Evil Penevil

Sorry for the delay in answering. From what I gather from reading posts elsewhere and what a friend said, the food truck was located on the Darkside, but I couldn't pin down a specific location. Maybe someone else knows the details. Anyway, I had a final meal on Friday at Richman Poorman. I had intended to have a Reuben sandwich, but it was finished. The only dish left was the quesadilla at 180 baht. It was good, but I wouldn't have gone all the way to Soi 9 off Jomtien Beach Road just for it. The RMPM Facebook page said sandwiches and other dishes were still available Friday, but that wasn't the case. A bit of a sad ending for my experience with RMPM. It will be interesting to see what opens in its place. Will the new owners continue on the U.S.-theme or try something different? Evil

I had the Sunday roast lamb dinner last night at Kilkenny. Everything was really good- the lamb, potatoes, Yorkshire pudding, veggies and gravy. No complaints at all. You get an extra boat of gravy that's not in the picture. Best deal in town for 199 baht. Portion was more than enough for me, but if you have a really big appetite, you are better off going to one of the "all-you-can-eat" carveries. Same-same if you want beef, pork or chicken as your meats or want dessert included. Evil

Portofino is a new Italian restaurant and pizzeria that occupies what had once been half of Jameson's Irish Pub. It started serving customers on March 1. It has an open kitchen and the interior has been nicely done up. The pic below comes from Jameson's FB. I was at Portofino on March 4 and there were 12 guests scattered across the restaurant. It was by no means full, but busier than I had expected. I ordered a pizza and salad for take away and while I waited, several other people picked up pizzas. I ordered the prosciutto crudo pizza (Parma ham, mushrooms. mozzarella) and a Greek salad for take away. The pizza was 295 baht and the salad 195 baht. The pizza had good quality toppings, although the sauce was a bit sweet and lacked seasoning. Pizza wasn't baked enough for me. The crust was too soft and chewy. Since there was a decent char on the upper edge of the pizza but almost none on the bottom of the crust, the oven probably wasn't hot enough. There an old joke, sometimes attributed to Mel Brooks, to the effect that "Pizza is like sex; even when it's bad, it's still pretty good." I've never agreed with that sentiment. Anyone who believes it has been lucky enough in life to avoid both bad pizza and bad sex. My personal simile regarding pizza and sex would be "I'm happy as long as I occasionally get a good piece." It's also easier to find good sex in Pattaya than good pizza. The pizza I had wasn't bad, just mediocre and certainly not worth 295 baht. The big letdown came from the Greek salad. I'm not going to get into sexual word plays on Greek and salad, but there was nothing Greek about my salad. It was an abbreviated garden salad, heavy on strips of sweet pepper, with three cubes of feta cheese and a couple of black olives. No oregano or lemon juice, very few pieces of tomato or cucumber.👎👎👎 Bottom line: I won't be back to Portofino. There are many, many better places in Pattaya. In case anyone wants to visit for some strange reason, here's a map of the location: and a photo of the food menu: Evil

Sad news for fans of American food: Richman Poorman in Jomtien is closing its doors. March 9th is its final day. I'll have to trundle out there in the next few days; maybe tonight, as the daily specials look inviting. especially the chicken parm at 195 baht: (from RMPM's Facebook page) Evil

Surprise! (aka Surprise BBQ) is best known for its U.S.-style BBQ beef and pork ribs at bargain prices, but it also has steaks, burgers, skewers and chicken on its menu.. It's located near the intersection of Soi Buakhao and Soi 21, across the street from the north end of Tree Town and around the corner from the Chunky Monkey. It's a very small restaurant with only three tables (two tables for four and one for two), plus counter seats for about six more. It's popular, which means it's often crowded. It's not a comfortable place to have a meal, but the decent food at cheap prices have won it a loyal customer base. Two ladies handle the cooking and two more the serving, which means wait times for your food can be long. Because Surprise! is so cramped, I've mostly had ribs for takeaway, but that's a topic for a separate post. Yesterday I tried the rib eye steak steak at 169 baht. It came with a handful of thick-cut fries, two onion rings, a dish of brown sauce and a dollop of salad. I asked for my steak to be cooked medium rare, but I got it medium. It was Thai beef. but not tough. The menu and a sign says its "AA" grade beef, but I'm not sure what grading scale is being used. Canada has a scale with letter-A ratings and "AA" would be the equivalent of lower-end U.S. Choice. For the price, it was O.K. The fries could have been a bit crisper for my taste. The onion rings, which I can easily live without, were O.K. and the salad was fresh. It hadn't been sitting slathered in dressing all day. The sauce was supposed to be pepper or mushroom, but had no flavor at all. At least it was served on the side and not poured on top of the meat. Bottom line: The rib eye steak was O.K., certainly not great, but you can't expect a great steak for 169 baht. The sides were a mixed lot, ranging from good salad through middling fries and onion rings to a poor sauce. My main reservation about Surprise! centers on the cramped quarters, which more or less rules it out for me as a place to have a meal. You are almost sitting on top of the other customers. Not only can you hear every word they say, but every sound they make, including chewing, burps and farts. If they haven't had a recent shower, you can sure smell them. In the future, I'll continue to use Surprise! for takeaway. Almost worth noting for anyone with mobility problems. There is a very narrow set of stairs leading up to Surprise! which would be difficult for some to manage. It's open from 2.30 or 3.00 p.m. (the menu and sign give different times) to 10.00 p.m., but opening hours seem quite flexible. It often closes earlier than 10.00 p.m., probably because they have run out of food. It's closed Sundays. Evil I've included photos of some of the menu pages to give a better idea of what's available and the prices charged.

