Evil Penevil

My Way is a Dutch Restaurant in central Pattaya that has some good options under 300 baht. There's a thread on My Way here, so I won't go into too much detail now. Click on the link to see more of what it offers. On Sunday, I had the 180-gram beef tenderloin fillet with mashed potatoes and a side salad for 295 baht. There's also a 300-gram beef option, but 180 grams is enough for me. If you eat everything that comes with the fillet, it's quite a filling meal. The salad had fresh ingredients and was lightly dressed, exactly the way I like it. The mashed potatoes were creamy and tasty. The mash at My Way is among the best in Pattaya. All too often mashed potatoes are served watery and/or flavorless. You also get a generous portion at My Way, unlike many other restaurants. The beef is Thai, but since it is tenderloin, it's nevertheless tender and has a good beef flavor. I asked for it medium rare and that's how I got it. No complaints on my part. Evil :

MM has started a thread here on PattayaMeals.com, a meal preparation and home delivery service. All but one of its 30 meals are under 200 baht and there's no delivery charge or tipping. It seems to be an excellent option for those who live in central Pattaya or Jomtien. Check out MM's thread. Evil

Wow, that looks like a really good deal. Best food tip I've seen on an Internet board in a long while. I anticipate using them a lot in the coming hot and rainy months. Many thanks! Evil

I said I'd wait a week or so before visiting Beerfest again to give them a chance to get the draft beer flowing, but the hot weather hastened my return. A couple of days ago, the 95 degree heat and high humidity really got to me as soon as I I stepped outside. I just didn't have the energy to go further than the nearby Avenue Mall, so I had another meal at Beerfest. I had wanted to try the okroshka (Russian cold summer soup, 100 baht), but it wasn't available. I instead had a small cup of cream of mushroom instead (60 baht), which had a darker color and deeper flavor than you usually get with mushroom soup.. Beerfest also has Ukranian varenyky on the menu. Varenyky are crescent-shaped filled dumplings that are larger than pelmeni and closer to Polish pierogis in size and the thickness of the dough covering. At Beerfest, the varenyky filled with cabbage and bacon (100 baht). It was OK, but I didn't like it as much as the pelmeni. Beerfest had been a bit stingy with the filling of the varenyky, resulting a low ratio of filling to dough. Th filling tasted fine, but was somewhat watery. If I want to have Russian dumplings again at Beerfest, I'll stick to the pelmeni. But no doubt, the soup (60 baht), varenyky (100 baht) and Coke Zero (40 baht) cost a total of 200 baht, which is cheap for a filling meal. My next report should be about their craft beer. Evil

Pelmeni are much smaller than pierogis, which have a thicker dough covering and are mostly (but not always) crescent-shaped. Polish pierogis can have either sweet or savory fillings, while pelmeni are virtually always savory and mostly meat-filled, although regional variations with vegetable fillings do occur. The pierogis widely available in the U.S. are mostly filled with mashed potatoes flavored with onions, cheese, bacon or another ingredient, but there are many, many kinds of fillings (mushrooms, sauerkraut, meat, cabbage, etc) in Poland, not just mashed potato. Sweet pierogis often have a berry filling. Pierogi is considered a national dish of Poland with a lot of regional variations. Different types of pierogis are served on holidays such as Christmas and on special occasions like weddings, wakes and christenings. There's a lot of tradition associated with pierogis. The menu at Beerfest features varenyky, which are Ukrainian dumplings very similar to pierogi. Pierogis from the Web: Evil

My meal at Zen was more interesting for what didn't happen than what did. A couple of Fridays ago, My Source Coyote and I were going to eat at the Hilton midday seafood buffet. Stupidly, I forgot to book a table and when we turned up at noon, not a single seat was available before 1.30 pm. By that time, the buffet dishes would have been more savagely plundered than a bucket of KFC in a Jomtien condo, so we decided to move next door and eat at MK in Centan. It was rammed, with a line of 20 people waiting to get in. Fuji was also full, but no waiting line. Shabushi and Oishi were packed as well. MSC then agreed to Zen, since we'd exhausted all her first choices. Who knows why, but Zen had a lot of empty seats. The food there isn't any worse than the other places and somewhat cheaper, yet it wasn't popular that day. MSC is a fanatic about salmon sashimi, so that's what were ordered, in several different formats. It was very fresh, no complaints from either of us. Freshness is always the ultimate test when it comes to sushi. MSC then continued with set meal that consisted of a sake oyakodon (salmon and salmon roe over rice), miso soup and a mystery appetizer. She liked it a lot. She also ordered her beloved enoki mushrooms. I wasn't feeling in a flat-out raw fish mood, so I ordered soba noodles in soup, which was very good. Noodles and slices of pork floated in a flavor-packed broth. We then split a speciality salmon sushi roll, which was also very tasty. I've forgotten the prices of the individual dishes, but total damages for two, including soft drinks, were about 1,200 baht. That's not too bad, considering how salmon top-heavy the meal was. Zen does have special offers that would push a meal there into bargain territory. Bottom line: Another good option for Japanese food in central Pattaya at mid-range prices. Evil

