Non-Tourist Tasting Or Priced Good Thai Food On The Baht Bus Circuit?

[Jingthing]

I was just thinking yesterday I am eating less and less THAI food, here in our version of so called Thailand, Pattaya, etc.

Trying to figure out why that is and it occurs to me it is not convenient (on the baht bus circuit) to find good Thai food that isn't just tourist trap/low quality stuff.

To be clear I am not talking street food here (a different topic really) and certainly not talking higher end Thai restaurants such as in hotels.

A good example of the level, quality, flavor, and price of the kind of place that is really hard to find on the baht bus routes is the small Thai restaurant at the entrance of Big C Festival (north part of town). The one with the open windows. Its got a menu with many items you don't find at tourist oriented restaurants, the prices are moderate, the ingredients are decent, and you see many middle class Thai people eating there.

I really don't know many places like that on the entire coastal baht bus route!

For example, there is Surf Kitchen in Jomtien. It is OK but bottom line it's a tourist restaurant. Jomtien Thai restaurants on the baht bus circuit are mostly not good at all! Yes if you go further out towards the end of beach road, then there is good stuff, but not convenient.

Another example, that Flying Vegetable place in the sex district. It's simply not that good!

A place like Kiss. Yes it's cheap but it doesn't meet the standard of what I am looking for.

The Thai stall at the Central food court downstairs is getting closer to the level I am looking for, but not quite.

So for tourists coming to town eating "Thai food" I think they are mostly getting poor, overpriced stuff. Myself, because it isn't convenient to get better, I just eat less of it.

So am I missing something? Specifically, specific places that meet these general criteria:

On the coastal baht bus route

Thai menu that goes behind the obvious touristic standards

Good flavors that Thai people would actual recognize as good Thai food

Priced for the Thai market, for example a green curry at 150 baht would be overpriced

Not using the very cheapest ingredients (the baseline here)

Default cooking style not to throw in tons of SUGAR

Really, I don't know. I'm asking for help. Don't ever say again that I think I know it all!

As I side related question, but it morphs a little into street food, I haven't found ONE place in Pattaya that makes pad krapow better than I can make it myself! I usually order it as a first dish (if they have it) in restaurants new to me, and its shocking how poorly this dish is usually done here. Weird as it sounds, Boat restaurant on 2nd is one of the better versions I have found in town, but objectively it isn't special, its just that the standard everywhere seems to be so bad!

Edited May 20, 2012 by Jingthing

[Markland]

off topic but i am munching on 4 boiled egs with some nuts at the moment

[Jingthing]

off topic but i am munching on 4 boiled egs with some nuts at the moment

Recovering from food poisoning, are you?

[Markland]

off topic but i am munching on 4 boiled egs with some nuts at the moment

Recovering from food poisoning, are you?

no i love eggs and penuts

Edited May 20, 2012 by Markland

[Darrel]

What's wrong with the food court underneath Tukcom? I go there often.

I would go to the one in Central but it's a bit overpriced and has far too many Russians.

[Jingthing]

What's wrong with the food court underneath Tukcom? I go there often.

I would go to the one in Central but it's a bit overpriced and has far too many Russians.

I think the food there is low quality. That's what. Yes I've tried it. At Central, I'm talking only about that one Thai place that has a large Thai menu and is connected to the fancier restaurant upstairs, not the other Thai places at the court. The other Thai food ones are standard food court type food. Nothing wrong with that but it sounds like you didn't read my OP as to the type of place I am looking for.

Some time ago I reported on a place that meets the stated criteria in the City Walk area. Their food was well cooked, delicious, and well priced. It was cooked Thai style spicing on request. Strangely, it lasted less than a year. I guess the rent was too high or something. It's not like it was anything like the best Thai food in the world, only it pretty much met what I think are rather modest criteria.

Oh, here's one that's in the direction of meeting the criteria. Dreamland Issan restaurant on the Jomtien to Pattaya hill road baht bus route. It's very inconsistent though but I have had an excellent Isaan pork curry there, for example.

Anyway, as stated I am looking for more options that at least are somewhat meeting the criteria. That place in Big C mall would be a regular place for me if I lived near there.

Edited May 20, 2012 by Jingthing

[MJCM]

The only 2 places I could recommend are, but they are not really on the coastal baht bus route. (You have to walk a wee bit )

1- The Food place on Soi Bua Khao. Don't know the name.

http://maps.google.co.th/maps?saddr=12.932425,100.887078&hl=en&ll=12.932082,100.889651&spn=0.00619,0.011362&sll=12.93231,100.887762&sspn=0.001548,0.00284&t=m&mra=mift&mrsp=0&sz=19&z=17

1- The "Market" up from Tops towards Third Road (around 200m on your left). Lots of food stalls there.

http://maps.google.co.th/maps?saddr=12.936364,100.887649&hl=en&sll=12.936401,100.887714&sspn=0.003095,0.005681&mra=mift&mrsp=0&sz=18&t=m&z=18

[Jingthing]

It's true there are some better options on Soi Bua Khao and I know the near Tops place too, though have had mixed experiences in there. Not bad.

