Foomanlou -- major new authentic regional Chinese restaurant opens in Central Pattaya

[Awohalitsiktoli]

Major Update!

I stopped by this place last night and they GREATLY EXPANDED their menu.

There is no doubt now they have the widest, most interesting authentic Chinese food menu in town.

Definitely and easily overtaking Shanghai Restaurant in that regard.

Last night the joint was PACKED, mostly with INDEPENDENT Chinese appearing customers. My superficial observation was the crowd was Chinese Chinese not Thai Chinese, and of course the food has NOTHING to do with Thai Chinese food.

Incidentally, they do offer a limited number of Thai food options.

On the Chinese food side, for example they now offer two Chinese eggplant claypots and MULTIPLE very sophisticated SECHUAN offerings.

I decided to go back there later when they weren't crowded. There remain issues with COMMUNICATION with the staff. As their business is now BOOMING, they have added staff, seemingly mostly Thai waiters ... I imagine the Chinese customers have issues communicating with them too ... and in my experience their only knowledge about the food is that the food is Chinese food, that's it.

BTW, they have so much choice now there are now THREE menus! Be sure to look at them all before choosing. The prices are still on the high side. For example the claypots about 280, Sechuan ChongQing Spicy Chicken 300 baht but a small number of items friendlier priced like very nice looking har gow shrimp dumplings for 80 baht. It could be these are for family size portions though so that's some value there. I still think not bad and this trend of such REAL Chinese places opening up is just FANTASTIC!

Yet again, if you are seeking westernized Chinese food, steer WELL CLEAR of this place. 'Nuff said.

I know our opinions on this matter differ radically, but I just ate there and it was the worst Chinese food I have ever eaten anywhere on planet earth. Yes, I have eaten real Chinese food all over China (lived there for several years) and am most familiar with Wester-Chinese food (which, for the record, you can find in China, but usually in a slightly different form). I will never go back. Yuuuuuuuuck! If you like pig ears with peppers and tasteless sauces and other disgusting stuff, by all means go there and "pig out." The China Garden in the Soi Buakao area is better, but still not that good. I really wanted to be impressed by this place, but alas, nobody can make decent Chinese food (real or Western-style) in Thailand. That continues to amaze me. I suppose it is simply too difficult to make. You need a Chinese chef who knows what he/she is doing and uses authentic ingredients.

[Jingthing]

Don't put words in my mouth.

I still have only eaten there ONCE and you can see my comments about the food I did have, which were mixed.

I never said this is the greatest Chinese restaurant in the world.

I said it has the most impressive authentic Chinese MENU in town and I stand by that.

I am very frustrated with the poor communication at this restaurant which is probably the main reason I haven't become a regular. The prices also don't help.

Also, if a person likes China Garden better than this place, I can't see that they are really fans of authentic Chinese food.

So you had the pig ears, did you?

If not, what dishes did you order that you hated so much?

Cheers.

Edited February 24, 2014 by Jingthing

[Awohalitsiktoli]

I do respect your opinion. Your definition of "authentic Chinese food" is probably not the same as mine. I had many authentic Chinese dishes in China that I loved, but I do not like pig ears, guts, snakes, boiled chicken feet, dog/donkey meat, etc. I avoided those dishes in China. Many of the Western-Chinese food dishes actually come from authentic Chinese dishes, but differ a bit. I found a wide assortment of great Chinese dishes in China that were similar to Western-Chinese food (note that I lived in Beijing, Hong Kong, and Zhuhai near Hong Kong and never lived in poor, rural China). My major complaint is that I do not see either Western-Chinese food or their predecessors (authentic Chinese food that is similar to Western-Chinese food) in Thailand. And I am not into noodles and dumplings. Perhaps those items are good at the restaurant in question. I did see a stewed fish item that looked hot and interesting; also a shredded potato item that I ate frequently in northern China; a Kung Pao Shrimp item that sort of looked like KP Shrimp (but not really like what I had in China); a peanut and chicken dish that looked like the same Thai crap. This is only my opinion. I encourage people to try the place and report back. Maybe you will like it. I am still looking for a place that serves quality Western Chinese food and/or the foods they came from, which are, in many cases, authentic Chinese dishes.

[Professor Kevin]

I attempted to eat at this restaurant but there is one of those awful VW Micro Bus Bars parked out front with it's ten thousand watt speaker system pumping out some hyper trance noise.

I sat down and began viewing the menu but the deep bass vibrations was actually making me feel nauseated, so I left before ordering.

[Jingthing]

I don't work for this restaurant. Our choices for Chinese in Pattaya are very limited.

