The Hit And Run Restaurant "review" Thread

[AsianExport]

it's this one, WIlliam, I hope facebook links are accepted here ? have you tried it ?

https://www.facebook.com/search/top/?q=william cafe restaurant

 

 

[Jingthing]

it's this one, WIlliam, I hope facebook links are accepted here ? have you tried it ?

https://www.facebook.com/search/top/?q=william cafe restaurant

 

 

Looked at the menu. Never tried it. They struggled along for some years. Yes a huge investment. Many people including me had been pessimistic about their prospects since they opened.

[AsianExport]

But I do not understand why restaurants fail so much in this country ? Do you think that some people invest all their money even when they know nothing about this business ? Or is it for money laundering or other things that I cannot imagine ?

 

When it's a bout Thai it's not difficult to understand why they fail, but foreigners are supposed to be able to plan and know what they are doing ?

 

Sorry, without reading all these messages here, can you tell me what is the best cheap Middle east restaurant and best Indian restaurant at pattaya in your idea ? or which ones come first in your mind even if you are not sure that they are the best ? Thank you for your help, as you seem to be an expert !

 

 

 

 

 

[Jingthing]

Well low cost Indian my current favorite is Indian Rasoi recently mentioned on this thread. Middle Eastern ..
well for Iranian I would suggest New Pars South Pattaya a bit north of the Beverly Hotel. For Arabic nothing stands out at the moment. Lebanese Gourmet was excellent but they closed but a buyer may be opening a new restaurant in the same place.

[AsianExport]

Thank you, I will check them:

 

INDIAN RASOI

https://goo.gl/hxjF2z

https://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurant_Review-g293919-d7904896-Reviews-Indian_Rasoi_Restaurant-Pattaya_Chonburi_Province.html

http://www.indianrasoipattaya.com

358/5-6 Moo 10, Pratamnak Road,
Opp. Nova Platinum Hotel South Pattaya

 

 

NEW PARS

https://goo.gl/vjr76H

https://www.facebook.com/New-Pars-760542987305351/

 

 

LEBANESE GOURMET

I cannot even find an old page or link, sorry but I do not know where it was

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Jingthing]

Just as well there is no restaurant there now.

[BruceMangosteen]

23 hours ago, Jingthing said:

The Thai food "buffet" at Mr. Polenta has been discontinued due to  lack of interest.

 

 

Real nice guy, but polenta tastes like refugee food. In other words, no taste. The side dish of Italian sauce and chicken was good but the portion small for the price. What you may ask is "refugee food"? Well, to sum it up, something you would devour if hungry and you knew it would not make you sick. 

[Jingthing]

It digests well.

It's a good base for other flavors. Have tried the taragna version? More flavor in that.

[BruceMangosteen]

5 minutes ago, Jingthing said:

It digests well.

 

It's a good base for other flavors. Have tried the taragna version? More flavor in that.

 

Yes, in fact only been once and had the taragna if that's the more expensive one? It's going to be tough making it in that location, best you get the Italian entrees up to stuff and I mean quickly...you may as well give the "polenta" away for free with a good entree. 

[Jingthing]

Yes it seems slow. Seemed like a good idea anyway. Rough business.

[AsianExport]

Hi, I have tried Indian rasoi before going back to BKK and it's really good ! Perfect food and perfect price.

I usually check MIXED RAITA dish, it should be 80 baht or maximum 100 baht, and it's 80 baht there.

 

I tried many dishes and everything is good + friendly staff/owner.

 

I hope that they won't close too fast ! Do you know since when they are open ?

 

For people who want to test it:

INDIAN RASOI

https://goo.gl/hxjF2z

http://www.indianrasoipattaya.com

358/5-6 Moo 10, Pratamnak Road,
Opp. Nova Platinum Hotel South Pattaya

 

 

I saw at least 3 other Indian restaurants next to each other but INDIAN RASOI is the one that seems cleaner, at least the front and entrance.

 

 

Thank you again !

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Jingthing]

Indian Rasoi has been around for some years now and when I look in at night there are usually a good number of customers, mostly South Asian. As I assume they rely heavily on tourism, I'm sure they appreciate custom from residents as well. 

[Jingthing]

For people that aren't aware, you may want to check the weekly specials at Jameson's. 