[RabC]

I will stand-by for a flaming but...........It is 3 years since I was there but Cucumber on Pattaya Tai was good.

[Markland]

place before tot office.Onlt 50 yards before it great food

[PattayaParent]

I will stand-by for a flaming but...........It is 3 years since I was there but Cucumber on Pattaya Tai was good.

Agree it was good but not been there a while myself.

The place at Big C Festival you mention JT IS on the baht bus route, just maybe a long way from Jomtien for you and you have to pay an extra 5 Baht to get there.

The Thai food place at the side of Outlet Mall has been recommended to me by Thai friends but I've not had a chance to try it yet.

[Jingthing]

place before tot office.Onlt 50 yards before it great food

Not sure which place you mean but I just had a pad krapow at a place that MIGHT meet that description and it was pretty awful (sugary sweet). Also that's off the main baht bus coastal route. I made it clear that the kinds of places in the criteria do exist here but LOCATION is one of the criteria. Sure its cool to mention off location places, but what would be real finds for me (and possibly a lot of people) are in the more convenient locations. Edited May 20, 2012 by Jingthing

[Jingthing]

I will stand-by for a flaming but...........It is 3 years since I was there but Cucumber on Pattaya Tai was good.

It's been a while for me too, and I found the food pleasant as well. The pricing however is touristic.

[Markland]

place before tot office.Onlt 50 yards before it great food

Not sure which place you mean but I just had a pad krapow at a place that MIGHT meet that description and it was pretty awful (sugary sweet). Also that's off the main baht bus coastal route. I made it clear that the kinds of places in the criteria do exist here but LOCATION is one of the criteria. Sure its cool to mention off location places, but what would be real finds for me (and possibly a lot of people) are in the more convenient locations.

it is next to family mart..all the local police eat there just before tot office.Same side

very nice

every think about buying a bike ?

[Jingthing]

place before tot office.Onlt 50 yards before it great food

Not sure which place you mean but I just had a pad krapow at a place that MIGHT meet that description and it was pretty awful (sugary sweet). Also that's off the main baht bus coastal route. I made it clear that the kinds of places in the criteria do exist here but LOCATION is one of the criteria. Sure its cool to mention off location places, but what would be real finds for me (and possibly a lot of people) are in the more convenient locations.

it is next to family mart..all the local police eat there just before tot office.Same side

very nice

every think about buying a bike ?

Thanks. Bike? No way.

[lovetotravel]

I will stand-by for a flaming but...........It is 3 years since I was there but Cucumber on Pattaya Tai was good.

It's been a while for me too, and I found the food pleasant as well. The pricing however is touristic.

We've eaten there one time. Nice decor also. I heard they had gotten the chef in on part ownership. One reason for consistent quality. Prices are high, especially for western food.

[dazk]

guess i am lucky i am married to an excellent thai chef, but there is some good food on jomtien beach road more out of the centre if that makes sense seems more of a thai area than falang, had a very good pak ka pow there this morning very spicy not sweet

Edited May 20, 2012 by dazk

[Jingthing]

guess i am lucky i am married to an excellent thai chef, but there is some good food on jomtien beach road more out of the centre if that makes sense seems more of a thai area than falang

Agreed. Not convenient. Going further out the baht buses turn into instant rip off taxis. Location, location, location.

[RabC]

guess i am lucky i am married to an excellent thai chef, but there is some good food on jomtien beach road more out of the centre if that makes sense seems more of a thai area than falang

Agreed. Not convenient. Going further out the baht buses turn into instant rip off taxis. Location, location, location.

Location Location Location also means rent rent rent so prices will go up accordingly.

[Jingthing]

guess i am lucky i am married to an excellent thai chef, but there is some good food on jomtien beach road more out of the centre if that makes sense seems more of a thai area than falang

Agreed. Not convenient. Going further out the baht buses turn into instant rip off taxis. Location, location, location.

Location Location Location also means rent rent rent so prices will go up accordingly.

Yes, but I think there's more to it than that. Look at the places down the sois in inner Jomtien. Some basic Thai restaurants there aplenty. Cheap enough. Mostly really not good! I think the bigger factor is tourist town mentality. It is ironic that this would be a problem ... in a rather large city in Thailand.

