GB's Latest Restaurant Recommendations

[Gaybutton]

I haven't posted any restaurant recommendations lately, so here are a few you might want to try.

 

In Jomtien, go to Soi 4 on Jomtien Beach Road. Up the soi,on the left, you'll spot a yellow sign with a palm tree logo. That's Canary Bay. We've become regulars there. It's open air with virtually no atmosphere, but we love the food. It's all French provincial cooking. The menu is extensive. There are actually two menus, so make sure to look at both. My friends and I have our personal favorites. Mine is their Cordon Bleu. It's the best I've had anywhere. Another is a pork in mushroom sauce dish. If you enjoy couscous, go on a Thursday. That's the day they do their couscous special and it's excellent. Fair warning, though. Don't order it unless you're very hungry. The portions are huge. The price range for most dinners is the 250-350 baht range.

 

If you still have room for dessert, cross the soi and turn to your right. You'll find a small French bakery called Sylvain. You'll see their dessert selections in their display case. 90 baht each. We always try to have room for dessert at Sylvain when we eat at Canary Bay. Their coffee is fresh brewed too, not that instant Nescafe. They do a nice breakfast crepe there as well.

 

Last night a friend and I were in the mood for the paella at the La Plancha restaurant. It's a good thing he called first because it turns out that the La Plancha has closed. The owner has merged with the Le Montecristo restaurant on Soi Day-Night 2. Le Montecristo is the restaurant in the old Flamingo Hotel. We went in to discover a very pleasant atmosphere and there was the owner of the closed La Plancha. They gave us a welcome drink. My friend ordered the paella, still 320 baht. It's just the same as it was at La Plancha, although the portion appeared to be a little bit smaller.

 

I changed my mind as soon as I saw their set menu offer. I decided to give that a try instead. For 390 baht it included a very tasty voule vent starter, followed by an excellent seafood au gratin. The dessert was a delicious coconut tart. I really enjoyed it and I thought the price was quite reasonable for what you get. My only objection is they charge 50 baht for water. Considering you can buy that same bottle of water at any 7-Eleven for 10 baht, I thought that price was much too high.

 

After dinner we went across the street to have a look at the Chez Vickie restaurant. I was hoping it was connected with one of my favorite places to eat in Bangkok, the Vickie l'amour restaurant. The Vickie l'amour is located on Soi Ngam Duplee in Bangkok, between the Pinnacle Hotel and the Malaysia Hotel, closer to the Malaysia. Yes, Chez Vickie is the same, with the same menu offerings. The menu even is marked Vickie l'amour. They have several set menu selections as well, which I never spotted on the Vickie l'amour menu in Bangkok. Try the ham and cheese pancake starter. That's my favorite. Also, they serve Aubergine Parmiggiana, which is Eggplant Parmesan. I can never find Eggplant Parmesan in Pattaya, and that's one of my favorites. Vickie l'amour makes it just the way I like it, so I'll be in Chez Vickie very soon to give it a try. Both restaurants are closed on Tuesdays.

 

If you want a really fantastic Eggplant Parmesan, get friendly with Tperhs. He's a fabulous cook and he makes the best I've ever had. Unfortunately, now you'll have to go to Burriram to get it.

[Guest HeyGay]

Wonderful Report GB good to see you branching out, I was wondering how the MonteCristo Food is, now the earlier reports were not to good and the prices were over the top, but now they are taking over the rest of the Ground floor I see, Mie Thai, I'm glad they have the sense to get there act together. bring in new blood. so many French restaurants in Soi Day and Night Area things are getting better weekly.

 

Yes we went to Chez Vickie's for their first night, very Camp to say the least, with the food cooked by Bordeaux, Restaurant over the road, a real hoot, what I'm also glad about is they are nearly full daily, so they must be doing something right

[Guest Astrrro]

I think that Le Petit Planete and CAB are the two excellent restaurants on that soi.

 

CAB has a prixe fixe dinner that includes appetizer, main course, desert and coffee all for 245 baht.

 

La Petite Planete is slightly higher at 255 and does not include coffee.

 

CAB seems more popular and I do appreciate the coffee. Planete has nice murals on the wall and a real French chef but the two places are quite similar.

 

I'm beginning to think than rather paying 70 baht a beer to socialize with friends at bars, it's a good idea to have a really great dinner instead.

 

In either restaurant one can ask for nam neung gaew, that literaly translates as water one glass, but means free water which keeps the dinner within my budget.

 

These restaurants may not be the best choice on humid April/May evenings but I generally prefer open air ambiance rather than be subject to over air conditioning.

[Gaybutton]

I think that Le Petit Planete and CAB are the two excellent restaurants on that soi.

One thing about Pattaya - I've never been anywhere in my life where there are so many wonderful restaurants at very reasonable prices in such close proximity to just about anywhere in the city. There are still some out here on "The Dark Side" I have yet to try, and plenty more in the city and in Naklua.

 

Also, it doesn't take much to get me to go to some of the Thai seafood restaurants way down south on Jomtien Beach Road, almost near the end. There are several. Most have beachside seating available and the food is usually quite good and very reasonably priced. If you don't have a Thai friend with you, no problem. They all have picture menus.