I've only heard this, so I don't know if it is accurate or not, but the story goes that microbreweries which only sell their beer to customers at an attached bar/restaurant can obtain a license/dispensation from local authorities. It is entirely possible that tea is the microbrewery's secret ingredient. Evil

Beerfest, a microbrewery and restaurant, has begun operation in its new premises in The Avenue shopping mall on 2nd Road. After six years of operation on 2nd Road between Sois 5 and 6, that restaurant closed in February. Beerfest now has spacious quarters next to Au Bon Pain in The Avenue. The big attraction of Beerfest is the draft beer that's brewed on site. You can see the vats in the pic above. The new restaurant has only been open a couple of days and its still not up to full speed. Only mass-brewed bottled beer was available - no draft of any sort - and some of the food items on the menu (the same as the old restaurant) were marked with a "No" sticker. When I stepped in at 8 pm Monday, there were seven other guests eating or drinking. However, they all soon finished up and no other guests arrived during the hour or so I was there. It's difficult to characterize what type of restaurant Beerfest is. The menu includes dishes from a half-dozen cuisines- Russian, German, Thai, generic European, Indian and steaks - and it's hard to pin an exact label on it. From what I've heard, the owner is Russian and Beerfest is a Russia-based operation with branches in several countries. My visit to Beerfest Monday night got off to a rocky start. The SML I ordered came half-frozen and the service girl wouldn't change it out. I'll skip the details, but I decided to drink a beer slushy rather than demand to speak with the manager. My experience of calling managers' attention to problems while in the restaurant hasn't been all that positive in Pattaya. The beer thawed quickly and in the end, I didn't notice any ill effects on the taste or carbonation. I ordered two dishes: pork meatballs with mashed potatoes and gravy at 185 baht and pelmeni, Russian-style meat-filled dumplings, aka Russian ravioli or Siberian dumplings, at 150 baht. Both the meatballs and gravy had a subtle but distinct pork flavor. The creamy mashed potatoes were great. The fresh potato taste came through clearly, but there was a background flavor as well, probably from a combination of butter and a little sour cream. The meatballs were light and juicy and had been cooked just to the right point. I couldn't tie them to any specific cuisine. They hadn't been heavily spiced, but were well seasoned with salt and pepper. Simple but good. The pork had been very finely minced and perhaps panko (Japanese bread crumbs) had been added as a binder. That would also help account for the meatballs' lightness. Dumplings of any sort, Asian or European, have always been a favorite of mine and I was pleased Beerfest had pelmeni on the menu. Pelmeni resembles mini-ravioli, except the dough covering the meat filling is paper thin. The filling is usually made from a mixture of beef and pork and that appeared to be the case with Beerfest's pelmeni. It was topped with fresh dill, with gave the rather bland dumplings a good taste. Pelmeni is traditionally served with sour cream and/or vinegar. The sour cream was there, but no vinegar, Beerfest also has Ukranian varenyky on the menu. Varenyky are crescent-shaped filled dumplings that are larger than pelmeni and closer to Polish pierogis. Bottom line: It's very early days for Beerfest at The Avenue and it's still experiencing some start-up hassles. But I was happy with the meal I had and will be back in a week or so to try the draft beer as well as the varenyky and okroshka, a chilled Russian summer soup based on kvas, a beverage made from fermented bread. According to the menu, the kvas is made on the premises. Prices for food seem reasonable at Beerfest, with a lot of dishes under 300 baht and snack items around 100 baht. While the menu itself isn't heavily Russianized, it's clear that it has been set up with Russian guests in mind, i.e., the emphasis on snacks and soups. So far, it looks promising, but the draft beer will probably make or break it in the end. Evil

