Review: The Cheeseburger (Niddy's Nook)

When I come to Thailand, my stomach appreciates if I gradually transition into the less expensive local cuisine. Usually the first week or so, I consume a lot of the food I am used to. Being an avid reader of this board, I decided to try Niddy's Nook. In my humble opinion, this is what I found when I went there.

Niddy's Nook is very convenient to find. I arrived in the Day Night Area around 1:00 p.m. and walked past the nook and decided to walk up, but as i looked inside, I saw noone. I thought maybe it was still early and decided to walk around the Day Night Area and see what was going on (not much at 1:00 p.m.). I then returned to the Nook at 2:00 and looked through the doors for about 2 minutes and again saw neither employee or customer. Still I decided to walk inside. I sat down at one of the tables and all of a sudden out of nowhere I hear "Hello, how are you sir?" I looked around in shock, and from behind the bar arose someone to come over and take my order, a great trick!

Again, reading this message board a great number of times left me little decision on what to eat, I had to settle my curiousity and try the cheeseburger. I ordered it and a beer. As I waited for my beer, I looked around and found the nook to be pleasant, with nice artwork on the walls. It was very small, but cozy. As LMTU said in a previous post, there is a vent that smelled bad while I was outside, but I could not smell it inside.

The cheeseburger came and I found most of it quite good. It was a good size patty with cheese melted on top. I added to it some tomatoes, lettuce, and mustard and I found it all to be quite delicious, well seasoned, and juicy. The seasoning on the burger reminded me of the chain "In and Out" from the western US, very good.

I only had two issues with the plate I was served. First the bun was not that great. I appreciated it had sesame seeds on it, but the bread was a little hard. Toasting or even just warming the bread would add a great deal to the burger, instead the bun kind of made my mouth dry. Secondly, my french fries were overcooked. I realize they were frozen fries just refried, but when overcooked in oil they tend to get a little gummy and take in too much oil. The fries definitely were not something that I enjoyed, and I left most of them on my plate.

My total for my lunch: 235 Baht, which I felt was a little bit more than I think I should have paid for my meal. The Cheeseburger was quite good, but not 180 Baht worth of good. It had a great flavor, but for the value I may stick to McDonalds or Burger King. The beer of course was a beer. One nice touch was at the end of the meal I was poured from the bar a small cordial to end my meal. I will probably return to the nook to try some of their other food, but I will probably not again order the cheeseburger. While I do not highly recommend it, I definitely do recommend that you stop by and try it, who knows, you may like it, after all, this is just my opinion.

NIDDY'S NOOK

Atmosphere 8/10
Service 7/10
Food 7/10
Value 5/10


HWT

Thanks for the generously objective review. How could anyone really love stale bread and overcooked, greasy, frozen fries sold at an absurd markup? The truth hurts.

Certainly doesn't sound twice as good as a meal at Burger King, for half the price.

[Dboy]

I sat down at one of the tables and all of a sudden out of nowhere I hear "Hello, how are you sir?" I looked around in shock, and from behind the bar arose someone to come over and take my order, a great trick!HWT

Wow! American Teacher has hired John Cleese to work at Niddys! How did LMTU miss that piece of news?

Dboy

as many reviews as Niddy's Nook...there is only one way to settle this matter once and for all time..everybody should visit there once and write their impression.

I adore cheeseburgers so I intend to go..in plain clothes (a simple day frock , pearls , gloves and a small pillbox hat..I bet no-one realizes who I am and I will give the Truth !! as I always do.)

Why are people so obsessed with junk food like cheeseburgers ?. Don't they think they are not obese enough ?.

NIDDY'S NOOK



Atmosphere, by HWT...Well I do not know what you awarded this on, but it did remind me a cafe, so I suppose it was as you expected in atmosphere.

I found the restaurant to be clean, simply decorated but nice, and they had good music piping through. Although I was dining alone, I felt very comfortable, for me that is good atmosphere.


Service,,,,,,,,,,,for HWT... IтАЩm sure they did not have the light hand relief service when we was there service was nil.


My service was prompt and courteous. I only took off points for not being seen in the restaurant when I showed up, leaving me to wonder if they were open at all. Also, I should explain that to me a 7 is good in service, nothing was done overly special, but everything was prompt. As for waiting time for my cheesburger, i did not time it, but it was nothing I started getting concerned about. I think I had time to read one article in a Sticky Rice Magazine they had on the table and then it arrived.

