Barbie Bar on Soi Chaiyapoon

[Evil Penevil 7,628]

 

An odd set of circumstances put me at the Barbie Bar on Soi Chaiyapoon at 4.30 a.m. I was very hungry as I hadn't eaten for 16 hours. I remembered reading somewhere that the Barbie served food 24 hours a day. Since I was in the vicinity, I decided to give it a try.

 

 

I have to acknowledge that I've never had any luck at extreme budget restaurants like the Sailor, Seaside or Golden Ferret, with the meals I've gotten at such places ranging from bad to inedible. I wasn't anticipating much from the Barbie, but was hoping I could stomach the food and wouldn't be puking in a few hours.

 

 

Since my expectations were rather low, I can't say was disappointed with the pork schnitzel with a side of spaghetti at 170 baht. It was a a huge portion that included nine (!) slices of French bread.

 

 

I managed o get down about half of it and didn't get sick. On a taste scale. I'd rate it about a C-. The spaghetti was what I call "institutional standard," the kind that is served at lunch in inner-city elementary schools; mental hospitals; prisons and homeless shelters. It is characterized by heavy use of tomato ketchup (and no other seasoning) in the sauce, but a small dish of ground Parmesan on the side to give it some flavor.

 

 

The schnitzel was a bit schizoid. The pork itself wasn't bad at all- tender, moist and not too thinly pounded. But it was covered in the same sort of batter that is used for fish 'n chips, with the predictably icky result. The schnitzel, actually two large pieces, were topped with a vegetable sort-of ragout that was pretty damn tasty.

 

 

 

If they had just served the pork with the topping and forgotten about the batter (I scraped it off as best I could), it would have gotten a B. Not a good meal, but I've certainly had much worse in Pattaya. One of the other three customers at the time, a drunk Norwegian, was doing an impression of Meagan Speakman and wanted me to critique his performance. Inside my head, I heard myself telling him he sounded more like Alvin of the Chipmunks than the Pattaya TV presenter, but I just smiled and said it was very good.

 

Bottom line: In a pinch, I might go back to the Barbie Bar for another wee-hours meal, but I think I'll stick to something basic like a hamburger.

Edited January 5, 2015 by Evil Penevil

[teelack 9,640]

Thanks Evil. I had only one meal there and it is the place to go if you are hungry and perhaps looking to eat on the cheap. I had the fish and chips and whilst it was similar to what you will get at the PBG in taste and texture but double the size. It has its place in the Pattaya scenery.

[mrshipper 4]

Looks decent enough... portion size wise.

 

If you just need filling. Have eaten a lot worse looking food for higher price all over town...

[Obsession 571]

I had to google it, as we don't eat schinitzel in the UK. I had a rough idea it was a shit mainland Euro concoction, not worth replicating elsewhere, but had to check after a New Yorker ordered it in Pattaya, with sphagetti! Sphagetti and schinitzel sounds weird to me.

May I suggest that Thais are better at rice than sphagetti, and other pork recipes than schinitzel!

 

[MM 6,562]

I had to google it, as we don't eat schinitzel in the UK. I had a rough idea it was a shit mainland Euro concoction, not worth replicating elsewhere, but had to check after a New Yorker ordered it in Pattaya, with sphagetti! Sphagetti and schinitzel sounds weird to me.

May I suggest that Thais are better at rice than sphagetti, and other pork recipes than schinitzel!

 

A good schnitzel, esp jaeger style, is the best way to cook pork...it's very popular, but also very hard to find a good version here in Pattaya.

[Parkwahn 61]

I have never been in the bar, walked past many times it's always been busy...

[Butch 3,456]

Thanks for the report Evil. The farang food in the Sailor bar sucks, but to be honest the thai food is halfway decent.

 

As it happens , I think the forum needs a report on Chaiyapoon Bars, so if you're in the area...

[MM 6,562]

Crazy Dave's!

[john5001 54]

The bakery I think its on the corner

[Parkwahn 61]

The bakery I think its on the corner

Bakery is sort of opposite walk out of Barbie past Triangle bakery is on your right....

[tuba 0]

I love this bar for its convenience, baguettes and English brekkie. Oh, and cheap beer too.

[Chester007 175]

Thanks, here's a map Click