Accommodation, Pt. 22: The Rose Hotel, Bangkok

From the Rose Hotel, looking down the sub-soi (and Le Meridian's side driveway) to Suriwong Road

Down a narrow sub-soi off of Suriwong Road, past a line of food carts, storage bins (and the occasional worker napping on top of them) lies the entrance to the Rose Hotel, tucked quietly in behind the Northeast corner of the enormous Le Meridian Hotel that faces Suriwong itself.

Although nearby areas are bustling until the wee small hours of the morning, being where it is the hotel is a blissfully quiet spot.

Google street map view - The Rose beneath the green arrow

It's what I'd call a medium-sized hotel: 72 rooms and suites, in a variety of sizes and within a reasonable range of prices - from $50USD for a corner room double to $53-58USD for a standard (with breakast) up to $90USD for a junior suite during the current low season (prices from Agoda, which don't include taxes).

Standard room bed, double occupancy

The rooms may seem small to those who are used to enough room to swing one of the area's feral cats, but I don't spend a hell of a lot of time in my room on vacation, anyway, so I've been fine with them. Some rooms - such as some of the corner rooms - don't allow much more space than the bed itself takes up, but their standard rooms are more than adequate. I've never stayed in a suite there, but you can see the hotel's photos for them here.

Standard room desk, TV, refrigerator and mini-bar

I've stayed there a few times and, other than once when the aircon unit drain stopped working and made a small puddle on the floor beneath it I can't think of anything I've ever been unhappy with, save one thing: the wi-fi isn't free. I hope they remedy that soon, as it seems a needless charge for a place that size and at those rates.

The Rose Hip restaurant is a very pleasant place for breakfast or lunch, and there's always the lovely teakwood Ruen Urai restaurant with its formal (but not stuffy) atmosphere for dinner. The restaurant is just to the side of the front of the restaurant, next to the pool area. While they don't require reservations I'd suggest making one to avoid being told "sorry, all full for tonight" at the reception desk - something four of us had happen once at 19:00 on a weeknight. You can reach them for a reservation via the link above, and look at or download the PDF of their menu here.

I've always had good water pressure and plenty of hot water in the bathrooms

For those who thrive on - or at least dive into the deep end of - the  colorful night life in the Big Mango the central tourist hub is within an easy walk, for breeders and non-breeders alike. I've added some numbers to this satellite shot, and there's an explanation just below the image. You may find it helpful to open the image in a new window.

Another Rose hong nam view

1 is the Rose Hotel - as a point of reference. 2 is the Sala Daeng BTS station on Silom Road, 3 is the main street of the Patpong Night Market (stories about the daily afternoon setting up are here and here - with a video clip here). 4 is Soi 4, home to several nice places to eat and some gay clubs.

5 is Soi Thaniva, known to myself and a few friends as Soi Yipun - yipun being Thai for Japanese - because it's lined with a wide variety of restaurants and clubs (think "ping pong show") aimed more at the Japanese tourist than the farang, but still an interesting walk, even during the daytime. I ran into a tout there who wanted me to have a beer with him once, and had a somewhat testy exchange with a man offering children another time.

6 is Soi Pratuchai, aka Soi Twilight, where the highest concentration of gay clubs are. There are also several comfortable places to sit, have a drink and watch the parade of tourists and club people; especially delightful if there's any sort of breeze and you're not in a hurry to do anything but relax.

Finally, 7 is the general area below and near the Sala Daeng BTS station. In that single block you'll find the Bug and Bee, Coffee Society (a great spot for coffee and free wifi), two worthwhile massage shops  (Thai Thai [formerly Siam Sawasdee] and Green Tea to the left of it - both nice for foot massages, manicures and pedicures), a Burger King for those who need a little reminder of Western junk food and a few other places.

The unusual "inner core" of The Rose is above the lobby and cafe

There's hotel parking if you or a guest have an auto, and for those who find a good swimming pool an added bonus there's one of those, too; yet another good place to relax after a day of running around or just to rest before going out for dinner, drinks, clubbing or some combination thereof... whatever floats your boat.