Sent from my Lenovo S820_ROW using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[Jingthing]

BTW this place does have the cold shredded potato dish. I liked it because I got them to jazz it up with Sechuan peppers.

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[Awohalitsiktoli]

BTW this place does have the cold shredded potato dish. I liked it because I got them to jazz it up with Sechuan peppers.

Sent from my Lenovo S820_ROW using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

Ok, it is one day later and I am not as repulsed from being served pig ears. I want to modify what I said. Please disregard what I said about it being the worst Chinese food ever (I was angry). If you try the place, and feel free to do so and report back, make sure that you find out beforehand what type of pork they are going to use. I made a big mistake ordering shredded pepper, which had pork in it (but the image did not look like shaved pork ears). There are several dishes that looked interesting. There are several vegetarian dishes: one made with eggplant, and one made with shredded potato, among others. I did see Kung Pao Shrimp on the menu (who knows if it is good). I did see "Twice Cooked Pork" on the menu (again, make sure you know beforehand what type of pork they are going to use). There is also a Pork and Mushroom dish (same advice as before). I think (not sure) that I saw either "Chow Mein" or "Chop Suey." If I ever go back, I will order either vegetarian food or something with chicken in it...maybe fish or shrimp. I did see a fish with pepper dish (like a soup) and some spicy crab dish that may be good. Like so many other farangs living in Thailand, I am starving for good Chinese food (authentic or Western style).

[Professor Kevin]

But the chicken dishes may have feet, heads or guts....no? Hell, the Chinese probably even eat the feathers.

[OMGImInPattaya]

But the chicken dishes may have feet, heads or guts....no? Hell, the Chinese probably even eat the feathers.

And beaks! Authentic Chinese food is gross...they needed westerners to clean it up and make it palatable.

[Jingthing]

I actually have some concerns about this place as well. I like authentic as in flavor profiles but I am a typical American in not being comfortable with organ meats, animal feet, etc As a generality Chinese food is more about the mouth feel of TEXTURES than western food, and many foods with interesting TEXTURES really do seem weird or even inedible to most westerners.. I also don't love super oily food which is also sometimes common in authentic Chinese food. The trouble with this place as I've said is that you will have a very hard time asking questions about the food assuming the waiters generally even KNOW the answers in ANY language, which I actually doubt that they do. Add to that the food being expensive for Thailand and experimenting is not so appealing. In other words if main dishes were 100 baht you might order a bunch of stuff and only like half of it, so no biggie. Some of the food there is clearly not going to be a problem for westerners, some dishes obviously will be, and some you just wouldn't know unless you order it. I don't have a problem at all that this place or any place is not catering to western tastes, why should they, but I still would like to know what I'm ordering.

Edited February 25, 2014 by Jingthing

[Jingthing]

Another update on this place.

About the three menus, there has been another big change.

The three menus include:

Hainan chicken and dim sum menu

Hot pot a la carte menu

MAIN MENU -- all kinds of main dishes, vegetables, salads, noodles, etc.

The main menu (at least) is new.

It is more coherent for customers (somewhat) and there are some really good PICTURES.

Some of those pictures are very impressive and so are the prices, as in seemingly really high.

Some new dishes on that menu, some dishes from before gone.

I noticed the classic dishes kung pao chicken (didn't look that good and wasn't named that but that's what it was) and fish flavored slice pork (looked good). 300 baht. Overpriced.

A largish bowl of Sechuan pepper broth with fish was 500 baht.

That's a dish I love but 500 baht, are they serious? (Apparently so.)

A totally amazing looking sweet and sour fish done like a sculpture (this is a famous dish) was about 700 baht.

Checked the place out recently and it was still doing a good business, mostly Chinese people, some Europeans/Russians, whatever. Service slow. They are not always busy so when they are busy I get the feeling they are overwhelmed

As I've not ordered a main dish before (last visit was a noodle soup and a cold potato salad thingie) I went for the salted eggplant claypot.

The old menu had two claypot choices, now only this one.

I knew that salted would mean with salted fish although not said on the menu.

Cost was 280 baht.

What arrived was a decent and definitely Chinese tasting dish. It was OK, more than OK, but not stellar, I've definitely had much better eggplant claypots in my life.

I kind of expected for that price that it would be a LARGE family type size.

Nope.

I would call it on the small side.

I enjoyed the dish but wouldn't order again (poor value and not remarkable taste).

On the original confusion about TYPE of noodles, that is also more clear now on the menu (due to pictures).

Plenty of noodle soup and dry noodle options all with pictured regular noodles (assuming not hand pulled because I was told they don't have a chef for that).

