A visit to Jomtien Complex

Last night myself and two other posters on this board paid a visit to Jomtien Complex. What started as a bad evening out turned into a great time had by all at Festival Bar.

We began out evening a Bondi; a big mistake. Rock Hard Boys across the street was playing their music (noise) so loud that it poured over into the street and over whelmed other music and conversation on at least half of the street. And I am willing to bet that the guys at Rock Hard Boys are still trying to figure out why they had absolutely no customers...go figure that one out. The noise level at Bondi would have been tolerable except Bondi decided to turn their music (noise) up so that it too could be heard, and several request to Bondi staff to turn their music (noise) off were ignored even though we were the only customers at Bondi. And then there is the staff at Bondi: half were behind the bar putting on makeup or picking their noses (literally) while the other half were sitting at the far end of the patio smoking away. These two bars seem to have hit upon the perfect receipt for bankruptcy....inattentive staff and obnoxiously loud noise, that they call music.

We followed that adventure up with a trip to Dick's Cafe for a bit to eat and one drink. Well, one of us ordered a martini that came out 50% Vermouth and 50% Gin. The gentleman that ordered the drink quietly went to the bar and talked to the bar tender about his drink. The bartender insisted that he had been a bartender for many years and that all martinis are 50/50????..gotta wonder what planet he learned bartending on. He finally agreed to mix a new drink..that was still most unsatisfactory.

We then decided it was time to move on, so we went next door to Festival Bar...What a pleasant surprise!!!!!! The boys were friendly, playful, and had a great sense of humor; we had a great time and the drinks were fine. Festival Bar seems to have hit upon a receipt for success: attentive fun staff and good drinks at a good price. The other bar owners in the area should take notice.

[TrongpaiExpat]

On time at the Bondi I tried to order a vodka martini, I said, no gin, and use vodka. I even had the BF tell him in Thai. I got a martini, with gin, heavy on the Vermouth and a seperate glass of vodka. There, a vodka martini.

Two Faces might be a better bet for drinks.

I have been staying at the Jomtiem Complex all week. Not very many people. I notice rooms available at all the hotels. A few customers here and there but most nights no one. Longer hours of business than the Sunee bars. You see more customers in the early evening then it dies off slowly to no one.

I too was annoyed by the music at Rock Hard Boys but of the three boys they had there last light one was not bad looking.

DELETED

Last December, my (farang) boyfriend of 21 years and I headed out for a romantic dinner at the famed Cabbages and Condoms; we were seated at the top dining level which is on a large platform in a tree overlooking the ocean.
Our server arrived promptly with our menus and being a rather swish little fairy, I ordered a Campari and soda, an Italian aperitif that tastes faintly like mouthwash.
Even though the drink was listed in the restaurant's offering sheet, the server looked confused and said that she wasn't sure if they had it.
So, to save time and effort - it is a long climb up that tree - , I told her that if they didn't have Campari I would have a Gin and Tonic, a medicinal beverage reputed to prevent malaria.
I reiterated my order: My first choice (hold up one finger) is Campari/Soda; my second choice (hold up 2 fingers) is Gin and Tonic.
She returned with one (1) Campari/Soda and two (2) Gin and Tonics.

Hehe could not stop laughing, reminds me of the words "lost in translation" :clown:

I did a little research on the Dry Martini and was surprised to see how many different ways to make a Dry Martini there are.

There actually is a Martini with a ratio of 1:1, called a 50-50 martini. But ususally ordered as a "50-50 martini".
Some feel that a very Dry Martini has no Vermouth, just chilled gin.

But here are the standard basic ratios 4:1, 5:1, 8:1, and 12:1.

Martini made use to be made with Italian Vermouth, but now usually with French Dry Vermouth. Some bartenders use 1/2 sweet and 1/2 dry vermouth with gin (usually though still in one of the standard ratios above).

Confusing....

[TrongpaiExpat]

Throw some ice in a shaker, pore in some vermouth, extra dry, Italian. Gently move the shaker around and pore out all the vermouth, retain ice in shaker, add gin and stir. Strain and put in a martini glass with two green olives.


She returned with one (1) Campari/Soda and two (2) Gin and Tonics.

I bet you drank all three. The waiter must have went home that night talking about the ting-tong farang that ordered three drinks at once.

When my Martini came with a side of Vodka, I downed the Vodka in one gulp, uttered something in Russian and then sipped the Martini.

Does anyone know if there is a legal standard in Thailand for a shot (jigger). Some have posted that some bars seem to have stronger drinks than other bars.

I was wonderig if this could be because the owner of the bar comes from a certain country. In The USA 45ml is a standard shot, Ireland:35ml, UK:30ml and Germany:25ml. In Slovakia the shot size is 50ml....but not sure many Slavs own bars here.

I have been to the Festival Bar before and they give a very large glass of red wine, not too bad tasting for my taste. It is next to or around Dick's.

[lonelywombat]

So, to save time and effort - it is a long climb up that tree - , I told her that if they didn't have Campari I would have a Gin and Tonic, a medicinal beverage reputed to prevent malaria.

I reiterated my order: My first choice (hold up one finger) is Campari/Soda; my second choice (hold up 2 fingers) is Gin and Tonic.

She returned with one (1) Campari/Soda and two (2) Gin and Tonics.

I have told that story 3 times tonight and everyone loved it it is so LOS.

[bing]

There are many ways to make a good martini and many ways to wreck one as well. Some time ago while on an Atlantic crossing on the Queen Mary 2, I found the neat bar on the top deck at the back of the mega ship. The first night out of port I went there for a look around and ordered a Bombay Sapphire Martini... Wooo way too much vermouth... Being of an affable nature, I drank it. The next evening as the sun was setting I wandered back and caught the eye of the good natured and seemingly happy bar tender. He came over an was ready to take my order, I motioned for him to come closer and just mentioned that the martini the night before had way too much vermouth, he smiled broadly and said something like we can fix that, and proceeded to put a martini glass filled with ice in front of me. He remembered I like Bombay Sapphire and went to work on putting ice in a glass and pouring a Queen Mary 2 portion ( read generous portion) of Gin into the glass, then he grabbed the bottle of vermouth, and with an eye on me made a perfect circle above the glass with the bottle, but not putting even one drop of vermouth in the gin. He worked so hard shaking the gin before pouring it into the glass in front of me, naturally he tossed the ice in my glass into the sink. I did not have the heart to tell him I really do like a hint of vermouth in the martini. An above poster mentioned putting vermouth in ice, an after a swirl pour it out and then pour in the gin. This is my preference at home. An aside you might be interested in, is that I taught the bar-boy at Howards Guest House to make a martini to my taste. Remember, Thai guys will probably be happy to make whatever you like, if you take the time to demonstrate and not be outraged if the first one is not perfect. There are lots of drinks that different guys like and it very difficult for the young Thai guys to remember. No doubt, I will have to reteach the art of martini making on my next trip. I don't mind calling over the guys working at the bar and showing them how to do this martini thing.

[bing]

Loved your research project on Campari... I consider it the drink you order when you don't want any more alcohol in your system, then you order soda with a splash of campari. It looks like a drink so people don't keep offering you another drink. You can sip on it and keep your wits about you. I have heard that the drink of choice for King Juan Carlos of Spain, is Campari and Soda.