Members Choice Pattaya -Hit And Run Restaurant "review" topic

[Tom A Hawk]

On 2/21/2025 at 11:56 AM, Jingthing said:

There is new Mexican in town!

Buenos in the Jomtien Complex (gay nightlife area).

Not open for lunch but open late, they are in the soft opening phase.

It appears to be a very promising place going for more of an "authentic" experience than usual. 

No, I haven't been yet. I usually try to avoid very new places getting their sea legs.

 

But some of you may be interested in this free sample party.
I'm assuming they're going to want you to buy a drink or two though.

 

 

Thanks for the update.  I'll give it a few weeks to settle in and I'll go and try it. 

 

I am still surprised there is no Mexican restaurant in Central Pattaya.  There used to be about four of them. 

[Jingthing]

5 hours ago, TaaSaparot said:

There was me, thinking this was a "review" thread 🤔

You're welcome to post your own reviews and also restaurant news, etc. But you choose to only snipe. Sad.

[Social Media]

Post with broken image link has been removed. 

[Centigrade32]

1 minute ago, Jingthing said:

Yes the menu does suggest that they are attempting a higher level of authenticity than we're used  to seeing with Pattaya Mexican. Of course the proof is in the testing. I'm please to see chillaquiles. I'd like to see mole and pozole.

 

Personally, I go to Beefeater at the weekend for my Tex-Mex 'fix'.

[Jingthing]

5 minutes ago, Centigrade32 said:

 

Personally, I go to Beefeater at the weekend for my Tex-Mex 'fix'.

I looked at it. Didn't bother. I could tell it wouldn't do it for me. I like https://www.hotmeals2u.com/ for Tex Mex delivery.  Especially the super burritos with steak.

[Centigrade32]

4 minutes ago, Jingthing said:

I looked at it. Didn't bother. I could tell it wouldn't do it for me. I like https://www.hotmeals2u.com/ for Tex Mex delivery.  Especially the super burritos with steak.

 

I don't like rice and beans and bread all together. I find it unpalatable.

 

Beefeater is good for me and the price is right. Let us know how you find Buenos.

[Jingthing]

24 minutes ago, Centigrade32 said:

 

I don't like rice and beans and bread all together. I find it unpalatable.

 

Beefeater is good for me and the price is right. Let us know how you find Buenos.

Outside of Mexico, "Mexican" food is mostly antijitos. Buenos is no different in that. That's what international people mostly want. Unfortunately, it does give a false impression of what Mexican food actually is -- much more than that. 

 

www.masterclass.com/articles/types-of-mexican-antojitos

What Are Antojitos? 15 Types of Mexican Antojitos - 2025 - MasterClass

 

Burritos though are much more popular internationally than in Mexico. In Mexico they are a Northern Mexican food and generally much more basic than what was developed in the U.S.

 

[Centigrade32]

Just now, Jingthing said:

Outside of Mexico, "Mexican" food is mostly antijitos. Buenos is no different in that. That's what international people mostly want. Unfortunately, it does give a false impression of what Mexican food actually is -- much more than that. 

What Are Antojitos? 15 Types of Mexican Antojitos - 2025 - MasterClass

Burritos though are much more popular internationally than in Mexico. In Mexico they are a Northern Mexican food and generally much more basic than what was developed in the U.S.

 

 

Thanks, but I didn't ask about any of that. I simply stated that I'm happy to go to Beefeaters at the weekend for my Tex-Mex fix. 

It's a quick review thread and that was my review. 

 

[Jingthing]

Menu of Buenos:

[champers]

Not a review, just news of an upcoming opening that might interest some.

El Gaucho are opening a branch at the bottom of Pattaya/Naklua Rd by the Dolphin Circus.

Has anyone tried the Jontiem branch yet?

[Jingthing]

6 minutes ago, champers said:

Not a review, just news of an upcoming opening that might interest some.

El Gaucho are opening a branch at the bottom of Pattaya/Naklua Rd by the Dolphin Circus.

Has anyone tried the Jontiem branch yet?

To clarify, restaurant opening and closing news items are very welcome here as well as any sort of review.

El Gaucho has a good reputation in Bangkok but it is super expensive. 

[Jingthing]

Kitchen Story

Grab Delivery

"Home Cooking" western and westernized Korean

 

OK, I don't think this place is an actual restaurant that you can go to, but they've got meals that you pay for, so close enough.

 

They have a variety of western dishes covering the standard proteins served with rice, fries, or pasta. Koreanish dishes too.

 

What's remarkable?  A number of things.

