"hidden" "ethnic" Restaurant Wonders Of Pattaya!

[bazmlb]

Well I don't know the name, but it's the one at the end of Bang Sarae beach (far end) and goes out over the sea on stilts.

It's a whole load better and cheaper than anything in Walking street.

reuntalay? the seafood place just south of jomtien? went there a week or so ago 2500 baht for 10 people and a truck load of food, just dont be in a hurry to eat, its not so easy to find either

[Mobi]

Well I don't know the name, but it's the one at the end of Bang Sarae beach (far end) and goes out over the sea on stilts.

It's a whole load better and cheaper than anything in Walking street.

reuntalay? the seafood place just south of jomtien? went there a week or so ago 2500 baht for 10 people and a truck load of food, just dont be in a hurry to eat, its not so easy to find either

Not sure we're talking the same place. There are a couple of very good seafood places at the far end of Jomtien, but I'm talking about Bang Sarae - maybe 20kms South of Pattaya, turn right off Sukhumvit, just after the left turning to Nong Nooch. Once you hit the beach it's easy to find. Just drive to the far end of the beach and it's on the right, running out to the sea on stilts. Big place. I just don't know the name.

If that's where you're talking about, Baz, then my apologies.

Edited January 30, 2007 by Mobi D'Ark

[bazmlb]

Well I don't know the name, but it's the one at the end of Bang Sarae beach (far end) and goes out over the sea on stilts.

It's a whole load better and cheaper than anything in Walking street.

reuntalay? the seafood place just south of jomtien? went there a week or so ago 2500 baht for 10 people and a truck load of food, just dont be in a hurry to eat, its not so easy to find either

Not sure we're talking the same place. There are a couple of very good seafood places at the far end of Jomtien, but I'm talking about Bang Sarae - maybe 20kms South of Pattaya, turn right off Sukhumvit, just after the left turning to Nong Nooch. Once you hit the beach it's easy to find. Just drive to the far end of the beach and it's on the right, running out to the sea on stilts. Big place. I just don't know the name.

If that's where you're talking about, Baz, then my apologies.

yep i am pretty sure thats the one i mean too

[wilko]

Preecha at Ban Amphoe has one next to it over the water....I've eaten there a few times and it's great...Ban Amphoe is before Ban Sare, coming from Pattaya...theasiest way to find it is look for a "right-turn" traffic light a bit after the Ambassador. Can't think if it's sign posted. There are several seafood places there which can get very crowded when the Thais have free time.

[icecubes]

Well I don't know the name, but it's the one at the end of Bang Sarae beach (far end) and goes out over the sea on stilts.

It's a whole load better and cheaper than anything in Walking street.

reuntalay? the seafood place just south of jomtien? went there a week or so ago 2500 baht for 10 people and a truck load of food, just dont be in a hurry to eat, its not so easy to find either

Not sure we're talking the same place. There are a couple of very good seafood places at the far end of Jomtien, but I'm talking about Bang Sarae - maybe 20kms South of Pattaya, turn right off Sukhumvit, just after the left turning to Nong Nooch. Once you hit the beach it's easy to find. Just drive to the far end of the beach and it's on the right, running out to the sea on stilts. Big place. I just don't know the name.

If that's where you're talking about, Baz, then my apologies.

The place you mentioned at the very end of Jomtien beach.

Has gone right down hill,, They have expanded it, The price has started to creep up, Loads of Falang down there now. it used to be just Thai/ Chinese.

The food was rubbish .

I was taken down there by Thai friends of my wife, they insisted on paying

( yes for real and they did) but they left most of the food on the plate.

my wife told me not to make a problem so I keep quiet.

We bought some Thai food at a cart at the side of the road and went back to my place to eat again washed down with some Johnny Walker black label.

( The Thaïs love that stuff for some reason)

Possibly just an off night, but I wont be back down there in a hurry..

It used to always be great food.

Anyone had the same?

[Jingthing]

There are two seafood joints at the very end of the Jomtien Beach Road. (After that, to continue you must turn left). One is really at the end, and the other is on the left hand side very near the very end.

I have always tried the one on the left hand side (not the other way which is really at the every end) and a recent visit I found it as well priced and as good as ever, and no other farangs in site. Were you talking about the other one (at the very end)?

