Are there any really good Thai restaurants in Pattaya?

Is there any really good Thai restaurant in Pattaya?

I suppose that the only ones that I visit with any regularity are Cabbages and Condoms and various seafood restaurants. I have enjoyed Sugar Hut and PIC Kitchen but had bad tummy problems afterwards.

I am looking to take my cousin and her husband somewhere Thai and I can only think of Ruen Thai which I have always found quite good. Yes it is touristy but are there any serious alternatives?

Wowpow, the BF took me to Vientiane. I liked it so much it has become a regular stop.

www.pattayai.com/review-food-vientiane.php (http://www.pattayai.com/review-food-vientiane.php)

Wowpow, the BF took me to Vientiane. I liked it so much it has become a regular stop.

www.pattayai.com/review-food-vientiane.php (http://www.pattayai.com/review-food-vientiane.php)

Wowpow,

You have to go with Joe M on this, I have been a fan of Vientiane Restauarant at both locations, it is good.

Usually, any Thai company you take enjoy it very much as well. A good sign that your taste buds are working OK.

The Balcony at North Pattaya tends to have great food whatever you choose, Western or Thai.

People are raving about Mantra, great reportys, but I am talking in the dark, as I have not been.

Mick at Le Cafe Royale speaks very well about Somsak's restaurant too for Thai food. I went there and it was great many moons ago.

[gearguy]

Where at on Second Road?

There's also Vientiane kitchen on Walking Street.

Anyone been there?

[TrongpaiExpat]

I don't live in Pattaya but last visit I went walking on Walking street looking for Vientiane and where I though it was, I was told finish (gone-closed)? Where is it now?

This restaurant seems to be peripatetic. I wonder where it is appearing currently.

I had always assumed that it was mostly Lao cuisine with various S E Asian dishes as well. Some reviews seem to think it's Chinese. Like many others I did enjoy many meals there when it was on second road and have not been there since. However, I was hoping to find somewhere essentially Thai?

Vientiane:┬аLaotian influenced cuisine serving South East Asian food from Indonesia and Thailand. Soi 13/1, 13/2 Pattaya 2 Rd. (038411298) $$
http://www.1stoppattaya.com/hospitality/restaurants/

VIENTIANE RESTAURANT. $$$
A Feast at the Vientiane.
The excellent Vientiane Restaurant on Central Road at 485/18 Moo 10, close to Big C. South Pattaya, offers a large and very impressive menu boasting International dishes from Thailand, Laos, China, Europe and of course Vietnam.┬а Authentic dishes from frog to ostrich.┬а However, itтАЩs the Seafood that is predominant on the menu.┬а It is a king of seafood restaurants. Open everyday from 11:30 a.m. тАУ 12:00 a.m. Telephone:┬а 0 3837 3374
http://www.pattayapeople.com/default.as ... ticle=2808 (http://www.pattayapeople.com/default.asp?Folder=1953&IdArticle=2808)

VIENTIANE RESTAURANT
┬а┬аAddress
┬а┬а68 Moo.10 South Pattaya Rd.
┬а┬аType
┬а Chinese
┬а┬аTel.
┬а┬а+66 38 038-422673
┬а┬аFax.
┬а┬а+66 38 038-422673
http://www.pattaya.com/hightlight/food/food_all.asp

VIENTIANE RESTAURANT on walking street was very nice and had a great view of the Pattaya downtown skyline. It has been closed for quite sometime, maybe a year or so at that location. The one off Pattaya Tai is the only one open. I miss the one that was on Second Road. To me it had much better ambience then the current one which seems to cater to the tourist bus crowds from China.

Wowpow what do you mean by Thai food? I think the best Thai sea food is out in Na-Jomtien right on the beach. Fresh fish, Thai chilli, and wonderful breeze and views....and not expensive with many middle class Thai families eating there. If you are looking for real Thai food, maybe the vendors on Pattaya Tai by Center condo. Not as good a view but I have never had a tummy problem while eating there (nor after eating there).

Funny I asked some people where and none of us could think of a high class (expensive with fantastic service) restaurant that seemed to have good authentic (we could not agree what that meant either) food. Most of the hotels have a selection which is good but nothing too special tasting. Let us know what you decide.

[alipatt-old]

I eat Thai food most times at home having a wonderful thia chef in my partner. But when in thailand we normally go to foodcourt where we eat thai food for thai ppl. My choice.