ONE dish had pictured the hand sliced noodles which I loved before and made a special request. This dish is a dry dish with a topping of something spicy looking.

I think it is probably possible to ask them to use those noodles in any dish but I am guessing there might be an extra charge.

Again I would REALLY suggest trying to get those sliced noodles!

I will be back, probably mostly for noodles and to try their dim sum (looked good).

I would be a regular except for their prices.

I guess based on the amazing location, unique offerings, tourist demographics, and decent enough food this place WILL make it.

I still wonder how much better they could do with friendlier prices such as Shanghai which is also Chinese Chinese food but brings in the local Thai Chinese.

It would have to be higher than Shanghai because of the rent of course ...

Edited March 21, 2014 by Jingthing

[ZigZagMan]

I have ordered the beef noodle dish twice here.

One time, served with spaghetti shaped noodles and the next time served with hand cut noodles.

Both very good.

[Jingthing]

I have ordered the beef noodle dish twice here.

One time, served with spaghetti shaped noodles and the next time served with hand cut noodles.

Both very good.

Yeah!

Happy you enjoyed it.

It's a most welcome addition to the local choices, in any case.

As you can see from these menu sample pictures, there is NO DOUBT this place is offering dishes not available any other place in town.

Some menu pictures:

This one is really interesting because it's Hunanese DUOJIAOYUTOU which according to my research is spicy fish HEADS (not mentioned on the menu). I am not really into fish HEADS but might have been tempted by the picture if I didn't know:

Smell of chicken???:

Amazing sculptured fish (classic dish)

Chongqing Spicy Chicken (classic dish)

Sechuan Boiled fish (classic dish)

Edited March 23, 2014 by Jingthing

[Ulysses G.]

Jingthing, how did you learn so much about Chinese food?

[Jingthing]

Jingthing, how did you learn so much about Chinese food?

Mostly ...

My proudest moments when living there was watching Chinese people point at MY TABLE to tell the waiter their order!

But the Sechuan stuff later.

Sechuan peppers weren't even LEGAL in the USA when in lived in S.F.

Edited March 23, 2014 by Jingthing

[Awohalitsiktoli]

I am not sure if I can post this or not, but I assure you that I have nothing to do with this restaurant. I was walking down Soi Buakow, near the Sawasdee Hotel, and found a Chinese place. I have not tried it (was their too early), but the menu looks interesting to me:

[Jingthing]

I am not sure if I can post this or not, but I assure you that I have nothing to do with this restaurant. I was walking down Soi Buakow, near the Sawasdee Hotel, and found a Chinese place. I have not tried it (was their too early), but the menu looks interesting to me:

02042014744.jpg

02042014746.jpg

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Please put stuff about OTHER "Chinese" restaurants in another thread, or better, the HIT AND RUN grab bag restaurant mention thread. Yes, it's been discussed before on the forum as well. This thread about Foomanlou specifically (though direct comparisons of dishes at other places to Foomanlou would be relevant).

Edited April 2, 2014 by Jingthing

[Bernard Flint]

I am not sure if I can post this or not, but I assure you that I have nothing to do with this restaurant. I was walking down Soi Buakow, near the Sawasdee Hotel, and found a Chinese place. I have not tried it (was their too early), but the menu looks interesting to me:

02042014744.jpg

02042014746.jpg

02042014747.jpg

This place is excellant, if u like british chinese food.tHEY HAVE DAILY SPECIALS AND take away too. The best british chinese place in Thailand i would think, miles better than china garden and less expensive too, open until 2-30 i think.

[Jingthing]

I am not sure if I can post this or not, but I assure you that I have nothing to do with this restaurant. I was walking down Soi Buakow, near the Sawasdee Hotel, and found a Chinese place. I have not tried it (was their too early), but the menu looks interesting to me:

02042014744.jpg

02042014746.jpg

02042014747.jpg

This place is excellant, if u like british chinese food.tHEY HAVE DAILY SPECIALS AND take away too. The best british chinese place in Thailand i would think, miles better than china garden and less expensive too, open until 2-30 i think.

It is not excellent. Please take this advert for British food somewhere else, please, again ...

[OMGImInPattaya]

I am not sure if I can post this or not, but I assure you that I have nothing to do with this restaurant. I was walking down Soi Buakow, near the Sawasdee Hotel, and found a Chinese place. I have not tried it (was their too early), but the menu looks interesting to me:

02042014744.jpg

02042014746.jpg

02042014747.jpg

"UK Standard" all one needs to know.