Thanks, Bazle. I pass Beer Hubb at least twice a day and it seems they are attracting more customers but still rather empty . The prices for bottled beer are competitive for Soi Buakhao. Evil

Shaxian is very close to Corner Bar, diagonally across the street. When I took this pic of Shaxian, I swiveled 90 degrees and snapped a photo of Corner Bar. They are in a line of sight, maybe 100 meters distance. Evil

Chinese Shaxian Snacks is one of the better recent additions to the local food scene as Pattaya has always been weak on the Chinese side. I've eaten there a number of times since it opened in September, 2018, and it's time for an update. I have to emphasize something I wrote in the OP: Several times at Shaxian, I've seen farang families walk in, sit down but not recognize any items on the menu. After some fruitless questions the staff didn't understand, these families got up and left in frustration. On a couple of occasions, the family father made stupid remarks that reflected his ignorance rather than any shortcoming with the restaurant. If Orange Chicken at Panda Express defines your taste in Chinese cuisine, you're better off skipping Chinese Shaxian Snacks. While its menu has expanded at bit since it opened 5 1/2 months ago, it is still concentrated on a few types of Chinese food, namely dumplings, noodles and soups. If your heart beats warmly for boiled or fried dumplings, beef brisket noodles, herbal soups and wonton or noodles in peanut sauce, then Shaxian is the place for you. I also want to correct an error in the OP. Shaxian does have air conditioning, but it wasn't working the first night I was there. It's been fine on every subsequent visit. The big attraction for me is that the jiaozi are made fresh daily in the traditional fashion. The fact that she sat in the dining area filling the jiaozi gives Shaxian a very authentic Chinese feel. It's a bit rough at the edges and about as far way as you can get from elegant dining, but the food is excellent. And this is how those dumplings will end up: either steamed , boiled in broth- or fried- Most of the staff at Shaxian know I can use the nimble tongs, but a new waiter brought me the order above with a fork and side dish of ketchup ()!!! The fork was replaced with chopsticks and I used the dark vinegar instead of ketchup (). One of my favorite dishes is the noodles in peanut sauce and topped with scallion and pickled cabbage. You have to mix it thoroughly. I have a fair amount of take away from Shaxian, but they tend to skimp on the sauce to avoid messiness. Dumplings do best for takeaway. Bottom line: I eat at Chinese Shaxian Snacks two or three times a week. I can definitely recommend it, but only if you are familiar with and enjoy traditional Chinese snacks. Evil

One reason I took a chance on the Chill Inn was the number of customers in the small cafe. It was more than half full at 11.00 a.m. Evil

Yesterday I had breakfast at the Chill Inn on Soi Buakhao. It's across the street from Jolly's and next door to the former premises of the Great American Sandwich Co. that are currently under conversion to a coyote bar. It wasn't a calculated move on my part. I was walking past about 11.00 a.m., felt hungry and saw a sign for a 89-baht breakfast special. I gave it a try. The breakfast consisted of two fried eggs, back bacon, a U.K.-style sausage, fried potatoes, toast, jam and coffee or tea. It was neither an American nor a British breakfast, but had elements of both. It was good for the price. The eggs were fresh and the bacon and the potatoes fried with onions- they weren't hash browns- were tasty. I don't like that sort of sausage so i didn't eat it. The bread was too lightly toasted for me, but that's down to personal preference. I'm well aware you can get three times the amount of food (and probably five times the calories) with the Retox baht-buster breakfast for 99 baht, but the Chill Inn's special was enough for me. I don't eat big fried breakfasts anymore. It also a pleasant place to sit; open-front, but the fans keep it cool. I didn't like that they allow smoking- and one customer was even puffing on a pipe- but the fans kept the fumes away. Bottom line: I doubt I'll have much occasion to eat breakfast again at the Chill Inn, but I was happy with my breakfast there. Evil

This may not be new, but Jolly's no longer seems to offer a Sunday carvery buffet. The restaurant and the Piss Stop Bar have had a checkered past due the major, major legal problems of the husband-and-wife owners. It doesn't get more serious than being sentenced to death. The food had gotten atrocious in the wake of all the hassles and the restaurant was closed for months. Apparently it's being operated by the family of the wife and old staff. The menu and specials haven't changed, but the carvery is gone. I just hope the food has gotten better, but I'm not brave enough to try it again.

