Evil Penevil

Pattayanis Greek Taverna offers excellent Greek food in central Pattaya. It's located about 40 meters in on a small soi off Soi Bukhao. It 's certainly not hard to find, but it can be easy to miss if you're riding a baht bus along Soi Bukhao, so take a look at the screenshot from the map on Pattayanis' Facebook page. You can also find a complete menu there. Last night I had the Greek salad and finished every bit of it. Fresh feta cheese atop a large portion of sliced tomatoes, onions, cucumbers and green peppers plus a few black olives. It was seasoned properly and dressed with high-quality olive oil. I ate it with pieces of fresh pita, perfect for catching the olive oil. I also had dolma, grape leaves stuffed with rice and herbs, also very tasty. The friendly owner was on hand and we had a good talk. Pattayanis has certainly captured the spirit of a Greek taverna as well as the authenticity of the food. I really liked the bright lighting as I'm not a fan of dimly lit restaurants. Prices are very reasonable. The Greek salad cost 250 baht, the dolma 180 baht and the pita 40 baht. If you enjoy good conversation as well as good Greek food, be sure to stop by Pattayanis. I needed a meat-free day after all the beef I've ben eating recently, but I'll definitely be back to try the lamb and pork dishes. Evil

At least not for the better. Evil

On a whim, I ate at the Sea Side Restaurant (sometimes called Sea Side 2, although I'm not sure if there still is a Sea Side 1). Anyway it's located in a subsoi off Soi 7, not far from the intersection with Beach Road. The subsoi is directly across from the Silver Star A Go Go. It's just before Tequila Reef if you're heading up Soi 7 from Beach Road. It's not fancy, but a cheerful and clean place, quite busy the evening I went. A nice basket of condiments, but the bottles were running low. The waitress was friendly. The menu featured what could be considered British comfort food as well as some Thai dishes. The prices were low, with a lot of dishes between 80 and 200 baht. The most expensive item on the menu was the roast lamb at 250 baht and that's what I chose. My comments so far have been the restaurant equivalent of saying a blind date has a nice personality, so I'll get to the actual meal. Here goes: The first sign that all would not be well came with the tiny saucer of mint sauce that was served alongside my San Miguel Light (70 baht). It was bitter and stale tasting, with the vinegar so acidic it could have been used to clean the points of a car battery. It also had oil added to it, as though it were salad dressing. Bizarre. And the meal itself? The Good: A large portion at a cheap price.* The mashed potatoes had a good texture. The Bad: Everything else. It was one of blandest plates of food I've ever had in front of me, including hospital food after stomach surgery. No taste in anything except maybe the generic made-from-a-packet gravy. How the lamb could become so tasteless I don't know. It also had the strangest consistency of any meat I've had since I ate at the Dog Meat Restaurant in Beijing in 1995. I didn't take more than one bite of it. The vegetables had had every molecule of flavor boiled out of them. The Ugly: The Yorkshire pudding. It is NOT supposed to look like that when you cut into it. No way I was going to put that in my mouth. Bottom line: Yuck! Don't get me wrong. I enjoy British food and it's delicious when prepared as it should be. Unfortunately, it so seldom is. I'm putting on my virtual fireman's protective gear now as I imagine some flames will be coming my way. The Sea Side, like the nearby Sailor Restaurant, is said to have a very loyal following. I came close to getting death threats when I criticized the food at the Sailor and it was worse than the Seaside. But I have to tell it like I taste it. Evil * I began to have philosophical qualms about that statement. Is a large portion of bad food at a cheap price a good thing? I suppose it's relative. If you're hungry and don't have much money, then I guess it's better to get a large portion at a cheap price than a small portion at an expensive price. But undeniably, the mashed potatoes had a good texture.