This week they feature BEEF WELLINGTON, which I've had there before, and OK it's not a world class version, but such a deal in that set menu. That's why I'm posting. BEEF WELLINGTON is a special dish and it's only very rarely on their specials list.

 

THIS WEEK only!

 

http://www.jamesons-pattaya.com/weekly-menu.php

[NanLaew]

I have been out of the country for a fair bit this year but catching up with some buddies the other day, they were talking up The Bistro Wine & Cheese on Yamato. They say daytime dining is a breeze but reservations are typically needed for evening sets. A quick google search brought up mostly favorable reports. Unfortunately, a TV search of this thread didn't bring up any hits so my apologies if this one has been done already.

[Jingthing]

New buffet restaurant coming your way.

 

Tip Top International Buffet

Thai and Western

299 baht

It's being built now in the Soi Diana pedestrian restaurant row, off 2nd road.

The one with Patricks.

Previously the location was called Holiday, mostly Arabic food, a dramatic FLOP.

This does not appear to be a chain based on the signage, but not sure.

It doesn't sounds all that exciting, I know, but it is restaurant news, so don't shoot the messenger!

 

 

[BruceMangosteen]

Had dinner with a mate, Indian food, once again. I enjoy the food a lot but neither of us can figure out why Indian food is so expensive in restaurants. The ingredients have to be available in Thailand and well, it just doesn't make sense to us. I did discover with careful observation some Indian diners aren't even invoiced, they are on some tour or package which includes dining at the restaurant. Perhaps a guest house also in the package(Indian owned)? In addition, it might be mentioned that some 400 million people in India itself don't even have electricity and/or running water so it's doubtful they are paying 300-500 Baht for a decent meal there. Why Why Why is Indian food so expensive here??? 

[BruceMangosteen]

I had dinner at Simon's, based on my discovery here. It's located at an upstairs location as mentioned also, at the Soi Buikow market where Tony's is.

 

The food was good. Prices reasonable on the food. I felt a bit ripped off on the beverage. Regular bottle of water was 30 Baht and a regular bottle of Soda Water was 40 Baht. Not obscene, but still...please.....This isn't the Hilton. Overall, I enjoyed the meal but my mate noticed what was on the menu(includes fries and a salad) was forgotten. He only got the sandwich. 

 

There was no service. The owner or manager took our order after being summoned over. His wife/girlfriend was dosing on one of the chairs and another nice looking whore was hanging around. I think the second one was sponsored as wearing a lot of gold. She was also young and smoked(cigs). 

 

There is also a massage parlor located up there. How they survive, I have no idea. I saw two of the women working in same and certainly not "GoGo" girls but friendly. With the glut of massage parlors(aka brothels) on Soi Bouikow I don't know how an out of the way/stumble upstairs? joint will make it, but greater miracles are known to occur here in Paradise such as sponsoring a young good looking whore and it "working" long term.

[Jingthing]

Many Indian restaurants indeed have arrangements with groups.

[BruceMangosteen]

15 minutes ago, Jingthing said:

Many Indian restaurants indeed have arrangements with groups.

 

Do you think they inflate the prices to discourage farangs from dining or just simply because they can, knowing they have their overhead covered with the package visitors? (group can be three or four guys BTW and you rarely see female Indian's in said groups, another question for the experts...where are the Indian women going on holiday?)

[KittenKong]

44 minutes ago, BruceMangosteen said:

Had dinner with a mate, Indian food, once again. I enjoy the food a lot but neither of us can figure out why Indian food is so expensive in restaurants. The ingredients have to be available in Thailand and well, it just doesn't make sense to us. I did discover with careful observation some Indian diners aren't even invoiced, they are on some tour or package which includes dining at the restaurant. Perhaps a guest house also in the package(Indian owned)? In addition, it might be mentioned that some 400 million people in India itself don't even have electricity and/or running water so it's doubtful they are paying 300-500 Baht for a decent meal there. Why Why Why is Indian food so expensive here??? 

 

I dont believe that Indians (in groups or alone) actually pay the menu price in many of these places.

 

The prices are high for the same reason many prices in Thailand are very high: they have a lazy cartel mentality and find it normal to charge high prices and have a low turnover but a high profit per item. This is why you see so many shops, restaurants and other businesses here with hardly ever a customer in them. In the West in most cases competition is the order of the day and empty places just go bust fast.