Some interesting angles to one of the hotel's stairways

Although standard check in is 14:00 and check out is 12:00 noon they've (so far) always been as flexible as possible with those times. I don't recall specifics on the laundry fees, but I felt they were reasonable.  There's 24-hour room service available, and no - for those who are wondering - there is no additional fee for guests you might invite back to your room. It's not a "short time" hotel by any means, but other than asking for (and holding) your guest's identification they didn't bat an eye at anyone I saw coming through with a "rented admirer" while sitting and writing in the lobby late one evening, just to see.

The Rose plays with several of the booking services, and different sites get different blocks of rooms at different rates, sometimes, so check a few in addition to the hotel's site - which is The Rose Hotel. I'd suggest looking a ways in advance for high season bookings, as it's a popular place.

We're closing in on a couple of dozen hotel reviews so far, and there are still a lot of them to come. I hope at least a couple of them are a help to you while planning your stay. Drop me a line or leave a comment, if you would - whichever you're most comfortable with.

Dinner Out: Ginger House In Chiang Mai

A portion of the dining room on a quiet night

 A farang friend who will be meeting up with me in Bangkok during my next visit was asking yesterday if I could recommend somewhere he could go exploring on his own and still remain within his comfort zone.  Previously he's only ventured off to Phuket, and even then he stayed in a specific area the entire four or five days. This time he was willing to be a little more adventurous, so I suggested Chiang Mai.

Wait Staff

In looking back through pictures to give him an idea of places to see and an idea for a place to stay I came across these photos of a nice dinner I had with a friend a few years ago: Ginger House. It was a reasonably short tuk tuk ride from PJ's Place where I'd booked a room for us, and seeing the pictures I was again reminded what a delightful meal and evening it was.

We haven't spoken much about Chiang Mai, and that's to my shame. The city itself is just one part of a much larger area of well over a million people, and while it can be chaotic (and smoggy during some agricultural seasons) I'd say it was one of the more picturesque tourist destinations. We'll return to it shortly, but this is about a dinner out, so let's get back to that...

Ginger House is a small place, but that's a good thing. The dining room seats less than 40 (should memory serve), but it's decorated to make you feel that it's even more intimate than that; the furnishings, accents, objets d'art and overall ambiance were, well... just delightful.

The rose petals were an unnecessary - but thoughtful - touch

We were seated near a window at a small table with a love seat on one side and two comfy chairs on the other. Seating for four, comfortably, but it was just the two of us that night. I think when I made the reservation they suspected my Thai friend and I were a couple and put us there rather than at a table, but that's fine - we were really able to be comfortable and enjoy the wonderful food.

Their macadamia crusted chicken entree

My Thai friend doesn't eat beef, so he suggested we try the set dinner on offer that evening, which began with a marinated salmon with lemon and orange segment salad, followed by a bowl of delicious creamed pumpkin soup. The entree (above) of a moist chicken breast topped by a macadamia nut crust, served on a bed of asparagus atop a serving of Japanese pumpkin, all surrounded by a ring of tomato salsa.

It was just enough to be full, but not overly so, which was fine with me... that left room for dessert. Dessert in the set included the chocolate espresso brulee (below), so we didn't take much of a look at the dessert table, although what I saw of it looked really good. The brulee was quite rich, and - fortunately for me - too sweet for my Thai friend!

I sincerely hope they're doing well, because I'll be looking for them when I get to Chiang Mai again. I'd have dinner there in a heartbeat.

By the way, the set dinner that night was Bt900, or about $30. More than I'd normally pay for a dinner out, but this was worth it. Their menu is available through the link below.

Ginger House Restaurant, Cafe and Shops

That evening's available desserts, out for perusal

An Observation While Out One Night In Bangkok

NOT Silom Road, where I made the observation. This is Victory Monument, late one evening.

While going through some notes yesterday afternoon in a failed attempt to sort out several boxes of brochures, receipts, flyers and other info brought back from my trips to Thailand I found this note on the back of a Burger King receipt (I tend to scribble things down as I go along as a kicker for my maturing memory). I rarely eat such junk food here OR there, but I was overdue for dinner and unfortunately just took the plunge. Here's what was on the receipt:

17 March 2009 - 21:00 - Beneath Sala Daeng BTS, Bangkok

The late-teenaged male leaned forward over the table at Burger King, a look of great concentration on his face as he studied his face as it was reflected in the screen of his cell phone. The girl with him gazed idly out the window at the parade of people meandering along through the narrow corridor of stalls that line the sidewalk along Silom Road.

