Under 300 Baht ... And Good! (updated July 4, 2022)

[Evil Penevil 7,628]

 

I was pleasantly surprised with the meal I had last night at The Diner's Express, a small cafe in a corner of the Villa Market at The Avenue shopping plaza on 2nd Road. The meal was cheap, quick and tasty.

The Diner's Express is a mini-version of the Took Lae Dee restaurants attached to Foodland Supermarkets. TDE features an open kitchen like its bigger Foodland cousins. However, TDE only has about 10 tables for three and it's right inside Villa Market. It's open from 7.00 a.m. to 9.00 p.m.

 

 

The menu at TDE is a mixture of farang dishes, mostly of the comfort food variety (hamburgers, sandwiches, pastas, pork chops, etc.) and Thai standards, again much like Took Lae Dee. From The Diner's Express FB page:

 

Prices are moderate, especially for the Thai dishes. However, a few of the farang dishes, such as the pork chop, cost close to 300 baht and for that price, you could be having the daily special at The Bite or dozens of other restaurants.

I chose the tonkatsu with rice (108 baht) and a "Watermelon Blast" to drink (78 baht). I could have kept the meal under 150 baht if I'd had water or a soft drink.

Tonkatsu is a Japanese dish consisting of a breaded, deep-fried pork cutlet. It's usually served with shredded cabbage and a thick sauce that resembles Worcestershire sauce in taste and consistency. The cabbage was missing, but the sauce was there.

It tasted fine. The cutlet had been deep-fried properly; the breading was golden brown and had the right level of crunch, while the pork wasn't at all dry. However, the cutlet was very thin and the portion would have been small for a lot of people.

The Watermelon Blast was also good. Unlike a lot of places, TDE hadn't skimped on the watermelon and the smoothie had a lot of taste. It's an excellent drink for keeping hydrated in hot and humid weather.

 

Bottom line: Although my experience is limited with The Diner's Express, I'd say it's not a bad place for a quick bite if you happen to be in Villa Market. However, I have a hard time imagining that anyone would make a special trip just to eat there.

 

Evil

 

[midlifecrisis 4,048]

yes, close to ten dollars for a pork chop, fries and tiny salad seems a bit high but it did look good.

 

Perhaps if I am walking by. It is close to where I am staying and I also want to check out the wine shop in that plaza.

 

Good report.

[Harvey 249]

Evil --( or anyone else in town).

 

Has anyone been to Leng Kee lately? Dropping by in a few and I have a weakness for their roast duck (at least the roast duck I remember). Also, if anyone's been there recently, pig feet still good?

[Firepole 181]

To follow up on Evil's review of The Diners Express. This pertains to their inexpensive breakfast. This review is from Dec. 2016 so things might've changed.

 

 

THE DINERS EXPRESS at VILLA MARKET - 2nd Road opposite Soi 13 - In the Avenue Shopping Arcade/Mall(where McDonald's is).

 

Villa Market is at the back end of the parking lot(200 feet) and not very easy to see from 2nd Road unless you know where to look. There are a few tables inside the front door. It's clean, A/C is cold, food seems fresh, cooked fast, and, most importantly, after approx. 10-12 meals not a single case of the shits.

 

American breakfast BEFORE 11am is 68bt. After 11am it jumps to 88bt.

2 eggs, bacon or sausage, toast w/butter and jam, juice, and coffee or tea. Bacon was, actually, cooked correctly. Meals are not overly generous but, even as a fat slob, I'm happy. If you're looking to get bloated with food go elsewhere. For me, it's just enough to ward off the hunger without turning me into an uncomfortable, lumbering, beast.

 

The menu is fairly extensive with most items with chicken or pork around or below 100bt. Yes, there are a few items(w/seafood) above 100bt and also some items WELL above 100bt. Cafeteria closes at 9pm but I think the market itself is open until 10.

Edited September 18, 2017 by Firepole

[midlifecrisis 4,048]

2 bucks for an American breakfast is good.