Beefeater Steak House & Pub on Soi Diana is my favorite place for a steak dinner in Pattaya. You can enter from both Soi Diana and the arcade walkway. The quality of the food is high, the prices are reasonable and the location is perfect for me. It's often crowded and can be difficult to get a table if you just walk in. One point that irks me is the menu is written in English and Swedish, but there's no Thai text or picture menu. That can make it difficult for Thai ladies to order, but the wait staff are helpful in that respect. Clearly, beef in various forms is the focus. The stars of show are the steaks imported from Australia. Tow nights ago I had the 200 gram (7 oz) fillet for 595 baht. I ordered it medium-rare and it came perfectly cooked. It was very tender and flavorful, as good as any steak I've had in Pattaya. The steaks come with your choice of potato (baked, fried, French fries or au gratin) and sauce. I'm very much a purist about steak. With a few exceptions, sauce should be served on the side and that's exactly how it came. There were several sauces or herb butters available. I took the gorgonzola sauce, not to put on the meat but on the baked potato. It was very creamy and the gorgonzola taste wasn't over-powering. My dining companion had the BBQ Beef Skewer, which consisted of chunks of beef and a few pieces tomato and onion. It came with a baked potato, coleslaw, grilled corn on the cob and a variety of sauces for 495 baht. Another night I had the plank(ed) steak for 495 baht. The meat, bearnaise sauce and mashed potatoes were excellent. Again, the meat was cooked as ordered, medium-rare. My companion that night had the surf and turf, which consisted of 200-gram steak and six medium-sized shrimp on a skewer for 695 baht. She chose the baked potato. She insisted on giving me a couple of her shrimp. They were OK, but not particularly flavorful. The garnishes- asparagus stalks wrapped in bacon and a grilled tomato - did have a lot of flavor and were positive additions to the meal. Both of the meals had been preceded by bowls of "homemade" tortilla chips and salsa. One Saturday afternoon we tried the "all-you-can-eat" Mexican buffet at 295 baht per person. It was good, although not outstanding and more Tex-Mex than real Mexican. But you certainly get a lot of food at a bargain price. It is available between noon and 4 pm on Saturdays and Sundays. The "hot honey" ribs were the best dish, very tasty and cooked well. The buffet featured three types of chili (the familiar chili con carne with ground beef and beans; Texas chili with chunks of beef and minus the beans; and African chili, which I didn't try). There were numerous other dishes as well, including chicken and thinly-sliced roast beef. There was also a "taco bar" which I didn't photograph because it had been hit hard by the time we got there and the trays with ingredients were mostly empty. I did snap the large selection of condiments, sauces and other fixings to go with the tacos. My plate that afternoon. Bottom line: Beefeater is a great place for steaks and other beef dishes. Get there early and have sharp elbows if you want the weekend buffet. Evil

Now that's a peculiar question! Evil

I agree. We tend to overlook everyday kindest and honesty, almost to the point that it seems extraordinary when a story does pop up. Evil

About 10 pm. Evil

"2 girls 1 cup" is the name used on YouTube for a Brazilian scat fetish film called Hungry Bitches. Two girls sh*t into one cup, then apparently eat it and puke into each others' mouths. A one-minute trailer for the film went viral, then a lot of YouTubers began posting videos of the horrified reactions of people watching either the trailer or the actual film. In the video posted by MM in the OP, the commentator is saying reactions to seeing the inner workings of FIFA would be the same as the reactions to "2 girls 1 cup." Evil EDIT IN: Here's a compilation of reaction videos: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aQRoCcfNnVE

This report really belongs in a thread titled, "Not quite so good meals," but with that proviso, I'll post it in this one. I had osso bucco (veal shanks and vegetabes braised in white wine and broth) at Patrick's last night. It was the modern version with tomatoes, which the original Milanese speciality didn't have. Osso Bucco was the daily special at Patrick's (in the arcade off 2nd Road across from Mike's Mall) and cost 300 baht. It was OK, but the sauce could have been tangier with a bit more flavor. It was served without gremolata, the traditional accompaniment. Gremolata is both a garnish and a condiment. It's made from chopped flat parsley, minced garlic and lemon zest. It enhances the flavor of osso bucco and without it, you can't help thinking "something is missing." The meat had been simmered to the proper "fall-off-the bone" stage; the carrots were, however, overcooked. Maybe some of theother vegetables had also cooked too long, which could explain the thickness and viscosity of the sauce. Unfortunately, the sauce still had small pieces of bay leaf, something I always find irritating as there's no elegant way of getting them out of your mouth. The mashed potatoes were nice and seasoned with nutmeg, which I love. The small portion of salad on the plate would have been better with a vinaigrette dressing. The complimentary dish of Asian shrimp crackers before the meal was a nice gesture, but a peculiar choice for restaurant that's centered on Western food. Bottom line: Not a bad meal, but not a great one, either. I doubt I'll have the osso bucco again at Patrick's, but I may be back to try other dishes. As a side note, Patrick's didn't have many diners when I was there Monday night. From what I could see, Beefeaters (directly across the arcade) was busy, with the outdoor section almost full. But low season may have kicked in, as even Kiss was short of customers. Evil

Delta has the same set-up regarding electric power/USB port. A number of airlines have for quite a few years had power outlets so you use/re-charge your laptop, but not always in the Economy cabin. Evil