At first glance I thought he was doing something with his phone while unconsciously fingering his chin, but upon closer inspection it became obvious he was using a small set of pocket nail clippers to clip his sole whisker. Satisfied the job was done, he folded the clippers closed and held the phone up for a different view of his handiwork.

If he ever really needs to shave it may take him an hour at a crack.

Note To Self: Two standard cheeseburgers and a small Diet Coke cost 145B. First they slightly gouge you, then they give you hypertension with a side order of heart attack. Nice. Remind me to Super-Size that... NOT.

Trip Report, Part 31: The Report Concluded (Finally)

Carved detail at the Sanctuary of Truth in Pattaya

When I realize how drawn out this trip report has been I almost feel an apology is due. Part 1 appeared back on May 7th of last year (Bangkok Bound), and finally ends today, just a bit shy of nine months since that first installment.

As mentioned back then I tend to glean something out of most other's trip reports, so hopefully mine will serve a purpose and you'll find some helpful tips/ideas/suggestions that you can refer to, too, even if not all of it applies to you, your travel plans or your own tastes.

The trip report covered my Thailand trip nearly a year ago, and we'd just gotten through a weekend trip into new territory for me, but I figure I'm going to call it there. I'm not entirely done with things from that trip, but the series has gone on long enough, it's getting dark and the floodlights annoy the neighbors so I'm calling it with this wrap-up; a summary, if you will.

The last portions had to do with a long weekend away I'd taken under the wing of an always gracious Thai friend who delights in sharing the "off the beaten path" places with me, and for that I'm always grateful. He has another junket planned for me for my next trip there this year, and I've given up on trying to guess where we'll go and what we'll see.  Since this is Thailand it's comforting to know that the unexpected can - and often does - pop up along the way and sometimes he's surprised, too.

Along the way in the series we covered a lot of ground, figuratively and literally. To save anyone scrolling back that far I hope you'll allow me to refer to some points along the way. The stories you'll reach by many of the links below often contain updates or further information, as well. You are, of course, free to click on the "Trip Reports" link in the right hand column and just plow through them, although since I was still in the kingdom another couple of weeks there may be other posts with that label after today. You've been warned.

Here are some of the things we covered during the 30+ part report:

• An updated installment on Duty free shopping at Taoyuan International Airport
• Transferring in Taipei and using airline lounges
• Arrivals in Bangkok, Immigration and ground transportation
• A visit to emergency at Bangkok Nursing Hospital
• Photos and a report about dinner at Sugar Hut Restaurant & Resort, Pattaya
• An accommodation report about Sunshine Vista Serviced Apartments, Pattaya
• Dinner at Sea Zone on Walking Street in Pattaya
• The tourist spot Million Years Stone Park in Pattaya
• Being a gracious guest and being fair to Thai friends
• A four part bit about the Sanctuary of Truth in Pattaya here, here, here and here
• A massage boy's story
• An updated reminder on staying healthy in hotels
• Mingling with the Pathumthani prison chain gang guys in Bangkok
• Another accommodation report about the Seashell Village Resort in Chanthaburi
• A grass-weaving area where some of your souvenirs may have originated
• Two posts about a night festival, raising funds for a new wat (here and here)
• My visit with a former bar boy at his "retirement home"
• Two posts about the large hillside temple Wat Khao Sukim (here and here)
• One post about pushing your comfort zones while traveling
• An observation about being a boorish tourist that I'm told one boor took offense to
• A short piece about Kuk Khi Kai, aka the "bird shit" prison in Chataburi
• Shrimp farming in Chantaburi
• Oyster farming in Chantaburi
• Visiting and walking along Laem Sing Beach
• Walking through Kung Krabaen Bay Nature Preserve and mangrove forest
• Two posts about the Lady Bars on Walking Street (here and here)
• ... and a look at the Tamnanpar Forest Restaurant and Resort on our way back to Bangkok after the long weekend away.

