(New?) Chinese Restaurant In Pattaya: Ting-Tai-Fu Off 3Rd Road North

[Jingthing]

It's unclear to me whether this place is actually gone out of business or rather there is a short term issue causing a temporary closure. It seems weird to me that a place with such an obvious significant investment would open and close so quickly. So anyone who frequents that area or hears word about this place opening again, please post about that. Thanks!

[Jingthing]

Well ... anyway ... this place if BACK OPEN.

My most recent meal.

Asked again for the Fennel in broth with unidentified meat.

They didn't have that before and they didn't again. I think perhaps never?

Anyway, repeated on the hand pulled noodles w/ Chinese beef stew and the steamed bun w/ spinach although I asked for the mushroom version but they didn't have.

There was some drama because I ordered a dish called something like

PETITOES in spicy sauce (about 130 baht)

thinking it was a typo and that it would be a Sechuan spicy potato dish.

The picture on the menu didn't give it away either. It could have been a potato dish.

Well what arrived was something I had no interest in eating.

Some kind of simple pork sausage type thing with some red topping.

Well I sent it back because it really wasn't what I thought the dish was and I really didn't want to eat what they brought.

If it was something I was willing to eat, I would have accepted this, but this dish I really wouldn't eat.

Even though there were language issues, I give this place CREDIT for taking back the dish and not charging me for it.

That kind of restaurant behavior is expected in the west, but in Thailand not so much.

After all I did order the dish, and they did bring it.

Anyway, now you know too. That dish is not potato! I'd like to think they will change the English on the menu to prevent what happened to me to others, but of course I know they won't. Sigh.

They did actually have a potato dish on the menu called chips in salted egg. Doesn't interest me but it might be good.

I also ordered minced pork in Chinese sauerkraut and ordered it extra hot. I liked that dish a lot. It's under 100 baht. It's a bit like pad krapow mince but Chinese flavor. Normally people would eat that with rice I think but I used the starch from the steamed spinach buns instead and the combination was great.

I also ordered steamed pork and cabbage dumplings. Based on the menu picture I thought that would cabbage and pork IN the dumpling. But not actually. They were like small pork won tons in a pleasant light clear broth with the cabbage slices in the soup. Nice dish. Nothing to wow you though. They also have the same named dumplings in a FRIED version. Something like 70 baht.

I'm still a fan of this place but obviously the menu doesn't have quite the wide range I first thought.

Edited April 7, 2013 by Jingthing

[Jimmyd]

Ate there tonight--enjoyed it. The dumpling with broth are pleasant, if nothing to write home about. The beef ramen soup is a fairly good value. I actually prefer the *not homemade* wheat noodles at my favorite duck restaurant at the intersection of Teprasit and Thapraya roads.

Edited April 15, 2013 by Jimmyd

[Jingthing]

At Shanghai I really think the "thick" noodles taste better than their default thin noodles. That said, I am not sure they are used to people asked for them and/or whether you'll really get them if you do ask for them. I also found the beef in the beef stew noodles not quite as lovely the second time as the first. In any case looking forward to continued visits AFTER Songkran.

Edited April 15, 2013 by Jingthing

[fakename]

How about a Thai restaurant for Chinese? I heard there is a good one on some island near here, and if your lucky, you can get a nice boat ride!

[ktizo]

I'm a 10 year old boy. I ate the most mouth-watering noodles & vegetable pao at this restaurant at Pattaya. I love almost everything I ate there. I strongly recommend it to anyone who likes Chinese food. The only problem for me is that the portion is small sized, and not that filling for my stomach.

[Jingthing]

I think they've edited their menu again. Somewhat fewer choices which is of course OK.

Recent experience:

Beef stew with hand pulled noodles in broth

The stew part was delicious, better portion than before, requested thicker noodles but didn't get them, the broth is just OK.

I much prefer the dish with thicker noodles and don't understand why they did it one time, but not now. Oh well.

Even with the thin noodles, I was wishing for MORE of them.

Shanghai drunken chicken (appetizer dish)

Good as usual. Skimpy on the cilantro though. Served with a good XO sauce for dipping.