Das Berliner Bistro, off Soi 13 between Beach Road and 2nd Road, is a venerable Pattaya restaurant. I don't know exactly how long it's been in operation, but it's been offering German and Thai food for quite a few years. There are two entrances to Das Berliner. One is reached from the the walkway that runs beside the Sportsman ... and the other is reached through the entrance to a parking lot. It's a small restaurant, unpretentious, clean and comfortable. The decorations on the wall have an old-fashioned feel about them, harking back to the 1970's. Das Berliner offers Hausmannskost, or German home-style cooking, at very reasonable prices. Many of the main dishes on the menu go for 159 or 169 baht. A half-liter of draft Tiger costs 150 baht. Given that it's a nice place to have a quiet meal, I wish I could give a more enthusiastic endorsement of its food, but I have to be true to my taste buds. One recent meal I had at Das Berliner was good, the other not so. I'll begin with the positive part. I had the Berlin sausage with sauerkraut and boiled potatoes for 159 baht. It was a simple meal yet tasty. I had no big complaints, only two minor points I thought could be improved. The sauerkraut, which I'm sure was homemade, could have been a bit more acidic, and the mustard in the condiment basket wasn't real German mustard. It tasted like what we call in the U.S. "ballpark mustard," the type that was served with hot dogs at baseball stadiums. The sausage had probably been made locally and was quite good. My next meal, sauerbraten with red cabbage and boiled potatoes for 169 baht, was disappointing. Sauerbraten is German-style pot roast with a mildly sour flavor. The key step is to marinate the beef for at least two days, then cook it slowly with vegetables for three or four hours. While the sauce had the traditional tang, the meat itself had an oddly sweet taste, which said to me too much sugar had been added to the marinade. The red cabbage wasn't sour enough for my taste, either. I also thought the meat was a bit dry, as though it had been left to stand too long after cooking. Bottom line: I'll go back to Das Berliner to try some of its other dishes, especially pork knuckle, but it will be awhile before I take another chance on the sauerbraten. In past years, Das Berliner has been quite crowded, but it had few guests the nights I ate there. You can see in the pic below the staff didn't have much to do. A few more interior shots: Evil

Witherspoons is a very popular sports bar and restaurant on Soi Bukhao near the corner with Soi LengKee. Not too long ago it ran into problems with Thai authorities over its operating hours, but those hassles appear to have solved. It's back to attracting big crowds of sports fans. On Sunday night, Witherspoon's was pretty much packed to the last seat by 8.00 pm, but I was the only customer to order food. I'd read on the boards that Greg of the former Greg's Kitchen had become the chef- or was at least supervising the kitchen- at Witherspoons and wanted to try the food. In the distant past, I'd had a meal at Witherspoon's and hadn't been much impressed, but I had enjoyed meals at Greg's Kitchen, so I thought I'd give Witherspoon's another try. Witherspoon's has a pretty extensive menu, but I chose the daily special- the Sunday roast dinner- at 295 baht. When I got there at 7.00 p.m, it was already quite busy and seats were scarce. After just a few minutes' wait, this is the meal I got: It was a generous portion of lamb, roast and mashed potatoes, vegetables and Yorkshire pudding, with the plate unfortunately doused in gravy. The slices of lamb don't show up well in the pics, but there were quite a few of them. The vegetables were al dente, exactly as I like them. The potatoes were good, particularly the mash. The Yorkshire had risen nicely, but was a bit overcooked and heavy for my taste. The lamb was tender and had a lot of flavor, but was also overcooked according to my preference. By waiting until 7.00 pm to eat, I had violated one of my own cardinal rules for buffets and Sunday roasts: get there as early as possible. I've noticed a big difference in quality in a Sunday roast dinner eaten at noon or 1.00 pm and one at 7.00 pm. I wouldn't hesitate to try the Sunday roast at Witherspoon's again, but I'll be sure to get there earlier in the day. The Sunday roast was good if not great. However, Witherspoon's isn't a very comfortable place for a meal. It's hot, noisy and crowded and I don't like sitting on bar stools when eating. My preference will always be for enclosed, air-conditioned restaurants. I also ate at Witherspoon's last Thursday. It was busy but nowhere near as crowded as Sunday. I was out even later, at about 9.;30 pm. I had wanted the daily special (ham off the bone, two eggs and thick-cut chips for 240 baht), but they had run out of it. I took that as a bad omen and decided to go with a breakfast sandwich for 140 baht rather than a full meal. It included a big cup of coffee (or tea) and a small glass of "orange juice." On the menu, the sandwich was called a "breakfast panini." It certainly wasn't a panini, but still a good sandwich. It's hard to see in the pic, but the sandwich consisted of a fried egg, back bacon and a sausage on a baguette-style bun, Good quality ingredients had been properly cooked. The yolk of the fried egg wasn't hard. The coleslaw as fresh and crisp, but had too much dressing. Witherspoon's has a lot of items on its menu under 200 and 300 baht. The daily specials are all under 300 baht and are mostly UK comfort food. It also has promotions and specials on beer and other booze. After 8.00 pm, there is a 2 for 1 special on bottled beer. It's not misleading language, as the sign clearly states 2 bottles for one price. In my case, it was two bottles of SML for 140 baht. Bottom line: Witherspoon's thrives as a sports bar, but its food seems pretty good, too. However, there are more comfortable air-conditioned restaurants nearby which offer similar fare at comparable prices. Evil

