Under 300 Baht ... And Good! (updated Feb. 14, 2020)

[yselmike 111]

1 hour ago, Evil Penevil said:

Prime Burger has taken over the premises of the venerable but now defunct Butchers Arms across Soi Buakhao from the southern edge of Tree Town.

As the name makes clear,  Prime Burger is narrowly focused on premium burgers. In addition to hamburgers made from 100% imported Australian beef (70% chuck, 30% brisket) ground daily in the restaurant, the menu includes chicken, fish and vegetarian burgers as well as some traditional side dishes and salads. Prime Burger is a good option if you're in the mood for an upscale burger, but not if you want anything else. 

The interior features booth and table seating. There is a big screen TV on one wall and a pool table in the back section. For those who want to people watch or prefer dining al fresco, there are tables outside.

The burgers are named for cities around the world and come in three sizes (single-, double- and triple-patty). Each patty weighs 90 grams.  Eight different burgers are available. The New York Burger is a basic cheeseburger, but I chose the Paris Burger with cheese, U.S.-style smoked streaky bacon, tomato, lettuce, Dijon mustard and truffle mayo. 

On its Web site and printed menu, Prime Burger states "the quality of beef and ingredients" is the  key to making the best burger.  I  certainly won't disagree but add that proper execution by the cook is also important in producing a great burger.  Even the best ingredients can be mistreated in the kitchen and result in an unpalatable dish.

But the kitchen staff at Prime Burger got it right regarding the basics.   Quality ingredients were  well prepared to yield one of the tastiest burgers I've had in a long time.  Admittedly, I don't often eat hamburgers in Pattaya, so I don't have a large or up-to-date basis for comparison.

The owner of Prime Burger is a Swede who opened a Prime Burger in Phuket earlier this year and its Stockholm Burger promptly won the annual Phuket's Best Burger.  If the owner isn't doing the cooking himself, he's trained his staff well.

A bacon cheeseburger is straight out of Peoria or Omaha; it's the Dijon mustard and truffle mayo that gives the Paris Burger it's French twist.  I'm not sure truffle mayo  really has a place on a bacon cheeseburger; a more neutral base like pasta, eggs or mild meat and fish is needed for the truffle flavor to shine. 

A generous blob of Dijon mustard would have been a brilliant addition, as it would have added a contrasting bite to the fatty richness of the cheeseburger.  Alas, the cook had been rather stingy with the mustard and I couldn't notice any taste from the mustard or truffle mayo.  Nevertheless, as a straight-up bacon cheeseburger, it was very good.  The bun, the most overlooked component of burgers, was fresh and light, exactly how a hamburger bun should be.

I ordered the halloumi salad at 90 baht as my side.  Halloumi is cheese that originated in Cyprus and is traditionally made from sheep's milk. It has a low moisture content that makes it perfect for grilling and frying.  Halloumi has a unique taste that's hard to describe; it's sort of like feta, but milder and creamier.  I can't even recall seeing halloumi on a Pattaya menu before.

In modern times, halloumi has been made from cow's milk and I think (but can't be sure) that was the variation I got.  It had a good texture but very little flavor.  The vegetables,  pieces of vegetables (tomato, cucumber, green and red pepper) were freshly chopped.  Black olives provided the accent rather than the cheese.

Bottom line:  Next time I have a yearning for a hamburger, Prime Burger will be one of my options. I wouldn't say it's the best burger in Pattaya, but it's very good and the location is convenient for me.  I also want to try the Tokyo Burger (deep-fried fish).  The total cost of my meal (burger, salad and soda water) was 375 baht.

I'm not sure about Prime Burger's hours of business.  I got there at 2.30 p.m. and the staff was still putting out the settings on the outdoor tables. A "Closed" sign hung on the door, but the waitress told me to go inside and "wait five minute."  I believe it is supposed to be open between 3.00 p.m. and 11 p.m.

Evil

Halloumi has to be made in Cyprus and feta must be made in Greece that's in the EU mind, Traditionally it was made from goat and sheep milk now cows is also used it's gained in popularity so they now import some milk but it's made in Cyprus so it's authentic go figure.keeps for ever unopened in the fridge.

[Evil Penevil 6,968]

7 hours ago, sailingbill said:

 Evil, As you know from our PM's ,my brother is in town and not on a budget. I appreciate your  sugggestions   Really likes nice restaurants but we dont want to stray from LKM  /Diana   ...   we onlly have one meal a day. Thinking Robins Nest.?.

