profits, this is one of the first things you learn living here, profits are more important than anything else especially with branded shops, maybe do as the locals do and eat at the better mom & pop shops

 

 

[newnative]

7 hours ago, geisha said:

How’s chez Pascal these days ?

Haven't been there in sometime but when we went the meals were great and the service wonderfully unhurried. 

[Patong2021]

5 hours ago, SiSePuede419 said:

 

You disagree with the facts.

Just because Palestinians didn't use that word doesn't mean they're weren't Arabs living there when the Zionists starting invading their land in the early 20th century.

 

Ashkenazi Jews from Northern Europe didn't eat "Mediterranean food".

 

They ate German or Polish food.

 

The Jews who migrated to NYC from NORTHERN Europe all opened shops selling NORTHERN EUROPEAN food there, not Mediterranean food.

Go to Katz's Deli.  It's German food.  Yeah it is a blend, like potatoes from South America.  That's because Germans were using them to make potato pancakes.  Now the New York Jews all think Latkes are "Jewish" food when it's really German.

 

ChatGPT says you're a religious partisan who doesn't know what the <deleted> you're talking about. 😂

 

Many dishes that are considered "Israeli national food" were learned from Palestinians, including hummus, falafel, msabaha, baba ghanoush, and knafeh.

 

 

 

 

       You are seeking to turn this thread in a vehicle  to convey your political views. I am not going to facilitate your hate.

 

[Patong2021]

9 hours ago, FritsSikkink said:

Several breakfasts in Dusit Thani Hua Hin last January where good and no empty plates.

I haven't eaten at Burger King for decades, so can't compare and don't know the other establishments you are referring too. Most restaurants in BKK I am going to have same quality as before.

 

Ok, but my comments are on what has occurred over the period of the last 12 months. Dusit had excellent standards. Accor, Marriott too My Dusit sheets had 2 small holes in them during a recent stay.  Something has happened at many places.

 

I used to eat egg mcmuffins 2-3X a year. It's convenient at 07:30 in the morning.  Last visit I noticed that they offer "oil spray" instead of butter on the muffins. It's obscene to spend 3500 baht for a basic steak dinner for 2 and to be served a chunk of gristle and fat. Where I could once count on some meat in my bacon, some  places have switched to the lower cost Thai cuts which are almost all fat. It is a collective reduction in quality, much as manufacturers have reduced portion sizes in containers, but kept the same price without telling consumers.

 

'

[SiSePuede419]

11 hours ago, Patong2021 said:

 

       You are seeking to turn this thread in a vehicle  to convey your political views. I am not going to facilitate your hate.

 

No, I have only stated facts.  Your views are selfish Antisemitic opinions not facts against other Semetic people.  And only opinions.  It's only hate if I state facts that make you look like you support killing babies (hint: you do).  Your morality is "Our Rules don't apply to us".  Oh, what great moral values your people have bestowed upon us!  Let's verify..."Thou shall not kill".  According to you, it only applies to non-Jews.  Non-Jews shouldn't kill Jews.  Jews can kill other Non-Jews because yada yada yada.  Whatever excuse you want to use is UP TO YOU I'm not going to argue except to sum up your overarching principal of your people.

"We're Special, The Rules Don't Apply to Us"

Think I am being overly dramatic?

Go subscribe to Times of Israel.

Wait some time then unsubscribe.

They take you to their website saying "unsubscribed" but they keep on sending you email.

Why?

"Thou shall not lie" doesn't apply to Jews.

Might makes right.

If they can get away with something, that means they're smarter than us.

Wouldn't be surprised if they're trying to infect visitors coming to their website with malware to spy on them.

Brilliant. 😄

[Nick Carter icp]

17 hours ago, SiSePuede419 said:

 

Many dishes that are considered "Israeli national food" were learned from Palestinians, including hummus, falafel, msabaha, baba ghanoush, and knafeh.

 

 

   Not true, falafel and Hummus originate from Egypt .

Israel doesn't have a national dish, although Israel food is heavily influenced by Middle Eastern food in general 

[Nick Carter icp]

37 minutes ago, SiSePuede419 said:

 

Go subscribe to Times of Israel.

Wait some time then unsubscribe.

They take you to their website saying "unsubscribed" but they keep on sending you email.

 

 

  You need to unsubscribe from their E-mail list , if that doesn't work, you can just block them .

  A small insignificant thing like receiving an E-mail and you blow it out of proportion and make a big issue out of it .

[youreavinalaff]

On 12/29/2024 at 7:46 AM, Chris Daley said:

Stench of urine, filthy tables, broken plastic chairs, no english menu, no aircon.  And then you have the bad ones.

They obviously knew you were coming and offered the service to which you deserve.

[FritsSikkink]

On 12/27/2024 at 10:02 AM, kingstonkid said:

I stay away from hotel restaurants because they usually are not that great.

 

My idea is to stay away from 5 star hotels as they tend to be smaller and more expensive would rather stay at 3 star and get a good meal.

Uh, the Landmark is a 5 star hotel.

[kevozman1]

I have noticed it regarding Thai food served around the country, which I did used to like eating, but in recent years it's hit and miss whether I enjoy it. Quality does seem to have gone down. Mookatas don't seem to be what they were and I used to live eating at those places. I tend to prefer Western restaurants thesedays and from next year be in a rural joint where sourcing local ingredients is easier for home cooking.

[SiSePuede419]

On 12/30/2024 at 11:19 PM, Nick Carter icp said:

A small insignificant thing like receiving an E-mail and you blow it out of proportion and make a big issue out of it .