The 100-baht Sunday chicken dinner at the Marquee Bar on Soi Buakhao has declined a bit in quality compared with past meals, but I still rank it as good, just not as good as it once was. Here's what I had Sunday at about 2.00 p.m. The chicken breast fillet was tender and moist with a natural chicken taste but no seasoning. The skin showed no sign of browning or crispness- so i'm guessing it had been poached in water rather than oven-cooked or pan-fried. The roast potatoes were good, but I only got three small pieces. The Yorkshire was a touch too heavy and eggy for my taste, but not bad. The vegetables hadn't had the flavor boiled out of them and I appreciated the sliver of sweet corn. The gravy was generic. The meal was pretty bland but nevertheless tasted good, especially considering the price. You can't expect a sensational Sunday dinner for 100 baht. However, if it slips even further, then it will belong in the mediocre category and that would be a shame. By way of comparison, this is the Sunday dinner I got at Marquee a few months ago: There had been more effort to season the chicken in the past. The Marquee Bar is a pleasant enough place for a meal, so I hope its Sunday special doesn't lose more ground. To make things clear: there are numerous restaurants in Pattaya that have bigger and better Sunday roast dinners, but the Marquee is up near the top when it comes to value for money. I also like the relatively small portion. It's enough for me and I don't overeat. I'm not much impressed by the beef and pork dinners at the Marquee. I'd rather spend a bit more and get more elsewhere. But for chicken, the Marquee has offered a decent meal for 100 baht. It also has a 100-baht special on fish and chips on Fridays. Has anyone tried it? Evil

I don't write often about fast-food chain restaurants in Pattaya, mostly because I don't eat in them except on very rare occasions. On an impulse, I tried Texas Chicken at Central Marina. I was pleasantly surprised; the chicken I got was better than I had expected and it qualified as good. Texas Chicken is the name Church's Chicken operates under outside North America. It's the fourth largest U.S. fried chicken chain in both number of outlets and revenue, but I can't recall ever having tried it in the U.S. as it doesn't have stores in the eastern states. I ordered the three-piece combination for take-away. It cost 159 baht and came with a small order of French fries. one biscuit and a "bottomless" cup of soft drink. I also got some mashed potatoes with gravy for 15 baht. I drank my ice tea in the restaurant; I didn't want to lug it to my hotel. Here's what I got in my take-away box: The three pieces of chicken were all white meat, not thighs and legs. They had been battered and deep-fried properly, crisp on the outside, the meat juicy and full of real chicken flavor. It was far superior to greasy KFC chicken with its soggy batter and tasteless meat. The sides were less impressive. The French fries were industrial-style and the mashed potatoes had started out as flakes from a package. The biscuit had been topped with a honey-like sweetener and had a strange texture. It wasn't bad, but reminded me more of a dough-nut hole than a traditional biscuit. Bottom line: I don't often get a hankering for U.S.-style fried chicken, but the next time I do, I wouldn't hesitate to make a return visit to Texas Chicken. The restaurant has plenty of special offers. In that sense, it lives up to its U.S. reputation as the "poor man's KFC." Evil

