Tex/Mex buffet - Jomtien

[RabC]

Just a few corrections:

Maize and corn are the same thing. It is available in Thailand.

Tacos are not made from cornmeal--tortillas (the shells of tacos) are made from masa, which is made from corn by special treatment. Masa is hard to find in Thailand, but you can find it at Makro nowadays.

Cilantro is easily available everywhere in Thailand. Jalapenos are available too, but they are much rarer.

Mole is a sauce unto itself and not an ingredient of red sauce.

Just to add there is a thread somewhere here on TV where a poster found tomatillos growing wild and numerous others then added that they were now cultivating them.

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/694612-wild-tomatillos-grow-in-central-thailand/

[KittenKong]

If any else does actually get round to trying this TexMex buffet, there is (or was) another one at Ma Maison in Soi 13 off Beach Road in Pattaya.

OK I know that a place with a French name doing Mexican food probably isnt any more authentic than a Scandinavian one, but it may be worth investigating for those who like that sort of thing.

[Tolley]

I don't really care whether the food I get in Thailand is authentic Mexican or not ...whatever that maybe anyway.

As long as the food is tasty and reasonably priced then I don't care about authenticity.

Sunrise was okay but expensive for Pattaya and it was only okay.

La Monita in Bangers is pretty good but is quite expensive and I doubt it would do well in Pattaya as I just don't think there would be enough demand at the prices.

I cook at home in Pattaya most of the time these days as really the quality of food out there really isn't that good unless you want to spend a fair bit of money.

I mean how many good style thai restaurants are there in Pattaya?

It is very hard to find good thai food in Pattaya so good luck with Mexican or anything else for that matter.

[anotheruser]

Not sure why I was quoted here? Also what is the point of bringing up a place in BKK in a Pattaya thread? Being fluent in Spanish isn't enough these days. You must list by region alphabetically where you have sampled Mexican cuisine. You must also assert that you are aware of Tex Mex, Cali Mex, and know what a south of Mission burrito is.

In addition to these you must give us the hard facts that burritos and tacos are only traditionally eaten in specific states in the North of Mexico. In addition it is obligatory to make some off point juxtapositions of regional fare in Mexico. A comparison of the Thai and Mexican palate and sense of taste should accompany your post and the conclusion of this comparison should lead to your very personalized thesis of why Mexican food is alway going to be doomed to fail in Thailand.

Extra points if you actually pronounce the place Mehico as your are posting.

Not trying to be a jerk here, just checking to see if I actually remember correctly myself. You mean 'South of Market' burritos, right?

Yes you are correct.

[Jingthing]

Sorry, I said I wouldn't post here about the Scandinavian taco buffet and I'm not but I have to correct this.

The famous San Francisco style burritos are MISSION DISTRICT burritos.

There is a South of Market district but it is not famous for burritos. It's famous for gay leather bars. The Folsom Street Fair, etc.

South of Mission isn't the name of a district in SF.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mission_burrito

A Mission burrito (also known as a San Francisco burrito or a Mission-style burrito) is a type of burrito that first became popular during the 1960s in the Mission District of San Francisco, California.

[Roger Lee]

Sorry to be off topic, although I do plan on trying the buffet mentioned by the OP on Friday if I'm still in country.

Has anyone tried Tequila Reef Cantina? I ordered some enchiladas, mini burritos and some nachos through Food Panda the other night. Not bad and definitely a notch up from Sam's or Mike's Mexican.

If you enjoyed Tequila Reef then you might be satisfied with mentioned buffet. I knew the old owners of TR and they were saddened how their old business no longer was the "in" place to go in this town for Mexican food. I agree about Sams, nothing special, but the concensus is Mike's is the best place in Pattaya for Mexican.

Yes, I agree Mike's is better than Sam's, both are nothing special but tasty. It amazes me that the red sauce they use over here is brown, tastes different also.

Looking forward to trying the buffet on Friday that the OP mentioned.

[Awohalitsiktoli]

Sorry to be off topic, although I do plan on trying the buffet mentioned by the OP on Friday if I'm still in country.

Has anyone tried Tequila Reef Cantina? I ordered some enchiladas, mini burritos and some nachos through Food Panda the other night. Not bad and definitely a notch up from Sam's or Mike's Mexican.