As for the patty size, it was good enough for me. I am 5'11" and 150 lbs, so this turkey does not require a lot of stuffing.

If they roll out a new menu at Niddy's Nook, I will definately stop by and try it out. As I said before, I would return and probably try out some of their hopefully delicious Thail offerings.



wonderful fair critic of your last 3 observations now looking for more.

Thank you, as I try new places I will do my best, I am however on a budget, so I can't be trying every expensive steakhouse in Pattaya to give a review, but if someone is absolutely dying to hear what I think of a place, let me know, it's always good to splurge once in a blue moon.

As for the obsession with the cheesburger, it's not just here in Pattaya. I remember when the San Francisco Chronicle went looking for the best burger in San Francisco. In and Out Burger made the top 10. I think the winner was the Zuni Cafe, with their homemade pickle, gorgonzola cream sauce, and served on focaccia. Yumm.

HWT

[Smiles]

Thanks for your review HeWentThere. Well thought-out and quite fair. A breath of fresh air regarding Niddy's for sure.

Not sure if you have been reading LMTY's on-going commentaries about Niddy's (for months now), but they are as far removed from 'objective' as it's possible to get . . . his stuff on Niddy's should be taken seriously by absolutely no one. (NOTE: some of his other posts on Places-Not-Niddy are reasonably informative, but unfortunately are only marginally coherent).

After reading the barely-disguised animosity in his posts on Niddy's, it's almost impossible to not come to the conclusion that there is personal Bad Blood between Chris and LMTY, and if that is the case then ignoring LMTY's writings regarding Niddy's should be the default stance most impartial folks should take.

As an aside, I completely agree with the anti-cheeseburger slant taken by a poster back further on this thread.
Cheeseburgers are dull as dishwater (if not toxic) insofar as "food" in general is concerned, and arguing about the pros & cons of their "quality" in any greasy slophouse does a great disservice to culinary reviews as a whole.

Cheers ...

I don't agree. I eat maybe one cheesburger every decade, but I can assure there is such a thing as an etherial cheeseburger. I know, because I had one once. For the most part, cheeseburgers are junk, fast, food, but they don't have to be. Of course, most people are not willing to pay the price for a gourmet version of something so common. As far as the Nook, the owner boasts he serves the town's best cheeseburgers, so naturally it is on cheeseburgers he is going to be JUDGED, until the time he stops that silly claim.

DELETED

I can only hope that when I do my revue of the Niddy, and his cheese burger, that Pearl is doing lunch at the same time, and not some of the other riff raff here. Her outfit will set a delightful ambience in which to hide from the mid day sun.

Problem is Pattaya is just so off the agenda. It would be so much easier if Niddi's had a branch in China. I wish I could order one of these delicious burgers off the internet. I love soggy chips with vinegar and salt. Is the cheese proper farm house? Maybe someone can go get one and put it up on e-bay. I am sure it will set record breaking bids.

Tempt me with the delights of Pattaya, besides Niddies of course. Have they fixed the WC up on the hill yet? I had to walk three Km in the scorching sun to find one last time, my rather dashing driver thought I was trying to escape his advances, and kept following me in the salon, till I told him to bugger off till I had finished slashing.
Truth is, reality in my case deserves close inspection, but I had had an eye-full in the rear view mirror ever since leaving Bangkok, and wasn't about to give him a live show up on the mount in Pattya.

Any-one else stayed longer than a slash and has more to recommend? The view was quite good, what are all those concrete bunkers and high rises in the distance? Is that the border with Guangzhou?

[UncleSam]

I'm not sure what quadrant of that burger was not as good as the rest, but if you add a stale bun and inedible french fries to the plate, why would you ever go back for that meal again ?

[Nabaat]

To some of the posters - WHO CARES - J Bot give it a rest. So Chris declared something, who hasn't. Give them a chance and let it go.

All I can see is that your life and those of some other posters must be so devoid of interest this is all that you have to do.

Let me guess - respones to this reply will be along the lines of:

What is your life like
Don't you have anything else to do etc etc etc etc

JB - have a day of positive thoughts, and see how nice life is/can be.

Love to you all

[bkkguy]

My bad blood is against, bad quality of food, bad service, bad Price, for product, and bad atmosphere, as we have marked, personalities have nothing to do with it.

bad quality postings? bad quality rumours? bad quality gramma and speling?

bkkguy

My bad blood is against, bad quality of food, bad service, bad Price, for product, and bad atmosphere, as we have marked, personalities have nothing to do with it.

bad quality postings? bad quality rumours? bad quality gramma and speling?

bkkguy

dont forget..bad atitude, bad breth, bad maners and bad obiesity... !