[BruceMangosteen]

37 minutes ago, KittenKong said:

In the West in most cases competition is the order of the day and empty places just go bust fast.

 

Good points all. I should also mention the staff is Burmese, not Indian or Thai. One has to assume the cost of labor is less with Burmese as doubtful they have work permits, live upstairs, etc.. In the west cost of labor is of concern if you aren't doing any business. Cheers mate. 

[Jingthing]

I'm going to be contrarian here and assert that the regular menu prices at a place like INDIAN RASOI (mentioned here) are not particularly high in any way.

For example, dal tadka, generous portion, 100 baht / scrumptious chicken kebab marinated in cream and spice, 200 baht. 

The groups you see at many places are getting set meals. Yes they would get dal but not fancy kebabs.

I've noticed this cheap charly whining about Indian prices here for many years and it gets kind of tired. If you want Indian group meal prices go to India and book a tour with them. 

I think it's rather imperialistic.

You'd never hear that about prices at French restaurants using the same ingredients.

Yes some Indian restaurants are more expensive than others  but it's not that hard to find reasonable ones either. 

In some cases like Indian by Nature, the high prices are well justified by a first class decor and world class level Indian chefs and dishes. 

As with any restaurant in town, if you don't think the prices on the menu are a fair value to you ... don't eat there. It's their business and their right to offer group deals, etc. It is true many people (including me) consider the imagined costs of the restaurant (food, labor, rent, chef skill, government stuff) in whether the prices seem fair enough. 100 baht for a generous portion of very tasty dal ... to me FAIR, for others not fair (so just move on then). 

Do you think they'd offer the group deals if there wasn't money in it? It's called VOLUME.

You walk in ... you're not VOLUME. Restaurants aren't CHARITIES. 

 

BTW, if you think the Indian a la carte prices are bad, check out some of the CHINESE menus in town. They make the Indian ones look cheap.

Such as the Chinese place on 2nd road, beach side, north of Pattaya Klang, near the outdoor Thai food restaurant complex. The prices there are absurdly high. I've tried the food and it's not that good even if the prices were lower. So I just don't eat there. They get Chinese groups too. So what? It's their business. They lost my business. Way of the world. 

[KittenKong]

22 minutes ago, Jingthing said:

I'm going to be contrarian here and assert that the regular menu prices at a place like INDIAN RASOI (mentioned here) are not particularly high in any way.

For example, dal tadka, generous portion, 100 baht / scrumptious chicken kebab marinated in cream and spice, 200 baht.

..........

In some cases like Indian by Nature, the high prices are well justified by a first class decor and world class level Indian chefs and dishes. 

 

Chicken breast (the type used in the kebabs you mention) is one of the cheapest meats available here. 60B a kilo. You can make a lot of kebabs with one kilo of chicken. That aside, for 200B I can eat entire good meals in other restaurants here or even go to a Thai moo gata place where the same chicken breast (and a whole load of other things) comes in a buffet. So I do think that your kebabs are very overpriced.

 

Indian by Nature is much better than most Indian places here but it is still way overpriced. But what annoys me more are the rubbish Indian places here who employ unskilled staff and use the cheapest ingredients and produce very bad food and still have the cheek to charge a lot for it "because it's foreign". And there is no shortage at all of such places.

 

You like paying high prices? Great, do so. I dont like it so I wont.

[Jingthing]

What we don't agree on is that the prices at Indian Rasoi (and some others) are actually objectively high prices. For me, their prices are neither objectively or subjectively unreasonable. For you, they are. So we're basically in agreement about the prices for ANY restaurant. Check the menu and if the prices don't work for you, don't eat there. Though sometimes it makes sense to try a place at least ONCE to see if there is something special about the place that justifies what may seem to be high prices.

 

Comparing to Thai places mostly geared for mass market locals ... in my view, yet another case of imperialistic thinking.

Apples and oranges. We're not in India.

 

I agree Indian by Nature is very expensive. It's too expensive for me to pay full prices but I see the value in it for those who want the whole package of the luxury fine dining experience (which I don't care about at all).

 

I kind of wish Indian by Nature did a funky second business with a separate smaller menu served in a shophouse with fans. It's a model a lot of fancy restaurants in the west use ... choose luxury or choose just good food casually. 

 

Oh well, they don't do that.