 

RichLB and I have discussed going up and down all the sois on Jomtien Beach Road. It seems like every one of them have restaurants to try, some excellent and some lousy, but we're going to at least have a look and see what's there and try the ones that look good to us. The problem is finding the time to do it. We've only been talking about doing that for over two months, and we have yet to actually get going on it.

 

A lot of people enjoy the Wednesday night German buffet at Ole. One that I like even more is Anton's in Naklua. Theirs is every night. There are Thai selections too. Including water it's 260 baht.

 

There are loads more restaurants to try in Naklua, many of which are German.

 

The problem is, once we find restaurants we really like, that's where we tend to go rather than trying new ones all that often.

[Guest Astrrro]

Just found out that CAB has a customer loyalty card with two benefits.

 

First, if you have dinners, the 13th is free.

 

Secondly, if you bring your own wine,there is no corkage fee if you have a card.

[Gaybutton]

We did get to Chez Vickie, finally, and I'm delighted to report that it's just the same and just as good as the Vickie L'amour in Bangkok. All of us had the ham and cheese crepe starter, which was served piping hot and really delicious. We all also wanted the eggplant parmesan and it too was served piping hot and was excellent. Between the starter, the eggplant parmesan, and we had water, the bill came to 480 baht and very well worth it.

 

There are many more selections besides just those and they also offer set menus.

 

I think once people discover Chez Vickie, it's going to become a Pattaya favorite.

[Guest kjun12]

just the same and just as good as the Vickie L'amour in Bangkok

Sad to report that Vickie L'amour in Bangkok is over, ferme, closed. No longer in operation.

[Gaybutton]

Sad to report that Vickie L'amour in Bangkok is over, ferme, closed. No longer in operation.

That is sad news indeed, at least for me. That was my favorite place to eat in Bangkok and so convenient to the Malaysia and Pinnacle hotels. Maybe they closed in order to open in Pattaya. Of course, the fact the restaurant is now in Pattaya is very good news and I hope they succeed here, but it's a loss for Bangkok.

[Guest fountainhall]

Sad to report that Vickie L'amour in Bangkok is over, ferme, closed. No longer in operation

Especially sad for those of us who live close by. I find it strange, because not only are there the Malaysia and Pinnacle Hotels nearby, the Ibis hotel across from the Malaysia has been open now for well over a year. Add to that, go in the opposite direction from Sathorn into the Yen Akat area, and there are almost no restaurants at all. So there ought to have been a reasonable customer catchment base.

[Gaybutton]

So there ought to have been a reasonable customer catchment base.

Maybe there was, but it wasn't enough. The Bangkok location was more or less a hole-in-the-wall, with only a few tables. The Pattaya location is at least three times the size of the Bangkok location and has more tables.

 

Either way, I'm sorry both locations didn't remain open, but I'm glad the new location is near enough to me that now I can go any time I want . . . and that's going to be often. This is one restaurant I really like.

[Guest gay_grampa]

Vickie L'Amour near the Malaysia hotel is no more. It's closed and the premises is now a Thai massage house called "MIGICHAND" (yes, I did check the spelling)

[Guest Astrrro]

and we had water

 

Curious, I tried a few times to order nam neung gaew, and the Thai waiter kept bringing over bottled water insisting I'd like that better or they didn't have other water. I finally just gave up and took the bottled water. Were you able to get free water?

 

The food was great, no doubt about that!

 

But at peak dinning hour there was just me and my friend at one table and some other guy with a Thai boy at another. CAB down the soi was mobbed and their food is not as good but I think Soi Day/Night diners are extremely price sensitive.

[Gaybutton]

Were you able to get free water?

No, our water was the same bottled water you were trying to reject.

 

I hope the restaurant succeeds. You may be right about price conscious customers. I'll bet if they're smart enough to reduce their prices a little bit so that they're more competitive with Cuisine au Beurre, Petite Planet, et al, you won't be able to get in without a reservation.

[Guest Astrrro]

I hope the restaurant succeeds.

 

It really does deserve to succeed as I haven't had a better meal in Pattaya!

 

My friend had a few observations. The decor makes it look even more expensive than it really is scaring away potential customers. The places screams out gay perhaps giving some straight customers the perception that they may not be as comfortable as elsewhere.

 

Then there's the Day/Night issue. Not many people are going to just stumble upon it, so the owners really need to promote the restaurant well.

 

I'd suggest everyone check it out if you want a really good meal.

[Gaybutton]

I'd suggest everyone check it out if you want a really good meal.

I'm very lucky. During the raffle at the Take-Care party I won a dinner at Le Montecristo. I'll certainly be there enjoying it within the next several days.

 

And don't forget that right across the street is Chez Vickie. You don't want to miss Chez Vickie either. And there is also the Bordeaux. I haven't tried it myself yet, but all the reports I've had from others gives it a thumbs-up too.

 

Three very good restaurants directly across the street from each other, with Cuisine au Beurre and Petite Planet just down the street. I certainly think these places make it worthwhile trying.