I must say the service at the one I go to has always been comically horrendous, but I consider it part of the entertainment.

Edited January 30, 2007 by Jingthing

[Mobi]

There are two seafood joints at the very end of the Jomtien Beach Road. (After that, to continue you must turn left). One is really at the end, and the other is on the left hand side very near the very end.

I have always tried the one on the left hand side (not the other way which is really at the every end) and a recent visit I found it as well priced and as good as ever, and no other farangs in site. Were you talking about the other one (at the very end)?

I must say the service at the one I go to has always been comically horrendous, but I consider it part of the entertainment.

Yes, I've been to that one a few times through the years - most recently when I couldn't get into the one North oF Naklua (Moom Aroi).

It's not bad and not too pricey. Good ambience, but you're right the service is a bit weird. They have a fair sounding band locked up in an airconditioned area, and pipe the music outside. On holiday weekends it's packed with Thais, but otherwise not that busy.

Definitely worth a go - epecially if you don't want to drive out too far.

[luckyluke]

On holiday weekends it's packed with Thais

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Sorry ,no offence,but this seems to me very logical,we are in Thailand.

[Mobi]

Well Luckyluke,

Firstly it wouldn't be packed with Thais if the food wasn't up to it, so I was making a point (fairly obvious, except to you, I guess), that as it gets full, the food must be good.

And secondly, I was giving a word of warning, that as it is full on holiday weekends with Thais, you may have problems getting a table, as I did on one occasion.

Is that clear enough now???

[luckyluke]

Well Luckyluke,

Firstly it wouldn't be packed with Thais if the food wasn't up to it, so I was making a point (fairly obvious, except to you, I guess), that as it gets full, the food must be good.

And secondly, I was giving a word of warning, that as it is full on holiday weekends with Thais, you may have problems getting a table, as I did on one occasion.

Is that clear enough now???

Clear thanks,but again ,no offense,you may have problems getting a table anyway if on holiday ,weekends,it is full with thais or other nationalities.but i do not want to argue further on,have a nice evening.

[tropo]

i am a cabbages and condoms fan in pattaya, its far better than bangkok and the setting is great. Ideal for a weekend lazy afternoon.

I agree the setting is awesome, but the food is bland, uninspired.

I agree, the food is uninspiring... well it was on my one visit, I haven't yet given them a second try.

[tropo]

In the spirit of this thread, here is one of my finds:

the Indian restaurant at the Beverly Plaza Hotel in South Pattaya does a 200 baht Indian buffet nightly that is rather a cultural experience. The crowd (until after this post?) apears to exclusively be local Thai-Indians and even gets quite crowded on weekend nights. The buffet always includes a decent variety of both meat and vegetarian curries (as well as all the expected items such as nan, rice, soup, pickles rice pudding desert), and the spicing level is quite hot. Not the most sophisticated Indian food in the world, but excellent value, and its good enough for the local Indians. BTW, I do feel the food is better than other dinner Indian buffet in town, the Kohinoor, which I do not recommend. If a bunch of farangs start showing up, they will be freaked out for sure! BTW, you dine on tables surrounding their downscale swimming pool, and the fun moves inside during rainy season.

Beverly Plaza Hotel

59/35 Phratamnak Road, Pattaya 20260, Thailand

INDIAN BUFFET nightly, from 8 PM to 10 PM

Location map:

http://www.asia-discovery.com/pattaya/beverlyplaza/map.htm

I ate there once, and it would be prudent to mention here that it's not a very clean restaurant. Although I found the food tasted quite ok, the presentation was off putting.

Each to his own, but it was a once only for me.

PS. I'm very fussy over restaurant cleanliness.

Edited January 30, 2007 by tropo

[Mobi]

Well Luckyluke,

Firstly it wouldn't be packed with Thais if the food wasn't up to it, so I was making a point (fairly obvious, except to you, I guess), that as it gets full, the food must be good.

And secondly, I was giving a word of warning, that as it is full on holiday weekends with Thais, you may have problems getting a table, as I did on one occasion.

Is that clear enough now???

Clear thanks,but again ,no offense,you may have problems getting a table anyway if on holiday ,weekends,it is full with thais or other nationalities.but i do not want to argue further on,have a nice evening.

