Big Horn Steakhouse

[Evil Penevil 7,628]

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

[RhinoTusk 4,901]

I also head to Beefeater when for my beef fix, never tried Big Horn, so thanks for the review. Isn't this the 'home' of the one kilo steak?

[harro1 256]

There is also a third place in that arcade that does a good steak, can't remember the name of it.

All 3 do a nice steak, I've eaten at all of them. I like the pepper sauce at Big Horn the best so I usually go there.

[js007 795]

Looks good. Last time I was in Pattaya that place had an ad on Pattaya TV every five minutes.

[short 215]

I don't think the problem is whats on the walls, but rather the walls themselves. They need to get rid of the cheap 1970's paneling.

Edited June 21, 2014 by short

[Billions 687]

I lived in Copenhagen twentyish years ago,have regularly travelled to Sweden,eaten steaks all over the world but until reading this thread I had never previously heard of plank steak.

 

Is the plank used over and over,or discarded after one cooking session? Does cooking this way have any effect as to the flavour of the meat,or is it just a presentational gimmick?

[steamer 158]

Was there in May. Our party was the only one there the whole time we were there. Can't imagine how it stay's open. Food was okay. Rather go to the Beefeater.

[Evil Penevil 7,628]

I lived in Copenhagen twentyish years ago,have regularly travelled to Sweden,eaten steaks all over the world but until reading this thread I had never previously heard of plank steak.

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.

 

Is the plank used over and over,or discarded after one cooking session? Does cooking this way have any effect as to the flavour of the meat,or is it just a presentational gimmick?

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

[Billions 687]

Thanks for that EP.

 

I've had food presented on a wooden slab before,but never cooked on one.

[ttez 17]

Thanks for that Evil. I did try Beefeater on my last visit in January and I am still talking about the quality of the meal. I love my steak and love it medium rare. The wait to get in proved worthwhile.

[jacko 8,822]

Looks good. Last time I was in Pattaya that place had an ad on Pattaya TV every five minutes.

It still has frequent adverts, the same one has been running for decades on Pattaya One. I often ponder whether the demure looking girl with the Scots guy with the 'reely great' steak' is now a granny back in Isarn.

Edited June 21, 2014 by jacko

[nkped 1,208]

It still has frequent adverts, the same one has been running for decades on Pattaya One. I often ponder whether the demure looking girl with the Scots guy with the 'reely great' steak' is now a granny back in Isarn.

Or the owner of a Thai restaurant in Glasgow.

[midlifecrisis 4,048]

 

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.

IMG_9662.jpg

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.

IMG_9663.jpg

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 ...

IMG_9659.jpg

IMG_9660.jpg

IMG_9661.jpg

It's just the stuff they hang on the walls:

IMG_9626.jpg

IMG_9627.jpg

IMG_9628.jpg

IMG_9629.jpg

IMG_9630.jpg

In contrast, here's how the Bighorn Steakhouse on Highway 6 in Dillon, Colorado, presents itself:

BighornInterior.jpg

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.

IMG_9648.jpg

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.

IMG_9646.jpg

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.

IMG_9651.jpg

The two ladies with me ordered an avocado shrimp salad that we all shared:

IMG_9640.jpg

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.

IMG_9634.jpg

The ladies then had 100-gram beef files with sides. One chose a baked potato,

IMG_9641.jpg

IMG_9643.jpg

the other had potato au gratin.

IMG_9644.jpg

I tasted the au gratin and it was fine- it had the proper cheese topping.

IMG_9649.jpg

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.

IMG_9656.jpg

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 have eaten at both and agree 100 percent with your review.

 

BTW, beef prices in America have been skyrocketing. Have you noticed the same there and/or smaller portions?

[Bushcraft 2,591]

There is also a third place in that arcade that does a good steak, can't remember the name of it.

All 3 do a nice steak, I've eaten at all of them. I like the pepper sauce at Big Horn the best so I usually go there.

I think you must mean Myway, where I've never been disappointed. A lot less expensive than Beefeater or Bighorn too.

[MM 6,562]

There's also Patrick's Belgian Restaurant which many people rave about.

 

I prefer Beefeater of the bunch.

[steamer 158]

There's also Patrick's Belgian Restaurant which many people rave about.

 

I prefer Beefeater of the bunch.

Done all 4. Beefeater is the only one that get's thumbs up from me. MyWay likes to reuse the 'untouched' mayo they offer up in those little dishes.

[Evil Penevil 7,628]

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.

 

There's also Patrick's Belgian Restaurant which many people rave about.

 

I prefer Beefeater of the bunch.

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.

 

I also head to Beefeater when for my beef fix, never tried Big Horn, so thanks for the review. Isn't this the 'home' of the one kilo steak?

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

[Greg_B 306]

Big Horn is okay, but remember it is a Steakhouse

 

Meaning = the other things on the menu will disappoint you or your date (hamburger is terrible and I do mean terrible)

 

Pepper sauce is good, the 1 kilo steak is huge, but not cheap

 

Overall.....hit or miss, it's not something you plan on with high expectations

[jacko 8,822]

Big Horn is okay, but remember it is a Steakhouse

 

Meaning = the other things on the menu will disappoint you or your date (hamburger is terrible and I do mean terrible)

 

Pepper sauce is good, the 1 kilo steak is huge, but not cheap

 

Overall.....hit or miss, it's not something you plan on with high expectations

And since many Thais don't eat beef that might be important. I don't recall how the Thai food is there, but my TGF went for the ribs which seemed agreeable to her. To me they just tasted of BBQ sauce.

[midlifecrisis 4,048]

Big Horn is okay, but remember it is a Steakhouse

 

Meaning = the other things on the menu will disappoint you or your date (hamburger is terrible and I do mean terrible)

 

Pepper sauce is good, the 1 kilo steak is huge, but not cheap

 

Overall.....hit or miss, it's not something you plan on with high expectations

You reminded me of the hamburger. They obviously added crap to it. It WAS horrible.

[steamer 158]

You reminded me of the hamburger. They obviously added crap to it. It WAS horrible.

Hamburger is shite in the LoS. Terrible beef and/or lot's of filler. Even McDonald's advertises two all beef patties. Brits seem to think that filler is normal but it's not.

[Butch 3,456]

I had the Mussels at Patricks a few years ago, they were outstanding and came in a bloody great bucket. I thought I was meant to share it but then BM "Cerberus's" bucket came out, which he promptly demolished in about 15 minutes. While I was still struggling.

 

A friend had the steak which was sizeable but nothing spectacular.