A variety of chicken pieces, not just wing, and that makes me happy.

Spinach steamed buns

Good as usual

Eggplant with fish flavor sauce

A different dish than last time. Before it was attempt at a classic fish flavor sauce but not very well done.

This time more of a spicy Sechuan oil red sauce with lots of minced pork, a bit like a Chinese spaghetti Bolognaise.

Actually better for what it was, than the attempt at fish flavor sauce, so not complaining.

However a very oily dish, so oily I didn't eat much of the sauce, though it was delicious.

Probably won't order again just because of the calorie content, based on taste I'd recommend it.

The minced pork with Chinese saurkraut was on the menu but not available.

The restaurant still a good choice for Pattaya Chinese food lovers!

As far as the comment about portion sizes, they seem pretty normal for Thailand portion sizes, but really the best way to experience this place is to order MULTIPLE dishes anyway, and if you're still hungry, order another dish ...

Of course some Thai and Chinese places offer "family size" portions as an option on a particular dish. I doubt this place does that, I guess you could ask, but easier to just order more of what is on the menu.

Edited July 1, 2013 by Jingthing

[hotandhumid]

I went to this place today and thought it was pretty good without being exceptional.

I made the mistake of ordering chinese fried rice which had no flavour, next time will just get steamed rice, plus it leaves more room for other stuff. The hot and sour soup is good and the wontons in soy sauce.

I will go back.

[Jingthing]

In my book "pretty good" for Chinese food in Pattaya IS exceptional ...

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[Jingthing]

Recent report about SHANGHAI restaurant.

I don't visit often enough only because it's not convenient for me.

Anyway, for the first time tried one of their popular dishes, shrimps in Conpoy sauce.

The price on this was raised to 220 baht.

It's basically a modest portion size plate of smallish shrimps in a spicy X.O. sauce (which contains dried scallops thus the reason they called in Conpoy sauce I suppose).

X.O. sauce is always a premium priced ingredient in Chinese restaurants which might be worth it when it is good quality X.O. sauce or chef made. BTW, for home cooks there is Thai made X.O. sauce you can buy at Central and Foodland that is quite cheap and not great either but good enough for home cooking I think.

This sauce seemed pretty good. I don't think it was the Thai brand as I know the taste well. The prawns were in shell which would put some people off.

I liked the dish well enough. Wouldn't rush out to order it again though.

Also had my usual favorite dish:

Chinese beef stew in soup with hand pulled noodles at 90 baht.

For some weird reason they served me a MASSIVE portion of noodles in the bowl. No, I am not complaining. They were good too.

Compared to Foomanlou's beef noodles soup at 200 baht, you can see the great value, but the noodle style is very different (both good).

Steamed buns (I liked the spinach) were on the menu but no have. Not sure if that is a permanent menu deletion or not.

So for some veg I got the seaweed salad, pleasant as before.

Still a great local choice for Chinese food lovers. Enjoy!

Edited December 24, 2013 by Jingthing

[ZigZagMan]

Yes. This is a very good restaurant.

Tried it the other day. Yummy.

[Jingthing]

A dish I tried there for the first time:

Chicken with Yunnan Papaya

Didn't know what to expect. Turned out the fruit was dried, so crunchy. I found it a very pleasant dish, clean flavors, no gloppy sauce. The chicken pieces were chopped with bone which I like, not filet pieces.

The last time I had the Chinese beef stew in soup with hand pulled noodles ALL of the meat was gristle and fat (before it was about half). Literally not even one bite of actual meat. I realize gristle and fat is a "texture" thing in Chinese food so not really complaining, but I couldn't eat that. It was surprising as I've had that dish many times now, and never like that. Not sure if a one off weirdness because they ran out of stew with any meat, or what exactly ...

Inconsistency is so so common in all kinds of restaurants in Thailand.

Edited March 19, 2014 by Jingthing

[Jingthing]

Update on the Chinese beef stew noodles dish.

The last time in a shocking turnaround, most of the meat was actually meat, very little gristle and fat.

Yes, I now suspect someone at the restaurant is reading this.

Hello there!
Please keep it up with the meat!