We won't have a big debate about this, but I can assure you that there are plenty of eating establishments that are never full - holidays notwithstanding. The Thais, more than farangs, can sense out good food and good value for money, and vote with their pockets. A good rule of thumb is that if the Thais pack it out then it's probably OK.

Have nice evening yourself

[luckyluke]

Well Luckyluke,

Firstly it wouldn't be packed with Thais if the food wasn't up to it, so I was making a point (fairly obvious, except to you, I guess), that as it gets full, the food must be good.

And secondly, I was giving a word of warning, that as it is full on holiday weekends with Thais, you may have problems getting a table, as I did on one occasion.

Is that clear enough now???

Clear thanks,but again ,no offense,you may have problems getting a table anyway if on holiday ,weekends,it is full with thais or other nationalities.but i do not want to argue further on,have a nice evening.

We won't have a big debate about this, but I can assure you that there are plenty of eating establishments that are never full - holidays notwithstanding. The Thais, more than farangs, can sense out good food and good value for money, and vote with their pockets. A good rule of thumb is that if the Thais pack it out then it's probably OK.

Have nice evening yourself

Now i understand what you mean,i apologize to you.

[Jingthing]

In the spirit of this thread, here is one of my finds:

the Indian restaurant at the Beverly Plaza Hotel in South Pattaya does a 200 baht Indian buffet nightly that is rather a cultural experience. The crowd (until after this post?) apears to exclusively be local Thai-Indians and even gets quite crowded on weekend nights. The buffet always includes a decent variety of both meat and vegetarian curries (as well as all the expected items such as nan, rice, soup, pickles rice pudding desert), and the spicing level is quite hot. Not the most sophisticated Indian food in the world, but excellent value, and its good enough for the local Indians. BTW, I do feel the food is better than other dinner Indian buffet in town, the Kohinoor, which I do not recommend. If a bunch of farangs start showing up, they will be freaked out for sure! BTW, you dine on tables surrounding their downscale swimming pool, and the fun moves inside during rainy season.

Beverly Plaza Hotel

59/35 Phratamnak Road, Pattaya 20260, Thailand

INDIAN BUFFET nightly, from 8 PM to 10 PM

Location map:

http://www.asia-discovery.com/pattaya/beverlyplaza/map.htm

I ate there once, and it would be prudent to mention here that it's not a very clean restaurant. Although I found the food tasted quite ok, the presentation was off putting.

Each to his own, but it was a once only for me.

PS. I'm very fussy over restaurant cleanliness.

I can appreciate that, but not all farangs are so precious. Especially, if we are talking about street food and such. Actually, I didn't find any cleanliness problem with the place. Did you see a roach or something? I agree the place is not at all plush, funky in almost a camp way would be the way I would describe it. Gotta love the dining by the ancient pool ambience.

BTW, the food there is nothing to write home to Bombay about, but for 200 baht in Pattaya where Indian food is so overpriced, it is nice that it exists.

Edited January 30, 2007 by Jingthing

[tropo]

I can appreciate that, but not all farangs are so precious. Especially, if we are talking about street food and such. Actually, I didn't find any cleanliness problem with the place.

Seeing as this is your own thread, it would be preferable if you could use less condescending words to describe one member's health concerns.

Having said that, I apologize as I didn't realize your thread was primarily concerned with "street food and such", because I hardly ever eat street food...not because the food isn't good (often it's the best tasting food around), but because they don't have suitable wash up facilities.

[icecubes]

There are two seafood joints at the very end of the Jomtien Beach Road. (After that, to continue you must turn left). One is really at the end, and the other is on the left hand side very near the very end.

I have always tried the one on the left hand side (not the other way which is really at the every end) and a recent visit I found it as well priced and as good as ever, and no other farangs in site. Were you talking about the other one (at the very end)?

I must say the service at the one I go to has always been comically horrendous, but I consider it part of the entertainment.

i was informed that they are one and the same now.

that's not 100% but i was told this by a local. anyone know.

If not i dont know who to blame as we had to sit on the tables out side by the beach.

i did not look at what place on the food come from.

i was not impressed at all with the food.

like i said might have been an off day.

[wilko]

There are two seafood joints at the very end of the Jomtien Beach Road. (After that, to continue you must turn left). One is really at the end, and the other is on the left hand side very near the very end.