If you enjoyed Tequila Reef then you might be satisfied with mentioned buffet. I knew the old owners of TR and they were saddened how their old business no longer was the "in" place to go in this town for Mexican food. I agree about Sams, nothing special, but the concensus is Mike's is the best place in Pattaya for Mexican.

Yes, I agree Mike's is better than Sam's, both are nothing special but tasty. It amazes me that the red sauce they use over here is brown, tastes different also.

Looking forward to trying the buffet on Friday that the OP mentioned.

Great.......somebody is going to actually eat at the place. Please do us a favour and take lots of pictures of the food and post them. Thanks in advance. On another point, if people like Sams' and the other one, Mike's, both in Jomtien, they might like Sue's Place (formerly the Blue Parrot) in Pattaya. Sue's Place reminds me of Taco Bell, but is not the same. The best, IMHO, is La Monita in Bangkok (but the food is expensive). That place, which I think is the best in Thailand, would probably rate about a 0.5 on a 1-10 scale for "excellent Mexican" food in the southern region of the USA. Put differently, we really need some good Mexican food over here, especially in Pattaya-Jomtien. If that never happens, then bring on Taco Bell, and I will eat there and never go to one of the other places that are pretending to serve Mexican food (Mexican, Tex-Mex, Cali-Mex). At least Taco Bell is not pretending--people know what they are getting and they are getting it for a decent price.

[ThaiBob]

The parent company, Yum, owns KFC and Pizza Hut so maybe (I hope) there is a Taco Bell in the future.

[NanLaew]

Go to the Beaver Bar in Ban chang and have an Enchalada. Closes thing you will get to Tex Mex.

I found it hard to move beyond the house taco's.

[Roger Lee]

I went to the buffet tonight and it was worth the 385 baht, very tasty, nicely presented and the meat etc. was hot, not cold. Is it better than Mike's or Sam's? Probably not but not bad. Worth the money since it's an all you get eat buffet, in fact I was encouraged to grab a 2nd plate.

They had the box style corn taco shells and smallish flour tortillas. The taco meat was like my mom used to make, store bought spice package with tomato paste and water, hmm. Chili con-carne, pretty good, and the fajita chicken meat, didn't try it but it looked good. I'm chickened out as Thailand doesn't offer beef very much. Mexican spring rolls were good but I'm sure they're not authentic Mexican food. Barbeque ribs, a lot of sauce-too much for my taste, not falling off the bone tender but not bad, not too chewy. The sour cream and guacamole dip was a nice touch with the latter being pretty good. The hot sauce or salsa was off the mark imho. Overall the meal was not bad, tasty, and well presented.

I had two plate fulls and left pretty stuffed. I'll definitely go back, not every week, but every once in awhile. It was a nice change up from the usual fare.

Be forewarned that my favorite Mexican food is Carlos O'Kellys and On the Border in the USA. This is what I gauge Mexican food with so if these store's don't float your boat, my tastes and expectations my differ from yours.

The staff was outstanding and there were plenty of them, ready to pounce when queried.

[KittenKong]

^^ Good review. Food looks acceptable to me, and a fair way to try several things without having to order entire dishes at huge cost. Those pickled chillies look very tempting with a beer.

Not sure how "Mexican" those spring rolls are though!

[Jingthing]

I cry for Mexico seeing that plate advertised as Mexican food.

The good news I suppose is they don't have to worry about special security measures for a visit from the Mexican ambassador.

(Yes, I get the message -- people don't want to hear details as to why.) Oh well. Thanks for the pictures ... what I expected but good to know for sure!

[Nice Boyd]

Not sure why I was quoted here? Also what is the point of bringing up a place in BKK in a Pattaya thread? Being fluent in Spanish isn't enough these days. You must list by region alphabetically where you have sampled Mexican cuisine. You must also assert that you are aware of Tex Mex, Cali Mex, and know what a south of Mission burrito is.

In addition to these you must give us the hard facts that burritos and tacos are only traditionally eaten in specific states in the North of Mexico. In addition it is obligatory to make some off point juxtapositions of regional fare in Mexico. A comparison of the Thai and Mexican palate and sense of taste should accompany your post and the conclusion of this comparison should lead to your very personalized thesis of why Mexican food is alway going to be doomed to fail in Thailand.