[Evil Penevil 7,628]

Evil --( or anyone else in town).

 

Has anyone been to Leng Kee lately? Dropping by in a few and I have a weakness for their roast duck (at least the roast duck I remember). Also, if anyone's been there recently, pig feet still good?

 

I haven't eaten at Leng Kee for a long time now due to a non-food issue, so I can't answer. However, it's beginning to feel like I should have another meal at Leng Kee and when I do, I'll be sure to check out the pig's feet.

 

In case anyone is wondering, the non-food issue had to do with the refusal of the Leng Kee staff to do anything about some young drunk farang customers who began to bother the young lady I'd brought to Leng Kee. It turned into a very ugly situation but the staff just watched. I decided not to go back after that , but this was several years ago. I'm ready to give Leng Kee a chance to redeem itself.

 

Evil

[Harvey 249]

 

I haven't eaten at Leng Kee for a long time now due to a non-food issue, so I can't answer. However, it's beginning to feel like I should have another meal at Leng Kee and when I do, I'll be sure to check out the pig's feet.

 

In case anyone is wondering, the non-food issue had to do with the refusal of the Leng Kee staff to do anything about some young drunk farang customers who began to bother the young lady I'd brought to Leng Kee. It turned into a very ugly situation but the staff just watched. I decided not to go back after that : , but this was several years ago. I'm ready to give Leng Kee a chance to redeem itself.

 

Evil

 

 

Thanks Evil --

 

The wait staff (especially the guys) have always seemed like they're just standing around like they were potted plants and good for nothing. I've been there where I'm the only guy in the place. The wait staff outnumber me by like 8:1. And nobody will move to give me a menu or take my order.

 

If it weren't for the great roast duck and the pigs feet, I'd boycott the place. And I surely understand why you'd boycott the place if they wouldn't keep order and let some drunk harass your guest for the night.

 

I'm in town in a couple of weeks, so if you don't have a chance to check it out, no worries. I'll give it a shot and post some photos and a review.

[Evil Penevil 7,628]

I wrote about Olala Restaurant on Soi 7 in the OP of this thread. It offers Norwegian and other European dishes (German, Austrian, Italian, etc) as well as Thai food. It became a favorite of mine for its simple yet tasty fare and reasonable prices. The exact timeline is blurry for me, but it closed for refurbishment and stayed closed for what struck me as a long time. I figured it had closed for good and stopped thinking about it as a dining option.

 

However, it did reopen quite awhile ago. Sunday night I was passing by and stopped for a light meal. I didn't bother to take an outside shot, but the exterior hasn't changed much since 2013.

 

 

The interior was pretty much the same, too.

 

 

It's an open restaurant with a visible kitchen area. Ceiling-mounted fans keep the dining area cool.

 

 

Even the sign advertising the lamb shank was in the same place as 2013.

 

I wasn't very hungry so I ordered the open-face prawn sandwich for 175 baht. It came with a small portion of a very fresh raw salad. The slice of tomato had plenty of flavor, which is not often the case in Pattaya. I thought about ordering a tomato salad to go along with the sandwich, but just wasn;t that hungry.

 

 

The prawns were plump and had been cooked properly so they retain the right taste and texture.

I was pleased to find another slice of tomato hiding under the prawns.

 

 

The only criticism I would make is that the bread hadn't been toasted long enough. It was more warmed than toasted.

 

 

The menu- and prices- were much the same as I recall from the past. The farang part of the menu is mainly European comfort food with an emphasis on Norwegian specialties. German- and Austrian-style schnitzels are also well-represented. The roast chicken dinner (195 baht) hadn't gone up in price since 2013 and the basic schnitzel had only increased five baht to 175 baht. The Thai menu is extensive, but mostly standard dishes. The majority of the main dishes are under 300 baht.

 

Bottom line: I;ll go back to try more of the Thai and farang menus.