I have always tried the one on the left hand side (not the other way which is really at the every end) and a recent visit I found it as well priced and as good as ever, and no other farangs in site. Were you talking about the other one (at the very end)?

I must say the service at the one I go to has always been comically horrendous, but I consider it part of the entertainment.

The other one is great too and cheap...I use to use it a lot.

[chanchao]

> Either you haven't been in town long, Chanchao, or you don't get around much.

Probably both. It's been a couple of months since my last visit, and then I mostly stayed near the beaches.

> So, from the intersection of "South Pattaya road" and Third road, you should go east, toward

> Sukhumvit. As you approach Sukhumvit (about 200 meters before it), you'll see a big yellow

> "Captains" sign on the side of a building on your right. The entrance to the Vientienne

> restaurant is the dirt road there. Just turn right, and you'll see the restaurant on the left, as you drive in.

THanks!!! I'll most definitely go there again.

As for the places at the end of Jomtien, I've tried both and indeed wasn't overly impressed (they were okay, but not places I'd seek out again and again). Indeed normally the places busy with Thais are excellent, then again being on Jomtien they get a lot of people from out of town on weekends, people who also may not know to find the best spots just like me.

I did notice the restaurants at Ban Amphur and Bang Saray, if I'm there with a car I'll try those too.

Cheers,

Chanchao

[Jingthing]

I can appreciate that, but not all farangs are so precious. Especially, if we are talking about street food and such. Actually, I didn't find any cleanliness problem with the place.

Seeing as this is your own thread, it would be preferable if you could use less condescending words to describe one member's health concerns.

Having said that, I apologize as I didn't realize your thread was primarily concerned with "street food and such", because I hardly ever eat street food...not because the food isn't good (often it's the best tasting food around), but because they don't have suitable wash up facilities.

I you can't stand the heat (or the roaches) get out of the kitchen!

Just kidding.

[Jingthing]

Restaurant Report.

Restaurant Name: Korean Restaurant (otherwise in Korean)

Food Type: Korean and Korean BBQ

Customer profile: Koreans, probably mostly tourists

Location: in soi directly off 2nd Road across the street from Tiffany Show Palace (a tad south of there); do not confuse with another Korean place on the Tiffany side

Menu: English available, pictures of dishes, most dishes are unpriced, you have to ask

Languages Spoken: The Koreans who appear to be owners speak English; Thai waiters

Food: Tried the bi bim bap (rice and beef strips with vegetables and hot sauce which you are supposed to mix and mash up). Served with a fantastic array of about 10 small side kimchi type dishes, including dried seaweed. Price: 150 baht. Drinking water free.

Tables have a BBQ grill built into the table if you want to order meats to grill.

Overall rating: Compares very well with other better Korean places in town and even good places in Bangkok. Good place to go if you are already familiar with Korean food. Welcoming to farangs but probably don't see many.

Good food. Nice atmosphere. Great value for something different. Good size portion and you may request free refills of any of the side dishes.

Recommended.

Image is a typical bi bim bap, not from this restaurant:

Edited February 8, 2007 by Jingthing

[raro]

Went to that new French Restaurant L'Ami Pierrot on Third Road (right hand side coming from North Pattaya Road, was an Indian Restaurant before) the other night.

Excellent French food, especially the Pates are worth a mentioning.

[Jingthing]

I recommend the new Pakistani-Indian restaurant/take-away on Soi Bukhaew.

It has a bright red sign ' Saleem Restaurant' and is opposite Soi Honey.

The curries I have had were great only 130 baht and a good sized portion. Pick up a menu outside, free delivery as well.

I am a bit worried though, it has been shut for the last four days, maybe for the holiday?

Thanks for this suggestion and to all others who have mentioned so many places around town. I for one am certainly hearing about places I never knew about, so I hope this can continue.

Regarding SALEEM RESTAURANT, I did visit for the first time and have these comments. This appears to be an above average Thai style Indian restaurant. While it doesn't compare with the better Indian restaurants in Bangkok, I agree it is a great find. Had the chicken madras curry (used boneless chicken), a very nice and very large nan stuffed with mashed potatoes (lots of butter on top, wish I had asked for none), and a quite decent raita yogurt dish. Good portion, good flavor, good value. I was told there is now a new chef so this might explain the closing. My only real nit is the curry was not hot and spicy enough for my taste, even though I specifically requested it extra spicy.