I think you'd do better at Kilkenny, Golf Club,  Harry's or the Buakhao Bistro on Soi Buakhao across from Serenity A Go Go (former Oasis).  Smokin' Joe's on Lengkee is  also good for U.S.-style farang food.

 Kilkenny revamped its restaurant menu about three weeks ago.  Here's an excerpt from the new menu:

Kilkenny also has great value-for-money daily specials.  Today's three specials:

and yesterday's two:

I've tried and reviewed the beef stew, pork chop and Ozzie burger.  All were very good.

Most noteworthy is probably the Sunday roast lamb dinner for 199 baht.  You won't do better than that for the price anywhere in town.

What impresses me most about Kilkenny is its consistency.  I've never had a bad meal there.  In many farang-oriented places in Pattaya, the quality of the meals can swing dramatically depending who's in the kitchen at the time.

Prices are reasonable at Kilkenny but it's 30-50 baht higher for popular menu items compared with the nearby Cheap Charlie's, Chunky Monkey and Hungry Hippo.  However,  in terms of quality and portion size, Kilkenny wins hands down.  Kilkenny also has an extended Happy Hour from 4 p.m. to midnight every day, during which all house spirits and bottled beers go for 65 baht.

Kilkenny's is located at the corner of the L on LK Metro, across from the Billabong Bar.  It's an excellent spot for people watching on LK Metro. Things can get quite lively at the Billabong.

Edited September 12, 2019 by Evil Penevil

[Evil Penevil 6,968]

1 hour ago, sailingbill said:

    Im no Gabor  

Thank God, Buddha, Allah, Shiva, Zeus, Odin, Tezcatlipoca and all other deities known  and unknown for that!

Evil

[sailingbill 146]

Evil now that was dammed funny.  Actually a good history lesson of the deities.   Gabor was ok in small dosages.   Killkenny it is tonight, thanks. We will be there about 8p, Pandoras after that. Buy you a beer or 4 if your about. 

Im the American with glasses  ,my brother is a scary looking fellow, a biker with long hair and tatoos. Cant miss us.  Unlikley pair?  Thats us.

[Bullfrog 603]

Regarding Cheap Charlies. I was in there last week and they have buggered about with the outside tables again..They can't seem to get it right!!

Anyway, I have purchased a "Reward Card" for 200 Baht valid until 31st Jan 2020 starting 1st October. All specials are 99 Baht. I have my eyes on the Liver and onion, Beef stew and Spare ribs.....I am sure I will have got my money back by end of October.....

Edited September 28, 2019 by Bullfrog

[Evil Penevil 6,968]

Scottie's Restaurant & Minimart on the ground floor of the Centre Condo has been serving moderately priced farang food for nearly 20 years.  The Centre Condo is located just off Pattaya Tai on Soi 24, about 150 meters west (towards the beach)  from TukCom.

I tried one of the weekly specials, the spaghetti bolognese for 169 baht.  It included two slices of garlic bread and a small serving of fresh salad.  A large portion of spaghetti was topped with a generous amount of U.K.-style bolognese sauce.  It was more spaghetti than I usually eat in one sitting when I make it myself at home.

The spaghetti was cooked properly; not too soft or hard, but, like Baby Bear's porridge, just right.  The sauce had plenty of ground beef and (hurrah, hurrah) the taste wasn't overwhelmed by tomato paste. What it lacked was oregano and other Italian seasoning.  That seems to be a characteristic of the U.K.-style spaghetti served in  Pattaya.  It's heavy on the ground beef but light on seasoning. There seems to be a fundamental difference between "spag bol" and North American spaghetti with meat sauce,  Both stem from adaptations made by  immigrants to the U.K. or U.S., but the U.S. version tastes more Italian.

The garlic bread was excellent,  toasted nicely and with a good balance between butter and garlic. The salad thankfully came without the ubiquitous Thousand Islands dressing and I ate it with a sprinkling of vinegar. It wasn't a great meal, but certainly a good one for 169 baht and 30 baht for a bottle of water.

The menu at Scottie's otherwise consists of the usual Pattaya array of international comfort food, including pizza and Tex Mex dishes.  Prices are moderate, but not as low as restaurants like the Hungry Hippo and Cheap Charlie's.

The restaurant was filled with a mixture of bric-a-brac, larger items for sale and Christmas decorations.  Apparently Scottie's holds regular auctions and some (all?) of the items on display might have been destined for the block.

The cluttered appearance gave Scottie's a homey feel and look, assuming the home belongs to a hoarder.