A friend said one time noted how I seem to return home more tired out than when I left on vacation, and they might be right.  This next time I'm hoping for more "down" time: more reading, more naps, more time in the shade beneath an umbrella.  We shall see.

Trust Me: Adventurous Or Not, You Won't Starve.

Street meats in a market stall

Without throwing all caution to the wind it's easy enough to be somewhat adventurous about food while traveling in Thailand. You'd be foolish not to take into consideration that the Thai have systems that handle some things better than we do; perfectly natural, since they've grown up with them - bacteria and the likes - and developed a tolerance a lot of us don't have when stepping off the plane there. 

That said, there's absolutely NO reason why you have restrict your meals to the hotel buffet, familiar items at a grocery or 7-11 store or - ick - at McDonald's or another packaged food chain restaurant.  You just have to be willing to learn and adjust. Some pre-trip research is always a good idea. Might save you diving into something that might surprise you.

Take the innocent looking chili sauce, for a start. Some visitors can't tolerate the highly spiced food the locals usually can, so one of the first things they learn to say in a restaurant is "no pet," meaning "not hot".

Chili dipping sauce/condiment. Mind the seeds!

You'll likely get a small dish (a couple of tablespoons or so) of chili condiment with just about everything you order. There are lots of variations, but most have the four main Thai flavors in them: hot (chili), salty (salt and/or fish sauce), sour (pickled chili, lime vinegar) and sometimes sweet (sugar of one form or another). However you cut it a nice big spoonful will clear the sinuses   and tear ducts of most folks in short order. 

You shouldn't ignore the local foods wherever you go. That's what Pepto-Bismal, Immodium and electrolyte powders are made for. You live and learn, I figure, but use some common sense - such as asking a trusted expat or Thai friend when in doubt if you don't want to be very adventurous.

Most anything that's been cooked thoroughly and is kept hot enough isn't likely to bother you, and if it's something like raw produce you can read more in the post If You Can Peel It, You Can Eat It. 

Whether you feel more safe or prefer your Pad Thai in a restaurant, go for this:

Lunch at Chili Culture in Bangkok

If you're open to trying new things, you can go for the same dish as take away from any number of carts and stands...

At an open market

The point is: let common sense give you some direction, but don't let fear choose your path. 

Trip Report, Part 30: Tamnanpar Classic Forest Restaurant, Rayong

One of the waterways on the grounds of Tamnanpar

[This is part 30 of a series that looks like it might find its way to a proper conclusion, after all. It has to do with my latest trip to Thailand, and the people, places and things I encountered along the way. You can find the rest of the series by clicking here on Trip Reports.] 

All good things eventually come to an end, and my long weekend away in the care of a Thai friend was about over. In his enthusiasm to share places with me we had, as usual, overbooked our days, but it's not like I had big plans after returning; I've learned to book the time for these things with some slack built into the day or so after I return.

Main entrance (off of the car park) for Tamnanpar's restaurant

After an early check-out from the Seashell Village beach-side resort and the day trip out to visit the national park and waterfalls at Nam Tok Phliu we headed North to my friend's home (the older one, not the newer one still under renovation from Part 17) for the night.  By the way, if you're interested in the park you'll find more pictures of it in a post from the "Thai Smiles" series here.

Heading back after the waterfall stop it was getting to be later in the afternoon and I asked my friend what he'd like to do for dinner. "Since you liked Cabbages and Condoms and Sugar Hut I want you to see another one like those two. It's 'same same, but different!'" he laughed.  Both of the places above are in the general Pattaya area; owned by two brothers. Cabbages and Condoms I've yet to write about, but will soon. They also have a similarly nice location in Bangkok.

Where we were heading was a place called Tamnanpar (aka Classic Forest) Restaurant, about 15km from the center of Rayong. Built in a "natural" style, this place really appeared to be more garden than building, although the buildings are quite large. It can accommodate very large groups.

The grounds and gardens surrounding the restaurant area were expansive and meticulously groomed, as you'd expect in many Thailand garden areas. The buildings of the resort were made to look more like jungle tree houses, and the trees themselves were incorporated into the buildings that had more of a traditional structure... even the hong nams.

