The God of Wealth Happiness.

The God of Wealth Happiness is a new Chinese restaurant located at the entrance to Jomtien Complex. The photos looked good and Peking Duck would be my death row last meal so braving the rain I headed there in Captain Scott mode to give the place a try. It's owned by someone from Shanghai and so is a bit of a forerunner of things to come as more Chinese pitch up and open businesses in Pattaya.

The Peking Duck was a travesty. The duck breast was dry and the skin was leathery and virtually inedible. Even the slicing was slapdash and I ended up having to pull the slices apart with a spoon and fork. Served with pancakes, shredded cucumber and spring onion as well as the usual Hoi Sin sauce that was actually rather good and tasted homemade. Onto the sweet and sour chicken and a new level of mediocrity. Flabby pieces of 'chicken' that had a nasty spongy texture covered in a gloopy sauce with no pineapple, peppers, onions or tomatoes. It was disgusting, vile in fact. The steamed rice was fine. Service throughout was delightful from a rather dashing waiter who spoke perfect English. Only afterwards when he asked me how everything was and I told him did he let on that they have so many complaints from customers who say the food doesn't taste good. The total bill with a bottle of water excluding service was 375 baht. It's a very long time since I had a meal in Thailand as grim as that. Avoid avoid avoid.

I'd also choose Beijing Duck as my last meal.

I've eaten it many times at the Da Dong restaurant in Beijing, so now every other restaurant is disappointing. These days I don't even think about ordering it.

That duck in the photo looks really dry and tough. It should be carved off the duck in front of you.

Me too. There used to be a classy Chinese place in Royal Garden I thought to be a cut above the usual.. Did others enjoy it? I can't recall its name.

By the way, if you don't think much of what the Chinese places are offering, then the duck that MK restaurants serve (its not prepared at the table like other things) provides a decent memory of the Chinese version. No pancakes of course. And you have the added enjoyment of the staff dance which the girl waiters enjoy wholeheartedly while the boys do so with a certain reserve. Always amusing. 20.00, dead on cue.

I have to agree with you about MK. It's one of my favourite restaurants and my Bangkok guy loves it, too. We've been to the one upstairs in Silom Complex heaps of times.

But unfortunately, it's not Beijing Duck.

Arsenal, how interesting to note that the Peking duck is served on banana leaves. Looking at the tiny morsels, how many rolls did you get out of the set? Did you have it as an entrée?