The Hit And Run Restaurant "review" Thread

[gaff]

On 7/29/2018 at 5:14 PM, Spidey said:

A sardine is a small European pilchard. I can't imagine any "expensive and nice" restaurant serving tinned sardines. I only ever seen fresh sardines served in a restaurant, save maybe, on toast in a transport café.

 

Many other fish equally nutritious, try makerel (tinned makerel is used in Thai cooking), or herring.

 

If you insist on tinned sardines, most supermarkets, in Thailand, sell them. They won't be "the usual dirty Thai sardine cans" because sardines aren't canned in Thailand.

 

It's true that nobody in the world except French and some rich US people know what is a good sardine.

Any fish in can is called sardine, but some are few years old and really good.

Of course I have never seen them in Thailand, but maybe a good French restaurant could have them ? They cost $20 a can in some French or US shops, so I cannot imagine how much they would cost here ?

If anybody knows where to eat the real best quality sardine in Pattaya can tell me, thank you.

Sardine is the best fish that anybody could eat, I know that most normal people (without healthy food knowledge) don't know, but it's true. I will never eat again any Thai ssshhiitt fish, even if you pay it for me.

 

 

 

 

[opporna]

On 7/24/2018 at 3:43 AM, Jingthing said:

Wouldn't it be great if along with the now HUNDREDS of Indian restaurants in town now (some specializing in specific Indian regions) that we had one, just one, Malaysian restaurant?!? Too much to ask apparently.

Bam! As I was getting ready to post the following, I caught up on posts I had missed and came across the one above; stay tuned for relevance:

 

Malaysia Cafe

 

New place, open only a few days according to the owner. On Soi 16 Central Pattaya Road, north side just east of 2nd road. I happened to be passing on a walk, a bit of kismet.

 

I tried the black bean bitter melon with ground pork and dried fish. It was excellent. The dish I had was 100 baht and was much larger than a Thai dish would be and included a large portion of rice as well. I was unable to finish it. The water was 20 baht.

 

They have an extensive menu and the owner was very nice--seems his daughter and wife are the wait staff and he does the cooking. I cannot recommend this place highly enough--get there while you can as we all know good intentions and good food don't necessarily lead to success here in Pattaya. Hopefully their guest house and such will sustain things until they can build a clientele.

 

The food is good, tons of interesting things to try there, an exciting new addition to our scene. Please go and support this place.

[Jingthing]

3 hours ago, opporna said:

Bam!
...

Thank you, thank you, thank you!

As far as I'm concerned reports like yours are the most important value of this very long running thread.

This place is not in a remote location so many people would have eventually noticed it, but we're hearing it from you soon after they opened. 

I couldn't agree more about supporting such places and without delay.

To try at least once and returning if you like it.

Procrastinating about going or returning if you like it as so often places aren't there any more, sometimes shockingly soon. (Arapazos Venezuelan ... so sad.)

Edited August 4, 2018 by Jingthing

[opporna]

11 hours ago, Jingthing said:

This place is not in a remote location so...

Actually, the street it's on is close to the action but not well traveled. There are many Indian restaurants there, but no customers which put me off a bit.

[Jingthing]

Actually, the street it's on is close to the action but not well traveled. There are many Indian restaurants there, but no customers which put me off a bit.

Oops. Thanks for the correction. I originally read that as being on Pattaya Klang. The actual location is indeed much less traveled. Yet because of you posted on this thread news of its opening is now out there to the English speaking expat crowd.

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[opporna]

The Vietnamese Sandwich place bears another mention. The food is spot on excellent and the price is amazingly cheap--one of the few times you can get non-Thai food at Thai prices. They need more business though, please people support this place, it's one of the best new places I have seen in Pattaya in many many years.

 

All their sandwiches are excellent in my opinion--I've tried them all. I have yet to try the steak but I'm guessing that's good too. Pictures below from today. 45 baht each sandwich. That is not a misprint, 45 baht! They have ones with less filling for 35 too, amazing. They bake their own bread, and it's excellent. Amazing indeed.

 

Here's the location on Soi Kao Talo close to Sukhumvit:

 

https://goo.gl/xJ6ouP

 

[Jingthing]

Malaysia Cafe was closed at 730 tonight when I arrived. They would not commit to a regular closing time when I asked. I did get a chance to peruse the menu. It was interesting and there are a number of dishes I would like to try assuming the food is good. It wasn't really a menu including the more famous Malaysian classics. Not very Malay actually. My impression was more of a Chinese Malay orientation. Not complaining. Just describing as I saw it.