 

It's encouraging to me that Indian by Nature has managed to stay open for so many years in this market so famous for budget seekers. It seems there are enough people with money that don't have an imperialistic attitude towards Indian food, and are willing to pay fine dining "French" prices for fine dining Indian. 

Cheers. 

[BruceMangosteen]

4 hours ago, Jingthing said:

It seems there are enough people with money that don't have an imperialistic attitude towards Indian food, and are willing to pay fine dining "French" prices for fine dining Indian. 

Cheers. 

 

I think you've lost the plot. Several of us are willing to pay for good food. We just don't like getting ripped off. I never get out of Indian Touch for less than 400 Baht and while that's absurd, since I like the food, I go back and back. It helps being able to afford it as well. As for French, I've given up on Momento's because the food just isn't that good and the prices ridiculous. Indian food should be inexpensive considering the cost of the ingredients, cost of labor, and settings(noted exception for Indian by Nature). We despise people attempting to call us cheap charlies when we don't like getting ripped off. Your continued insistence that a large bowl of beans is worth 100 Baht, well what can I say? You don't know your beans mate. Cheers.

[BruceMangosteen]

6 hours ago, Jingthing said:

 

Such as the Chinese place on 2nd road, beach side, north of Pattaya Klang, near the outdoor Thai food restaurant complex. The prices there are absurdly high. I've tried the food and it's not that good even if the prices were lower. So I just don't eat there. They get Chinese groups too. So what? It's their business. They lost my business. Way of the world. 

 

Are  you referring to the one near Soi 6? If so, I agree completely. Absurd prices and in reality, some of the food isn't even Chinese. There is a noodle dish I sort of like but they've managed to screw it up with local "raman" style noodles. The "seafood" prices make one wonder. As for "groups" again, I don't know what is meant by that as this venue could not handle large groups. Do you know if the Chinese place on Pattaya Tai, world famous with a massage in the back, recently constructed(both buildings) allows and serves farangs? 

[BruceMangosteen]

6 hours ago, Jingthing said:

I'm going to be contrarian here and assert that the regular menu prices at a place like INDIAN RASOI (mentioned here) are not particularly high in any way.

For example, dal tadka, generous portion, 100 baht

 

For those unaware, "dal tadka" is just beans and sauce. Somewhat unique as the beans may come from India but hardly anywhere on earth is a bowl of beans really worth 100 Baht aka about $3.usd. Rice is extra BTW. So beans and rice for about $5.usd is in fact "particularly high" price wise, even in Miami.

[Jingthing]

1 hour ago, BruceMangosteen said:

 

For those unaware, "dal tadka" is just beans and sauce. Somewhat unique as the beans may come from India but hardly anywhere on earth is a bowl of beans really worth 100 Baht aka about $3.usd. Rice is extra BTW. So beans and rice for about $5.usd is in fact "particularly high" price wise, even in Miami.

Sure thing, mate.

 

Indian restaurant, Miami, Florida:

Quote

 

• DAL TADKA$$11.95
  Yellow lentils tempered with garlic, curry leaves, mustard & cumin seeds.

http://www.bombaydarbarrestaurant.com/#_=_

 

 

I usually eat my dal with nan but yes it also goes with rice. 

[Jingthing]

1 hour ago, BruceMangosteen said:

 

Are  you referring to the one near Soi 6? If so, I agree completely. Absurd prices and in reality, some of the food isn't even Chinese. There is a noodle dish I sort of like but they've managed to screw it up with local "raman" style noodles. The "seafood" prices make one wonder. As for "groups" again, I don't know what is meant by that as this venue could not handle large groups. Do you know if the Chinese place on Pattaya Tai, world famous with a massage in the back, recently constructed(both buildings) allows and serves farangs? 

I  think so. I have seen groups there take over the restaurant. I really don't know the deal they get. I won't be back ... for me, the food is not nearly good enough to justify the menu prices.

We agree that people make their own price value decisions for which restaurants are worth spending at, but everyone will have their own criteria for that.

[BruceMangosteen]

22 minutes ago, Jingthing said:

Sure thing, mate.

 

 

I usually eat my dal with nan but yes it also goes with rice. 

Ah, but you pay for the nan(aka bread) as well....Anyhow, I think we have it all spelled out here and can conclude. Indian food is over priced in Pattaya despite numerous venues and even in my case wearing an Indian disguise trying to get fair deals. So to each her own.