Extra points if you actually pronounce the place Mehico as your are posting.

Not trying to be a jerk here, just checking to see if I actually remember correctly myself. You mean 'South of Market' burritos, right?

I would use the Term Mission Style Burrito and with complimentary chips, homemade not commercisl, we re talking La Cumbre, La Taqueria, El Toro, La Palma Mexicatesin.

[Nice Boyd]

Sorry, I said I wouldn't post here about the Scandinavian taco buffet and I'm not but I have to correct this.

The famous San Francisco style burritos are MISSION DISTRICT burritos.

There is a South of Market district but it is not famous for burritos. It's famous for gay leather bars. The Folsom Street Fair, etc.

South of Mission isn't the name of a district in SF.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mission_burrito

A Mission burrito (also known as a San Francisco burrito or a Mission-style burrito) is a type of burrito that first became popular during the 1960s in the Mission District of San Francisco, California.

in SF they call them Mission Style, not Mission District, even though the Mission has changed dramatically in the last few years with the Google Bus Crowd chasing the Mexicans out of the area, Sad

[Jingthing]

I totally agree. They are Mission style as in THE MISSION. As in the MISSION DISTRICT of San Francisco.

[Nice Boyd]

Not sure why I was quoted here? Also what is the point of bringing up a place in BKK in a Pattaya thread? Being fluent in Spanish isn't enough these days. You must list by region alphabetically where you have sampled Mexican cuisine. You must also assert that you are aware of Tex Mex, Cali Mex, and know what a south of Mission burrito is.

In addition to these you must give us the hard facts that burritos and tacos are only traditionally eaten in specific states in the North of Mexico. In addition it is obligatory to make some off point juxtapositions of regional fare in Mexico. A comparison of the Thai and Mexican palate and sense of taste should accompany your post and the conclusion of this comparison should lead to your very personalized thesis of why Mexican food is alway going to be doomed to fail in Thailand.

Extra points if you actually pronounce the place Mehico as your are posting.

Not trying to be a jerk here, just checking to see if I actually remember correctly myself. You mean 'South of Market' burritos, right?

I would use the Term Mission Style Burrito and with complimentary chips, homemade not commercisl, we re talking La Cumbre, La Taqueria, El Toro, La Palma Mexicatesin.

and old school El Faro on Folsom

[Awohalitsiktoli]

I cry for Mexico seeing that plate advertised as Mexican food.

The good news I suppose is they don't have to worry about special security measures for a visit from the Mexican ambassador.

crying.jpg

(Yes, I get the message -- people don't want to hear details as to why.) Oh well. Thanks for the pictures ... what I expected but good to know for sure!

I totally agree with you on this one. It looks awful to me. But the poster (by the way, thanks for the picture) did mention these two places as "models" of Mexican food: Carlos O'Kellys and On the Border in the USA. So, if that is your reference for "Mexican food," then it is within reason that a person might like the new buffet. It is so frustrating to not have really excellent Mexican/Tex-Mex/Cali-Mex in Pattaya-Jomtien, and not even Taco Bell, which I think would be much better than what I saw in that picture.

People say it can't be done because the ingredients are not here. First, if the ingredients are not available, do not make it! How many of you would start an Italian restaurant over here without access to Italian ingredients? None, I am sure.

Second, virtually all of the necessary ingredients are here (e.g. garlic, tomatoes, onions, cumin, oregano.......tomatillos and jalapenos can be found over here along with premade (soft) corn and flour tortillas (but I prefer homeade stuff). Virtually all of the necessary dry ingredients can be imported (e.g. dry ancho) at low cost because they are dry and light. Masa is a different story, buy it is, IMHO, possible to make really good Mexican food in Thailad.

La Monita, in Bangkok, is a good example of what can be done over here if some effort is put into it. I was way too harsh on them earlier. They are trying and do have a Mexican chef. They are expanding, so they are getting a good reputation and following. Their salsa bar is interesting, to say the least. There is another place in Bangkok run by a man named Jorge. He is from Mexico and is doing a good job of bringing Mexican food to Thailand (sorry, I can't remember the name of his new place). Nuff said......it can be done. We do not have to settle for what was shown in that picture (but I understand how some people would like that type of food and actually pay that price and tell us they are going to eat there again).