Had the Chicken w/ dried Yunnan papaya dish again, it was cooked differently (suspect a different chef).

Greasier with much less of the special papaya stuff.

Still good but not as good.

Inconsistency ... always expect it!

[Jingthing]

OK, I hope y'all are sitting down.

I had ALREADY felt Shanghai restaurant (the place of this thread) was the very best Chinese option in town for those seeking more authentic and interesting Chinese food at reasonable prices.

NOW there really can't be any doubt.

Why?

They have ADDED an entirely new menu on top of their existing menu.

What's so exciting about it?

I can't really tell you all the details yet ... but it seems mostly to be about Sechuan and some possibly Hunan dishes. I wasn't in a nerdy mood when I discovered it so didn't take notes. I can say they now have multiple options for Sechuan style boiled spicy soup pots at quite reasonable prices.

This is almost too good to be true.

If you haven't checked this place out and you like interesting (non-westernized) Chinese food, what are you waiting for?

I sampled three dishes from the new menu:

1. Smoked firm tofu in a spicy gravy w/ some pork

WONDERFUL, it tasted Hunan style to me

100 baht, yep you read that right, 100 baht, and a generous portion to boot

2. Shredded potato spicy salad Sechuan style

Served hotter than I think it should be. There were no Sechuan peppers in it.

60 baht. OK, not a must order. In fact, I probably won't order again ... not that it was bad, just there are much better dishes to order there.

3. CHONGQING CHICKEN!!!!

This was done right.

You might be shocked by the presentation, but if you can handle spicy Thai food it shouldn't be a problem. You don't actually eat many of the dried peppers, they add flavor and they make a fun show on the plate.

120 baht. Not a massive portion but a super deal for a very competent version of this dish.

Picture from another restaurant but Shanghai's version is very similar. The new place on 3rd road charges 300 for this dish and I doubt it would be as good:

I think the non-noodle and dumpling part of their menu (the noodle/dumpling part always mostly good) has majorly improved over the months.

For example the spicy fish flavored eggplant dish is much better than it was when they first opened.

RUN DON'T WALK!

Jingthing's -- I'm so excited I could plotz FOUR STAR (out of four) RATING.

Edited May 7, 2014 by Jingthing

[JSixpack]

Glad to have found out about the place via this thread. I've eaten there twice, before and after Songkran, and will go back. Good food, service, and prices.

[Jingthing]

Clarification on the spicy shredded potato dish. I said it was served hotter than I think it should be. I meant hotter as in TEMPERATURE. Usually this dish has more of a SALAD type of temperature. I prefer that.

Another thing to add, during peak dinner hours this place which is small GETS CROWDED. I have never seen a queue for tables but I have seen every table taken. It doesn't seem like the kind of place that takes bookings either.

This is the way it should be. Serve good food at attractive prices ... the people will come.

Sure wish this place was on 2nd road though ... it's inconvenient for me.

Edited May 7, 2014 by Jingthing

[Jingthing]

Some more info to share on the wonderful SHANGHAI restaurant, your top go to place (that's open) in town for reasonably priced, reasonably authentic regional Chinese food.

From the new additional one page menu:

Hand cut cabbage (80 baht I think)

This turned out to be another Sechuan/Hunan flavor profile somewhat spicy dish with generous pork slices. It reminded my very much of the Sechuan classic twice cooked pork but I doubt the pork was twice cooked. Still a good dish.

A dish called something liked Scallop Spicy (140 baht)

Warning! This is not scallops! This is sliced bamboo shoots, sliced pork, a fungus in a spicy Sechuan style sauce.

It's a tasty dish but I don't understand the price compared to the cabbage dish.

I thought 140 sounded cheap for scallops ... I was right no scallops ... but perhaps high for bamboo shoots.

Just relative to their other menu prices.

Objectively it's a good dish, fair price.

A real criticism ... it's pretty clear to me this place which now has a lot of Sechuan dishes does NOT use Sechuan peppers in their cooking. That is a real shame. It would really elevate the place which is already good but that would so much better.