Two of a couple of dozen black swans in the water inside the resort area

Depending on which route you take - we stayed on Hiway 3/Sukhumvit both directions on our journey rather than cutting across Highway 332 - Tamnanpar is around 90km/56mi South of Pattaya; about 90 minutes by car. It seemed to cater more toward a Thai clientele.

An available light panorama of a dining room not being used that evening. My apologies for the 3 blurry hand-held images.

Prices at the restaurant were quite reasonable and they have a wide variety of what I was told was a more Chinese-Thai style of dishes, but there were some Western items, too. I suppose if they do group meetings and convention-style gatherings they'd almost have to, but the dishes we had were of a much better quality than your standard convention food.  There was a couple there providing easy listening style music; he sang and played a keyboard, she just sang.

Trees incorporated into the design of this men's room. You even had a view of an enclosed garden area from the urinals.

We didn't visit the spa part of the resort, but there is one. Rooms there run between $70 to $100 per night (per Agoda for April 2013), and are really quite nice inside; almost everything is finished wood. The gift shop is quite large, as well, but no great shakes except for the most new of newbies.

This terraced water feature doesn't show well in my available light picture, but it was all along one side of our dining room. Very relaxing.

They have a facebook page, if you want to check it out, and if you're in the area - or don't mind the drive - it's a really nice place to relax for an evening. Well recommended.

Map from the Tamnanpar website:
tamnanpar-rayong.com

KFC For Christmas

Kentucky Fried Christmas. Does this qualify as child abuse? LOL

There's a long, cholesterol-laden vein of Kentucky Fried Chicken lore that runs through my family.

Before we knew it was somewhat akin to putting a clothespin on your aorta - say, back in the late 1950s and early 1960s -  it was a treat we had when relatives came through town and nobody who cooked wanted to be in the kitchen.

I've made a few other mentions of this now world-wide chain, and you might want to start with this one, as it gives more of an overview of KFC in general. To keep with the true theme of the blog, though - Thailand - there's another about a visit to a KFC in the Land of Smiles here.

The picture today is not one of my own. I may have my times where my honorary parenting skills aren't all they might be but I wouldn't feed KFC to a child this small. I think they ought to be at least old enough to sit up at the table before you begin compromising their circulatory systems, don't you?

No, it was emailed to me by one of the regular readers who thought I'd get a kick out of seeing it after he'd read posts about KFC here... and he was right. Thanks, Louis!

I don't suppose it was taken in Thailand, but the mat the kid is sitting on is something we've seen before, right?  I'll give you a big hint: you'd see a lot of them in a post about the grass weaving workshop I visited.

Posts have been somewhat sporadic here lately, but if you work, have regular obligations and still try to observe any of the holiday traditions this time of year you certainly understand how busy things can get. This is something I enjoy, though, so I'll be here as often as time allows.

Night Photos, Part 23 - Day-Night Spots: Salt & Pepper And Le Bordeaux

Salt & Pepper, on Day-Night 2 in Pattaya

A couple of weeks ago you saw some available light night photos in Part 22 of that series, taken on a walk around Pattaya one evening.  The colors and tones longer exposures tend to produce interest me, and as unpredictable as the technology can be it's often a surprise to see what pops up in the viewfinder after the exposure. Sometimes when I think it's unlikely I'd get anything out of the effort (mainly due to my unsteady hand holding the camera) the better images appear. Go figure.

The Day-Night area is a quieter spot at night than some in the vicinity, and there are several reasonably-priced (and nice) places to stay - such as Baan Dok Mai, a place we've looked at a couple of times already. It's on Day-Night 3. I've also had the Mosaik apartments recommended, but can't speak of them from personal experience other than seeing the outsides. They're above both of the restaurants mentioned today.

The top panorama is three images of the Salt and Pepper restaurant, stitched together. Salt and Pepper is a casual, homey spot owned for many years by a Pakistani man named Mr. Zee and his Thai wife, who seem to be there from dawn to dark. As a side note I understand she lost a sister and a couple of nieces in the same auto accident in the first part of October, which is quite sad. I must remember to pass along condolences when I'm there next trip.

A friend had suggested lunch there a few years ago, and that was my first visit. They make a pretty darned good cheeseburger and  other Western items, but their basic Thai food is very good, too, and that's what I've usually had there at dinner time. It's also a fine place to sit and have a cool one in the afternoon and watch the world going by. Inexpensive, as well.