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[DrTuner]

43 minutes ago, opporna said:

The Vietnamese Sandwich place bears another mention.

I wanted to get one last Saturday, around 3pm the place was closed with some yellow sign on the door. Did I miss it already?

[opporna]

Just now, DrTuner said:

I wanted to get one last Saturday, around 3pm the place was closed with some yellow sign on the door. Did I miss it already?

Not sure what happened. I got sandwiches today at about 2 pm. I'll ask next time for their phone number.

[Jingthing]

A modest proposal.

It occurs to me there are literally hundreds of Indian restaurants in town now.

Is there any interest in a separate dedicated hit and run thread only about local Indian restaurants? Including Pakistani and Bangladeshi food too of course.

 

If you like this idea please indicate by liking this post. If about ten people like the post within a reasonable time span I will open such a thread. If not, I won't.

 

I can imagine the way things are going a similar question will eventually come up about Chinese restaurants. But currently really no comparison to Indian restaurants in number. Just noting the demographic trends. They are changing the local food culture for sure.

 

Enjoy your borscht and cottage pies while you can!

 

 

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[opporna]

7 minutes ago, Jingthing said:

If you like this idea please indicate by liking this post. If about ten people like the post within a reasonable time span I will open such a thread. If not, I won't.

Sounds good to me, but I'm a bit wary as I read on another board a post by an Indian guy who said most Indian restaurants in Pattaya just reheat military style packets of food they buy for cheaply, like 20 baht. While I don't believe everything I hear, the fact that I see so many Indian restaurants with no customers in them, more the rule than the exception, makes me a bit suspicious as to how they are able to sustain operation.

 

That's what I felt when I discovered the Malaysian place. On that same street, there must be 10 Indian places and I saw not a single customer.

Edited August 7, 2018 by opporna

[Spidey]

46 minutes ago, opporna said:

The Vietnamese Sandwich place bears another mention. The food is spot on excellent and the price is amazingly cheap--one of the few times you can get non-Thai food at Thai prices. They need more business though, please people support this place, it's one of the best new places I have seen in Pattaya in many many years.

Tried it yesterday after finally catching it open. Asked if they were serving food (have menu and tables outside) - no.

 

Got the sandwich with 3 or 4 different kinds of pork and salad filling. 45 Baht. Bread was good. Pork was disgusting, really unpleasant. Also no sauce dressing offered, unlike Saigon. Low on flavour, lacking salt and a bit dry.

Won't be going back.

[opporna]

1 minute ago, Spidey said:

Tried it yesterday after finally catching it open. Asked if they were serving food (have menu and tables outside) - no.

 

Got the sandwich with 3 or 4 different kinds of pork and salad filling. 45 Baht. Bread was good. Pork was disgusting, really unpleasant. Also no sauce dressing offered, unlike Saigon. Low on flavour, lacking salt and a bit dry.

Won't be going back.

Not my experience at all, nor my friend who I delivered a sandwich too.

 

Jingthing, get out there we need your expertise!

[Spidey]

Just now, opporna said:

Not my experience at all, nor my friend who I delivered a sandwich too.

 

I have eaten these sandwiches many times in Saigon. My favourite sandwiches in the world. Really disappointed.

 

Visited Saturday lunchtime (closed). Went at 1pm yesterday and told to come back later as they had no bread. Really wanted it to be good.

 

Were you offered any sauce on yours? Was any salt put on yours?

[opporna]

She puts some sauce on it, but I didn't pay much attention to what sauce.

 

I tend to like things on the saltier side, and it was fine for me--I felt no lack there.

 

I once got there early in the morning and the guy asked me to wait as he didn't want to use day old rolls. I went for a walk and when I got back waited a bit more. It was worth the wait for hot fresh rolls. I guess living in Thailand this long I'm more tolerant of things like that. Since then, no delays unless I ask for the #3 sandwich, the fish one. That takes a bit longer as they do the fish fresh.

Edited August 7, 2018 by opporna

[Spidey]

 

On ‎8‎/‎5‎/‎2018 at 5:03 AM, opporna said:

Actually, the street it's on is close to the action but not well traveled. There are many Indian restaurants there, but no customers which put me off a bit.