I would like to TAKE BACK anything GOOD I said about the Saleem Restaurant. A second visit revealed some really crappy food. A chicken tikka masala (asked for it extra hot and spicy) that basically tasted like very suspicious looking tiny chicken titbits in a red-colored sweetish generic gravy (tasted almost like instant powder based). If the micro chicky chunks ever saw the sight of a tandoori oven, I'll be a Monkey's Uncle. The so called "curry" lacked even the slightest trace of spice or kick. The nan this time was quite small and nothing special. Not good value because the food doesn't resemble good Indian food. Too bad. Save your money and go elsewhere.

Maybe theres a good explanation, like they lost their decent cook, but who cares, its their problem. Next!

Edited March 10, 2007 by Jingthing

[suiging]

Restaurant Report.

Restaurant Name: Korean Restaurant (otherwise in Korean)

Food Type: Korean and Korean BBQ

Customer profile: Koreans, probably mostly tourists

Location: in soi directly off 2nd Road across the street from Tiffany Show Palace (a tad south of there); do not confuse with another Korean place on the Tiffany side

Menu: English available, pictures of dishes, most dishes are unpriced, you have to ask

Languages Spoken: The Koreans who appear to be owners speak English; Thai waiters

Food: Tried the bi bim bap (rice and beef strips with vegetables and hot sauce which you are supposed to mix and mash up). Served with a fantastic array of about 10 small side kimchi type dishes, including dried seaweed. Price: 150 baht. Drinking water free.

Tables have a BBQ grill built into the table if you want to order meats to grill.

Overall rating: Compares very well with other better Korean places in town and even good places in Bangkok. Good place to go if you are already familiar with Korean food. Welcoming to farangs but probably don't see many.

Good food. Nice atmosphere. Great value for something different. Good size portion and you may request free refills of any of the side dishes.

Recommended.

Image is a typical bi bim bap, not from this restaurant:

Love it!

There are an umber of Korean joints in the North end of town, on Nua itself and all adjoining side Soi's. They serve the ever growing number of Korean tourists ( ever tried to get a tee time recently ahead of a coach load of them ? ) and have to be authentic else the buggers wont eat.

The Koreans are very passionate about their fodder, and a poor chef will soon be hounded out. Watch for a place full of them without a forced eighty seater bus outside and you will have found a great feed.

Edited March 11, 2007 by suiging

[Jimmyd]

Thanks to all for this thread.

Some thoughts--Monday, Tuesday, and Friday market in Baan Amphoe ~10 km outside of Pattaya. Turn right at the first stoplight past the Ambassador Hotel and you'll see the market right in front of you.

The Gai Yang there is excellent, they cook it in a big clay water jug and have nice hot sauce. Different days have different foods, but there's always a lot of stuff there. The kao moo kapi is great when it's there. It might not be worth making a special trip out of Pattaya, but if you happen to be passing by it's nice. Starts around 4 pm.

Seaside 2 on Soi Chaiyapoom has been mentioned, but I'd like to give it a boost--prices are excellent. For example, 95 baht for halfway decent fish and chips and the same for a pork chop with jacket potatoes and a lot of gravy. It's up for sale so I don't know how much longer it will be around.

Leng Kee on Central Road has also been mentioned, including their duck, I just thought I'd say that getting half a roast duck to go is a great idea--relatively cheap excellent dinner for two at home.

I ate at Mum Aroi on third road recently and it was good, though prices are not low. Their tom yum (they call it something else like garlic seafood soup) is the best I've ever had and I've been here 10+ years. It's very spicy and has lots of garlic and herbs, similar to Bo Taek if anyone knows what that is. It was 150 baht on the menu, but I think they charged 180 baht on the check bin. Got a whole snapper too with lao sauce, out the door ~550 baht for two with rice water the fish and the soup. Not cheap, but I'll be back.