Le Bordeaux restaurant, Day-Night Soi 2, Pattaya

The picture above of Le Bordeaux is two images, blended together, and I only have comments from people I know about the quality and pricing of the place... and I'm told it's nice. Le Bordeaux is a French-style restaurant, also on Day-Night 2, right near Salt and Pepper. If you can read French you can click on their name and open their web site.  It's a little "Hi-so" for my usual travels there, but I may try it next trip. If you've got two satang to add about either place, feel free to leave a comment.

"Comfort Food" At Le Cafe Royale

The comfortable and welcoming terrace at Le Cafe Royale

As much as those of you reading this may love to visit Thailand, there usually comes a day on most any vacation where you miss a dish from home.  I suppose that's far too specific for most of you, come to think of it; no matter where on the planet I go I usually find myself missing something from home, but some form of comfort food often cures whatever glimmer of (usually very brief) homesickness that hits.

Most of us have an item or two of comfort food on our personal list, but I'm not going to open a vein about my own guilty culinary pleasures because they're so junky they're embarrassing. Let's stick with a more gentle example and use a decent hamburger as an example, shall we?

A hamburger and fries of a reasonable proportion. Pigging out in the tropics can make many of us more sloth-like than usual.

The burger today was one of several I've enjoyed at Le Cafe Royale on Pattayaland Soi 3, two or three minute's walk off of Second Road, in the heart of the Boyztown area.

During the daytime their terrace seating area is a really nice spot to take a break and still have the opportunity to people watch while the other eateries, clubs and establishments go about the daily business of  re-stocking and preparing for the evening, when most of the rest of the soi comes to life.

The expression in English is "that's a tall drink of cool water," and I've thought of that many a time while relaxing on the terrace there, enjoying a chat with a waiter or two and basking in the cool breeze of multiple overhead fans.

As close as I can remember, Le Cafe Royale has been there since it opened in 1992 as part of a hotel of 20 rooms, which would make this its 20th anniversary.

Mac (on the left) and Tui (on the right) in 2006

This last visit I again had Mac waiting on me, and was somewhat surprised to hear him say he'd been there for 20 years.  To me that says something about the quality of an operation overall, even though a few things, including bosses, have changed there over the years (rest in peace, Ian). Nevertheless, Mac continues to age well and is just as pleasant today as when I first met him years ago.

Mac again - this time in 2012

A friend travelling with me two years ago wasn't staying there but had visited Le Care Royale one afternoon with me, so I wasn't all that surprised when he'd called one morning to tell me he was heading out to have breakfast there, and asking if I would care to join him. I'd already eaten, but joined him for coffee while he had the full breakfast (below) that he said was quite good; hot, prepared just as he'd asked and more than filling.  

My friend's breakfast at Le Cafe Royale

The Cafe, which is open 24 hours a day, serves a reasonably wide range of dishes that you can see on their website, along with information about rooms for rent:
http://www.caferoyale-pattaya.com/index.php

While there are other places to eat during the daylight hours in the immediate vicinity, this is my pick.  If you have a favorite you'd like to share, please do so!

Trip Report, Part 18: "Steak" Lunch Near Rayong

"Steak", on Sukhumvit Highway 3 in Rayong

[This is part 18 of a series that may or may not ever find its way to a proper conclusion. It has to do with my latest trip to Thailand, and the people, places and things I encountered along the way. You can find the rest of the series by clicking here on Trip Reports.]

Chantaburi Province rests between the Gulf of Thailand and the Cambodian border; right above Trat, the Southernmost province on the Eastern "leg" of the country.  The name comes from two Sanskrit words: chandra, meaning moon, and buri, meaning town.

While the island of Koh Phangan may host the grand bacchanalia that is the full moon party I was relieved to learn that this area is the polar opposite, thank goodness. In fact, other than areas more commonly visited by foreigners set on raising hell most places are far more normal; something - as television hostess and former convict Martha Stewart would say - is a good thing.

