Long Time Previously Popular Indian Buffet Resto Appears Closed

[Jingthing]

This place has been around for dog's years but for the last week or so it's been dark so I assume it's out of business.

It has an interesting history.

For many years they offered an OK Indian buffet (and also regular menu) for 189 baht. I always thought the price was actually a little too low and wondered how they made money, especially because they usually had tandoori chicken as well, rare for a 200 baht-ish buffet.

Then they were taken over by new owners and raised the price to 289. The food was the same. Not a justified increase plus they also seriously jacked up the drink prices.

They met with serious price resistance and were soon mostly empty.

Then they seemingly came to their senses and lowered the price to 219 baht.

However, their reputation was already damaged, and they also made the mistake of not bothering anymore to list the daily offerings on the outside sign, a tradition of the place under the old owners.

The place continued to be empty even with the price adjustment.

End of story?

BTW, I did stop by one time for the 289 version. I tried to tell them their new price wasn't worth it as the food was the same with no added value, and at the very least they needed to offer something different in the meat department than their standard two chicken, only chicken, and always chicken curries everyday. Like a mutton curry daily for example. They pooh poohed the idea.

BTW, I would be happy to pay 300 or even 400 baht for an Indian buffet in town IF the food was actually worth it.

Edited March 10, 2011 by Jingthing

[manarak]

What is the estimated date for your 30.000th post at the current rate?

Edited March 10, 2011 by manarak

[Jingthing]

July 2012

[FarangBuddha]

I went a couple times in the past if I happened to be in the area and fancied Indian food. It's not anywhere near my favorite cuisine but a couple times a years it's okay. There are so many Indian places in town now that I guess it's hard to make a go of it.

[PattayaParent]

I too was a regular at the Kohinoor along with a couple of friends when the price was 189 Baht but we stopped going when I noticed in passing it was increased to 289 Baht, preferring to order 'a la carte' from my local Indian restaurant in a nicer setting.

Previously the place had always had a fair number of Indian origin diners but these seemed to have disappeared when the price increased. Any idea where they go now? An Indian neighbour told me that the best Indian food in Pattaya is at Spices on Beach Road but I've yet to try it.

Are there any good buffets around town in the other retaurants?

[actiondell4]

My favourite Indian food ,mixed together is Lamb Korma,beef vindaloo,and butter chicken with rice.

Is there any good Indian restaurants now in Pattaya.

I see this Indian by nature certainly has a lot of publicity,would you all say that would be number 1 in Pattaya for quality service.?

I remeber there is 1 place,small place on the main Road near the Jomtien complex.

[kevkev1888]

Well I must admit I like very much the buffet at the Beverly Plaza Hotel just across the road.

Again basic only 1 chicken dish 3 or 4 veg dishes and bread but at 200B good value.

There is also Spices2 on third road offering basically the same but not in such a nice environment.

Also there is one I noticed the other day, next to Drinking street 300B but I don't know what is on offer there.

Edited March 11, 2011 by kevkev1888

[Jingthing]

Yep, Beverly Plaza is worth the 200 baht for sure. It's kind of "peasant Indian" though and isn't likely to please Brits looking for tikka masala or some such. Plus, free water.

The 300 baht buffet. Can you be more exact about the location? I'd like to have a look at it.

Edited March 11, 2011 by Jingthing

[Jingthing]

I went a couple times in the past if I happened to be in the area and fancied Indian food. It's not anywhere near my favorite cuisine but a couple times a years it's okay. There are so many Indian places in town now that I guess it's hard to make a go of it.

I still think they'd be doing a good trade if the new owners hadn't changed anything. However, I can't know if they could make money with the old plan. I never quite got how they did before. After all, the place isn't big enough for big tour groups, that's where the money is on buffets, volume.

Edited March 11, 2011 by Jingthing

[kevkev1888]

Yep, Beverly Plaza is worth the 200 baht for sure. It's kind of "peasant Indian" though and isn't likely to please Brits looking for tikka masala or some such. Plus, free water.

The 300 baht buffet. Can you be more exact about the location? I'd like to have a look at it.

If traveling 2nd road from Klang toward North rd, past Big C on the same side as Big C.

You will see drinking street, I think more or less opposite Tiffany, drinking street is a U shape and has 2 entrances onto 2nd road.

The restaurant is on 2nd road on the corner of the drinking street entrance closest to Big C.

I don't know if they offer anything over and above the Beverly Plaza but if they do it would be worth a visit.

If you go look or try let us know what you think.

[saengsureeya]

We've seen a lot of succesful business closing over the last years.

Several reasons, from mis-management, lack of marketing, increasing prices, decreasing quality.

Another important reason can be: drastic increase of rent and key-money on renewel of the 3 or 6 year rent.

A typical Thai way of doing business is to increase the rent with 100-s of percent and double the key-money as soon as they see that the business is a succes.

Just hope that that's the reason for Kohinoor to postpone their business and that they open up elsewhere.

[Jingthing]

OK, something is happening at the old Kohinoor location now.

There will be something new there, still Indian.

They are doing a major revamp and they have already mounted some large picture Indian food signs on the outside (showing various dishes on offer).

No clue yet on whether the name will change, different owner, etc. It does look like it will be a different approach, perhaps a different menu, and no indication of whether a buffet will be offered or not (I guess not).