I lived in View Talley 5C in Jomtien from Feb 1, 2012 to Jan. 31, 2013. The sole reason I moved into Central Pattaya was all the hassle with the baht buses, especially during high season. Sometimes 15 or 20 baht buses would go past without stopping. Many were full of Russians, others dead-heading into central Pattaya. Getting back to Jomtien from Second Road wasn't as time-consuming as long as you threw a few shoulder blocks into the Russians trying to jump the queue. On the peak days of high season (Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, New Year's Eve), it was damn near impossible to get into Pattaya by baht bus. Songkran was nearly as bad, plus you'd get doused with water a dozen times along the way. One proviso - if you live farther south in Jomtien than View Talay 5, it probably won't be as big a problem as I described. The buses were already full for the most part by the time they reached VT 5. How long it takes, once on the bus, to get into Pattaya depends on where you start, where you want to get off, how much traffic there is and what time of day you're traveling. Best case scenario from View Talay 5 to WS was 10 minutes, normally about 15 minutes, but double, sometimes triple, that if traffic were heavy. Evil

Has the Beefeater changed ownership or management in recent years? I just looked at its Web site to check the opening hours and noticed several Scandinavian dishes on the menu, including "planked steak." I can't recall seeing it in the past, but that could be because I haven't looked much at the Beefeater's menu. I usually know what I want and don't bother with the menu. Yes, there are four restaurants in that arcade that are noted for meat. Beefeater is the best all-round in terms of steak, but it is often crowded and sometimes a group of diners will get quite boisterous. By 9.00 or 10.00 p.m., it can be a bit too much of a pub rather than a steakhouse. That doesn't affect the food, just the atmosphere. I now limit my visits there to the afternoon or early evening. My Way gives the best value for money if you enjoy filet mignon. It's a small, very friendly family-run place which also has Dutch dishes on the menu. I used to eat at Patrick's when he had a restaurant in Bangkok (must have been 2006-2007) and the food was outstanding then. I've only tried his Pattaya restaurant once, but didn't go back because of an incident not related to the quality of the food. Maybe it's time for a return visit. Yup, but the Big Horn doesn't appear to play up that angle as much as it once did. The "honor roll" of 1-kilo steak eaters hasn't been updated for a couple of years. Evil

I stayed there for four nights in February last year when I was between condos. It was during the Chinese New Year weekend and it was surprisingly difficult to get a hotel room in central Pattaya. Privi was one of a very few that showed vacancies on the hotel search engines, so I booked there. It's a smaller to mid-sized hotel, owned and operated by a Filipino family. The staff were all friendly and helpful. The room was comfortable and adequately equipped. As I recall, the free wifi was fast and the TV reception clear. There was no pool but that was not an issue for me. It did have outdoor "spa tubs" (whirlpool tubs) but I never tried them. I ate several times in the hotel's restaurant and the food was good. It's not the Hilton or Royal Cliff, but you won't be paying anywhere near five-star prices. I paid around 1,600 baht/night for a room with jacuzzi and it was very good value for money. No joiner fee for one girl; I didn't try to bring back more than one. The location is perfect for Walking Street and LK Metro (easy walking distance) and you're right on 2nd Road for the baht bus going north. There were no problems with outside noise in the room I had; I have no idea if noise would be a problem in the rooms overlooking Wonderful Bar. Finally, don't confuse the Privi Hotel with the Privi Suites, which is further down Soi 13/1. The Privi Suites has nicer but more expensive rooms. Privi Suites had been fully booked for the dates I wanted. Evil

Plank steak is a fiddly and time-consuming dish to prepare, so it's usually only available in classic fine-dining restaurants, but it can turn up from time to time in all sorts of Swedish eateries. The best place to have it is Villa Godthem on Djurgarden, an island in central Stockholm. You can read about it here. Baking planks (the meat is oven roasted) can be used over and over again. The thinner BBQ planks are used only once or maybe a few times. The wood does impart a flavor to the meat, especially when BBQ'd. There's a lot of information about plank cooking and plank grilling on the Net. Just do a Google search. You also get a lot of info if you Google the Swedish spelling "plankstek." Evil