 

Low prices

Generous portions (especially with the protein portions, I mean really really large)

Obvious cooking talent in the kitchen offering satisfying flavors

 

This is the kind of place where you might think, why bother ever cooking? I think great for single guys stocking up on ready to warm up meals. I would rate the quality level at something like business class airline meals. Definitely decent, not looking for Michelin stars. Main dishes between about 90 baht and 150 (for a salmon vodka cream sauce pasta). Soup only 50 baht!

 

Dishes I've tried so far --

 

Vegetable soup

Beef stroganoff with rice  

Korean chicken noodles

Salmon penne vodka cream sauce

 

Downsides?

No vegetable dishes except for the soup. 

The beef was too tough

Only one fish option, no shellfish

 

I'm not sure how long this place has been around, but they're giving such obvious good value for money that I think as long as they keep their current standard, they'll be doing very well, as most people who try it once will become regular customers.

[candide]

On 1/24/2025 at 6:08 PM, Jingthing said:

Some might remember the SHA XIAN SNACKS type of casual Chinese restaurant which was thriving on 2nd road north of Klang until Covid hit which clearly led to its untimely demise.

In case you don't know SHA XIAN SNACKS is a sort of anarchic international chain out of China of course, presumably with many copy cats.

It's known for lower cost, casual, everyday dishes focusing on their regional style.

They have never presented as selling gourmet level food.

Anyway I did like the old place.

I found a new place doing this style of food also on 2nd road, but this time a short distance north of Pattaya Tai on the away from the beach side.

Can't say that the sign has a name but if you find a small Chinese restaurant at the described location, that's the place.

This place in no way imaginable caters to non-Chinese speakers.

Rather I felt I was being actively DISCOURAGED.

The menu is in Chinese and the staff had almost no patience as I was trying to google translate their menu. Just standing there looking annoyed.

Such behavior doesn't deter me, but eventually i was offered a smart phone with pictures of food but also no English and I didn't like that because I didn't want to accidentally order a dish of stir fried anuses or some such delicacy. 

Possible the most popular dish from this not really a chain are the peanut butter dishes, noodles or dumplings.

But coincidentally I had had a similar dish for lunch and didn't want that for dinner. I presume that they would have it.

Eventually I figured out the places was a sort of SHA XIAN SNACKS type of place and I got confirmation of that as well.

So then I just found a random online menu of another similar menu place with English and quickly found a few things to order showing the Chinese part.

It wasn't an ideal order as I was rushed, but I was a little surprised that the food was quite good. Why? Because this time and a prior time I had stopped in to inquire the place had ZERO customers! The old place was always packed mostly with Chinese people but that place was much more accessible to non-Chinese.

So I got beef noodle soup and wontons with seaweed soup even though I didn't realize the wonton dish was going to also be a soup.  Total cost with water about 270.

By the end of my meal as I had not once complained about anything and happily enjoyed the food, I felt the staff had warmed up to me/

I enjoyed both dishes enough to want to go back and try to order better next time.

I think I can do that because now I have a way that will probably help with that, which I'm sharing now.

 

Here is a typical SHA XIAN SNACKS menu with English and Chinese.

Have a look BEFORE you go. 

 

Order SHA XIAN SNACKS 300 Grand Street Menu Delivery【Menu & Prices】| New York City | Uber Eats

 

About Chinese food, there are several restaurants behind Lanzhou noodles on beach road, when walking towards 2nd road, rather Sichuan style.

I tried one called Base. They serve Beijing and Sichuan food ( they said they have two chefs). The food is authentic, the quality is medium compared to what I used to eat in China. I ate Sichuan/Muslim style skewers (among others). They were overcooked, but maybe it was just bad luck.

[Jingthing]

18 minutes ago, candide said:

About Chinese food, there are several restaurants behind Lanzhou noodles on beach road, when walking towards 2nd road, rather Sichuan style.

I tried one called Base. They serve Beijing and Sichuan food ( they said they have two chefs). The food is authentic, the quality is medium compared to what I used to eat in China. I ate Sichuan/Muslim style skewers (among others). They were overcooked, but maybe it was just bad luck.

Yeah Lanzhou noodles is very good.

I was aware of one of those Sichuan places in that location. I did try it once and found it OK but I haven't been back. 

For me, the Sichuan place in Central Mall is much better.

[JimInPattaya]

Tried Buenos. Did not meet my expectations. Perhaps OK if you never ate Mexican food in Mexico or California.

Burritos, quesadillas and fajitas were very small portions like child size. Prices are very high based on portions.

The fajitas were just wrong being served on a cold Thai hoe tool instead of a hot plate and there was very little beef and the tortillas were dried out and cold.

Quesadillas were small with very little cheese.

Burrito was half the size of many I have eaten elsewhere.

Service needs a lot of improvement.