Bingo is also an attraction at Scottie's, as are regular drawings for prizes.

I was given a ticket for the Christmas Day drawing, but since you have to be present as a paying customer to win, I won't be using it.

I had eaten at Scottie's a few times in the past when I lived near TukCom and the meals I had were good. It's not a convenient location for me these days,  but I wouldn't hesitate to go there again.

It's worth mentioning that Scottie's has a low-priced Christmas turkey dinner.

Evil

[sailingbill 146]

Ill be in Bangkok but the 595 Christmas dinner looks too be an excellent value for someone like myself. Not a big eater so the 1000baht dinners while im sure good, not for me.  Really enjoy a Spaghetti Bolognese . Made it every week back home ,took hours. ,But yes spice is key.  EP why the disdain for tomato paste?, adds depth. Had the SP Bol  on Robins Nest on Diana last night , ok but this looks better. I always mean to take pasta home  from the  lady next to Jibbys but after stumbling out with the love of my next few hours i forget.

[Evil Penevil 6,968]

Meatloaf is an iconic U.S. comfort food that's a lot like the girl in the nursery rhyme who had a curl in the middle of her forehead. When meatloaf is good, it's very, very good, but when it's bad, it's horrid. It's seldom you find good meatloaf in Pattaya, which is doubly unfortunate for me as it's a personal favorite of mine.

A few days ago I had the meatloaf daily special from Tigglebitties for 200 baht. I added a slice of carrot cake for 50 baht so my order would qualify for free delivery. I really enjoy the food from Tigglebitties, but its location on Soi Regional Land is inconvenient for me. Ordering meals via the Web site and delivery has been hassle-free.

This is the link with the full Tigglebitties' menu: Hotmeals2U.com. I should say, "with the full menu every day except Dec. 25." Apparently the only meal you can get delivered today via Hotmeals2U is Christmas dinner for 595 baht, but that's an idea for anyone who can't make it to a restaurant.

Here's what the piping-hot order looked like when it arrived 40 minutes after I placed it.

The special consisted of two slices of meatloaf, mashed potatoes, gravy and the usual array of boiled vegetables.

Everything was fine, especially the meatloaf. In fact, I'll give it my highest accolade: it was as good as my mom used to make.

The sauce had just the right amount of spice bite and tomato tang to make the groound beef mixture pop. The sauce had a complex taste that went far beyond ketchup or tomato paste with a few shakes of tabasco.

Tigglebitties is one of the most consistent restaurants in Pattaya. There's no hit or miss, good one day, bad the next about it; the food is always at the same high level. By way of illustration, this is the meatloaf special I had back in July.

It looks almost the same as my December order; maybe the recent order had more sauce.

And to top the meal off,  real U.S.-style carrot cake with cream cheese icing.

It was a small piece, but it only cost 50 baht. Small pieces are the way to go when it comes to calorie-rich desserts.

The management and staff at Tig's know and U.S. food. Unlike so many Thai cooks who struggle to make farang food they've never eaten, the kitchen staff and waitresses at Tig's have a thorough understanding of how American favorites should look and taste. Tigglebitties also uses quality ingredients, which is another key requirement for good American food. You can make neither a good hamburger nor a silk purse from a sow's ear, although pigs' ears are fine in Thai-style hot dogs and yam hu mu.

Quite a few U.S. classics are available at Tigglebitties that are uncommon in Pattaya: meatloaf, corndogs, sloppy joes, country fried steak, beef dip sandwiches, pulled pork sliders, biscuits and gravy (or U.S. biscuits alone). The menu also has plenty of American standards such as burgers, hotdogs, hot wings, chili con carne and other Tex Mex dishes, pancakes,  Italian-American pasta dishes, apple pie, etc. The Monday BBQ special deserves mention. It comes in four variations ranging in price from 160 baht to 325 baht. All are available for delivery.

I have ordered the Ribs & Chicken combo and with a couple of extra side, it was enough for a Thai girl and I to share. It was excellent BBQ and both of us liked it a lot.

I won't go into much detail, but I'll give pics of other dishes I've had on delivery from Tig's. The beef dip sandwich was a daily dpecial at 275 baht. I ordered it deconstructed so the bread wouldn't get soggy.

Thinly sliced top sirloin (225 grams) and a toasted baguette came with an au jus dip and lettuce and tomato.

 

Fish tacos. likewise deconstructed:

It's interesting what farang foods appeal to some girls. One I know has fallen in love with bacon-wrapped shrimp.