The daughter, working in the open kitchen of "Steak"

After the detour to see my friend's "new" home we pulled out again onto Highway 3/Sukhumvit (yes, the same Sukhumvit that runs through Bangkok) and continued South. I was looking forward to what promised to be a fairly calm and restful weekend, but I couldn't seem to pry any more details about it out of my friend other than our destination was a small, family-owned resort in the Laem Sing area, near Chantaburi. I was satisfied with that, for the time being, and watched the scenery sail by.

Ride 'em, cowboys...

Once again I was slightly surprised at how much of a load some Thai will stack on the back of a pick-up truck; this time it was sections of gate mesh, piled high above a reasonable level, topped with two workers like cherries on a sundae. Those of you old enough to remember the old ticketing system at Disneyland will understand my saying to my friend "Now THERE'S an 'E' ticket ride!", but he didn't get it.

It swayed like the palms along the roadside, and I breathed a quiet sigh of relief when my friend pulled around and left them behind us.

"Are you hungry?" my friend asked, and I had to admit that I was, even though I'd had a large bowl of rice porridge with pork for breakfast. "I've eaten at this place before," he said, already slowing and pulling to the side of the road "I think you'll like it."  "What's it called?" I asked, and he replied "Steak".  "No, I meant what is the name of it, not what do they serve..." I began, but he looked at me as if I'd asked five times already and said "It's called 'Steak'," but they serve many things."

My lunch entree - pork on rice

As it turned out it was what I'd call a typical Mom and Pop place back home; basic, home style food in a casual setting. The same as you're likely to see in any of ten thousand other locations throughout Thailand.  About the only differentiating feature here were the packaged snacks for sale on each table, and the bottles of their own BBQ sauce that were also available for purchase.

Along with the banana chips and crispy crepe-style rolls there was a domed cup of small dumplings that reminded me of deep-fried gnocci. My friend called them what sounded like "gahree" puffs, but I'm unable to find an online reference for them. Filled with fish, peppers and yellow bean they were just slightly sweet, and the crust that held it all was crisp.  You can see the insides below.

I'd already taken a picture of the daughter while the man behind her cooked our meals, but wanted one of him, too, so she called out "Papa!" and he turned and posed.

It was a good break in a good spot, despite the traffic along Sukhumvit.  Drinks, an appetizer, two entrees and the snacks we purchased to take along with us came to less than 150 baht.

The dining area, thankfully in the shade

Our next official stop was said to be our destination.  I dozed a few minutes along the way, and woke up as we pulled off of the highway.  "Almost there," my friend assured me, and I was ready.

Jomtien Beach Breakfast

Breakfast off to a fine start at The Bondi, Jomtien

If you want to help someone start building a resentment towards you, I can't think of a much better way than to mess with their breakfast. People can be testy other parts of the day, too, but mornings are often the worst. Someone I know well had a number of years in the restaurant business; primarily places that did a brisk business during the morning hours, meaning real-time and people's fiscal "mornings".

I've been told that no matter how you attempt to serve eggs as ordered you're liable to be called down for not preparing them "properly" - meaning as the customer does at home.  You're likely to hear similar comments for bacon (cooked but pliable vs crispy), toast (light vs dark and/or hot vs cool) and, indeed, coffee (weaker vs stronger). While there's really no pleasing some people it's really more on the traveler, I'd say: going with the flow while in another country is often the easier, softer way. Like we've covered a number of times here, losing it with a Thai person puts you in the loser's spot, minus some points from your "face" tally.  I've also heard reliable stories of what can happen to food that's sent back and then returned to your table. Enough on that, though.


That said, I delight in a well-prepared and -stocked buffet or breakfast place, and the ambiance buys a place a lot of slack with me. Put me at a walkway-side table at The Bondi with a view of the beach and start me off with something like that pictured up top and I figure they could serve me a mediocre meal and I'd still be pleased, but maybe that's just me.  


Just so no one gets the wrong idea, I have always enjoyed the breakfasts I've had at The Bondi. The beverages above were put in front of me one morning while I perused the news, not really caring what was going on anywhere but in this restful spot. From there it's just steps to the sand.

Just a minute's walk from there is Tui's place, which has already been covered here.  It also has a delightful view, good food and good service. If you're staying in Jomtien Complex you'd do well having breakfast at the Poseidon.  I haven't eaten there for a year or so, though, and things can change. They used to have a buffet breakfast - not sure if it's there now.