You won't find many customers in any Indian restaurants in Pattaya. Routinely awful.

 

Had an Indian neighbour who owned an Indian Restaurant in Pattaya. I asked him if he could recommend a decent Indian restaurant.

He smiled, wagged his finger and nodding his head from side to side (as Indians do) he said, "No, no, no no.".

 

OK if you fancy a Soi Dog Jalfrezi.

[Jingthing]

We can have all these cheeky Indian restaurant topic discussions ad nauseum in a dedicated Indian restaurant thread. Perhaps such a thread would even attract Indians and restaurateurs.

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[gaff]

1 hour ago, Jingthing said:

We can have all these cheeky Indian restaurant topic discussions ad nauseum in a dedicated Indian restaurant thread. Perhaps such a thread would even attract Indians and restaurateurs.

Sent from my Lenovo A7020a48 using Thailand Forum - Thaivisa mobile app
 

Please do it ! And we should use this thread to try to push prices down as most of them are overpriced for just Indian food without even the decor !

 

 

[digbeth]

2 hours ago, opporna said:

Sounds good to me, but I'm a bit wary as I read on another board a post by an Indian guy who said most Indian restaurants in Pattaya just reheat military style packets of food they buy for cheaply, like 20 baht. While I don't believe everything I hear, the fact that I see so many Indian restaurants with no customers in them, more the rule than the exception, makes me a bit suspicious as to how they are able to sustain operation.

 

That's what I felt when I discovered the Malaysian place. On that same street, there must be 10 Indian places and I saw not a single customer.

The abundance of sealed frozen packs of curry in the wholesale place and suppliers is worrying too, but it seems to be mostly british-styled 'balti' stuff, I guess it's mostly pub place that uses those. Indian place runs by Indians probably don't use those frozen sauces and curry

[KittenKong]

4 hours ago, opporna said:

The Vietnamese Sandwich place bears another mention.

Yes. I've been twice now and it was fine both times. Much more interesting than Subway, and half the price.

[Spidey]

                                                                       Den's Swiss House, Soi Kow Noi.

 

Opposite and slightly above Tops supermarket.

 

Have eaten at Den's Swiss House twice this week. First time had the daily special, meatballs in peppercorn sauce with dumplings and veg. It's called the daily special because it's special and it's on every day! Meatballs were very pasty, no consistency, not much flavour, always a mistake to order beef in Thailand. Sauce was very peppery, personally I loved it. Dumplings were nothing like English dumplings, looked like chips, salty but I liked them. Veg was good, I particularly liked the broccoli which was tossed in finely chopped sautéed onion.

 

Wife had a Thai meal, fish with chilli, served with rice. She really rated it.

 

Yesterday, I had Smoked salmon tagliatelle in a creamy sauce. Excellent, licked the plate!

 

Wife had chicken fillet with champagne sauce and tagliatelle. Chicken was a bit overcooked but TiT. Really tasty and too much, half came home in a doggy bag. Also had prawn spring rolls and dipping sauce, best spring rolls I've had in Pattaya.

 

Also, every meal is preceded by a free plate of mixed salad, fresh and crispy with several ingredients. Dressed with mayo but still tasty.

 

Run by a Thai family from Roi Et. Den and is wife couldn't do enough for us. Lovely couple. Den has spent 27 years working in restaurants in Switzerland. Loved the linen tablecloths, nice touch. 

 

All in all, good value for money, interesting menu and excellent service. Currently my go to restaurant on the Darkside.

 

Opening times 11am - 11pm with all inclusive buffet, in the air conditioned room, served from 5pm onwards.

Edited August 11, 2018 by Spidey

[Jingthing]

Short stuff --

 

Hawker Chan Royal Garden Mall which will move to Terminal 21 when it opens has changes. People had been complaining about their hor fun noodles being served cold and gloppy so they took it off the menu for awhile and improved it. It is now served quite warm and not gloppy on my last visit. 

They used to not serve the yellow noodles or hor fun noodles with a gravy but now they do. If you don't want it. tell them. Even though their big sell is their soy sauce chicken, the real star of their offerings is their BBQ pork char siu. Amazing stuff. However depending on the luck of the draw, sometimes the meat will be mostly fat and sometimes mostly not. Oh well. People trash this place because they market with the Michelin star from Singapore B.S. but I don't think that's fair. Obviously the Pattaya location never got a Michelin star but that doesn't mean the food is crap either. 