I have yet to be truly happy with restaurant food.

PIC kitchen , just off 2nd Road, near Big C.

[TrongpaiExpat]

PIC Kitchen - the only place where I have got genuine food poisoning from in Thailand!!


Was that a confirmed specific diagnosis? Was it viral, bacterial, parasitic or toxic?

www.emedicinehealth.com/food_poisoning/article_em.htm (http://www.emedicinehealth.com/food_poisoning/article_em.htm)

You know for sure when everyone that eats the same gets sick at the same time.

Take a look at the prevention pages. Sea food, and water borne contaminants seem to be the items to be careful with.

I've had some decent Thai food at Kaffa, the restaurant next to (and supposedly expanding into) the old KFC place across from the Dongtan police station.

for those who count Jomtien as part of Pattaya:

Ma ha set tee (sorry for poor transliteration of the Thai -- the word for wealthy person or millionaire) -- my favourite Thai seafood restaurant on Jomtien Beach, near Chaiyapruek Road.

House specialty: Phla mahasetee -- a large deep fried fish covered in Thai herbs (green peppercorns, lemongrass, et odd chilli etc.). Crispy and delicious

The crab fried rice (khao pat boo) is full of nice bits of crab meat

Excellent raw prawns (goong sai nam phla)

Also excellent glass noodle salads (yam woon sen), and the kale with crispy pork is fantastic.

It's quiet -- even during high season, and if you order a beer or two before dinner, they never complain about bringing your own wine. The older staff speak very good Mandarin Chinese. And you don't need to be a "ma ha set tee" to eat there -- prices are shockingly low.


Another favourite is Thepprasit Seafood -- also great crab rice, grilled giant prawns are very nice, they have roasted chicken, and do a salad with sliced liver (sorry forgot the Thai name) that is memorable. If you are at Mags on Thepprasit, cross the street, turn left, and it is about 100m further up the road (big place with large car park).

Forgot to add this one:

My favourite spot for Lao/Isaan food.

I don't know the name (or even if they have one), but:

If you drive from Jomtien on Thepprasit Road, and turn right on Sukhumvit, slow down after about 200m. There is a restaurant on the left side, the main dining room is in the middle of a small pond. Always ask for the daily specials (there are many).

Dishes I have enjoyed; small (about 15 cm) crispy deep fried fishes, larb and sticky rice, excellent Tom Yam, Som Tam kem (ie. Som Tam with no disgusting sugar), and glass noodle salad.

Like Ma ha set tee -- the prices are shockingly low, and the atmosphere is pleasant (very Isaan -- and you can ask for fish food to feed the large carp). Closed Mondays (there is an outdoor Thai restaurant 50m further on the left, just before the turn to go towards Chuk Nork Reservoir and Paradise villas, that is open on Mondays -- good, cheap and cheerful, but service is VERY slow).

[RichLB]

I'm no authority of haute cuisine, but here are some restaurants no one has mentioned that I like - some well known and some not.

I'm surprised no one has mentioned The Great American Rib Company on Theppesit. Great slabs of ribs, good hamburders, and even better fajitas. It's great for those of us who have taste buds that hunger for a taste of the Homeland.

And for the best pizza in Pattaya, there's a ittle restaurant on Soi Welcome off Jomtien Beach Road called Stone Over. (I think there's n in Pattaya, itself, too) The guy imports his own flour from Europe and makes his own dough. I love it and it's gotten great write ups in both Pattaya Mail and Pattaya City News.

And another little off the wall place you ight try is Mike's Mexican Food on Thappyra. The decor isn't much and the Mexican food is somewhatstandard, BUT the Caddilac Marguaritas are unbelieveable and they have huge bowls of some of the best Guacamole I've tasted anywhere (and I come from California where we're bred on guacamole).

People hav also failed to Mention Mignon's on Thappyra. I always ordre the Felte Mignon and have the lobster bisque. I've never had a bad steak there and I don't know how they do it at those prices.

I concur with those who like Vienteane. even my picky Thai freinds love the food there.

Almost all the sea food restaurants n town are great - Nong Nual, Love Cafe, Sharky's, etc.

There is, of course, the well known places - Mata hari, Burnos, news Cafe, Hot Stone Grill, Manhatten, etc. The food at these places is ok but not the vest value for your money.