[Heng]

All I said was that it is a great treat for the small amount of Money you pay. Don`t need to be a Mexican chef to make Mexican food. Great and tasteful food. Can only recommend it.

True that. Most of the Thai and Chinese kitchens in the US are staffed with Mexicans (and misc. Latinos). As long as there is one guy there to crack the whip and knows how things should be done, it doesn't matter where the cooks are from. The same goes for football teams, chain gangs, and construction. :-)

Nice assumption, but I don't think so. I came from the California bay area and there is no way you would find authentic ethnic food (outside of Mexican) being cooked by a majority of Latino's. It maybe news to you but there are a lot of other ethnic groups highly represented in the US.

Going by experience on the businesses we're involved with, but I'll admit that that survey sample size is limited to a few dozen establishments in a limited number of states (across CA, TX, and NY).

[juice777]

Dose beef eaters in soi Diana still do there tex Mex buffet? That was great for the price, and I know Americans like it because I herd one saying he was going up for his third plate

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[juice777]

http://www.beefeaterpattaya.com. om

/mexican-buffet/

Looks like they do but i can't remember seeing the sign outside for a long time

I don't know if it's any good compared to Texas standards but I always liked it

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[Awohalitsiktoli]

http://www.beefeaterpattaya.com. om

/mexican-buffet/

Looks like they do but i can't remember seeing the sign outside for a long time

I don't know if it's any good compared to Texas standards but I always liked it

Sent from my SM-G900F using Tapatalk

Sometimes I wonder if a poster has ever actually eaten "Tex-Mex." For those who have never eaten it, here are some pictures of real Tex-Mex to compare with the so-called "Tex-Mex buffet food" in Thailand:

[lou62]

^ Looks great. Add some authentic salsa and a margarita to sip and all's well.

[juice777]

Now I come to think about it I have eaten food like that, and it definitely isn't as good as Mexican I had Las Vegas once, but it's still one of the best buffets in Pattaya in my opinion, i think i will go this Saturday

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[RabC]

http://www.beefeaterpattaya.com. om

/mexican-buffet/

Looks like they do but i can't remember seeing the sign outside for a long time

I don't know if it's any good compared to Texas standards but I always liked it

Sent from my SM-G900F using Tapatalk

Sometimes I wonder if a poster has ever actually eaten "Tex-Mex." For those who have never eaten it, here are some pictures of real Tex-Mex to compare with the so-called "Tex-Mex buffet food" in Thailand:

Its a bit like the bastardisations that Americans make of other international cuisines, each to their own. I am guessing loads of people haven't tried authentic Tex/Mex but do enjoy what is presented elsewhere. See what most of the world does to Chinese food, in the main it in no way resembles what you get in China. Chill and let people enjoy what they like without lecturing them that's its no good.

[RidgeRunner]

Carnitas tacos are all I need.

Pork, onions, cilantro on a corn tortilla, squeeze of lime with a splash of salsa.

LaMonitas and Sambroso, Soi 23 in Bangkok can do it. Why not here in Pattaya?

[RidgeRunner]

Taco discovery.

Recently I was hungry & had some corn tortillas and pork satay leftover in my fridge.

That works. Surprisingly delicious. A little butter and salt doesn't hurt.

So good, I've been eating this weekly.

[Awohalitsiktoli]

http://www.beefeaterpattaya.com. om

/mexican-buffet/

Looks like they do but i can't remember seeing the sign outside for a long time

I don't know if it's any good compared to Texas standards but I always liked it

Sent from my SM-G900F using Tapatalk

Sometimes I wonder if a poster has ever actually eaten "Tex-Mex." For those who have never eaten it, here are some pictures of real Tex-Mex to compare with the so-called "Tex-Mex buffet food" in Thailand:

Its a bit like the bastardisations that Americans make of other international cuisines, each to their own. I am guessing loads of people haven't tried authentic Tex/Mex but do enjoy what is presented elsewhere. See what most of the world does to Chinese food, in the main it in no way resembles what you get in China. Chill and let people enjoy what they like without lecturing them that's its no good.