 

Evil

 

 

 

[jacko 8,822]

My view of Robins Nest is that their Western food is of average quality but their Thai food is excellent.

 

My favourite non-Thai dish there is the Mexican beef - really tasty.

I wish I had heeded that comment. Have been in there three times in the last 2 months out of sheer laziness and a need for AC, and each time been underwhelmed.

 

Looking round I saw a few guys were on the Thai food.

 

Half roast chicken dinner recently, it had been deep fried not roasted! Dry as a witch's! Other meals I have tried of Western fare have been OK and nothing special. Ten minutes into it I was wishing I had walked down soi Lengkee to 3rd Rd.

Edited October 7, 2017 by jacko

[Evil Penevil 7,628]

 

This was more of a snack for me than a meal, but the steak pie (from Tinnie's in Jomtien) I had at Le Pub on Soi Diamond was excellent.

 

I've had Tinnie's pies before and there was really good steak flavor in the one I had at Le Pub. The pastry was excellent, too; rich and flaky.

 

The cost was 150 baht. You can also have them with chips if that's your preference. It's a great bar snack!

 

 

And don't forget the baps! They are quite filling.

 

 

There are some sweetie pies in the bar as well, if that's more to your taste.

 

 

 

 

Evil

[Evil Penevil 7,628]

 

A brief update on the Spaghetti Bistro (post #157).

 

It's expanded its operation! I hope the reason is business picking up. Pizza has also been added to the menu.

 

 

What had been a small bar next door has become SB's kitchen. The former open kitchen area has been replaced with bar counters and stools. They have added a rather garish sign to the roof as well.

 

 

The other night I had spaghetti with blue cheese and bacon for 240 baht. That's not an inexpensive bowl of pasta, but there was a lot of blue cheese in the dish and it's not cheap in Thailand.

 

 

In any case, it was very good.

 

 

 

Evil

[Evil Penevil 7,628]

It's been at least eight months since I've eaten at the Robin Hood Tavern in The Avenue Shopping Plaza. I have nothing against the Robin Hood, it's just there are so many options for dining in Pattaya that a restaurant has to be special in some way for me to eat there regularly. The menu at the Robin Hood is understandably focused on U.K. pub food, of which I've grown a bit weary.

 

Last night a friend who'd never tried the RH wanted to give it a whirl and I went along. He had the cottage pie at 290 baht ...

 

 

while I had the Hunter's Chicken for 260 baht.

 

 

Neither of us had any complaints, but we both felt the food was a bit overpriced for what you get. There's enormous demand for U.K. food in Pattaya and dozens of pubs and restaurants vie to fill that demand. While the RH is physically a more comfortable restaurant (good A/C, spacious, well-lit) than most of its competitors, the food itself doesn't stand out.

 

I had wanted the daily special, chicken tikka masala with naan and poppadom at 179 baht, but it was already finished at 7.00 p.m. When a special is no longer available, I do think they should take it off the board outside the restaurant.

 

My friend liked his classic British comfort food. The taste was fine and the portion large, but he felt the price was high compared to similar portions of cottage pie at other restaurants.

 

 

Hunter's Chicken is a ubiquitous dish that comes in many variations depending on the country where it's served. The RH's version was British style, which is very different from Chicken Chasseur (Poulet Sauté Chasseur) or Chicken Cacciatore ((Pollo alla Cacciatora).

 

]

 

The British version usually consists of a chicken breast wrapped in a couple of rashers of bacon, then topped with BBQ sauce and cheese and baked. It's actually closer to a U.S. southern regional dish called smothered chicken (the BBQ sauce and bacon are the clues) than the French or Italian hunter-style braised chicken dishes.

 

 

At the RH, the fillet of chicken breast had been pounded thin, breaded and pan-fried. It was topped with BBQ sauce (homemade, according to the menu), mozzarella cheese, two slices of streaky bacon fried crisp and some shreds of cheddar for color more than flavor.

 

It came with a tiny portion coleslaw, which was watery but good, a dish of ketchup and shoestring fries.