So far my assertion in the OP, that meeting the criteria I set which are not that hard in "normal" Thailand, is indeed pretty rare close to the main baht bus circuit. Just wondering if I'm missing something.

Edited May 20, 2012 by Jingthing

[Darrel]

What's wrong with the food court underneath Tukcom? I go there often.

I think the food there is low quality. That's what.

Fair enough. I think that some of the places in there (not all) are very good. Notably the lady who does the various spicy salads.

Salad + rice dish + soup = about 60-70B which does me nicely.

[dazk]

is soi bun kanchana, jomtien on the baht bus route if so we regularly eat at the food place near the covered market small seating area surrounded by vendors

tonight we had som tam, sticky rice, grilled chicken breast and grilled pork 150 B thats for 2 of us, good tasty food good price mixture of thai and falang use the place

give it a try

[Jingthing]

is soi bun kanchana, jomtien on the baht bus route if so we regularly eat at the food place near the covered market small seating area surrounded by vendors

tonight we had som tam, sticky rice, grilled chicken breast and grilled pork 150 B thats for 2 of us, good tasty food good price mixture of thai and falang use the place

give it a try

That's fine and thank you. However, I consider that very common Isaan street food fare though which actually is indeed not too hard to find on the BB route. Looking more for robust full Thai menus.

Which does remind me for the some reason the outdoor food court near Alcazar seems pretty popular and the stall at the back does really good pad krapow pla muek!

BTW, to try to reinforce the concept of the OP, here is in my view an example of the type of Thai menu and restaurant, price level, quality, real Thai flavor etc. that I just can't seem to find on the main baht bus route! It is not only seafood.

http://www.pattayape...IdArticle=18312

Yes, I could go to that place. But it's a schlep for me so I rarely do.

So I ask again, am I missing something? It's looking more like, sadly not so much.

Edited May 20, 2012 by Jingthing

[dazk]

i will pm you when our new place opens full thia menu, good quality at reasonable prices

[br12stol]

Rin kitchen soi 9 Thapraya, great tasting food

[Jingthing]

Rin kitchen soi 9 Thapraya, great tasting food

I haven't been in a while but based on a recommend on the board before, as now I did try the place about three times. It's pretty good, overpriced for what it is, and overall I was so underwhelmed that I stopped going. Also, not too convenient really.

To be fair, I do get why a lot of people like it but for some reason it didn't do it for me enough to make me want to go there again.

Edited May 20, 2012 by Jingthing

[manarak]

JT, I know what you mean.

The best place I know is that hole in the wall on Soi Buakhao, almost opposite Sugar Sugar

There are other places on Pattaya Klang so I have heard, but I still have to try them, and Naklua has a couple of places too.

JT, do you never ride a motorcycle? makes everything so much easier

[lovetotravel]

guess i am lucky i am married to an excellent thai chef, but there is some good food on jomtien beach road more out of the centre if that makes sense seems more of a thai area than falang

Agreed. Not convenient. Going further out the baht buses turn into instant rip off taxis. Location, location, location.

One reason I'm glad I've got a car. Being tied to the baht bus route really locks you in. Same with only owning a scooter. There are quite a few great places, but you definitely need a car to get to them. Restaurants along the bus route are in the busy parts of town, and primarily frequented by tourists who are leaving in a week. Thus, the owners charge more and are not as concerned with price.

[manarak]

guess i am lucky i am married to an excellent thai chef, but there is some good food on jomtien beach road more out of the centre if that makes sense seems more of a thai area than falang

Agreed. Not convenient. Going further out the baht buses turn into instant rip off taxis. Location, location, location.

One reason I'm glad I've got a car. Being tied to the baht bus route really locks you in. Same with only owning a scooter. There are quite a few great places, but you definitely need a car to get to them. Restaurants along the bus route are in the busy parts of town, and primarily frequented by tourists who are leaving in a week. Thus, the owners charge more and are not as concerned with price.

hmmm... what places do you need a car to get to?

everything within 20 Km around Patts is within reasonable range for me :-)

sometimes a bit further - already went to dine in Sattahip, LOL

Edited May 21, 2012 by manarak

[Michaelaway]

Any evening, take the baht bus to the corner of Jomtien Beach Rd. and Soi Chaiyapruk. The first shop on Chaiyapruk, in from the corner, is Tequila Suinrise bar. The place I am (highly) recommending is the restaurant next door (2nd shop from the corner of Beach Rd.), called Im Arroy. This family-run place has really good, homemade Thai food- never had a bad meal there- at reasonable prices, and the staff are attentive and pleasant. They're open late, too.