It had been a while since we had dined at Alois
Restaurant and Wine Bar, but the warm welcome from owner Vichai
Priyatrakulruji was just the same. It was also interesting that evening that
at other tables I spotted the food and wine critic from another of Pattaya’s
media outlets and at another, one of the well known “foodies” of Pattaya. It
turned out that they were dining on the Set Dinner menu, so we received two
impressions, before we even sat down!
The restaurant is easily found at the Pattaya end of Thappraya Road, and
almost opposite the Captain’s Corner, one of Pattaya’s best known
restaurants. Adequate parking alongside the restaurant building.
The venue is in three parts, there is the air-conditioned
main area, another smaller and air-conditioned area suitable for
parties/groups and an outside section for smokers. The décor is understated
elegance with large tables covered by starched white tablecloths and good
quality napery. Along one wall is the bar/cocktail station and the
temperature controlled wine cellar is at the rear.
The wine selection is sensibly restricted to the range of B. 990 through to
B. 7,000, with the emphasis on good drinking but inexpensive wines from both
the new and old worlds. The Chilean house wine (the Antares Merlot) is at
the lower end, and we were perfectly happy with it, and it can be ordered by
the glass at B. 210 net.
We had decided that we should try the Set Dinner menu as
well. This has four courses with three choices of mains (fish, pork,
lamb/beef) and changes every Friday each week. The price for this set menu
is B. 590 net, but if you opt for the imported beef choice in the mains this
comes with a premium to make the dinner B. 850 net.
The first course in our week was salmon rolls stuffed with cream cheese
mousse served with wasabi sauce (just love that wasabi) and vegetables
julienne. A great starter, which was followed by the leek cream soup with
shrimps. This was served piping hot and there was plenty of shrimp meat.
This was one of the more satisfying soups, and served at the correct
temperature, something many restaurants do not get right.
A palate cleansing sherbet was next, followed by the
choice of mains. These were pan-fried John Dory fillet with black ink
fettuccine and saffron cream sauce or grilled pork escallops served with
gratin risotto in tomato with deep-fried mashed potato and onion sauce, or
finally the NZ rack of lamb with grilled capsicum and roasted potato. As
there was three of us dining we chose a different one each and shared to
allow us to evaluate all three dishes. For Madame, it was the NZ lamb as her
favorite, whilst for me it was a toss-up between the John Dory (not one
bone) and the pork, and I loved the deep-fried mashed potato.
There was a yoghurt lime mousse with mango sauce in the set menu, but we
were totally satiated and skipped the dessert, going straight to the coffee.
In our discussion afterwards we could not find fault with the individual
items, both in size of portion (large!) and the way they were presented. It
had been a most enjoyable evening.
We were very impressed with the Set Dinner menu, providing excellent food,
with good presentation and at the price of B. 590 is really too cheap. This
opinion was also the one offered by the ‘foodie’ who was dining there that
evening. To be offered an ‘Amuse Bouche’ (deep fried fish and shrimp with
rice noodle) before the set menu was such a nice touch, and Vichai was
obviously pleased at the way we remarked on it.
We can wholeheartedly recommend the Alois Restaurant and Wine Bar, and the
Set Dinner menu is undoubtedly one of the gastronomic bargains in Pattaya.
Go before he realizes and puts the price up to where it should be!
Alois Restaurant and Wine Bar, 191/4 Moo 10, Thappraya Road, South Pattaya
(opposite The Captain’s Corner), open seven days, 6 p.m. until late for
dinner (last orders taken at 10.30. p.m.), telephone 038 267 191 - 2,
off-street parking, email
[email protected].