 

 

The fillet had been nicely fried, although perhaps it had been pounded a bit too thin as the meat was somewhat dry. The BBQ was properly an accent and didn't overwhelm the dish. I could taste the chicken, bacon and mozzarella, not just BBQ sauce.

 

 

Shoestring fries are a favorite of mine and the RH's version was done well. The super-thin slices of potato require split-second timing in the fryer; otherwise, they lose all flavor and only the crispiness remains.

 

 

Bottom line: The RH-style Hunter's Chicken gets a . although it didn't make my taste buds dance. The shoestring fries are as big an attraction as the dish itself. I can well imagine having it again, but I won't be rushing back.

 

Evil

[nkped 1,208]

It wasn't recent, but I had the hunter's chicken once. It was way too dry for my taste.

[Evil Penevil 7,628]

It wasn't recent, but I had the hunter's chicken once. It was way too dry for my taste.

 

That can easily happen when they pound the fillet too thin or fry it too long.

 

Evil

[jacko 8,822]

A bit of a coincidence as only Tuesday I was in the vicinity talking with a friend and The Robin Hood came up.

We both were wondering how it was doing, although judging by the lunchtime attendance I would have thought not too well.

Lunch isn't good weathervane though as many get up very late and a big breakfast suffices, or may well skip lunch as their pockets are filled with the hotel's breakfast buffet.

Can anyone report on evening attendance.

Are they offering a Christmas dinner?

[MeGoDanceNow 4,281]

Update on White Pine on soi 15 Walking Street:

 

It's still good.

 

Unable to get a burger at a burger joint (see other thread), I had a bolognese sandwich at White Pine. This is two pieces of crispy crusty bread smothered in mozzarella cheese and beef bolognese sauce, with fries and tartar sauce on the side. This and a bottle of Heineken came to 254 baht which is not bad.

 

Messy but tasty. Sorry I didn't snap a picture.

Edited December 10, 2017 by MeGoDanceNow

[Evil Penevil 7,628]

Last night I had the pork chop special for 169 baht at Kilkenny Bar & Guesthouse on LK Metro. For the price, it was a good meal.

It came with mashed potatoes, gravy and vegetables. It was a substantial chop, not thick but large. The portions of mash and veggies were larger than you usually get in Pattaya restaurants. My bottle of SML cost 60 baht, so I got a very filling meal for 229 baht.

The pork chop had been fried nicely. The vegetables (cauliflower, broccoli and carrots) hadn't been boiled too long and tasted quite fresh. The mash was excellent and the cook hadn't skimped on the butter, that's for sure. The gravy was the weakest link; not much flavor and too salty. Thankfully it came on the side in a gravy boat and not on the plate. I left the gravy alone and tucked into the rest with an occasional thought to Kenny McCormick and South Park.

I ate at Kilkenny around 10 p.m. and it was busy. About 80% of the seats were taken inside and out.

Bottom line: I won't hesitate to try another special at Kilkenny. The rest of the menu wasn't particularly inspiring, the usual collection of pub food and Thai standard dishes.

[teelack 9,646]

Kilkenny has a 99 baht breakfast. The breakfast is fine but ask for the fried tomatoes, not canned. The the real joy of the place is that the view from the corner of Soi LK is as good as it gets if you are a people watcher. Sip the coffee, see the Pattaya life and think just what 99 baht get you in most of the world.

 

Sent from my GT-I9505 using Tapatalk

[Evil Penevil 7,628]

Kilkenny has a 99 baht breakfast.

 

According to the current menu, the price has increased to 110 baht, but it still looks to be excellent value for money. Of course, the heavy weight champion of value for money in a Pattaya breakfast is the Baht Buster for 99 baht at Retox on Soi Lengkee. The Baht Buster isn't a breakfast I would have myself because it's too much food and too many calories. But for those who want a full English breakfast, you won't find a bigger one anywhere in Pattaya for the price. Some other restaurants charge close to 300 baht for the same size breakfast.