 

Sankalp (vegetarian chain from India)

Previously mentioned. 

I was told that they would the "big chef" by now that could actually do all of their famous style dishes in their brand style. Stopped in a few days ago and he's not there yet. When? Don't know.

 

 

TERMINAL 21 NEW MALL!

So Hawker Chan will be moving there. OK.

Does anyone have any gossip or news about what OTHER new (or existing) restaurants will be opening there?

Yes, the food court obviously which people will be wondering if it will be as good (price-wise as well) as Bangkok.

But how about other restaurants?

 

 

 

 

[balo]

Tried it yesterday after finally catching it open. Asked if they were serving food (have menu and tables outside) - no.
 
Got the sandwich with 3 or 4 different kinds of pork and salad filling. 45 Baht. Bread was good. Pork was disgusting, really unpleasant. Also no sauce dressing offered, unlike Saigon. Low on flavour, lacking salt and a bit dry.
Won't be going back.

I was dissappointed they did not have chicken as an option, instead of pork.

Also lack of hygiene, the lady did not wear gloves and she did not wash her hands before she prepared my sandwich.
This is a no no for me, Subway at least they wear gloves touching the bread.

Who know s if the lady just been at the toilet?

[gaff]

2 hours ago, balo said:

I was dissappointed they did not have chicken as an option, instead of pork.

Also lack of hygiene, the lady did not wear gloves and she did not wash her hands before she prepared my sandwich.
This is a no no for me, Subway at least they wear gloves touching the bread.

Who know s if the lady just been at the toilet?

 

I agree with you...

I do not eat where they touch food without gloves.

I know that it won't kill me but find this just stupid.

And yes, not having chicken is also a big problem when we know that the only acceptable cheap meat in this country is chicken. I would not give even cheap fat pork or beef to my dogs...

 

 

 

 

[Spidey]

2 hours ago, balo said:

Who know s if the lady just been at the toilet?

You should have asked to smell her fingers.

[digbeth]

11 hours ago, Jingthing said:

TERMINAL 21 NEW MALL!

So Hawker Chan will be moving there. OK.

Does anyone have any gossip or news about what OTHER new (or existing) restaurants will be opening there?

Yes, the food court obviously which people will be wondering if it will be as good (price-wise as well) as Bangkok.

But how about other restaurants?

 

Marukome Seimen the Udon that had a small stall in Big C Extra (Klang) is definitely opening a proper full sized format with full menu.

 

Tim Ho Wan (run by the same outfit that licences Hawker Chan) had closed their Korat branch and is hopeful about moving to Terminal 21 in Pattaya

[Jingthing]

1 hour ago, digbeth said:

Marukome Seimen the Udon that had a small stall in Big C Extra (Klang) is definitely opening a proper full sized format with full menu.

 

Tim Ho Wan (run by the same outfit that licences Hawker Chan) had closed their Korat branch and is hopeful about moving to Terminal 21 in Pattaya

OMG, that is fantastic news about Tim Ho Wan! 

I didn't think much of that mini Udon place on Klang. Maybe the full version will be better.

Getting up there is a stretch for me so I'll likely stop going to Hawker Chan in favor of Tim Ho Wan (dim sum) and whatever else that is new and exciting there.

Oh, I see you say hopeful.

Not definite yet. 

[AlexCanada]

Tim Ho Wan is great.  Let's hope it's the full menu version of the restaurant like the one that used to be at Grand Indonesia mall in Jakarta.  The Tim Ho Wan at T21 in Bangkok only has a partial menu.

 

Not really fair to compare Hawker Chan with Tim Ho Wan.  A meal at Hawker Chan will run you just north of 100 baht.  Each plate of dim sum at Tim Ho Wan is over 100 baht.  I'll still be going to both at T21 if they are both there.

[The manic]

Talking of Chinese food: does anybody know where to get Crispy  Peking Duck with pancakes st al on Pattaya? lNot Cantonese roast duck. Even in Bangkok I only know the 4 seasons, im the Paragon , a London based outfit....not related to the hotel.

[hackjam]

Had the crispy duck in that new Chinese place in Jomtiem, on the outskirts of gay town. It was OK, the duck was sliced, as opposed to the shredded, which I prefer. Overall, meal was OK for me. We had a pork & veg dish also, which was good.