Cheap seafood--go to Naklua seafood market and grab a couple kilos of river prawns and barbecue them up. Did that yesterday. Learn how to make that great Thai seafood dipping sauce (garlic fish sauce lime sugar cilantro) and had a great feed for three people for ~400 baht with shrimp left over! Oh, and got a great piece of grouper for 300 baht per kilo, super fresh, less that half the price you'd pay at Foodland. Sorry for going a bit off topic here, but seafood restaurants in Thailand get away with murder in my experience.

The salad bar at sizzler gets my regular custom too, used to be 111 baht but my friend said they just increased the price to 129. Can anyone confirm? It's at Royal Garden if you don't know already.

The food court at Carrefour is the best in town in my opinion. Halfway decent pizza at 45 baht a slice (not up to Pan Pan standards, but good). My tip here, don't go for reheated slices, get something hot out of the oven. Makes a big difference.

Also in the Carrrefour food court there's a place that makes pad grapao moo/seafood/etc where they cook it fresh for you. Best I've had in Pattaya. Usually has a line--a good indication of quality as mentioned earlier. Notable mention to the sum tom place near the end and the boat noodle place is pretty good.

People have mentioned the noodle place just up from Carrefour toward Suk on the left--well it has the best reasonably priced Khao Soi in town. Someone mentioned the Khao Soi in Tukcom, but when I had it many moons ago I didn't like it. Perhaps they've improved so I may give it another try.

By the way, there's an Uzbekistan restaurant near Big C North Pattaya. It's in a beer bar complex up a bit from Big C towards the dolphin circle. Sorry for the bad directions, but I felt it really fits the topic here. I ate there and wasn't very impressed, but it was ok and I'm glad I went because I've never seen another Uzbeki restaurant anywhere else in the world! The owner (an Uzbeki woman) did tell me that there's a big one in Los Angeles.

Well, I've gone on a bit, I'll get back on this thread as more ideas come to me. Thanks again for the tips; I'll be trying some soon and will report back.

[Phil Conners]

I'm not really following this thread anymore. Although it started out as a great idea, it seems most entries are about Thai food which I find neither hidden nor ethnic (being that we're in Thailand). Too bad!

The salad bar at sizzler gets my regular custom too, used to be 111 baht but my friend said they just increased the price to 129. Can anyone confirm? It's at Royal Garden if you don't know already.

That salad bar seems to be the cause of food poisoning for many, it was discussed in several threads recently, try searching this forum for "sizzler food poisoning"

[Jingthing]

Ethnic, schmethnic. I could live here 50 years and still think fried INSECTS are ethnic!

On with the FOOD finds, whatever the kinds ...

Yeah, this thread went quiet, but it doesn't have to be that way. If you find some food place you would like to share with the world, please remember to search for ethnic and this thread will show up ...

JIMMY D SAYS:

People have mentioned the noodle place just up from Carrefour toward Suk on the left--well it has the best reasonably priced Khao Soi in town. Someone mentioned the Khao Soi in Tukcom, but when I had it many moons ago I didn't like it. Perhaps they've improved so I may give it another try.

By the way, there's an Uzbekistan restaurant near Big C North Pattaya. It's in a beer bar complex up a bit from Big C towards the dolphin circle. Sorry for the bad directions, but I felt it really fits the topic here. I ate there and wasn't very impressed, but it was ok and I'm glad I went because I've never seen another Uzbeki restaurant anywhere else in the world! The owner (an Uzbeki woman) did tell me that there's a big one in Los Angeles.

I agree the Khao Soi in Tuk Com basement is not good. Thanks for the Khao Soi tip near Carrefour, I think I know where you mean, it might help to give more precise directions.

Also tried that Uzbeki restaurant. Portions quite small, they use real Uzbeki LAMB FAT, which is a good thing because the cuisine appears to be based on lamb fat. There are big chunks of this fat in the food, and well, it sure isn't so healthy but it tastes pretty good. The baked dumplings and home made noodle soup (both with the lamb fat) were quite tasty. Excellent home made tomato juice, of all things. The cook is Uzbeki and they have a BELLY DANCER (for some more lamb fat). There is another Uzbeki joint on Thappraya Road between Jomtien and Pattaya, across the street and not so far from Mike's Mexican (though that isn't the exact location). Haven't tried it yet. Any reports? Both places also serve RUSSIAN food like borchst. They are not the same cuisine, but of course Uzbekistan used to be part of the USSR.