Overall so far to me the most exciting dishes on their new menu are the Smoked Tofu dish and the very dramatic fried chicken chunks served among a large platter of whole dried chili peppers.

Edited May 20, 2014 by Jingthing

[Jingthing]

Forgot to mention they have a quite decent kung pao chicken for about 100 baht. A popular dish in the west so good for those seeking something familiar. Lots of peanuts the chicken is lighter style which I prefer

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[thaicookingchef]

Hello,

Is it the Shanghai restaurant that you have been talking about in another thread ? (chinese restaurant soi photisan).

Where exactly is it on 3rd road ?

Thank you.

[Jingthing]

Yes.

It's on 3rd road not far down from Pattaya Nua ... on the west side of the street.

The restaurant's name was different when I started the thread. It's now Shanghai.

It's quite popular now and deservedly so.

Edited May 21, 2014 by Jingthing

[Pongpat]

Ok west side of 3rd road before Pattaya Nua and location points where it is next to? When driving a car looking for signs sometimes difficult. Thanks

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[Jingthing]

Sorry, maybe someone else can help with that.

[Pongpat]

Just went there great food. It's on west side of 3rd Road about 40 yards from Pattaya Nua just past big Bella Villa sign on East side.

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[thaicookingchef]

Sorry but i didn't find it.

There was a restaurant on third road on the way to North Pattaya, on the left side when heading to North Pattaya, but it is now closed, is it this one ? (near a 7/11 just after a junction). It seems that there is a Karaoke instead ?

Thank you for more help.

[thaicookingchef]

To confirm, I am talking about this one:

http://goo.gl/maps/g26fs

[Jingthing]

To confirm, I am talking about this one:

http://goo.gl/maps/g26fs

That ain't it. See directions above.

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[Awohalitsiktoli]

Probably off topic, but I want to post this and do not want to start another Chinese food thread. I just saw a sign for what may be a new Taiwan-Chinese restaurant on second road, right before "the Boat," and on the same side. Any news about it would be appreciated. I think the place is under construction, but I am not sure what it is: restaurant? other? The door was closed and I was passing on a bhat bus.

[Jingthing]

Have to watch out for that one. Such snippets would be better in the restaurant hit and run long standing thread. If it's a thing I'll comment on it there. If its a big thing might be worthy of its own thread.

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[Jingthing]

Recent visit to Shanghai restaurant (the restaurant this thread is about).

They are doing very well ... this time mostly ethnic Chinese customers.

I haven't been in awhile but noticed some changes:

Shanghai chicken w/ wine ... this time no XO sauce but served with a dark sweet sauce dip instead. Also no cilantro. Was told they aren't doing XO sauce with that anymore (or maybe they ran out?). Asked for cilantro and was given some. Not as happy with this dish without the XO dipping sauce.

Spicy fried chicken (actually this dish is clearly the Sechuan classic CHONGQING SPICY CHICKEN) ... pretty much the same as before, a good tasty dramatically presented dish ... the chicken pieces are not too greasy ... still lacking the Sechuan peppers it SHOULD have ... but still good.

Fish Flavored Eggplant (served in claypot)

The flavor of this dish was not the same. There was no fish flavor. The flavor almost tasting like a bland Italian tomato sauce. Quite one dimensional. I remember this dish when they opened was not very good, then it got much better, now in my opinion it isn't worth ordering

When I got up I noticed that EVERY table (except mine) was given a small plate of clearly complementary SHRIMP CHIPS. But not me. I was the only non-Asian customer. Yes (foolishly) I did comment about this situation to the cashier who claimed to speak English. This information included without further comment.

Edited September 20, 2014 by Jingthing

[thailandusauk]

Yes they give shrimp chips to everybody except if you are too fat already ? JOKING ! :-)

Unlike someone else said THIS IS A PERFECT RESTAURANT.

Prices are really honest and food is good, so what else ?

As I said I will go there to eat even just quick 40 baht noodles because I don't want to feed anymore the dirty street sellers who spend all their money in new wheels for their ugly truck instead of buying new nice dishes ! I hate these greedy dirty impolite low so street sellers more and more !

Thank you Shanghai restaurant !