Wednesday's special, "Chicken, Cream Cheese and Chorizo Ballantine with Shittake Mushrooms, Bok Choy and Mash, in a Red Wine Jus," now ranks as one of my Bite Me favorites. It was absolutely delicious! Top quality ingredients were prepared and seasoned to make a balanced and flavorful dish that tasted a lot more than 260 baht. A ballantine (alternate spelling "ballotine" most often seen in the U.S.) is traditionally made from a (de)boned piece of poultry that has been stuffed with sausage meat and/or other ingredients, then trussed or even sewn to hold its shape. Sometimes the ballotine retains the form of a chicken leg or thigh; other times it's rolled to resemble a long, thick sausage. It's usually roasted, but other cooking methods are possible. A ballotine is a time-consuming dish to make and I don't recall having ever seen it before on any menu in Pattaya, although it is possible some fine-dining and hotel restaurants do offer it. To find ballotine as good as Bite Me's for 260 baht is amazing. The ballotine consisted of chicken breast filled with a mixture of spicy chorizo sausage and cream cheese. The chorizo added taste and heat, while the cream cheese contributed a touch of acidity and tempered the heat of the chorizo. The bok choy and shittake mushrooms went well with the ballotine and the mashed potatoes. My suggestion would be to give the mash a sprinkling of nutmeg to add yet another flavor component that goes well with th other ingredients. It may not be the most aesthetically pleasing picture, but that's what my plate looked like. I decided to finish my meal with dessert. I was torn between carrot cake and cherry pie and came down in favor of cherry pie. I was curious to see what form my slice of pie would take. After all, cherry pie is as American as herpes and hot dogs, not to mention violence. I wondered how Bite Me, which has often "deconstructed" traditional dishes to give them a new spin, would handle it. It was more a fruit tart with a top crust than a fruit pie in the U.S. sense. Overall, I was a bit disappointed. It didn't have much of a cherry taste and seemed overly sweet, but a glass of latte helped cut the sweetness. Next time I'll have the carrot cake or crepes for dessert. For anyone not familiar with U.S. cherry pie, here's a pic from the Net. There are substantial differences between the U.S. and European versions of fruit pies. Bottom line: The creativity of the chefs at Bite Me continues to impress me. In terms of value for money and taste, you can't eat better in Pattaya. Evil