My main point in the last post was simply to show people, visually (unfortuately you can't smell and taste it), what good Tex-Mex looks like. It is not like Taco Bell. It is something else. It is not easy to make; it takes skill. You need the right ingredients, among other things. I have no doubt that some people who are not familiar with real Tex-Mex will try the new buffet and like it. That is fine. Some of us who grew up on the real stuff are simply frustrated that we cannot get good Tex-Mex here (La Monita stands way above the crowd on this score, but it is in Bangkok), and since you mentioned it, good American-Chinese here. My guess is that you are from the other side of the big pond--the European side. Maybe if you grew up in the United Kingdom and could not get a decent British breakfast or "pie" in Pattaya-Jomtien and people were telling you how great the British breakfast/pies were at x,y, and z place, and you tried them and thought they were all horrible.....just maybe you would be a bit frustrated too.

[RabC]

http://www.beefeaterpattaya.com. om

/mexican-buffet/

Looks like they do but i can't remember seeing the sign outside for a long time

I don't know if it's any good compared to Texas standards but I always liked it

Sent from my SM-G900F using Tapatalk

Sometimes I wonder if a poster has ever actually eaten "Tex-Mex." For those who have never eaten it, here are some pictures of real Tex-Mex to compare with the so-called "Tex-Mex buffet food" in Thailand:

Its a bit like the bastardisations that Americans make of other international cuisines, each to their own. I am guessing loads of people haven't tried authentic Tex/Mex but do enjoy what is presented elsewhere. See what most of the world does to Chinese food, in the main it in no way resembles what you get in China. Chill and let people enjoy what they like without lecturing them that's its no good.

My main point in the last post was simply to show people, visually (unfortuately you can't smell and taste it), what good Tex-Mex looks like. It is not like Taco Bell. It is something else. It is not easy to make; it takes skill. You need the right ingredients, among other things. I have no doubt that some people who are not familiar with real Tex-Mex will try the new buffet and like it. That is fine. Some of us who grew up on the real stuff are simply frustrated that we cannot get good Tex-Mex here (La Monita stands way above the crowd on this score, but it is in Bangkok), and since you mentioned it, good American-Chinese here. My guess is that you are from the other side of the big pond--the European side. Maybe if you grew up in the United Kingdom and could not get a decent British breakfast or "pie" in Pattaya-Jomtien and people were telling you how great the British breakfast/pies were at x,y, and z place, and you tried them and thought they were all horrible.....just maybe you would be a bit frustrated too.

I do try Eurpoean food places that are recommended on here and do find some really bad ones but keep quiet as taste is relative. The only time I vocalise my thoughts is if someone says something is the "Best" in town. I too had a Holy Grail with regards Indian food here but have given up because I realised that even if it wasn't authentic and people enjoyed it then good for them, I will just keep quite and make my own.

[Awohalitsiktoli]

To RabC: I think criticism can be in the form of "positive criticism." If the person on the end of it does not take it personal, he/she can use criticism to change things and make his/her product better--in effect to outcompete the competition. Positive criticism could, in fact, make the person on the end of it rich. The head-stuck-in-the sand competition do not want to hear any criticism and take it all personal....and they end up out of business. It is clear to me that you think it is fine to say good things about a restaurant, but you do not think people should make critical comments (the keep your mouth shut strategy). That is your belief system. My belief system is different on this point. To me, criticism can be a very positive thing if done the right way. Given what is being served over here as "Tex-Mex," I really do wonder if some of the people who are selling the food are actually familiar with the food. That is why I listed some basic ingredients and posted pictures of it. Yes, virtually everything is relative, but there is nothing wrong with asserting an opinion. If we did not do that, ThaiVisa would be extremely boring. If I like it, I will say so. If I do not like it, I will say so. It is not up to me to decide if my opinion matters. And, in the grand scheme of things, nothing matters

[KittenKong]

Carnitas tacos are all I need.

carnitas.jpg

Pork, onions, cilantro on a corn tortilla, squeeze of lime with a splash of salsa.

I am not an aficionado but that looks rather nice.

The many plates of what appeared to be gloop pictured a little earlier in this post http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/858333-texmex-buffet-jomtien/page-4#entry9966363 do not look so appetising to me.