Real chili con carne done U.S. style, with one of Tig's homemade biscuits on the side:

The garlic bread comes with the meal, but not the biscuit.

A combo platter with bacon-wrapped shrimp. chicken sticks and half a small quesadilla for 180 baht.

Some of the best apple pie in Pattaya at 80 baht a slice.

Bottom line: Tigglebitties is a great place to have a meal or order food for delivery. I did an eat-in review earlier this year in this thread. And if you're still stuck for Christmas dinner, you could always give Tig's a call or order for delivery.

Evil

[Evil Penevil 6,968]

On 12/19/2019 at 6:34 AM, sailingbill said:

EP why the disdain for tomato paste?,

I don't have any distain for tomato paste.  It's a great ingredient and I use it a lot myself.  However, I don't think the flavor of tomato paste should dominate the taste of any pasta sauce.   Tomato paste needs herbs and spices to offset and balance the tomato taste.

Evil

[Evil Penevil 6,968]

Here's one for North Americans:  homemade pork corn dogs from Tigglebitties Tavern.  I ordered them (100 baht each) for delivery and added a slice of apple pie for 80 baht to clear the free-delivery threshold at 250 baht.

A corn dog is a hot dog sausage on a stick that has been dipped in a cornmeal batter and deep fried. It's a relatively new entry into the U.S. fast-food pantheon,  having been invented in the late 1930s or early1940s.  One story credits a hot dog vendor who had missed the delivery of buns and decided to coat them with batter used for frying fish.  The stick was added so customers could eat them on the go.  Like the hamburger and hot dog, the corn dog was first sold at fairs and carnivals.

Tigglebitties' corn dogs were excellent.  A  good-quality hot dog had been used, covered with a light layer of cornmeal and properly fried to golden brown.  It came with ketchup and U.S. ballpark mustard.  It was the perfect food to trigger memories of visits to state and county fairs in my childhood.  

Corn dogs aren't on Tigglebitties' regular menu, but appear from time-to-time as a daily special.

That's just as well,  as corn dogs aren't exactly health food.  They're waist-expanding and artery-clogging, with about 40% of the 330-calorie count coming from fat.   I have them a few times a year as a treat.  I doubt I'd schlep out to Soi Regional Land just for a corn dog, but home delivery got them to me in 20 minutes.

And I didn't make my meal any healthier with a piece of apple pie, but it is the quintessential American dessert that I long for on occasion.

Tigglebitties offers the best apple pie I've had in Pattaya.  The crust is light and flaky and the filling isn't too sweet.  

Bottom line:  Tigglebitties is one of the best options in Pattaya for American favorites at reasonable prices.  Home delivery makes it hard to resist the temptation.

You can check out the daily specials and delivery menu at  https://www.hotmeals2u.com.  Delivery is available from 8.30 a.m. to 8.00 p.m.

Evil

[Evil Penevil 6,968]

 

It had been months since I tried the 100-baht Sunday roast dinner at the Marquee, so I went back last week. Very little had changed; I could almost repeat the review I wrote in February (LINK post #304).  That's both positive and negative.

It means the Marquee's popular Sunday roasts are holding a decent standard for the low, low price of 100 baht.  I had been worried that if the chicken dinner slipped further in quality it would cross the low into the mediocre category.  That didn't happen.  The slide appears to have been checked.

The chicken breast fillet, as before, seems to have been poached in water rather than roasted or pan fried. It was tender and tasty, no complaint on that account.  The vegetables and roast potatoes remained good and weren't overcooked.

The downside is that the meal hadn't improved on its weak point, the Yorkshire pudding. It was still too heavy and eggy for me.  The recipe the Marquee is using probably needs to be adjusted.

By way of comparison, below are two pics from the dinner I had in February.  Not much has changed, except the sliver of sweet corn was missing this time.

The Marquee remains one of the busier bars in Pattaya.

  I ate at about 3 p.m. and counted 50 guests at that time.  Another 20 arrived during the 45 minutes I was there,  while 10 or so left.

The Marquee was about two-thirds full.  It wasn't hard to find a seat, but I had to sit at the counter as all the tables were taken. 

Bottom line:  The Sunday roast chicken dinner at the Marquee is far from the best in Pattaya, but it's still good value for money at the price.  I'm not a fan of the roast beef and pork dinners as they use packaged pre-cooked and sliced meat, but that's a matter of personal preference.  I'm sure there are others who eat them with gusto.