For you more seasoned visitors: do you have any places in the Jomtien beach area you enjoy? We'll cover others in Pattaya proper another time, but while I was daydreaming and having my coffee (perfectly prepared, naturally - ha!) I thought of the cool morning breeze of the quiet beach and thought I'd bring the subject up.

Please leave a comment or send me an email (under The Standard Legalese in the right-hand column) if there's someplace you'd like to recommend.

Trip Report 9: Dinner at Sugar Hut Resort

An available light panorama of some of the resort buildings, taken from the far side of the pool area

[This is part 9 of a series that may or may not ever find its way to a proper conclusion. It has to do with my latest trip to Thailand, and the people, places and things I encountered along the way. You can find the rest of the series by clicking here on Trip Reports.]

Although I haven't written about Cabbages and Condoms - a resort in Pattaya with a superb restaurant - I will soon; but since I ended up again at the Sugar Hut resort and restaurant this last trip let me tell you a little about that.  

While Cabbages and Condoms does have the more lavish layout overall, there's a charm to Sugar Hut that feels related.  That's not at all surprising, due to the fact that the places are owned by brothers, and neither of them skimp on the atmosphere - right down to the rabbits, peacocks and other wildlife that roam the grounds.

Sugar Hut is, as the Hawaiians would say, on the mauka side of Thap Phraya Road; meaning the side away from the ocean.  It's indicated by the green dot on the map below. Cabbages and Condoms is on the other side, with a violet dot.

One of the servers in February

The last time I had dinner there was in June of 2008, and the skies that had been deeply clouded most of the afternoon decided to open up and unleash a torrent of rain on us, just as my friend was parking his car in the lot.  We had nothing to put over our heads, so we just moved along quickly along the path from the parking area to the restaurant, but we arrived more than a little wet.


In keeping with Murphy's Law (paraphrased here as "if anything can go askew, it will") I'd brought an umbrella with me that trip, but figured since it hadn't rained through a few days of heavy clouds that I wouldn't need it.  Naturally, I did.


I didn't see all that much of the grounds that night, but the sound of the heavy tropical downpour was magnificent; made all the more dramatic by the large shutters being kept open wherever possible. From our tables we could see the trees and shrubbery bending with the whim of the wind and water pouring from the sky, and hear the large drops hammering the wooden decking.

Don't let the rain keep you from dining here, but take an umbrella if it's looks likely to rain.

Rain through the window by my table - June 2008

Both times I've been there for dinner there has been someone making their first visit to Thailand who was unsure as to how adventurous they wanted to be with Thai dishes.  I always encourage my Thai friends (who, being good hosts, often want to "take care" of their guests and order) to include a dish or two that they themselves enjoy, and not fall back on the same old touristy dishes we're liable to find even more bland versions of back home, thinking that's what we want.

My friend at our table for 4. The large open shutters show here.

My physician friend is very good about that, and remembers to tell us "next time you can order it more pet (spicy hot) if you want," and that's kind of him, I think.  Once I took the offered sample of the dish he was chowing down on with great relish, and I don't think I could taste anything for a day and a half afterwards.  I mean it was HOT.  Did thoroughly clear my sinuses, though.

We did have the pineapple friend rice in the hollowed-out pineapple (cliched, I know, but I still enjoy it), topped with dried shredded pork and "festooned," if that applies, with bits of chicken sausage.  We also had a crab omelet over rice, something you can easily find at a street cart, but my friend wanted to try it away from the street.  We also had a curry and the shrimp satay below, and a whole fish in a basil lime stock that was really, really good.

A glorified street omelet, a curry and the fried rice dish

Shrimp satay with a peanut dipping sauce.

Of the two places I suppose I preferred Cabbages and Condoms over Sugar Hut, but it was more for the ambiance, views, beach you can stroll and whimsical nature of the place overall.  The food at Sugar Hut was more than fine, and both places - while not a cheap meal - were worth the money. I'd put it in the 200 - 500 baht ($6.50 to $16) per dish range, but take that as a general range. Bear in mind you're eating at a resort restaurant... and you are treating yourself while on holiday.

Another slightly different night shot of the place