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The Acorn
The Dining Out review this week was done at a pub which
had been in The Avenue for many years, but had slowly died until four months
ago it burst back on the pub scene with a new owner, new staff, a long
overdue refurbishment, a new name and a new concept.
What had previously been Shenanigans on the second floor of The Avenue has
become The Acorn, and any similarity between the previous incarnation and
the one today is purely coincidental, as they say in the flyleaf of all
books!
The venue retains the original wood paneling, but it stops about there. What
was a dark and dingy area at the rear has been changed into a children’s
playground, complete with jungle gyms, an activity playground for small
children and for the older children two on-line computers. A children’s
paradise.
In the main area in front of the central horseshoe bar is
a dais with musical entertainment many nights a week, including Lee
Shamrock, Barry Upton, a Beatles tribute band and visiting special acts such
as Jerry (Lee Lewis) Carlton who had everyone on their feet a couple of
weeks ago.
There are also three other areas, slightly raised and some with big
comfortable Chesterfield chairs. This is certainly a venue that can really
call itself a “Pub and Family Restaurant.”
The Acorn Pub has only been going since April, but it has very quickly found
a niche in the hospitality scene in Pattaya, with the children absolutely
delighted that they are being catered to, as well as the adults. The junior
members of the Dining Out Team are no exception, so we have dined many times
at The Acorn (at the children’s suggestion)! Dining Out is just so simple -
kids disappear into their area, and the adults are left free to enjoy
themselves.
Dealing with the “pub” side of the venue, there are more
than the usual beers such as Guinness, but there are others such as the
Welsh Brains and also Phuket Lager, and some great ciders as well. These are
all keenly priced.
For the wine drinkers, a (large) glass of very quaffable red or white house
wine (187 ml) comes in its own small bottle, and is of excellent quality.
And the price is astounding. Around B. 150 a bottle.
There is a Kid’s Menu, a Main Menu and a Bar Snack Menu as well as some
blackboard specials outside the main entrance. A perusal will show that this
is not an expensive eating place, even though the menu is extensive.
For example, there are 11 breakfasts (B. 105-295) including a smoked bacon
and cheddar cheese omelet with home fried potatoes (B. 135).
Soups B. 95-140 then ‘baskets’ around B. 135, all with a portion of fries
and a choice of dipping sauces: house BBQ, Sriracha chili, blue cheese,
mustard mayo and house tartare.
There are small plate portions followed by large plates (B. 285-420)
including a pub favorite of fish and chips, local fresh sea bass fillet in
beer batter, fries, garden peas and house tartare (B. 310).
We have tried items from every menu, and have not been
disappointed. The servings are large and the service is pleasant. Even the
snacks are great value for money, and the Sunday carvery is an ‘all you can
eat’ deal, with roast lamb, chicken, honey glazed ham and beef, with side
dishes of roast potatoes, cauliflower cheese, mashed potatoes, garden peas,
tomato and mushroom soups and more. We did the ‘official’ review on a
Thursday and the gammon steak with egg and chunky chips was excellent with a
tender, juicy gammon steak almost filling the plate.
Our Sundays these days generally includes a movie in the Multiplex cinema
upstairs at The Avenue, and after wards down to the Acorn, where the
children disappear into their section and the adults sit back to enjoy the
‘naughty’ wit of Lee Shamrock, accompanied by Barry Upton.
The Acorn, 2nd Floor The Avenue shopping center, telephone 0818614265
(Jeab), or 0890015818 (Joy), secure parking in the shopping center (and the
first five hours are free, but remember to get the stamp from the Acorn).
Open seven days 10.30 a.m. through till late.
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Stuff me Mushrooms!
Mushrooms are always plentiful. It is a very
adaptable vegetable and can be used in many ways - as soup, a sauce,
steamed, creamed or baked. This recipe for Stuffed Mushrooms mixes the
tastes of capsicum (bell pepper) and Parmesan cheese, along with the
mushroom itself. I find ground black pepper sprinkled over the Parmesan
adds even more flavor, and the Cayenne pepper adds that little bit of
spice, but do not overdo it.
Ingredients |
Serves 4-6 |
Large mushrooms, fresh |
12 |
Butter, melted |
½ cup |
Green bell pepper, finely chopped |
2 tbspns |
Onion, finely chopped |
3 tbspns |
Bread crumbs |
2 cups |
Salt |
½ tspn |
Ground black pepper |
dash |
Ground cayenne pepper |
dash |
Parmesan cheese, grated |
½ cup |
Cooking Method
Clean mushrooms; remove stems, leaving caps whole.
Chop stems. Sauté mushroom caps in 3 tablespoons of butter; set aside.
Sauté chopped stems, green pepper, and chopped onion in remaining butter
until onion is tender; stir in bread crumbs, salt, pepper, and cayenne
pepper.
Stir to mix well. Stuff each mushroom cap with bread crumb mixture;
sprinkle each stuffed mushroom with a little Parmesan cheese. Place
stuffed mushrooms in a greased baking dish. Bake at 325 degrees for 15
minutes.
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