Evil

Edited January 5 by Evil Penevil

[Evil Penevil 6,968]

For nearly three decades, the Sailor Bar & Restaurant  on Soi 8 has been dishing out low-priced food and drink to chea-, uh, thrifty charlies. 

 

Everyone agrees the Sailor's 60-baht cocktails are probably the cheapest buzz in central Pattaya, but opinions have always been sharply mixed regarding the food. Some loved it, others were, shall we say, less enthusiastic. I belonged to the latter category and wrote a very negative review back in 2013.  I've quoted it at the end of this post by way of comparison with this review.

I thought I would take one for the team , so I ate breakfast at the Sailor Thursday morning.  Actually, it was pretty good for 70 baht. 

There are three main choices for breakfast at the Sailor-  fried eggs, scrambled eggs or boiled eggs. 

All three come with toast and jelly; back bacon; an odd Thai hot dog sausage;  a dab of salad; coffee or tea and a small glass of orange drink.

The eggs had been roughly fried, nor was it the most attractive plating I've seen, but the parts I ate tasted good.  I skipped the sausage on grounds of its weirdness and didn't touch the salad because it was extremely wilted. It had been hanging around since at least the previous day.   I drank the coffee, but it was very weak.

On the plus side, the eggs and toast were fresh and the portion of bacon was bigger than you usually get in many restaurants.  The bacon wasn't exactly high quality and most of its taste probably came from liquid smoke,  but it went down easily enough.  For 70 baht,  you can't really complain.

Breakfast is served at the Sailor from 7.00 a.m. to 3 p.m.  I had mine at about 11.00 a.m. and the restaurant had roughly ten other guests. There were 20 customers or so in the bar and a few were really knocking back the drinks despite the early hour.  Most items on the Sailor's menu range in price from 70 baht to 130 baht.  The only items which are more than 130 baht are a half-dozen whole fish dishes (steamed or fried) at 300 baht.

In the past, I have encountered the notorious surliness of the Sailor's wait staff, but things seem to have improved.  One of the waitresses actually smiled at me!

Bottom line:  For those who want bacon and eggs for breakfast but not necessarily a full English fry up, the Sailor's 70-baht meal is a reasonable option.

It seems as if things have turned around regarding both food and service.  I plan on giving Sailor another chance in the near future.  It's not a restaurant I want to rush back to.   I've seen customers at Sailor do some off-putting things.  I hope they no longer serve guys who aren't wearing shirts.

 In 2013,  I thought the food was truly horrible, others thought it was great.  However,  even the fans of Sailor's inexpensive drinks and food would comment on the rude service. An example:

On 7/23/2013 at 2:44 PM, RhinoTusk said:

I was a regular for the cheap breakfast when I lived in VT6, and would sometimes have a 30 baht noodle dish, but never tried the farang food there. My fondest memory of the Sailor Bar was overhearing a waitress saying "Fuck you, asshole." to a customer.

It seems as if things have turned around regarding both food and service.  I plan on giving Sailor another chance in the near future.  It's not a restaurant I want to rush back to.   I've seen customers at Sailor do some off-putting things.  I hope they no longer serve guys who aren't wearing shirts.

Through the years, some wild stories have circulated about Sailor.  Here's one from a thread on Addicts.

Quote

  On 19/03/2016 at 19:10, Harvey707 said:

Well the original Sailor Bar position in early 90's was where the Eastiny hotel is now which was built in 1996 and Sailor moved to its current location. Eve and Peter  didnt own the Restaurant area though and only bought that some years later.

I remember Swiss Peter her husbands 50th birthday in 1995 in the old location when it kept being interrupted by gobby Brits pissed up. Next thing I know Eve has a got a shooter in her hand with bodies flying all over the shop. Am absolutely sure she'd have fired it as well !!

I've heard several times about the wife of the owner chasing customers down Soi 8 with a pistol in her hand. That's hard to believe, but I guess it could be true.

Evil

The 2013 review:

On 7/23/2013 at 1:40 PM, Evil Penevil said:

The Sailor Bar and Restaurant is well-known for its cheap drinks and food. Since cheap booze in and of itself isn't a big attraction for me, I've never had a drink there and can't comment on the bar side of the business. But I have eaten twice in the restaurant and I strongly doubt there will be a third time.

 

 

 

 

On the upside, it's clean, well-lighted and above all, very cheap. Some of the Thai dishes you can get for 20 or 30 baht and most farang food runs between 80 and 150 baht. The breakfast has to be one of the least expensive in Pattaya.

 

 

 

 

The downside is the food is horrible. The first dish I tried was beef goulash. Here's what I got. I believe the price was 150 baht, but can't really remember.

