Joe, the best restaurant in Pattaya is (arguably of course) Cafe des Amis. It is superb.
I've been numerous times and never had anything which was not scrumptious.
Cheap it's not, but hey, you don't have to go every night!
(Needless to say, pay no attention whatsoever to MickP's two cents as he has never been to any of his suggestions. Can I say "dehydrated noodle bucket" lunch at 7-11.)
Also, regarding Sunnee and Jomtien Complex: things have really changed with both. Sunnee is darker and quieter now with quite a number of bars closed. A bit of a morgue, though certainly still a going concern for some guys, though its noticeably downhill.
Jomtien has gone in the other direction . . . lots of new bars, lots of noise and fun going on. So much more vibrant than 3 or 4 years ago. You can't help but enjoy an evening there.
Thanks, Smiles. Cafe des Amis is one restaurant on my to do list. Always read good reviews (on other sites). As you say, not cheap, but I'm talking about a special night out, so spending 500Bt for the 2 of us is not out of the question. This guy deserves it.
We had a stupid falling out on my last holiday, which I immediately regretted, but did nothing about. But we've both apologised, so it's all good for January! He's going to come and stay with me at Mosaik. Luckily, he knows my sleeping patterns.
Hitchhiking's more of a challenge on the road less travelled.
I've found that Thai (or on this case, Lao) friends don't really enjoy Western restaurants. Is that your experience? They'd rather have a bucket of something from a street stall. I remember taking first BS to a European style restaurant in BKK, and it was obvious he was so uncomfortable. We should have just had chicken or pork on the street, and saved a bit of cash!
Hitchhiking's more of a challenge on the road less travelled.
I'm an admirer of Le Bourdeau, dining there every trip . I took P. there once for his birthday and he enjoyed the food. However, I think he found it a little stuffy; he was the only Thai in a full restaurant and by far the youngest (he was thirty-three at the time).
Accordingly, I've always put the ball in his court when it comes to dining and make no exception for our birthday treat. He prefers the Japanese restaurants in Central and, particularly, MK. where at 20.00, the staff provide us with their little dance. I'm always amused to see the girls participating with heart and soul and the boys with a certain shyness.
So, my view is that if you want to give your Thai friend a treat, let him choose rather than imposing your own cuisine. My dinner in Le Bourdeau takes place on the night before I come home and when P. has safely reached his home. It's a treat...but only for me. When it comes to Thai restaurants, the one on the 6th floor of Central and Cucumber , opposite Tuk Com, have often delivered.
I've already told my friend that the special dinner is his choice, and he opted for a place on Thepprasit (as I've said before, I forget where that is). So he gets his choice of special dinner.
Then, I want mine, and I think Smiles' suggestion of Cafe des Amis totally fits the bill. Since I'm staying in Mosaik, would I need a taxi, or a motocy?
Hitchhiking's more of a challenge on the road less travelled.
The 500Bt was a joke. I expect to pay at least double that.
I don't know the soi numbers, but I'm sure my friend does. Thanks, Smiles. I'll let you know how it goes. Wouldn't it be funny if that was his choice for our special dinner?
Hitchhiking's more of a challenge on the road less travelled.
I guess it's time to stop attempting jokes here. For a place like Cafe des Amis, I would really expect to pay €40 or €50 per person. Is that about right?
What would a good dinner in Bordeaux cost? About the same? Excluding the 15 bottles of wine, of course (oh no, I tried to make a joke again!) It looks like a lovely place.
Hitchhiking's more of a challenge on the road less travelled.