 

Tonight I had the Sunday roast lamb at Kilkenny. Delicious and great value for money at the price (199 baht).

 

 

It appears to be very popular as well. I ate at Kilkenny between 6.00 and 7.00 p.m. and at least 15 other customers were also having the lamb special. I got a generous portion of lamb (imported from Australia, according to the Kilkenny web site); a large roast potato; mashed potatoes; Yorkshire pudding; and the Kilkenny trio of vegetables, broccoli, cauliflower and carrots.

 

 

Top marks on the lamb, tender and tasty. The mashed potatoes and veggies were also a big

I was less impressed with the roast potato. It was fluffy on the inside, but didn't have a crispy outer layer. It seemed more like a skinless baked potato. I don't think it had been coated in oil prior to roasting. It's probably a lot less calories and healthier that way, but it didn't have the texture and taste I associate with roast potato.

 

The Yorkshire pudding was better than most you get in Pattaya. It could have been a bit lighter, but that's hard to achieve if it isn't served straight from the oven, which is difficult for any restaurant. I also wish the gravy hadn't been poured over the lamb, although that's a personal preference of mine and most likely isn't shared by most of the other diners at Kilkenny.

 

There was a lot of food on the plate and I couldn't finish all of it. Just by glancing around, I didn't anyone who had cleaned his plate and some of those gentlemen didn't look to be light eaters.

 

Bottom line: Kilkenny is an excellent option for a Sunday roast lamb dinner. I can't recall having had a better one in Pattaya at that price.

 

I had also hoped to exchange a few more words with the attractive hostess I met Thursday, but she was already occupied. I guess I'll have to try another special at Kilkenny during the week.

 

Evil

[teelack 9,646]

Evil. It depends what value you place on the view. Yes, the Baht Buster is great value but only if you want TV sets showing a different form of sport on it. Give me people watching any day and bugger the 11 baht difference!

 

Sent from my GT-I9505 using Tapatalk

[Evil Penevil 7,628]

A heads up for fans of Australian-style hamburgers (with beetroot, fried egg and grilled pineapple ring):

 

 

Today at Kilkenny on LK Metro.

 

Evil

[Evil Penevil 7,628]

 

MC Burger on Soi Bukhao is a recent entry in Pattaya's crowded field of hamburger restaurants. It's located roughly halfway between Pattaya Tai and LK Metro, about 50 meters south of, and on the same side of the road, as the ill-named Action Street.

 

 

 

It's a small single-shop restaurant without a large external sign, so it's easy to miss if you're riding the baht bus.

 

It has three tables for four inside and one table outside, plus a low table flanked by sofas.

 

The walls are decorated with rather garnish graffiti-style paintings. But what the hell. This is a hamburger joint in Pattaya, so garnish isn't really out of place.

 

 

 

This is the menu that has been posted on MC Burger's Web site, along with a photo of one of the items, the Frisco Melt. It's a small and straight-forward menu, featuring hamburger variations and curly or French fries.

 

 

There are a few non-burger sandwiches listed on the menu inside the restaurant as well as chicken tenders and wings. MC Club also has a "build-your-own-burger" option.

 

All the burgers are 200 baht and include a small basket of fries. I went with the Frisco Melt last night and wasn't disappointed. It's a decent recreation of the iconic Frisco Melt, the signature burger of the U.S. Steak n Shake chain. The MC Burger variation consisted of two beef patties, two slices of cheese, bacon and Frisco Sauce on toasted sourdough bread. Frisco Sauce, at least in the U.S., is a combination of Thousand Island and French dressings, plus ketchup. It's not a favorite of mine as it has a sweetness I don't think goes well with a burger, but many say that's what gives the Frisco Melt it's distinctive flavor.

 

The fries appeared to be hand cut and were cooked as they should be, crispy on the outside, fluffy on the outside. They were lightly dusted with a seasoning I couldn't identify, maybe a paprika blend?

