Food Beach Jomtien, Beach Yes, Food No

[Jingthing]

OK, silly old fool that I am I thought the new restaurant on Jomtien Beach Road between Soi 6 and 7 may be an exception to the rule of this being tourist trap ground zero, and may offer a fair deal on Thai seafood with a view in inner Jomtien. As you know, this inner Jomtien area on the beach is tourist central and nothing wrong with that per se, but I am always open to the hope that someplace that convenient will open of interest to a value conscious expat.

No such luck with FOOD BEACH.

It is a very attractive little place. Large menu pictures of attractive food, an attractive picture menu mounted on a metal stand featuring silver dolphins, live seafood tank, clean, airy, attractive, and comfortable tables.

Now don't get me wrong. I realize a place like that in a prime high rent location needs to be more expensive than a back soi place with a Thai only menu. So no problem with higher priced drinks or higher priced food. However, once I agree to the higher price for the location and ambiance, I expect VALUE for that money, and FOOD BEACH did not deliver.

The hor muk talay which is curried seafood mouse (served either in a coconut or in foil for less money) was flavorful enough. However, it only had a few tired way overcooked small shrimps and squid rings in a soupy rather than a mouse-y sauce. Sometimes you get lucky and they throw some fish in, not here. The taste was not bad. I ordered the foil version and they played a sneaky trick with that. When presented at the table, it appeared an ample portion. However, they had raised the foil very high to mask the microscopic portion, so that the actual food on the plate was about 1/3 of what it appeared. Sneaky. Tricky. Sleazy. What a tourist trap.

Also had the pak boong fai daeng (green vegetables). This was 1/2 the size of a normal Thai portion and the greens were none too fresh, but acceptable. It was cooked well and well spiced.

And now, drum roll, the coup de gras! In a totally empty restaurant, I was overcharged 30 baht on the hor muk talay. Now I know this happens all the time and quite often it is just laziness/incompetence but in a tourist trap like this, with the sleazy raised foil gambit, I have my suspicions.

Now I am clearly not the target market here. With what they presented, they can't seriously expect any RETURN expat custom. What they obviously want is for people to go for their BY WEIGHT seafood options and spend big as a ONE OFF. I am also a ONE OFF. I won't be back and either should you. Consider yourself warned.

Edited March 30, 2009 by Jingthing

[Hssl]

Haven't bothered with any of the Seafood restraunts like that for ages, i'd rather drive another 10 minutes down the road to Ban Amper (SP?) pay less and get fresher, larger portions

[Jingthing]

I have even found decent Thai seafood much further in (not far from Soi Chayapreuk). And of course those places at the south end of the road.

[Mobi]

The hor muk talay which is curried seafood mouse

Well, just how big do you expect a Thai mouse to be?

Must admit though, I have never tried curried mouse.....

[Jingthing]

Ooops! Or should I say EEEK?

[Mobi]

Probably one of the best values for money, without having to pay Walking Street or Beach side prices, and without having to go too far is Mum Aroy in 3rd Road.

The food and service is excellent, prices very reasonable (as is witnessed by the large number of Thai customers every day), even the ambiance is pretty good.

BTW, English menu.

[pattaya_girl]

The thing that puts me off with the food at Jomtien, its the seafood on show looks like its been there all day. We normaly buy our food elseware and take it onto the beach to eat. The fresh Seafood stalls at Bali Hai Pier will cook it for you and its delicious and nice and fresh.

[JR Texas]

The thing that puts me off with the food at Jomtien, its the seafood on show looks like its been there all day. We normaly buy our food elseware and take it onto the beach to eat. The fresh Seafood stalls at Bali Hai Pier will cook it for you and its delicious and nice and fresh.

If you drive south.......all the way to the end of the road where it start to curve around, there is a restaurant on the beach that Thais like to eat at. You will rarely see a farang there. I highly recommend the crabs........always fresh and good and not too expensive. Name? Don't know......sorry, I speak Thai but don't read it.

[patklang]

The thing that puts me off with the food at Jomtien, its the seafood on show looks like its been there all day. We normaly buy our food elseware and take it onto the beach to eat. The fresh Seafood stalls at Bali Hai Pier will cook it for you and its delicious and nice and fresh.

If you drive south.......all the way to the end of the road where it start to curve around, there is a restaurant on the beach that Thais like to eat at. You will rarely see a farang there. I highly recommend the crabs........always fresh and good and not too expensive. Name? Don't know......sorry, I speak Thai but don't read it.

Rarely see a farang there?????

The times i have been there are always farangs in.I have stopped going as the food went downhill and the service is awful.

[Jingthing]

There are two places at the end of the road, which are you talking about?

[patklang]

the very last one facing you before you take a left.

[MZurf]

Probably one of the best values for money, without having to pay Walking Street or Beach side prices, and without having to go too far is Mum Aroy in 3rd Road.

The food and service is excellent, prices very reasonable (as is witnessed by the large number of Thai customers every day), even the ambiance is pretty good.

BTW, English menu.

I remember seeing the sign somewhere but can't remember the location.

Could you elaborate? Thanks!

[torrenova]

There is only one place I will bother with on the Jomtien strip and that is the place which has the trees amidst the outside seating. Not bad prices and always satisfied with the quality. Again, more for tourists but a fair sprinkling of expats.

I agree with the OP that a decent place could garner business but tourists wouldn't care, expats don't need the location so why pay the daft beach front rents ?

