Le Bourdeaux a French Restaurant??

[Neal]

So tonight I was invited by several freinds to go to dinner at a restaurant called Le Bordeaux and was informed that it was a french restaurant. Many of you know some of my favorite restaurants and I try not to vary not because I am a pompus ass but because the dialysis keeps me down for most of the week and when I go out to eat, well I don't like wasting a night on poor food or service.

Well first we sat down and needed to read this "billboard"of a menu which was so confusing and you needed to figure out where the French words stopped and the English started. There was something called Holiday something or something like that and it would have been nice if they could have informed us as to what it actually was cause I don't know what it is from the word holiday.

Well I have not had a Chateubriand in years and of course in a french restaurant I expected it to be supurb. The sauces, rochefort, mushroom or pepercorn. A french sauce as common in france as ketchup is in the USA is bernaise. Made from pan melted butter, a tad of mustard, dill and one or two other ingredients. Perfect on a chateubriand. No have. Hmmmm. The owner came over and I asked for Chateubriand and after saying is 3 or 4 times he said we don't have it. I said but it is french to which he rudely replied that so are many other sauces. But it's like the A,B,C of sauces for a french restaurant!

My shrimp cocktail came and there were a few baby shrimp in there. I know cause I tasted them but did not see them. Then the Chateaubriand came, ah yes. The waiter plopped down this ordinary looking steak and walked away. Now I don't know about you but when a chateubriand is served, well all the places I have gone, they pull up a side cart and slice it for you. No dice. Medium rare was a bit medium and the knives we were given to cut what should have been a filet as tender as butter could barely cut through as these were no steak knives.

The steak "appeared to be a Thai filet steak and my freinds steak which he said was "gamey" tasted to me as it had barely a day left shelf life to it.

A group of about 8 extremely noisey French people came in noisy and that topped off the evening. Two of my group like what they had and three did not one of which would not eat his meal. Two had desert and they only ate ice cream.
All in all I won't be going back and in my honest opinion the only thing that is French in that restaurant is the name, the owner and the menu! On a scale of 1 to 10 my rating would be a 3.

[paperboy]

im so glad ive never went in now hahha thanks for the report
a few years ago i went in the french resturant that used to be infront of le boourdeax, cant remember the name, but the next year it was closed dow,
by the sounds of it all you would have had a better night accross the road in salt and pepper :party

[francois]

A group of about 8 extremely noisey French people came in and were extremely noisy and that topped off the evening. .

That should answer your question, yes, for sure it is a French restaurant !

My experiences have been positive regarding the food and service. Their set menu for about 380 TB is good and a fair price. There is also a gourmet menu at about twice that price which may not offer the same value.

[Neal]

1. We ate from that gourmet menu that was NOT a set menu and I am happy to hear that you liked it.

Le Bourdeax please read below from Wikipedia..tender cuts of filet and also read at the bottom what sauce it is commonly served with.

Chateaubriand steak, or just chateaubriand, is a recipe of a particular thick cut from the tenderloin (fillet), which, according to Larousse Gastronomique, was created by personal chef, Montmireil, for Fran├зois-Ren├й de Chateaubriand, the author and diplomat who served Napoleon as an ambassador and Louis XVIII as Secretary of State for two years. When prepared properly, it can be among the most flavourful and tender cuts.

At the time of the Vicomte, the steak was cut from the more flavourful but less tender sirloin[citation needed] and served with a reduced sauce made from white wine and shallots moistened with demi-glace and mixed with butter, tarragon, and lemon juice. An alternative spelling of the statesman-author's name is Ch├вteaubriant, and some maintain that the term refers to the quality of the cattle bred around the town of Ch├вteaubriant in the Loire-Atlantique, France.[1]

It is traditionally served with herb roasted small "new potatoes" or "chat potatoes" and either Bearnaise or mustard sauce.

[catawampuscat]

For the money, an excellent French restaurant in the DayNIght area, just opposite Salt N Pepper restaurant.
Agreed, that the acoustics suck and usually groups of French speakers and usually very loud inside. Best to arrive well
before 8PM when the noisy Europeans pile in.

[Daniel-old]

On a scale of 1 to 10 my rating would be a 3.

