News Cafe- Saturday Buffet Review

[Michaelaway]

REVIEW:

After reading about it on Thaivisa.com, we went to NEWS CAFE on Thapraya Road in Jomtien yesterday for their Saturday Lunch Buffet/ 199 baht... once we got around the maze of choked construction on the road, directly in front of the restaurant.

A lot of food here, mostly Swedish I guess. Like meatballs (odd, kinda sweet!) in cream sauce and potato hash with bacon & chopped, little hot dogs. Also, they had ribs in a tomato sauce (We make better at home), potato salad (boiled potato cubes and mayo- that's it), beef brochettes (a lotta beef, but kinda tough- no surprise), pasta salad (dull), seafood salad (a few shrimp chopped over shredded cabbage), regular salad fixings (sans lettuce), bread & butter, and... No rice (ever seen that at a Thai buffet?) Lastly, there was a bin of taco meat/sauce offered with a few toppings but no cheese and, amazingly, no taco shells tortilla chips or anything to go along.

The restaurant is nice, clean and comfortable. The limited service we required was fine. The staff's English was minimal. Yesterday, as with so many local establishments these days, there was a very small crowd taking part- 3 big Scandinavian guys kept busy, talking little, and gorging themselves from mounded dinner plates. They were the only other diners for most of the time we were there until 2 other big buffet guys came in about 10 minutes before we left.

CONCLUSION:

The quality of the ingredients was fine; the preparation was simply... uninspired.

199 baht: good deal for a buffet

Food: Ok, but not memorable

Returnability: Unlikely

New Cafe:

Budget Gourmet score of 65 (out of 100)-

"If you're Swedish, maybe you'll like it..."

My opinion only...

Edited August 30, 2009 by Michaelaway

[bobbin]

Agree 100%.

Uninspired.

[prospero]

Maybe I'll go when they figure out taco shells.

[eljeque]

I'll go when I'm Swedish

[Jingthing]

I'll go when there is no other source of food ...

[actiondell4]

I went to NEWS Cafe yesterday,should of gone today for their 199 buffett (Saturday).............I ordered their cheeseburger and fries.

My opinion,food was good ,well presented,fresh coleslaw with the cheeseburger,real chips not fries.

However at 245 baht seemed a bit expensive,as I know I can get similar pricing in Farangland if I wanted.

Having said that,the food ,cheeseburger was tasty,well presented and meduim serving.

The female waitress was very polite,attentive and good english.

Its more like a cafe than a restaurant however seems to have a lot of pricier dishes available.

I will try to get in for the weekend buffetts,apparently every saturday and sunday from 12pm to 3pm,I think for 199 baht.

Edited April 2, 2011 by actiondell4

[Michaelaway]

In the give credit where credit is due department, I want to change my initial review of the NEWS CAFE's Saturday & Sunday brunch buffet (199 baht) from, "unispired," to, "pretty darn good!" Went there again Saturday with a friend. The place was pretty busy; about 20 people. I think they deserve the customers: definitely improved since last time. Here's what we found:

Cold Salads- Garden, Seafood (still not much seafood), Potato, Macaroni- 5 or 6 total; all fresh and tasty

Assorted Sauces/dressings, 5 or 6- very good idea; some were better than others

Shrimp Brochettes, Beef Brochettes- Batches of skewers come out periodically; some were too heavy on the bbq sauce but still good; loved the shrimp; steak was fairly tender, too.

Chicken Brochettes with Satay sauce- goooooood...

Meatballs in Sauce- Swedish style*

Creamed Meat & Potato Hash- Swedish style*

BBQ Ribs- Many people chowing down on these; large-size (I'm a baby-back man, myself)

Conclusion: Pretty darn good.

*Swedish dishes looked good but were somewhat bland for my taste.

PS- Coke: 55 baht, Water: 40 baht