 

The Frisco Melt I got on my plate was very close to the picture on the Web site. It was good, but next time I'll ask them to skip the Frisco Sauce.

 

 

 

Earlier this week I had the Six Days BBQ Burger. It was a single patty of beef topped with a slice of cheddar cheese, pulled pork, coleslaw and BBQ sauce on a toasted bun.

 

The curly fries were excellent, even crispier than the straight-cut fries I got with the Frisco Melt. I'm a big fan of crispy fries!

 

 

The burger was OK, but not as good as the Frisco Melt. It was a bit "busy," too many flavors and the coleslaw had a sweetness I didn't like. I think it would have been better without the coleslaw and maybe even the cheese to allow the pulled pork to stand out, but that's just my preference.

 

Bottom line: I'll be back to try some of the other MC Club variations, although I'm sure the Frisco Melt will remain my favorite. Pattaya probably has more burger outlets per square kilometer than New York City. The burgers in Pattaya range from luxury wagyu burgers through the standardized transnational chain burgers and down to budget variations at 150 baht or less. The standard burger with lettuce, tomato and onion I find boring and never order it. If I'm going to eat unhealthy food, I want it to be honestly unhealthy. Lettuce and tomato on the side (maybe), but not on the burger, thank you. MC Burger has added a bit of originality to the Pattya burger avalanche and I appreciate that.

 

It's possible that the young guys who run MC Burger may want to adjust some of their recipes in the future as creativity shouldn't overpower flavor, but they are definitely trying.

 

Some other observations: Bottled beer is 75 baht; water 20 baht and soft drinks 30 baht. Cocktails and shots are available. Service was fast and friendly, with everything cooked to order in an open kitchen space. The first night I was there, the place was full, four diners at all the tables except mine. The second night I was the only customer, but it was late, about 11.00 p.m. MC Burger is open from noon to midnight.

 

Evil

Edited January 27, 2018 by Evil Penevil

[wacmedia 277]

Hi,

 

Jeez, if I ate that stuff my doctor would have a heart attack. After I'd had one.

[Evil Penevil 7,628]

Hi,

 

Jeez, if I ate that stuff my doctor would have a heart attack. After I'd had one.

 

Yeah, I've been living dangerously this week. I had the Ozzy Burger at Kilkenny last night as I continue to meander along Coronary Lane.

 

That was quite an impressive burger for 185 baht including fries. It consisted of a thick beef patty topped with cheese, fried onions, side bacon, fried egg and a slice of grilled pineapple. The beef patty rested on a layer of pickled beets, a couple of slices of tomato and a lettuce leaf. A toasted bun held this hefty concoction together. The fried egg had been splashed with HP Sauce, but there wasn't any other dressing on the burger.a

The cook sure didn't skimp on any of the ingredients; there was a lot of beef, cheese, bacon and beetroot, making it a very filling meal. I'm not a fan of pineapple on burgers, so I pushed the slice aside and had it as a mini-dessert when I had finished the rest.

 

There are a lot of theories about how beetroot, fried egg and grilled pineapple came to be added to hamburgers, One popular version claims it was a prank played on U.S. servicemen in Australia during both WW II and the Viet Nam War. There may be some truth in that story, but Australian food historians say beetroot, a very popular vegetable in Australia, had been added to hamburgers since the 1930s, a decade before the arrival of U.S. troops. The most likely explanation may be that it was a combination of toppings that caught on with the Australia public.

 

I believe this was a one-day special at the Kilkenny in honor of Australia Day. I liked it because it tasted fine and I enjoy trying burgers that are different from the ones you'd get at a truck stop in Norman, Oklahoma or Frog Leap, Tennessee. Maybe I'll have another Ozzy Burger next year on Jan. 28.

 

Evil

Edited January 27, 2018 by Evil Penevil

[ajsp9 18]

Great reviews many thanks.

 

Seems Kilkenny is the current favourite........ any luck with the Service girl