Yup, it was tender. Sizzler uses imported beef for its steaks. Evil

Malee 3 offers European and Thai food at very low prices, among the lowest in Pattaya for a sit-down restaurant. It's in a subsoi off Soi Bukhao, but I'll give more info on its location at the end of this post. The exterior sign says Malee features Russian and Uzbek cuisine in addition to European and Thai, but I didn't see much evidence of Russian or Uzbek dishes on the menu. There were, however, several Dutch specialities listed, mostly snacks. Although it's not a fancy restaurant, but it's clean and comfortable. Because it's open-front, it can get quite warm, even when sitting next to a fan, when Pattaya is undergoing a hot spell like now. The big attraction of Malee is its price range. There are a lot of dishes under 200 baht and quite a few around 100 baht, with its burgers going for 45 to 60 baht and breakfast for 65 baht. I had the roast lamb dinner at 159 baht and it tasted surprisingly good for the price. It consisted of one thick piece of lamb which most restaurants would have sliced into three thin pieces; roast potatoes; gravy; and mixed vegetables (carrots, cauliflower, carrots and snap peas. It wasn't a large portion, particularly regarding the lamb, but it was adequate for me. The lamb was tasty and moist, but not the most tender I've had. It certainly wasn't tough or overly chewy, just not as tender as most lamb. There was some fat on the meat, but not too much. I would have preferred for the gravy to have been served on the side- I forgot to ask- and not poured all over the plate. But the gravy was good and had been been made from the drippings from the lamb. [ The vegetables seemed to be fresh and not frozen. They hadn't been overcooked and retained a lot of flavor. The roast potatoes were also good, crispy on the outside, fluffy inside. In addition to the 65-baht special, the breakfast portion of the menu offered a lot of choices, including pancakes. Malee is located down a subsoi off Soi Bukhao between Soi Diana and Soi 15. The subsoi is directly opposite Pattaya City Hospital with a motorcycle shop on the southwest corner. Bottom line: It's not fine dining, but I'll certainly be back to sample more of Malee's budget fare. I particularly want to try Toad in the Hole for 99 baht. Evil

"Ballantine, Ballantine, where do you roam? Ballantine, Ballantine, far, far from home." Not many too many chefs in Pattaya will undertake the preparation of a ballantine (alt sp ballotine), so I'm not going to miss this one. Evil

I had a very good cheeseburger at the Rock House on LK Metro Friday evening: It was a bargain at 185 baht, with a good-sized patty of beef, plenty of cheese and a fresh bun. The tomato, raw onion and lettuce complemented the burger but didn't overwhelm it. The steak fries (chips) were also good; crispy on the outside, fluffy inside and not at all soggy, which is the downfall of a lot of thick-cut fries. Bottom line: The RH cheeseburger was better than you get in many Pattaya restaurants. It was made from quality ingredients and balanced in terms of the flavors contributed by its components. I wouldn't hesitate to order it again. Evil

I wanted to try the relocated Sizzler on the Beach Road side of Royal Garden Plaza. Our initial plan had been to eat lunch there and take advantage of the pre-4 pm specials for less than 300 baht, but we were delayed until 5.30 pm, so we had to order from the regular menu. It's a very spacious restaurant that had only a few customers at that hour. The signature salad bar was still in good shape, with the 60-some bowls, trays and containers all full and fresh. I decided to see if I could remain under 300 baht for a main course - and I could, at 299 baht. There were even a couple of main dishes around 250 baht, but they were all chicken. Forget beef, pork, fish or seafood if you want to spend less than 300 baht. But first, we took a turn at the salad bar. My Source Coyote's choices: And a bowl of very tasty hot and sour soup. My plate of salad (cole slaw; minted carrots and almond; pumpkin and cashews; Asian potato salad) and the Sizzler toast that comes with some mains. It was all very good. I ordered the hibachi chicken with pineapple and rice for 299 baht. It was a rather small portion in and of itself, but considering unlimited helpings at the salad bar, which features soup, pasta, fruit and desserts as well as "make-it-yourself" salad ingredients and prepared salads, you won't leave Sizzler hungry. In any case, we ordered two more mains and split them, so it was indeed a filling and varied meal. We had the New York steak: and the sizzling shrimp, both of which were delicious. Bottom line: We had an excellent meal at Sizzler, but if you want to stay under 300 baht, get there before 4 pm unless you're fond of chicken. Evil

I tried the Tuesday special special at Nicky's near the intersection of Soi Bukhao and Soi 15. The facade of the building had been redone. The 175-baht special was chicken casserole, which resembles a stew but has been cooked slowly in the oven rather than on top of the stove. The casserole was advertised as coming with a crusty rolls, but I guess they had run out of rolls by the time I ordered my meal at 9.30 pm and I got two slices of buttered bread. It was excellent bread, fresh and with a home-baked taste. The portion was very large, more than enough for me. The casserole consisted of chunks and pieces of chicken, potato, carrots and celery in a delicious thick sauce. Nicky's offers a different special every day Monday through Saturday at 175 baht as well as a week-long two-course special at 300 baht. Bottom line: The chicken casserole was a very filling meal for 175 baht and I wouldn't hesitate to order it again. Evil