Now all we need in Pattaya is for Mexico to get richer and start sending over package tourists to Pattaya. Then, and only then?, might we get real Mexican food here.

Edited March 11, 2007 by Jingthing

[Phil Conners]

For Mexican I like Tequila Reef on Soi 7. I've never been to Mexico so don't know how authentic it is, but it sure is yummy.

[Jimmyd]

I agree the Khao Soi in Tuk Com basement is not good. Thanks for the Khao Soi tip near Carrefour, I think I know where you mean, it might help to give more precise directions.

From Carrefour going up towards Suk it's on the left side maybe 30 meters up. It's right next to DCO Computers. We often park in Carrefour and walk up. 30 baht a bowl. One tip: ask for more sour vegetable, they never give enough for my taste, but you can get more in a little glass cart they have. Their Kanom Jin isn't cheap but very good and different from most kanom jin--they have several varieties if I remember correctly and my wife often has that instead of Khao Soi. Much more expensive but good is the Northern Thai restaurant on Third road between Central and North Pattaya Roads. Anyone remember the name?

We just got back from trying the dim sum place on North Pattaya road mentioned earlier in the thread. We were not terribly impressed. It was ok, but for 237 baht for 9 small dishes and water we felt it was overpriced and just ok taste-wise. I'm still on a hunt for good reasonably priced dim sum in Pattaya, haven't found any since the 200 baht a head dim sum buffet closed down.

After eating we headed up to a new place in Naklua that has barbecued ribs, chicken and duck. Very nice and cheap--all takeaway. Almost all the way to Naklua Market on the left side on the opposite side from Rung Roje Market. It's the second big curve after the long straightaway on Naklua road. I got more than a kilo of ribs (three strips) for 210 baht. They give free samples. You'll see the ducks hanging. They are cheaper than Leng Kee, but I prefer the taste of Leng Kee. They are still quite good, though.

On the way we passed a couple more favorites. 30 meters into North Pattaya road Soi 7 which goes off to the left from North Pattaya road as you come from Third towards second road (Thai House restaurant is on that corner), there is a very popular Gai Yang/sum tom place called Champ Saak Tong (The Golden Pestle, sign in Thai only). Best barbecued chicken in town and good sum tom and moo dat dieow. A whole chicken is maybe 120 baht. They have two kinds of sauce with it, a dark and the usual chicken sauce (I prefer the dark one). A great to-go item, but nice to sit down and eat there too. It's next to a Korean restaurant I haven't tried yet.

On Naklua Road there are two notable restaurants on the right side as you head away from the dolphin circle. The first is Pizza Big a couple hundred meters up. Terrible name, but pizza second in quality only to Pan Pan in my opinion. Don't get too many toppings as it's the thin crust Italian type pizza. I usually get just pepperoni--200 baht and bigger than a pie at Pan Pan.

The next is a real gem called Anton another few meters up, maybe 20, on the same side. In the evenings they have a German Buffet. It's an amazing Meat and Potato Festival at about 200 baht a head. If you are in the mood for some substantial food, go there. Rib sticking. Don't make it a regular habit unless you're looking to gain weight. Meat in sauce. Sliced meat. Pork. Beef. Lasagna. Chicken. Greasy potatoes. Mashed potatoes. Gravy. Sausages. Desserts. Token salads (potato included). Token Thai food. Extra grease upon request (and even if you don't request). I highly recommend it.

About the sizzler salad bar. Perhaps some have gotten food poisoning, but for what it's worth I have been dozens of times and have never gotten sick. I'll continue to take my chances.

About Thai food: Actually I think that it's quite difficult to find good cheap Thai food in Pattaya compared to the rest of Thailand. When I moved here from Bangkok many moons ago, I was very disappointed in the quality of the Thai food here. I'm always looking for places to change my mind, but still think Pattaya lags behind many places in Thailand.

[Hobgoblin]

Three types of food I'd really love to see here:

- Moroccan, WITH the traditional seating (on the floor, sitting on pillows)

- Jewish Deli, with bagels, real Rye bread, pastrami and corned beef!

- Brazillian BBQ (all you can eat, and a crew of skewer-bearing waiters circulate around the restaurant offering you what meat they have)

Alas, no luck on any of these!