 

 

And it didn't taste any better than it looks. The meat was tough beef cut stir-fry style. The only taste to the sauce was American-style ketchup. But tasting that sauce did give me one magical moment: I was transported back for a second to lower Manhattan. Some years ago I had volunteered two nights a month at a Bowery shelter for the homeless and the Sailor's goulash tasted exactly the same as the goulash served on Friday nights at the shelter!

 

The shelter's clients loved that goulash and the dining area was packed every Friday night. A formerly homeless guy who'd had some background in food preparation came in most Fridays to prepare it. One Friday, he couldn't make it and a NYC semi-celebrity chef supplied the goulash, made from top ingredients in his restaurant and delivered to the shelter for re-heating. I wasn't there that night, but I was told the clients didn't like the celebrity goulash at all. They much preferred the ketchup goulash. I thought I also recognized one of the guys from the shelter in the Sailor Restaurant, but my imagination must have been playing tricks on me, perhaps because my sensory nerves were over-stimulated by the ketchup taste.

 

My companion that evening, a lovely Thai lady, had declined the offer of food, Thai or otherwise, at the Sailor. She'd just wrinkled her nose and said, "No good." But so she'd have something in front of her, she had a butterscotch sundae.

 

 

I thought it was bizarre a sundae would come with Ritz crackers, but they turned out to be some sort of almond cookie. The sundae itself consisted of a few drizzles of caramel sauce on three tiny scoops of ice cream - one that was supposed to be chocolate, another vanilla and the third she couldn't tell because it had no flavor. The sundae was mostly commercial whipped topping.

 

After a couple of bites, we chek binned and abandoned the Sailor. She got som tam from a street stall and I had barbecued skewers of meat. A much better choice.

 

But I had seen a customer eating a schnitzel that looked pretty good. The menu said potato salad was an option as a side and I decided to come back alone another day to try it. Since the Sailor's menu is very German inspired, I been hoping it would be a warm potato salad with a vinegar-based dressing. This is what I got:

 

 

 

No magical moment for me that time because I had never before tasted American-style picnic potato salad that bad. Pieces of under cooked potato swimming in mayonnaise that had a rancid taste. The schnitzel had been pounded so thin and fried so long it was rock hard. Except for an oily taste to the breading, it had no flavor at all. The shredded carrot and cabbage was the only part of meal that was edible. It cost 120 baht, so it wasn't much of a loss, more a waste of time.

 

If you want to economize on food, are very hungry and have a strong stomach, you might do OK at the Sailor. Otherwise, give it a miss and head to the nearest street vendor where you'll get far better food. It's also service with a scowl at the Sailor. I've never seen unfriendlier waitresses anywhere else in Pattaya.

 

Evil

 

Edited January 11 by Evil Penevil

[jacko 5,952]

3 hours ago, Evil Penevil said:

 I drank the coffee, but it was very weak.

Certainly does not look it, looks like molasses!

[Evil Penevil 6,968]

 

The Shack is the abbreviated sucessor to the former Richman Poorman Restaurant on Jomtien Beach Road.  It is a street stall located in the Jomtien Complex, with the entrance to the Complex about two-thirds down the dog-leg section of Thrappaya Rd to Jomtien Beach Road.  The Shack is diagonally across the sub-soi from Tinnie's Pie Shop.

The Shack keeps alive the BBQ and TexMex dishes that were the signature of Richman Poorman.  I would assume most of its  business is takeaway, but there is counter dining and one table for four.

On Thursday I took the baht bus to The Shack.  I ate two hot dogs with sauerkraut at the counter for 120 ฿ and took home a Reuben sandwich for 250  ฿.  Both were good.

My reservation about the hog dogs was the sauerkraut.  It simply didn't have enough of a vinegar taste for me.

I put the deli mustard on the dogs myself.  Ballpark mustard was also available.

The Reuben consisted of pastrami, sauerkraut, cheese and sauce on grilled brown bread.  The pastrami was plentiful and high quality.  A slice of dill pickle came along with it.

The Shack's Reuben differed from the traditional Reuben served in the U.S.  A traditional Reuben uses corned beef rather than pastrami and has more sauerkraut and Swiss cheese.  "Russian dressing" is preferred, but the sauce used by The Shack was close. A Reuben is served between grilled slices of what's called Jewish or deli rye in the U.S.