Is that a trick question? I remember the answer from junior high- It depends on which dish you're eating. (alt answers- which dish you're offered, which dish you can afford.) And then there's the famous analogy usually attributed to Mel Brooks, "Sex is like pizza. Even when it's bad, it's still pretty good." But I'm not sure that applies to either sex or pizza in Pattaya. Evil

A few more suggestions on LK Metro. The Rockhouse recently restarted its food service and the most expensive item on the menu goes for 250 baht. For the most part, it's traditional British pub-style food, although there are a few Thai dishes on the menu. I decided to try the lamb shepherd's pie at 250 baht. It came with peas or beans and either mashed potatoes or chips and gravy. Unfortunately, my "full-plate" pics didn't turn out well, but the close-ups of the shepherd's pie were OK. It was a good-sized portion. The meat mixture had a good lamb flavor and was well seasoned, while the mash potato topping had been cooked to a golden brown. I'll be back to try other dishes from the Rockhouse menu. The first time round, the food served at the RH had been very good. It was British comfort food as it should be done. And it appears the RH is off to a good start this time, too. EDIT IN: Here are the daily specials at the RH- Monday . 2 fried eggs , steak fries and baked beans . only 110 b . Tuesday. Beef burger and steak fries . only 140 b . Wednesday . chilli con carne with boiled rice . only 140 b . Thursday . fish n chips . only 120 b . Friday . all day breakfast . only 130 b . Saturday . chicken in cashew nuts with steamed rice . only 120 b . Sunday . assorted pies with steak fries and baked beans . only 150 b . I have tried any of those specials since the RH resumed food service, but I have had most of them in the past and they were very good. It's the same chef this time round, so it should be just as good. Another option on LK Metro is the Wok N Rok take-away stand in front of the Office A Go Go. It serves the same U.K.-style Chinese food as in the former Wok N Rok Restaurant on Soi Bukhao. The kiosk is open from 6 p.m. until "late." And before anyone objects, I consider the food it serves to be Western because U.K.-style Chinese is quite different to the food you'd get in a restaurant in China. It has an extensive menu, with most of Chinese-style favorites Westerners will recognize from their neighborhood take-aways back home. There are a few Indian dishes on the menu as well. The dishes range in price from 149 back to under 250 baht for some of the two-dish specials. I've lifted a few of the pics from the Wok N Rok thread to give an idea of what's on offer. If you enjoy U.K.-style Chinese food, the Wok N Rok does it better than any restaurant in Pattaya. Late Thursday night (actually very early Friday morning) I stopped for my weekly pasta fix at the spaghetti stand on the corner of Soi Diana and Soi Bukhao. The stand was doing a landslide business, although most customers were eating in the bar behind the stand. I counted ten plates that went out before the girl got to my takeaway order. Perhaps a bar crawl had decided spaghetti was needed to soak up the booze. This is what my spaghetti Bolognese looked like after I got it home. Nothing fancy about it, but a good-sized portion and good taste for 105 baht. It's better spaghetti than you get in some restaurants. Evil