I haven't eaten at Le Bordeaux since Romuald and Sam took over. I will give it a look when I'm back in March. Thanks to Neal, at least my expectations won't be too high.


... a few years ago i went in the french resturant that used to be in front of le bourdeax, cant remember the name, but the next year it was closed down,

Chez Vicky?

[lonelywombat]

I have enjoyed Le Bordeaux on many occasions, and cannot extend decisions for your recent party.

However their current menu is here. It is most pleasant and the price of chateaubriand in 560 baht. There is no indication of a per head charge.

http://www.bordeaux-restaurant-pattaya. ... ttaya.html (http://www.bordeaux-restaurant-pattaya.com/french-restaurant-pattaya.html)

The main menu second page also includes the main dishes price list.

Maybe their price should be established with your high price venues ,before a comparison of price and quality is made.

Their menu is 3 courses for 430 baht. That is affordable to those not into large spending incomes. Brunos menu prices are almost double that, and what was the prices of the wine?

http://www.brunos-pattaya.com/menus.htm ... rcoalGrill (http://www.brunos-pattaya.com/menus.html#menus-dinner-fromTheCharcoalGrill)

[Neal]

Yes, I totally agree the prices are much lower and yes we did get a free glass of white wine with our meal. I also never stated that there was a per head charge and would not have been pleased had there been one as I have never had any restaurant charge me for this.Yes it is by far less expensive than Bruno's but why you selected Bruno's I do not know as I do not believe they have Chateubriand and the restaurant style is just so different. Certainly comparing apples with oranges, no? The review I made of my experience and the food had nothing to do with the price it had to do with the ambiance, the experience, service and the food itself. Please remember that some time ago I went to the Ritz Cafe and wrote that the food was very good, portions ample and service good. Now that was from a set menu of about 300 baht, so making this comment about Bruno's makes me feel that you think I cannot properly tell you what a less expensive meal should be like. I enjoy New Orleans although have not been there in months and I have enjoyed Le Strohganoff 2, Sunrise Taco and Ambiance to name a few. Don't make me out to be a pompus ass just because I gave them a poor review. Eat there, enjoy yourself and be happy. Just my take on a meal that ended up costing me almost 1,000 baht between the appetizer, entree, drink and no desert. I can get much better elsewhere and FRENCH food not just french words on a menu, name and owner.

I look forward to trying Rich Man Poor Man and Au Bon Coin in the coming weeks and let you know what I thought.

[adman5000]

Neal- Since you are regarded as the gourmand of this forum, I have some culinary questions for you.
Who do you think has the best pizza in Pattaya?
Who do you think has the best Greek food in Pattaya?
WHere is the best German food in Pattaya- a good wienerschnitzel or sauerbraten?
Who do you think has the best Chinese food in Pattaya?
Have you had better ribs anywhere than Cafe New Orleans? Or other BBQ?
Are there any places which have great Philly Cheesesteaks in Pattaya?

I normally eat a lot of Indian food and fresh seafood when I am in Pattaya so I want to try some different places. The one year I stayed over Christmas/New Years and went to the sit-down dinner they had. I thought they did a fantastic job. The shrimp were fantastic-humongous, cooked to perfection, and real shrimp taste, not that farm shrimp shit.

:alc:

[Neal]

I am not a board gourmand, I am giving my personal opinion.

The best pizza I ever had was put out by the Rooms place next to Tui's Place on the beach. It really was supurb but she could not sell many and stopped. I cried.
I have tried many others including that NY Pizza and well barf.
Greek have no idea.
German again closed down a few years ago and sold to an Indian guy and was called Zum Simple on Pattaya Tai Road just outside walking street.
Chinese food? Never found a good one.
I tried the ribs a Tequilla Reef, see my comment re NY Pizza and I just have always thought New Orleans ribs were the most tender and flavorful.

Did you say where you ate at that shrimp place?

[adman5000]

Sorry I left the name out. The shrimp were the ones I had at Le Cafe Royale Holiday bash. They were excellent. I don't know where they got them.

It sounds like many of the good international/ethnic restaurants have closed. Too bad. I like to avoid the chain restaurants.

Thanks for your opinions.

[Neal]

I have no idea about shrimp at Le Cafe Royale, I am sorry. We can start another thread.