The Shack's Reuben isn't a copy of the sandwich you'd get at many U.S. restaurants, but pastrami Reubens are very popular.  It's on the menu at Katz Delicatessen in NYC, which a lot of foodies regard as the top Reuben shop in the world.  The owner of Richman Poorman is famous for his smoked meats, so it's understandable he'd use pastrami, as it's smoked.  Corner beef is boiled.

I'll be back to try the BBQ ribs and brisket as well as some of the TexMex dishes on the menu. Almost everything is under 300  ฿, with most under 200 ฿.

One important note: The Shack is supposed to be open from 9.00 a.m. to 9 p.m. everyday except Wednesday, when it's closed. However, hours tend to be a bit irregular and it has been closed on some days when it was supposed to be open.  It can also run out of certain dishes as the day progresses.

Always call to make sure The Shack is open and that the menu item you want is still available.  The telephone number  065 491 3747. You could also check the Facebook page, listed as Richman Poorman, but it's best to call.

And from the FB page, Saturday and January's specials:

 

 

Some other pics of menu items from the FB page:

 

Edited January 11 by Evil Penevil

[Evil Penevil 6,968]

 

Kilkenny on LK Metro is one of my personal favorites for farang food in Pattaya.  It serves up big plates of tasty fare at reasonable prices.  The Sunday roast lamb dinner at 199 baht is real value for money,

as is the pork chop special for 175 baht.

On Thursday I tried the chicken parmi special at 199 baht.

Here's what I got on my plate:

I don't rate it as highly as the Sunday lamb or the pork chop special, but it was still good and the portion huge. You'd have to have one hell of an appetite to walk away from Kilkenny wanting more.

I may have run into some cultural differences.  Chicken parmi is an Australian term for chicken parmigiana, which is called chicken parmesan or simply "parm" in the U.S.   Chicken parmi is customarily served in Australia with French fries and salad, as in the pic.  In the U.S., chicken parm stays closer to its Italian roots and is served with spaghetti.  It's also common in the U.S. to see chicken parm on a hero roll as a sandwich.

The U.S. and Australian recipes are similar.  A  chicken breast fillet is breaded and fried, then topped with tomato sauce  and a mixture of Parmesan and mozzarella cheese.  The cutlet is baked or placed under a grill for a few minutes to allow the mozzarella to melt and brown slightly.

The cutlet was breaded and fried properly as the chicken remained moist. My criticism would be that the Kilkenny version was a bit bland.  It needed more parmesan cheese and the tomato sauce should have had a more Italian flavor.

Bottom line:  The chicken parmi was good, but could be improved.

Kilkenny was busy at 8.30 p.m. Thursday.  It's a good place not only to have a meal, but also for people watching, espoecially the goings-on at the Billabong across the street.

Kilkenny Bar & Restaurant has daily specials, almost always farang comfort-food favorites. Friday's specials:

•  

[Evil Penevil 6,968]

 

I planned to have dinner last night at Cheap Charlie's on Soi Buakhao, but when I got there at 6.30 p.m., every single seat, inside and out,  at the counters and tables, was taken.  The pic below is from an hour later and the crowd had thinned a bit, but it was still very busy.  I've been critical of the food at Cheap Charlie's, but you can't argue with success.  They must be doing something right and it can't just be low prices.  Maybe the discount "Rewards"  card was a smart move?

 The Hungry Hippo and the Chunky Monkey also had plenty of customers, but not a full as CCs.  Nearby Prime Burger, Harry's and Kilkenny were well frequented as well.

I tend to avoid crowded restaurants as that's when serving times get long and it's easy for the cook and service staff to make mistakes.  I popped across the street and had dinner at 18 Coins.  It was good, but since I had Thai food, a review would be out of place in this thread.  I did notice one of the least enticing promotions I've ever seen, plus a creepy robot watched me eat:

 

Some Saturday specials in the LK Metro area.  Most pics are from Facebook.

Cottage pie and lasagne at Kilkenny.

 

The Robin's Nest is under new management.  I haven't tried it, but hopefully the food has been lifted from its previous steep decline.  As I passed by, a staffer handed me a 10% discount coupon.

Note that it's "local fish."

The Tuesday special looks good.

You can have beer and lasagne specials on Thursday:

The regular menu includes pasta bowls and paninis.

 

Harry's has a value-for-money pork planksteak every day.  I've had it and it's good.

 

This isn't a special, but Prime Burger has begun with a Beyond Meat plant-based burger.  To the right is a pic of Prime's signature smash burger for comparison.