Then there are qickie eateries where they have surprisingly good food. i include Tuis, Dick's Cafe, Pink Kitchen, Euro Star, and any number of other places.

Frankly, I don't know where those who complain about the dearth of good restaurants in Pattaya are accustomed to eating. I don't venture to 5 star restaurants in the US very often, but my taste buds are rarely disappointed here in Pattaya.

[Dodger]

Wowpow,

The best Thai Seafood Restaurant I've ever visited is at the very end of the main road which parallels Jomtien Beach. Unfortunately, the name appears in Thai and escapes me. It's a large open-air style restaurant with a row of fresh water tanks in the rear area housing the fresh catch-of-the-day. Their food is fabulous and 100% authentic Thai recipes and preparation including rock lobster, jumbo prawns cooked many different ways, toasted in a butter garlic sauce being my favorite. Squid, crabs, scallops, oysters,sea bass, and even octopus if your in the mood. I give this place five gold stars. BTW...almost all of the patrons are Thais - and the dress is as casual as you wish.

Other good Thai munching spots include:

- Ruen Thai (2nd RD/South PTY Rd)
- Baan Thai - Great wine selection (Central Rd)
- Lang Thong (Royal Cliff Resort)

Enjoy...

PIC Kitchen - the only place where I have got genuine food poisoning from in Thailand!!


Was that a confirmed specific diagnosis? Was it viral, bacterial, parasitic or toxic?



Bacterial, specifically identified as being from rancid bacon which had been "spiced up" to disguise the taste. It was easily identifiable from the "samples" I was giving!

Rich LB, I agree there are some good restaurants here but the reason no-one mentioned any of the restaurants you recommend is that the thread specifically asked for advice on where to take visiting family for Thai food. I may be behind the times but I don't think that includes slabs of ribs, hamburgers, fajitas, pizzas, Mexican food, guacomole, Filet Mignon, lobster bisque, etc!!

There is a very basic restaurant on South Pattaya Road (opposite Soi Day Night), that is supposed to be famous for itтАЩs excellent Thai food. The name is Or Haharn Thai (Or Thai Food). I have heard it mentioned several times by long-time residents of the area. I was there two weeks ago with friends and indeed the food was very fresh, spicy and tasty. I do however suspect them to use a lot of glutamate. The not so spicy items had a more than natural tastiness. It also was rather cheap. One could order wine by the glass, which we did. The red wine we tried was really drinkable and costed only 50 THB per (smallish) glass.

[Lunchtime O'Booze]

is there a good Chinese restauarant in Pattaya ?..or indeed..in Thailand ?.

Thais do silly things to Chinese dishes..I've yet to find an excellent restaurant serving genuine Chinese food.

[ikarus]

Unlike Rich LB (who is in the stage of full marasm judging from his post in this thread), I do realize that Wowpow specifically asked about Thai restaurants in Pattaya. Let me mention, however, an excellent Thai restaurant in Tokyo: Bangkok kitchen
near Hiroo Plaza (easily reachable by subway from anywhere in Tokyo). Truly authentic Thai restaurant with Thai chefs.
True rarity in Tokyo in this respect

[Lunchtime O'Booze]

the very best Thai restaurant I found was in Sydney and run by an Australian chef-and his Thai lover.

That closed when the chef-David Thompson, was snapped up by the Dusit Culinary School in Bangkok as the senior adviser.

He also organised and cooked for all the banquets for the Royal Family over 5 years but has now left and opened a Thai restaurant in London to much critical aclaim.

There are any number of street Thai restaurants in Pattaya that I favour that are cheap and used by few farangs.

But I'll repeat again (for the umpteenth time)..one of the duties of David Thompson was to compile the most superb Thai recipes which were only ever reserved for the upper classes and handed down by word of mouth from generation to generation. He published many in a superb book simply called Thai Food ( by David Thompson)...but finding a good restaurant with food of that quality in Pattaya or Bangkok is difficult. Perhaps we will have to go to Tokyo or London.

[thrillbill]

ok, where can I order some good peppered shrimp? ...or yam basket which I could order in KL when I lived there?

[bing]

Ruan Thai is a good choice because of the Thai Dancing, almost everyone enjoys seeing and hearing the festive
atmosphere of this restaurant. Be sure to bring a camera. This is a very camera friendly place.
If the sound of pounding surf would catch their fancy , Cabbage and Condoms is hard to beat.