... at Niddy's Nook a couple of times, once we had Thai food which my friend and I agreed on was a'roy (delicious) and once I had the cheeseburger, which was full of flavour with your own salad side to add to the burger yourself with a tasty side dish of veg covered in lovely garlic butter and fries, I do find the constant criticism baffling.

So, one or two people have made complaints here about the food, not my experience but I do not doubt the voracity of others. What I do find annoying is the constant lambasting of this business which crops up in forum topics totally unrelated to the restaurant, with comments suggesting food poisoning, bad atmosphere, stinky smells etc, none of which has been my experience.

If you have a problem why not say it to Chris' face, he is at the Nook most nights as far as I can tell.

Give me a break. The owner is ASKING FOR IT but screaming that he has the BEST CHEESEBURGER. No silly promotions, no JUSTIFIED reaction .

Give me a break. The owner is ASKING FOR IT but screaming that he has the BEST CHEESEBURGER. No silly promotions, no JUSTIFIED reaction .

i aggree with fatboy. i rote this befor and i quote it again. ben to this place on 3 times. all good.

old qote:

3 nites ago i was drinking at red dragon bar and got hungy. when i asked the owner where to get food he called nidys nook down the street. i ate there before and it was good but this time they hand deliverd a cheeseburger and fries. it was the best dam berger ive had in thailand. and it was half the price of the hard cock - i mean rock.

-M

Thaqiula, arnt u the same bloke who keeps nockin tis place down? why?

Don't they use processed American cheese? Best burger, huh?

... What I do find annoying is the constant lambasting of this business which crops up in forum topics totally unrelated to the restaurant, with comments suggesting food poisoning, bad atmosphere, stinky smells etc, none of which has been my experience.

If you have a problem why not say it to Chris' face, he is at the Nook most nights as far as I can tell.

It is those with a hidden agenda that are the constant critics.

I would doubt that any of them especially LMTU would have the guts to face up Chris and make their complaint. If the facts that I have been made aware of about LMTU are correct then I would think that the very last thing he needs is a confrontation with anyone. Much better for him that he confines himself to promoting his friends establishments which of course has the effect of reducing his living expences in Pattaya.

DELETED

I HAVE spoken to Chris to his face. Now don't be naughty and tell little fibs about me!

My post actually specified it is those with a hidden agenda.

Ca we assume by taking it that you were being referred in my post you have a hidden agenda regarding Niddy's? :compress:

[Dodger]

I went to Niddy's once during my last holiday...ordered a cheese burger...and enjoyed. I'll look forward to returning again.

If I didn't like the fucking thing, I just wouldn't order another one...but I sure as hell wouldn't make an issue of it on a global public forum.

Why not? You have no idea how much fun your missing out on. Try it, you may like it!

I went to Niddy's once during my last holiday...ordered a cheese burger...and enjoyed. I'll look forward to returning again.

If I didn't like the fucking thing, I just wouldn't order another one...but I sure as hell wouldn't make an issue of it on a global public forum.

It is no doubt an indication of just how boring a life these people lead that the highlight of their day is to complain about a cheeseburger.

Does life get any more exciting for these poor souls?

[Aunty]

Evidently not.

[Nabaat]

Good to hear from you.

Your posts are probably some, if not the best on the forum ( please don't repeat this) as most of the ones in the know, or so they think will quote you!!! And we will have a whole new thread of deriding your information.

Just dropped in on this thread to say - LET IT GO.

Is life that short to worry about if a burger is the best anywhere?

I discovered some years back when I retired to Thailand, go with the flow, enjoy each day, and when the negs are bigger than than the +'s - get the hell out.

Now to close with a famous, witty, original quip


------ain't got one, so bye for now.

Cooking your own burger? I thinking that you need stand on something because you not tall person. Crematorium best place for you Mr George

[Impulse]

To not eat hamburgers or hot dogs,they are so full of fat it isnt funny.I try to avoid them at all cost except maybe during summer pinics if there is no alternative.Maybe a veggie burger could be offered?I am curious to try this place when Im there next week.Im hoping squid fried rice might be on the menu or something other than burgers and fries.French fries are real bad too,unless you get Freedom Fries made in America,the best and most patriotic food around.