Guest dekdek Posted December 15, 2006 Posted December 15, 2006 I wonder if anyone can help. My friend is coming for a few days over Christmas and he wants to try an Indian restaurant. The main criteria is that the food must be of good quality, authentic in taste, and a reasonable pleasant ambiance. Gay friendly would be an asset but not imperative. As I am living here I know of some Indian places, but new branches and new establishments are opening all the time. As I rarely go to Indian restaurants I wonder if anyone can give advice on to which places are generally rated above others. Quote
Gaybutton Posted December 15, 2006 Posted December 15, 2006 Many say the best in town is India By Nature. Here are a couple of reviews: http://thailandsbestrestaurants.com/restau...anbynature.html http://www.pattayatoday.net/index.php?acti...pe=news&id=1289 Quote
2lz2p Posted December 15, 2006 Posted December 15, 2006 I have tried Indian by Nature - although it was some time ago. I do recommend it for good food and ambiance. Like so many Indian restaurants here, ordering ala carte can be a bit expensive, but most have "set" meals that are reasonable. I can't speak from personal experience, but have had a few people recommend Ali Baba (Pattaya Klang - Central) near the intersection with Beach Road. Quote
Guest lvdkeyes Posted December 15, 2006 Posted December 15, 2006 If you want good cheap Indian food I recommend the place next door to Ravi Indian market on the first soi north of S. Pattaya Road beside the Sikh (sp) temple. Very good and not olily like soome of the places I have tried. It is NOT an upmarket place but the food is very good. Quote
Smiles Posted December 15, 2006 Posted December 15, 2006 A very good friend of ours took us to the MAHARANI Indian Restaurant at the Royal Cliff Hotel ( http://www.royalcliff.com/restaurant.asp ) last April. The meal was quite excellent and was even enjoyed by my guy (Thai) who is not particularly easy to please when the chow ain't Thai. I am not at all experienced with Indian cuisine, but my friend is ... Indian food is at the very top of his favourite cusines, and the MAHARANI is at the top of his choices for Indian food in Pattaya/Jomtien. Nice ambience, quiet, rather small, not cheap but not over the top price-wise. I'd definitely go again if the opportunity arises. Cheers ... Quote
Guest Snowkat Posted December 15, 2006 Posted December 15, 2006 Many say the best in town is India By Nature. I agree totally with GB (for once !). By far the best Indian restaurant in town - beats all the others hands down. Quote
Gaybutton Posted December 15, 2006 Posted December 15, 2006 I agree totally with GB (for once !). Seems almost like an impossibility, doesn't it? Maybe a miracle will occur and one of these days we might agree on something else. I also agree with Lvdkeyes about the Ravi. It's a hole-in-the-wall, to be sure, but if I'm going out for Indian food, that's my first choice. Quote
Guest Snowkat Posted December 15, 2006 Posted December 15, 2006 Seems almost like an impossibility, doesn't it? Maybe a miracle will occur and one of these days we might agree on something else. You're more than welcome to reciprocate anytime and agree with me for once OK --- I know your answer before you post it - 'Hell will freeze over first' - is that so? Quote
Gaybutton Posted December 16, 2006 Posted December 16, 2006 'Hell will freeze over first' - is that so? Not at all. When I agree or disagree with a post, I'm responding to the content of the post, without regard to who posted it. Quote
Guest thrillbill8 Posted December 17, 2006 Posted December 17, 2006 --All I can say is don't go to the over "advertised" Matarri"(sp) restaurant on Central Soi...they are very successful in marketing themselves...true, the decorations in the restaurant may be impressive to the average tourist that hasn't been to West Asia, but the food is crap and when will they realize that their faded, soiled table clothes and worn out cloth napkins are a turn off. I think the best Indian restaurant I have been at is Indian by Nature- a bit $$$ but worth it. (Yes, I have been to India and I know what good Indian food is.) Quote
Guest dekdek Posted December 18, 2006 Posted December 18, 2006 Thanks a lot for everyone who has replied. I will show my friend and he can decide. It does seem though at the more top end, Indian by nature is the choice. I will also look in the Ravi and maybe go with some other friends. Quote
Guest Martelly Posted December 18, 2006 Posted December 18, 2006 Have had a couple of bad meals at Indian by Nature. Be interested to hear how you get on? Quote
Guest buaseng Posted December 20, 2006 Posted December 20, 2006 the MAHARANI Indian Restaurant at the Royal Cliff Hotel ( http://www.royalcliff.com/restaurant.asp ) . The meal was quite excellent Have to agree the food is good but I did find it a bit pricey. I suppose that is to be expected at the Royal Cliff. Have had a couple of bad meals at Indian by Nature. Be interested to hear how you get on? To my mind the best Indian food in Pattaya. Never had a bad meal there yet. Quote
Guest PeterUK Posted December 21, 2006 Posted December 21, 2006 The Maharani at the Royal Cliff is better than Indian by Nature. Better food, better value, better service. Only the ambience at Indian by Nature is more attractive. I had a few meals at the latter and found the food to be good but the portions small. If I recall correctly I paid 90B for a couple of small poppadums which would be a rip-off even by London standards. What really stopped me going there was the attitude of the manager who just oozed a desire to get every baht he could from each customer and who was visibly annoyed if the customer wanted to restrict his spending. I can still see the dumfounded look on his face when my friend handed back the wine list and said he would just have water. I've got no time for that attitude. Every customer, big or small spender, deserves respectful treatment in my opinion. Quote
Smiles Posted December 22, 2006 Posted December 22, 2006 " ... The Maharani at the Royal Cliff is better than Indian by Nature. Better food, better value, better service. Only the ambience at Indian by Nature is more attractive ... " . . . . but then there was the issue of the long strand of hair (who's we do not know) floating lonely in one of the dishes at the Maharani. No problem, it only enhanced the conversation (" ... should we say something? Should we sue? Should we ignore stoically? Should we be quietly innocuous or raucously offended in our (possible) complaint? ... "). We decided ~ in the end ~ to quietly mention the extra & unwanted protein and make no noisy row, or farang style drama. That's one of the side benefits of dining with Khun Peter . . . the winding conversations are memorable, and as far as the pubic-hair-in-the-soup is concerned, deliciously snicker-makin'. Cheers ... Quote
Guest PeterUK Posted January 4, 2007 Posted January 4, 2007 Having read all the praise heaped on Indian by Nature in this thread and feeling a tad guilty about my dogmatic assertion that the Maharani is better, I went back to Indian by Nature the other evening after a long absence. The good news is that the pushy manager I so disliked has gone, replaced by a younger, more personable fellow. The service generally was excellent. The ambience is good and the live Indian music quietly playing in the background no strain to listen to. The food was well-prepared and delicious, my only quibble being that my vegetarian thali (a sampler of about half a dozen dishes) had paneer cheese in two dishes when one would have sufficed. I would still rate the Maharani's grub a little higher, but we are in the realm of 'my diamond is better than your sapphire' here. Most dishes seemed to be about 150B upwards, which is comparable to the Maharani. All in all, I thoroughly enjoyed my meal and will happily go back again. Quote