Punjabi Tadka, very close to this place, now appears to be doing a booming business. It often looks almost full. I think they may be outgrowing their location.

Who knows, maybe PT is moving to the old Kohinoor ? ? ?

[toffo9]

seriously never ever ever go to the one in drinking street.. It was rank

[BruceMangosteen]

Punjabi Tadka, very close to this place, now appears to be doing a booming business. It often looks almost full. I think they may be outgrowing their location.

Who knows, maybe PT is moving to the old Kohinoor ? ? ?

Doubt it, but we will know soon. PT has raised their prices a little and the lamb isn't up to par. They tore out the beer bar next door and added two or three tables. It remains small so looks full with only call it three tables occupied. You have to love the beverage concept, take the order, walk across the street to Family Mart and fill the order at a profit. Saves on overhead and inventory! The kitchen is very small as well.

[Jingthing]

Well, I had this wrong, big time.

Kohinoor is still Kohinoor.

They did a major remodel inside and out and now there is big cool flashy diamond on their front sign (as that's what Kohinoor means, diamond).

They seem to be doing a very soft opening. They have those big food picture items on their sign, but I also noticed a buffet inside.

My guess is those picture signs are about their regular menu implying they might be pushing that more than their buffet which was the old emphasis.

There is no signage yet up about the buffet at all and I have no update on pricing, quality, etc.

I'll wait some time until after the soft opening to check this out further. I'm not super optimistic as I suspect the new look is likely a "justification" for a price hike and to me all I care about is the food, so if that isn't better, I won't be impressed.

I think there is a niche Indian market in town that I don't think anyplace is filling. A higher quality, higher priced, non tour bus, DAILY buffet place. The price point I think would work is 300 (maybe 350) baht, perhaps a smashing Sunday one for 500 with extra special stuff. The food would need to be much more special than the 200 baht buffets in town, at a quality comparable to the better Bangkok Sunday buffets. At those prices a place could afford to do quite a bit of promotion to put asses in seats. I doubt anyone will try this here, so I know, just another food pipe dream.

Edited April 7, 2011 by Jingthing

[Darrel]

Actually Kohinoor means "mountain of light". It is the name of one of the world's most famous diamonds (the Kohinoor diamond in fact) which is now part of the British crown jewels.

It has a fascinating history.

[ricklev]

Price is back to 189 they were happy to tell me.

[Jingthing]

Price is back to 189 they were happy to tell me.

That's kind of funny. Well if the quality compares to their old 189 buffet then I guess that's good news. Still looking for a better quality buffet with of course a higher price expected.

[SGD]

Years ago I actually lived near there for quite some time. I saw the place every day and even when I moved to Jomtien I was driving past a few times a day. I also used to marvel at how they made money, even accounting for the fact that they probably roped in the whole extended family for very little cost.

Over time I learned that they did have a lot of tour arrangements. Now some tours are food inclusive and this is where they benefited. Same shit all day but some local custom, some tourist and most off the tour set up. They also soaked up trade from the Arab quarter on price competitiveness and as their offering was the same shit different day type, they had mastered the art of reducing prices to the absolute bare bones - something a new owner would find hard to replicate.

I will admit to never trying it. Why ? because I don't do buffets and their price was too cheap. A higher price and a la carte would have brought me in but would have alienated their main clientèle.

[Jingthing]

They have always had a higher priced a la carte menu there.

[Jingthing]

OK, I can now report on the "new" Kohinoor buffet.

The interior is indeed cleaned and made more modern. Didn't notice any creepy crawlies on the tables as I remember from the old place. Good job.

The price for the buffet is indeed back to 189 baht.

The food?

Well, it's very similar to the old buffet with some differences.

No complaints on the spices part of it ... tasty.

The yellow dal was very, very heavy and fatty. I am sure they have that dal every night. Some people may like such a high fat dal and I'm not saying it's inauthentic but I strongly do not like it that way.

A veggie dish I enjoyed the night I was there, starch dumplings in a bright yellow sauce.

The chicken and chili dish, kind of an Indian stir fry, sadly, the chicken tasted on the verge of going off.

A fish curry which I welcomed, the fish was even more on the verge of non-freshness (it being fish, more noticeable).

There was no tandoori chicken offered as was always there on the old buffet. Not a huge loss as it was never very good tandoori chicken, but still, missed it.

No dessert offering at all. They used to have something, often fruit, what's not to like about fruit?

Nan brought to table. Mediocre nan.

Sorry, I have to give this new Kohinoor buffet a THUMBS DOWN. While I appreciate that restaurants use buffets to reduce wasted food from their operation, serving borderline rotten food is NEVER acceptable.

Again, I think they would do well to raise the price and up their game. Really good food would be worth more, near rotten food I suppose has value if you're starving. Too bad.

[BruceMangosteen]

OK, I can now report on the "new" Kohinoor buffet.

Any update on this buffet?

FYI only, some local Indian folks used to pay a monthly price eat every day at this location. I don't know about now. Same with Beverly.

I went by the plack withe the orange sign sign the other night and it was closed. Perhaps an Indian holiday?

I've also never read much about the Indian buffet behind Carrefour. Any reports?

There is also a new looking "steakhouse" called "Texas" behind Carrefour. Any experiences or is it even open yet??