Maybe.

I love Jews.  They're very good business people and are the morning successful group of immigrants in America with the highest incomes.

I send my child to a Jewish school.  They make challah bread on Friday.  My kid doesn't eat it.  He only likes high quality whole wheat bread. I don't care.

If I were to visit Israel I would definitely visit kibbutzs, because they sound like hippie communes.

I also like Mediterranean food.  I plan to visit Ogen or whatever they call themselves in HH.

It's difficult to find good Israeli food in Thailand.  Maybe it exists, but nothing as good as the Israeli food I've eaten on America's East coast or in LA.

Downtown LA probably has one of best Israeli restaurants in the world.  It's not kosher and they serve at least one menu with pork.  "Not everyone in Israel eats kosher" I was told.  Some Jews in America eat bacon.  I knew this one San Francisco Jew who told me how he loved to eat bacon.  Not every Jew is a religious Wackjob.

Not every Jew supports the government of Israel killing babies.

In fact, not every Israeli supports their government killing babies.

About 33% are against it.

Are they hate filled Antisemitics?

No.  Of course not.

Yeah, there's a reason why a restaurant would rebrand from "Israeli food" to " Mediterranean food".

It's not because of me.

I'm not the one killing hungry babies in breadlines.

Stop blaming the messenger.

As long as they don't have a sign in the window saying "We support Zionist Baby Killers", I'm good with spending my money there to try their version of Mediterranean food.

If the food is good, I will give them a good review and come back.

That's how smart capitalism works.

Buh bye. 👋

 

[Nick Carter icp]

1 minute ago, SiSePuede419 said:

 

Not every Jew supports the government of Israel killing babies.

In fact, not every Israeli supports their government killing babies.

About 33% are against it.

Are they hate filled Antisemitics?

No.  Of course not.

Yeah, there's a reason why a restaurant would rebrand from "Israeli food" to " Mediterranean food".

It's not because of me.

I'm not the one killing hungry babies in breadlines.

Stop blaming the messenger.

 

 

   Israel are not deliberately killing babies though , it was Israeli babies that deliberately got killed on Oct 7 th by Palestine

   Don't believe the Hamas lies and propaganda about Israel deliberately killing babies , Israel tried to avoid all civilian casualties, but its Hamas who puts it civilians in the firing line .

   Palestinians keep going on about dead babies all the time to play on your emotions , like, who would support killing babies (apart from the actual Palestinians who did actually kill babies )

  Don't believe their lies and propaganda 

[Nick Carter icp]

On 12/26/2024 at 12:55 PM, Patong2021 said:

This holiday season, I have been eating out frequently in Hua Hin  with my friends and am profoundly disappointed by the deterioration in the quality of food at many places that were once reliable and had some semblance of standards. It covers all types of dining. I don't believe it is attributable to the high season surge of  visitors, but rather a calculated selection of lower quality ingredients, and the cutting of  corners. Am I alone? Here are some examples;

 

- A couple weeks ago I was transiting through Bangkok and statyed at the airport Novotel. Breakfast buffets are never anything to celebrate, but  Novotel once had a decent breakfast spread. What I experienced was empty selection offerings and what was available was cold. This was at 8:30 AM after the  breakfast rush.

-Stayed at  a Dusit, which is usually reliable and consistent in its quality. 500 baht for breakfast buffet and that also featured empty serving  trays. It was a farce.

-Had dinner last week at my once favourite Brazilian steak house in town. They come along and carve off beef, lamb, chicken whatever. I had not eaten here in 6 months as I was scaling back on beef. Well, what a shock. The beef was  tough, and  limited. Instead, they tried to push the pork belly, pineapple, greasy chicken wings. The result is that I won't  go back.

- Had breakfast  at Coffee Club. It was just unappetizing . Not bad, but not good.

- Tried a chain -  ****  ***nection. A 3200 baht insult with a nasty beef serving.

- Had a Burger King Chicken crispy yesterday and it left me feeling ill. Smeared with white goo, wilted lettuce, and characterized by grease.

-Yesterday, breakfast at a local go to place that I usually enjoy. Just awful. The bacon was 2 flat wedges of fried sliced fat. 200 baht.

- Last week, Chicken  Curry at one of my regular restaurants. I was laid out with awful food poisoning for 2 days. I was literally leaking crap and could not stray far from the toilet. 

- Went to the fish strip at the night market. The fish I was served, was not fresh. The other dishes were  greasy. 1500 baht for a mediocre experience at a place that had once been decent.

The only reliable and consistently good experience has been with Starbucks. Its bakery items are always fresh.

 

I will be mostly eating at home for the coming weeks. Ok, so this may read like a rant, but I just can't get over how quickly the quality of restaurant dining has deriorated in the past  few months. Looking at many of the visitors who are in the estaurants, I don't think many of them know that they are being  taken advantage of. In years past there were lots of wine and cocktail drinkers, Now, so many of them are beer drinkers and ordering much less than before.

 

Ok, so I am over reacting, or have you noticed this now too?

 

  Could be the cost of the ingredients ?

Costs rise and they make cut backs 

[SiSePuede419]

8 minutes ago, Nick Carter icp said:

Israel are not deliberately killing babies though

You're free to believe anything you want.  That's just your opinion not a fact.

Israel is killing babies.  Fact.

You can claim it's justified or collateral damage or not enough they should kill them all.

Up to you.

Killing hungry babies in breadlines was admitted by Israeli soldiers.

Google the headline and read for yourself.

Anyone that supports killing hungry babies in breadlines by snipers can go <deleted> themselves. ✅