[Jingthing]

Yeah you are talking about the Surf Kitchen, its not bad but not great. They serve crappy grade rice and there are always insects crawling in your food there though, maybe they like the trees.

Posting here because there NOW is a quite decent, quite nicely priced elegant little Thai restaurant in inner Jomtien right on the beach road.

It's called @Home

Very nice place, very lovely food, it is spiced down unless you make a fuss to get it differently (up to you). Most dishes under 100 baht. Good variety of dishes not seen everywhere such as choo chee dishes. The portions are a tad small but the quality is excellent, and most importantly the FLAVOR is excellent.

Edited June 30, 2009 by Jingthing

[Michaelaway]

quote name='Jingthing' date='2009-03-30 19:01:43' post='2629553']

I have even found decent Thai seafood much further in (not far from Soi Chayapreuk). And of course those places at the south end of the road.

Hi,

We have been eating at IM ARROY reaturant, on Soi Chaiyapreuk, for more than three years. It's the place just up from the corner of Jomtien Beach Rd., next door to the (corner) bar, Tequila Sunrise. Anyway, it's family-run and the people are (reserved but) quite friendly. The food is great, in my opinion. Usually, we order a fish- either sea bass or snapper, which are offered in about four different styles of preparation. Whole fish- 250 baht, last week. Always perfect. Also, naturally, a menu full of other Thai dishes. We like things like pramut pat kai kem (squid in spicy sauce with salted egg and vegetables- can be made with shrimp, too); pak boon fai daeng (as you mentioned- we always order with moo krob); plah salit tod (crispy fried chunk/chips of river fish)... but, really, everything here is always good. Never had a bad or overpriced meal. Pretty rare, around these parts! Been there already? Regards,

-Michael

Edited June 30, 2009 by Michaelaway

[Thaifan2]

Nobody has mentioned the best restaurant in Jomtien .Its called Emily on Soi 7 ,100 meters up on the right from beach road .Huge portions and cheap prices .

[bangkokrick]

The thing that puts me off with the food at Jomtien, its the seafood on show looks like its been there all day. We normaly buy our food elseware and take it onto the beach to eat. The fresh Seafood stalls at Bali Hai Pier will cook it for you and its delicious and nice and fresh.

If you drive south.......all the way to the end of the road where it start to curve around, there is a restaurant on the beach that Thais like to eat at. You will rarely see a farang there. I highly recommend the crabs........always fresh and good and not too expensive. Name? Don't know......sorry, I speak Thai but don't read it.

Rarely see a farang there?????

The times i have been there are always farangs in.I have stopped going as the food went downhill and the service is awful.

Seconded. I have been there on numerous occasions and it's always been good. If it wasn't the wife would not eat there.

Cheers, Rick

[Jingthing]

Nobody has mentioned the best restaurant in Jomtien .Its called Emily on Soi 7 ,100 meters up on the right from beach road .Huge portions and cheap prices .

Thai food?

[Lopburi99]

I ordered the salmon "steak" at Food Beach before. It looked great in the menu photo, but when it came I almost laughed out loud because it was razor thin - only about 1/4" . To be fair, it was tasty enough, but I it would take about six orders to satisfy the average ex-pat appetite. BTW, the salmon came on a very large plate, as if one was needed.

The last time we were in Lopburi the wife ordered the salmon steak at Black Canyon Coffee shop. I was happily surprised, it was more than an inch thick and had a delicious sauce. About 150 baht, same as Food Beach.

As for Jomtien Beach, for a full English breakfast I recommend Simple Simon's. I've enjoyed dozens of them and never disappointed.

[Thaifan2]

Nobody has mentioned the best restaurant in Jomtien .Its called Emily on Soi 7 ,100 meters up on the right from beach road .Huge portions and cheap prices .

Thai food?

Thai and Western .

[arachne]

I ordered the salmon "steak" at Food Beach before. It looked great in the menu photo, but when it came I almost laughed out loud because it was razor thin - only about 1/4" . To be fair, it was tasty enough, but I it would take about six orders to satisfy the average ex-pat appetite. BTW, the salmon came on a very large plate, as if one was needed.

The last time we were in Lopburi the wife ordered the salmon steak at Black Canyon Coffee shop. I was happily surprised, it was more than an inch thick and had a delicious sauce. About 150 baht, same as Food Beach.

As for Jomtien Beach, for a full English breakfast I recommend Simple Simon's. I've enjoyed dozens of them and never disappointed.

I'd recommend "CAFE DE JOMTIEN" in Soi Mayday (Soi Chaiyaphruk 1) just 50 meters from the beach opposite 7/11. Excellent food, cheap prices, and friendly and courteous staff. Live acoustic music to boot. Been there several times. In fact I'm surprised South Jomtien doesn't attract more punters. There are so many nice places there

[PattayaParent]

Yeah you are talking about the Surf Kitchen, its not bad but not great. They serve crappy grade rice and there are always insects crawling in your food there though, maybe they like the trees.

<snip>.

Go just a bit further along the road to the Surf International Kitchen and the food is much the same but a little bit more expensive (15 Baht for the steamed mussels) and has a roof so no dropping insects!

[CHdiver]

Surf Kitchen between Soi 6 and 7 is nice too, prices are on the cheap side for the location.

[hobbler]

Why not just head down to Bang Sarae for an excellent seafood meal?

[Jingthing]

Why not just head down to Bang Sarae for an excellent seafood meal?

Because the TOPIC is INNER Jomtien. Not all of us have vehicles ...