I visited Big Horn Steakhouse several weeks ago. It's located in the arcade across from Mike's Mall and next to Kiss Food on 2nd Road. Our goal had been a meal at Beefeater, but it was closed for renovation, so we took the nearest alternative for steak. It had been several years since I'd last eaten at Big Horn. It wasn't so much the food as the interior decoration that had put me off, so I made a snap decision to give it another try. I wasn't disappointed with the food, but the interior decoration was as peculiar as I'd remembered it. Big Horn is certainly America-inspired, but it's actually an offshoot of a Norwegian steakhouse chain, one of the larger restaurant chains in Norway. I'm not sure who now owns Big Horn, but a few years ago it was a Swedish guy. I don't believe the Big Horn Streakhouse in Pattaya now has any connection to the Norwegian chain other than the name. The decor at the Big Horn is what you might expect in faux Wild West restaurant in Oslo or Stockholm. It's not rundown or uncomfortable ... It's just the stuff they hang on the walls: In contrast, here's how the Bighorn Steakhouse on Highway 6 in Dillon, Colorado, presents itself: But enough about interior decoration and on to the food, which is really the important factor. I have to say, though, that if any of my relatives from Montana ever visit me in Pattaya, I won't take them to Big Horn. I'd be too worried they'd piss themselves or choke to death while laughing. I ordered the Plank Steak with mashed potatoes and bearnaise sauce. It's been a personal favorite of mine since my days of living in Scandinavia in the 1970s and 1980s. Apparently the concept of roasting meat and fish on a wooden plank began independently in two wide-apart areas of the world: among the Vikings of the Nordic region and the native Americans of the Pacific northwest. My plank steak was delicious; 200 grams of decent-quality Thai beef cooked as I requested, with good mashed potatoes and a sauce that complemented the beef without overpowering it. It was garnished with shoots of asparagus wrapped in bacon and a griled tomato. I thought it was worth the 495 baht I paid for it. The two ladies with me ordered an avocado shrimp salad that we all shared: It was good, a simple salad done well. The house salad that came with the entres was unremarkable and slathered in thousand island dressing. The bread was freshly baked. The ladies then had 100-gram beef files with sides. One chose a baked potato, the other had potato au gratin. I tasted the au gratin and it was fine- it had the proper cheese topping. The ladies also had dessert. It was also Scandinavian influenced. Ice cream with bananas topped with syrup and industrial meringue. It wasn't what I would choose, but the girls liked it. Bottom line: I'l be back to eat the plank steak again, but the Beefeater and several other restaurants are better choices for a steak dinner. Evil

I see access to the Internet as another form of in-flight entertainment. I don't see much difference between surfing the Net and watching a movie. It's just a way to make the time pass. If I have a "lie-flat" seat, I can sleep, but it's hard for me to fall asleep in a seat in Economy Class. The more ways I have of diverting myself during 20 to 24 hours in the air, the happier I am. But for those who do a lot of business or job-related stuff via the Internet, I imagine it would be a big advantage to be wired during long inter-continental flights. Evil

The proxy I used was Tunnelbear (thanks to MM for the recommendation), which I already had. Evil

The flight landed at 11.00 p.m. last night and was at the gate at 11.20 p,m., exactly on time. I was in Mr Dream's sedan by 11.45 p.m. and at my condo in Pattaya at 1.00 a.m. Very little traffic on the way. There didn't seem to be many people out and around on Third Road and Soi Bukhao. I was mildly surprised there wasn't any problem with my checked suitcase. The plane pulled away from the gate at JFK on time, but there was a queue of 40 planes ahead of us and we weren't airborne for another 70 minutes. We landed at Narita an hour late and I got to the departure gate for the Bangkok leg just as it was boarding. I doubted my suitcase would make it, but it did. It was in fact among the first on the baggage carousel. Evil

Yes, in terms of pitch and seat width, the equivalent of Premium Economy on other airlines. But the seats on Delta are VERY hard and uncomfortable, not nearly as good as the Premium Economy seats were on the Thai non-stop to/from JFK. I wish, wish, WISH they still had that flight. Thirty minutes until landing. Maybe Buddha is taking care of me, but in all my years of traveling, I've never had an airline misplace a bag. A few have been delayed a day or two, but that always had to do with making a connecting flight by minutes and the bags not keeping pace. But never a lost bag if the flight or flights went as they should, i.e., no leg of the flight involved a delayed arrival. Thirty minutes until we land. Signing off. Evil

On the NRT-BKK flight now, we land in 3.5 hours. Here's what my laptop says about the speed: You can stream YouTube on the Delta flight. You can also stream porn but you have to connect through a proxy. Gogoinflight doesn't allow a direct connection to porn sites like xhamster. I tried via a proxy and it streamed OK, but I only watched for a few seconds. I really didn't want anyone looking over my shoulder. Evil

Only an hour left to Narita, but still above 36,000 feet. The Internet shuts off automatically at 10,000 feet. Evil

It's not like United was any great shakes, but it had a very generous system of upgrades for frequent flyers. Nine times out of 10, I paid for Economy but flew in biz thanks to an upgrade. But United stopped service to BKK at the end of March so I switched to Delta the only other U.S. carrier to serve BKK from NYC. Yup, my butt and lower back already ache and there's still five hours left until Narita. The Internet connection is a good distraction, though. Evil

I'm posting this from 32,037 feet above northern Canada, about two hours into a 13-hour flight to Narita from JFK. The system is called Gogoinflight and works very well. I've been surfing for about 30 minutes and no problem in connecting with email or the sites I usually visit. The speed is 72.2 Mbps, which is fine for ordinary surfing and email, but you can't stream video from Netflix. YouTube works OK. It ain't cheap, though. It costs US $19.95 for one hour and $39.95 for the entire flight. It's a great way to make the time pass on a boring flight! I'm flying Delta in Economy Comfort this time. It's marginally better than cattle class, but it's light-years from Business Class. Evil