Big Kahuna is an American restaurant on Thappraya Road in Jomtien, about 100 meters north of the intersection with Thepprasit Road. The name, decor and some of the dishes on the menu are Hawaii-inspired, but Big Kahuna mostly offers U.S.-style finger food like burgers, sandwiches and pizza. It also serves U.S.-style breakfasts, with pancakes a notable item. It occupies the former premises of the defunct Pastrami on Rye and the menu at Big Kahuna reminds of PoR's. There's a big kahuna painting on one wall, but the interior isn't dripping with kitschy tiki symbols. In fact. the main dining area is pretty much free of them. It's a relaxing atmosphere in which to have a meal. In the Hawaiian language, "kahuna" can refer to a traditional priest, sorcerer or healer, but also to an "expert" of any sort. The term "big kahuna" was applied to Hawaii's top surfer and was made popular by a character with that name (played by Cliff Robertson) in the 1959 movie Gidget with Sandra Dee in the title roll. Today it points to the leading expert or most influential person in any field. I made me think about who might be Pattaya's "big kahuna." Link The other day I had the Small Pancake Special at 98 baht. It featured a single buttermilk pancake with syrup and butter; an in-house-made sausage patty; fried or scrambled egg; and your choice or coffee, tea or orange or pineapple juice. Considering the pancake was one of the best I'd had in Pattaya, it was certainly value for money at the price. The pancake was light and fluffy, exactly how a North American pancake should be. The egg was fired nicely and the sausage patty was OK, if a bit bland. It was pancake and not real maple syrup, but you can't expect too much for 98 baht. It wasn't a healthy breakfast unless you're running a marathon directly after, but it sure tasted good. I wouldn't eat it every day or even every month due to the jolt the syrup gives your blood sugar levels and I just can't have pancakes without some sort of syrup. It was a fair-sized glass of pineapple juice, not the thimble full you get in some restaurants. Big Kahuna has some of the best American food in Pattaya, but it's a bit of a trek to go all the way to Jomtien for a burger or sandwich. Fortunately they have delivery as well for 50 baht extra. I ordered the Cuban sandwich for lunch yesterday. It was a bit of a hassle as I've moved out of my condo and am living temporarily in a hotel. First the girl taking orders thought I had said, "Reuben sandwich," instead of "Cuban sandwich," but I caught that due to the disparity in price she named for the order. It also took some time to make clear my new address. I had anticipated that might happen. so I gave her the phone number to the hotel so she could call and get the directions in Thai. Forty-five minutes later my order arrived, which was fairly quick given the distance involved. Big Kahuna didn't use a moto driver for delivery, but the same pretty young waitress who'd served me my pancake breakfast the day before brought me the sandwich. It consisted of ham, pulled pork. Swiss cheese and slices of dill pickle between the halves of a baguette that had been spread with butter and mustard, then toasted in a sandwich press. It came with a choice of one side dish and a soft drink and I had picked coleslaw and Coke Zero. It cost 285 baht plus 50 baht for delivery. Some foods don't photograph attractively and a Cuban sandwich is one of them. I did indeed taste better than it looked and nevertheless was a fair approximation of the Cuban sandwiches you get in Florida or a big city like New York. Cuban sandwiches should be made with Cuban bread, the recipe for which includes lard as a shortening. This helps give the final loaf an exceptionally crisp crust and and airy. light interior compared to its French and Italian counterparts. In NYC, I lived close to one of the best Cuban bakeries in the city, so getting Cuban sandwiches with the authentic bread wasn't a problem. It would almost be an impossibility to find Cuban bread in Thailand and the Big Kahuna's substitution of a French baguette is the only option short of baking Cuban bread itself. In the pic above, I've opened the sandwich and included the coleslaw, Coke and slice of dill pickle that came with the order. Both the ham and pulled pork held a high standard. You can't make a good cuban sandwich from a sow's ear. I would have liked more mustard on the bread, but that's just personal preference. on the sandwich overall. The coleslaw was very good, with freshly grated cabbage and carrots. It wasn't swimming in dressing and celery seeds had been added for flavor. Bottom line; I won't hesitate to return to Big Kahuna to satisfy my infrequent longing for certain types of U.S. food, but I'm more likely to use the delivery option. The restaurant has numerous specials on food and drink. I'll post some menu pages from Big Kahuna's Facebook page as well. Writing this review has made me think about a Reuben for lunch! Evil

Sukiya at Central Marina is the Pattaya branch of Japan's largest gyūdon (beef bowl) restaurant chain with 2,390 units in Japan and multiple branches abroad. Gyūdon consists of thin slices of beef and onions simmered in sauce of dashi, soy sauce and mirin and served on a bowl of rice. It's a popular fast-food dish in Japan, although it's not considered part of classical Japanese cuisine. I recently had the gyūdon with leeks and a softly poached egg for 109 baht. It was very good and filling enough to serve as a lunch. In addition to beef bowls, Sukiya also offers fried chicken and pork bowls as well as various noodle dishes, combinations and sides. I also tried the fried chicken bowl set with four thick slices of salmon sashimi, miso soup and four minuscule sides (corn, mushrooms, potato salad and savory egg custard). It cost 214 baht, with the sashimi pushing up the price. The same combination with eel rather than salmon cost 159 baht. The taste was good and everything was fresh. I particularly liked the Japanese-style fried chicken and savory custard. The interior is clean, comfortable and air-conditioned. The times I've been there, the other guests have been Japanese or Thais, mostly families with kids. Sukiya does a landslide business with its 10-baht soft ice cream cones. Bottom line: In terms of taste and value for money, Sukiya beats the hell out of Western fast-food places in Pattaya. Portion size is fine for me, but those with bigger appetites would probably need to order several dishes. Sukiya's slogan is "Save time and money," and that's a pretty accurate description. For a quick fix of Japanese food at a cheap price, Sukiya fills the bill. I'll include some photos of menu pages and specials to give a better idea of what's on offer. Evil