 

A bit away from LK Metro at The Avenue Shopping Plaza you have the Robin Hood Tavern with some decent specials. The chicken parm is today's special, but I would have been more tempted by Tuesday's special, the Cajun salmon with penne pasta. Both are  ฿249.

 

Evil

[Evil Penevil 6,968]

On Sunday I ordered the "special of the day" for delivery.  It was an excellent meal.  To crossthe 250 ฿ threshold for free delivery,  I added a 50 ฿ side order of diced potatoes, onions and  sweet peppers to bring the order total over the 250 ฿ threshold for free delivery.

This is what the order looked like upon arrival after a one-hour wait.  Everything had been packaged separately so all the components remained hot and weren't soggy.

The Country Fried Steak order included country gravy, brown gravy, mashed potatoes and steamed mixed veggies as well the steak itself.

Country fried steak, also known as chicken fried steak, is a U.S. favorite which dates to the 1850s in Texas.  German immigrants are usually credited with inventing it as an adaptation of the classic Austrian wiener schnitzel.  In its modern form,  country fried steak is a piece of top sirloin or round that has been tenderized through pounding or with a blade tenderizer.  The meat is dipped in egg batter and dredged in seasoned flour, then fried in a skillet or deep fried.  It is most often served smothered in country gravy, aka white gravy,  milk gravy, sausage gravy, sawmill gravy and several other names. In some areas of the U.S., country fried steak is served with brown gravy with onions instead of country gravy. 

The steak had been cut into strips.  I'm guessing that was out of consideration for delivery customers in hotels who don't have access to metal silverware and have to use the plastic knife and fork that comes with the order.  It's not always easy to cut meat with a plastic knife.

The cubed steak was tender and flavorful.  It had been properly breaded and wasn't overcooked. The steamed carrots, broccoli and cauliflower were fresh.  Only the kernels of corn had been frozen.  The country gravy was the right consistency, had been well seasoned and contained plenty of American-style sausage bits.  The mashed potatoes were the weakest point, bland and a bit stodgy, but the brown gravy helped a lot.  

Bottom line: It was a very good meal that I enjoyed a lot.  The portion size was perfect for me.

I saved the side order of potatoes for another meal.  I had them with corn on the cob from 7/11 and a couple of eggs that I did a bad job of frying myself.  Two filling meals for less than 300 ฿ isn't bad at all.

 

Evil

•  

[Evil Penevil 6,968]

I'm posting this on behalf of a friend who isn't active on the boards but is convinced I-Rovers Sportsbar and Restaurant on Soi LK Metro deserves more attention than it gets. I can't comment myself about the food at I-Rovers as it's been years and years since I had a meal there,  but my friend- admittedly not a picky eater- recommends it both for breakfast and dinner.

I-Rovers was the home of the original Baht Buster Breakfast and still serves it after the demise of Retox on Soi Lengkee.  The Baht Buster Light Breakfast at ฿99 or the Breakfast Sandwich or Beans on Toast with fried eggs for the same price will be a big enough breakfast for some people.  Not everyone wants a full-scale fry up as the first meal of the day.

The prices on the dinner specials are competitive:

 

The Web site (https://i-rovers.com/cam-sports-schedule/)  has a clear web cam of LK Metro outside the I-Rovers:  

It was interesting that Billabong looked looked deserted at about  3.30 p.m. in the afternoon.  As I recall, Billabong used to be a popular daytime watering spot thanks to its 2-for-1 drink offer.

Evil

 

[tallguy 625]

2 hours ago, Evil Penevil said:

It was interesting that Billabong looked looked deserted at about  3.30 p.m. in the afternoon.  As I recall, Billabong used to be a popular daytime watering spot thanks to its 2-for-1 drink offer.

Evil

 

Far more options around the Buakhau / LK area in the afternoon now, where you don't have to buy 2 beers at a time to take full advantage of the discounted price. Even Billabong's sister bar Climax has a happy hour until 6pm with single  beers around 55-60 baht, (sorry can't remember exact price, I haven't been in there for a while).

[Evil Penevil 6,968]

9 hours ago, tallguy said:

Far more options around the Buakhau / LK area in the afternoon now, where you don't have to buy 2 beers at a time to take full advantage of the discounted price. Even Billabong's sister bar Climax has a happy hour until 6pm with single  beers around 55-60 baht, (sorry can't remember exact price, I haven't been in there for a while).

If I remember right, Time Bar across the street from Billabong has a Happy Hour price of ฿50 for some bottled beer.  But Billabong is always jammed later in the evening despite the deafening level of music from the live band:

 

Evil