[Bernard Flint]

I am not sure if I can post this or not, but I assure you that I have nothing to do with this restaurant. I was walking down Soi Buakow, near the Sawasdee Hotel, and found a Chinese place. I have not tried it (was their too early), but the menu looks interesting to me:

02042014744.jpg

02042014746.jpg

02042014747.jpg

This place is excellant, if u like british chinese food.tHEY HAVE DAILY SPECIALS AND take away too. The best british chinese place in Thailand i would think, miles better than china garden and less expensive too, open until 2-30 i think.

It is not excellent. Please take this advert for British food somewhere else, please, again ...

Shut up and keep your vicious tongue elsewhere

[Bernard Flint]

I am not sure if I can post this or not, but I assure you that I have nothing to do with this restaurant. I was walking down Soi Buakow, near the Sawasdee Hotel, and found a Chinese place. I have not tried it (was their too early), but the menu looks interesting to me:

02042014744.jpg

02042014746.jpg

02042014747.jpg

This place is excellant, if u like british chinese food.tHEY HAVE DAILY SPECIALS AND take away too. The best british chinese place in Thailand i would think, miles better than china garden and less expensive too, open until 2-30 i think.

It is not excellent. Please take this advert for British food somewhere else, please, again ...

Shut up and keep your vicious tongue elsewhere

[Jingthing]

That was not my vicious tongue. That was my polite, diplomatic tongue. I wish I could use my "vicious tongue" to describe the experience of this joint you are touting. Again, please stop hijacking this thread. If you are the owner, perhaps consider investing in a sponsorship.

Edited April 2, 2014 by Jingthing

[Awohalitsiktoli]

Ok, will move it to the "hit and run" thread and see what people have to say. Please, no more discussing this Chinese place on this thread. Thanks.

[Jingthing]

Possible/probable update on the topic of THIS thread ... Foomanlou restaurant.

 

Well, folks, it APPEARS to be shut down.

I am not 100 percent certain of this yet because have only passed it a few times on baht buses but it sure LOOKED shut down.

So don't consider this a final confirmation as yet.

 

Anyway, IF they are indeed shut down, is this surprising? No, of course not, it is not surprising.

 

The problems were too obvious:

 

1. Overpriced!

2. Food not particularly exceptional for the audience of Chinese food sophisticates (so the prices not justified well enough)

3. Marketing/presentation not clear enough for non-Chinese market (Thais, Europeans, Russians, etc.)

4. No "gimmicks" like birds nest / shark fin that has kept other Chinese places afloat

5. Servers seemingly not able to communicate well about the food. Often not a problem, just look at picture and point, but their menu was more complicated and that might have helped in this case.

 

If it turns out this closing report is not true, my regrets and will correct later of course (or confirm the closing).

 

 

Cheers.

 

Next!

 

Edited July 2, 2014 by Jingthing

[OMGImInPattaya]

Pattaya does seem to be a black hole for Chinese restaurants.

[Jingthing]

News flash!

 

The original restaurant is definitely CLOSED.

 

However, I've got some good news and some bad news.

 

This restaurant with a different name and a subset of the original menu is REBORN on 2nd road across from the Grand Sole Hotel. That's north of Pattaya Klang.

 

http://www.grandsolepattaya.com/location-en.html

 

The space appears much more realistic in size and I noticed they were doing a decent trade with large tables of Chinese people. 

 

Bad news (to me anyway) is that the prices are the same as before.

 

There are some dishes I want to try there that I didn't get a chance to try at the original place, so I'll check it out later.

 

Because of the prices, I doubt I'll be a regular.

 

BTW, there is no doubt there is a direct connection between the closed place and this new place. The menu items that they do have are exactly the same, same pictures, and the same prices. 

 

Anyway ... there it is!

Edited August 1, 2014 by Jingthing

[JSixpack]

News flash!

 

The original restaurant is definitely CLOSED.

 

However, I've got some good news and some bad news.

 

This restaurant with a different name and a subset of the original menu is REBORN on 2nd road across from the Grand Sole Hotel. That's north of Pattaya Klang.

 

http://www.grandsolepattaya.com/location-en.html

 

The space appears much more realistic in size and I noticed they were doing a decent trade with large tables of Chinese people. 

 

Bad news (to me anyway) is that the prices are the same as before.

 

There are some dishes I want to try there that I didn't get a chance to try at the original place, so I'll check it out later.

 

Because of the prices, I doubt I'll be a regular.

 

BTW, there is no doubt there is a direct connection between the closed place and this new place. The menu items that they do have are exactly the same, same pictures, and the same prices. 

 

Anyway ... there it is!

 

Good location not far from Soi 6.
 

[Jingthing]

Yes, it is. But on the other hand I find it interesting that Shanghai Restaurant on 3rd road is doing similar dishes for about 1/3 the price!