Santa Fe Steak is a Thai restaurant chain with branches all over the country. Despite its name, beef plays a rather subordinate role on its menu. Santa Fe Pork or Santa Fe Chop would be more accurate. In addition to beef and pork, it offers chicken, fish and pasta, all at very moderate prices. It's certainly possible to tuck away a fair amount of food at Santa Fe for 300 baht or less, as the mains, including the specials, come with complimentary soup and salad. Some of the specials also include a beverage, so the customer is getting a three-course meal and (non-alcoholic) drink for under 300 baht or even 200 baht. I had lunch at Santa Fe Steak on the 6th floor of Central Festival on April 19, the big day for Songkran festivities on Beach Road. I broke up my photo excursion into the climactic hours of water-tossing madness by ducking into "Centan" around 1 pm to wash the white paste off my face; get some relief from the heat and sun; and have a bite to eat. Thanks to my quick-dry clothing and the effect of standing a few minutes in the intense sunlight, I was mostly dry at that point. You can see the pics of my whole April 19th outing here (post #317). I decided to eat at Santa Fe Steak mainly because I'd never been there before. It was a relatively small restaurant that was about half-full. It was very clean and tidy. I was the only farang diner. I assumed the name "Santa Fe" was used due to the Santa Fe Railway's association with the beef industry of the 1800's. The railroad's full name, the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway, wouldn't have been as catchy. I chose the "imported ribeye steak" at 239 baht. I chose to drink a bottle of Heineken, but if I'd had ice tea at 24 baht, I'd have come well under 300 baht. It came with small portions of French fries and tater tots and a few lettuce leaves on the plate as well as ... sides of salad and (corn) soup. They weren't bad, just meaningless. The gravy or brown sauce looked so horribly gelatinous I didn't even taste it. I had ordered the steak medium rare and that's how it came. The steak was tender, but not very flavorful for rib eye. I can imagine it was imported U.S. beef, although of the "Select" or "Choice -" grade. It's roughly the same grad of meat used in some U.S. chains. Nothing wrong with that. I had no trouble finishing the steak. The rest of the meal was a bit of a disappointment, but for the price, there's no reason to complain. This isn't a full review of Santa Fe Steak as I've only had one meal there. I've read and heard there's better value for money to be had by taking one of the pork, fish or pasta specials. There's no problem in eating under 300 baht at Santa Fe Steak. The "good" rating is a bit more difficult. If we only have two categories, good and bad, there's no question it would be good because it's not bad. But if we get more sophisticated and imagine three ratings - good, acceptable and bad - then the weakness of the sides would pull it down to the acceptable category. A little trivia. You have to love how Google translates one of the sentences from Santa Fe Steak's Web site: "Elephant soft aroma were still taste the steak like no other." That's a blurb I couldn't resist. Evil

Your response explains why you want a larger portion than you sometimes get, but it doesn't answer the question I asked: Why do you then call the food "garbage," which would only apply to very bad, inedible food? It would also be good if you answered the other question I asked: Why would you say a Western meal under 300 baht is "garbage" but you usually get "good quality, great foods" under 300 baht? Evil

You seem to be contradicting yourself. First you write: "Western meal: under 300 you get garbage..." That's an unequivocal statement. But then you follow it up with: Why would you say a Western meal under 300 baht is "garbage" but you usually get "good quality, great foods" under 300 baht? It doesn't make sense. You also wrote: But earlier you had written: In that quote, you appear to be saying you want all the food at a meal on one plate as one course. You seem to be rejecting the idea of a multi-course meal ("the side garbage"). Again, you have contradicted yourself with your post on April 16. Two other observations: 1) In English, the word "meal" refers to the food eaten at breakfast, lunch or dinner (supper, tea, etc.). A meal does not have to include two or more courses, nor does there have to be a lot of food on the plate. You can have your own personal definition of "meal," but then you need to make that clear. Thousands of Western short-term visitors and permanent residents in Pattaya eat a lot of meals in restaurants and many, many times those meals won't consist of multiple courses. Nevertheless, they have had meals in restaurants that weren't garbage and very often cost less than 300 baht. 2) Your objections to the Western food served in Pattaya most often center on portion size, not the quality or taste of the food. Why do you then call the food "garbage," which would only apply to very bad, inedible food? Evil

Not sure, but you can give them a call at 092 446 1117. Evil

It's been a long time since I've eaten at Rich Man, Poor Man. Thank you for giving me a reminder. I took a gander at RMPM's Facebook page and saw that they had plenty of options under 300 baht. Huevos rancheros is a North Mexican and Tex Mex dish consisting of a tortilla, sauce, eggs and sometimes other ingredients like refried beans. At RMPM, it is served Tex-Mex style with a flour tortilla topped with chili con carne; two eggs any style; as well as onion, cheddar cheese, salsa and sour cream. Cost is 225 baht. The BBQ pork ribs cost 245 baht and the 12" pizza is 225 baht. Yet another restaurant I haven't been to for a good while. I particularly liked the chiliburger: good Tex-Mex chili con carne on a thick hamburger patty. Evil

Sizzler most certainly meets the definition of this thread and is a good addition to it. Soup, pasta, salad (unlimited); main course; and dessert (also unlimited, but Sizzler's desserts are weak) for under 300 baht. However you slice it and dice it, it's one of the best value-for-money offers in town considering the quality of Sizzler's salad bar. Thank you for mentioning it! Evil