pattayamail.gif (2145 bytes)
 



















DINING OUT - ENTERTAINMENT

  HEADLINES [click on headline to view story]: 
 
Dining Out

Nightmarch

Dining Out: PolTony’s Restaurant & Mini-Golf - another secret revealed

by Miss Terry Diner

This restaurant and mini-golf complex on Thappraya Road changed hands 18 months ago, but this was the first time the Dining Out Team had been to review it.

The restaurant building is separate from the mini-golf section and has an immediate “European” feel to it with its high ceiling beams and steeply pitched roof. Tables are decked out with blue covers, and the seats are also padded and covered. There is a bar along one corner and a large screen TV in another. The background music also tends to be European, and there is good reason for this. The two partners in the business, Paul and Tony (PolTony’s, get it) are passionate Belgians! (Do not ask for “French” fries!)

We sat with chef Tony for a while before perusing the menu and allowed ourselves to be talked into a “white” Chimay Belgian beer. This turned out to be probably the most dangerous beer in the world - it is smooth, with a really delightful taste and it is 8% alcohol! It would be very easy to overdose on that one.

The menu is large and commences with soups (95-225 baht) and includes a white asparagus cream soup - fresh from the fields of Belgium! Next up are the cold starters and salads (generally around B. 200) with some of Tony’s innovative sauces such as vinaigrette of Nice or prawns in curry and flamb้ed with Ricard.

Hot starters are next (around B. 250) with New Zealand mussels, a Brussels asparagus and a prawns ‘Symphony’ served with black caviar beurre blanc sauce and a curry rice tart. As you can see, these are no “ordinary” items.

There are seven seafood menu items (around B. 420) with imported Norwegian salmon and cod and a wonderful mixture of seafood called “Oostendse Waterzooi” served in a white wine saffron cream soup.

Twelve main courses follow (B. 280-590), each served with daily vegetables and your choice of sauces and potatoes. There is chicken, pork, duck breast, imported steak and lamb, plus a Chateaubriand for two (B. 1290). There are nine sauces to choose from including a Madeira Thyme sauce and the curry sauce with Ricard.

The menu finishes with some pasta dishes (around B. 220) and breakfasts and omelettes (B. 120).

However, it does not finish there, as there is an additional menu/newsletter with a rotating weekly Five Course Gastronomic Dinner (B. 950) each Friday. This is one you must book for.

We began with Chef Tony’s lobster soup. This was a meal in itself and came with two ‘gravy’ boats with cognac and cream which you add yourself, and a French rouille of garlic on the side. An unbelievably good soup, and one which you should experience. It was a great start for the evening!

We followed with some scallops from Japan served in a bowl with a lobster sauce gratinee made from saffron, celery, leek and black caviar (see photo). These were again wonderful, soft plump scallops and the sauce simply superb.

For a main course, Chef Tony had prepared New Zealand lamb fillets with a mint herb sauce and the potatoes on the side Gratin Dauphenoise style. This came with imported vegetables, and the Dutch carrots were very, very nice.

We were really struggling by then, but we had to have Tony’s Cr่me Brulee dessert, followed by chocolates. Belgian, naturally. A fabulous evening of fine food.

PolTony’s was a real eye opener. The standard of food is certainly as good as you will get in any fine dining restaurant around town, yet it has the mini-golf players who want snacks outside. In some ways it is difficult to come to terms with what are really two very diverse images. Fine dining on one hand and fun golf on the other. The split personality restaurant? The food is excellent, and PolTony’s deserves its place with the better restaurants. If you have not tried it and enjoy the better things of life, then you should visit this restaurant. Highly recommended.

PolTony’s Restaurant & Mini-Golf, 191/1 M 10, Thappraya Road, South Pattaya. Tel 038 250 318, email [email protected]

Back to Headline Index

Nightmarch

Half Time, Change Sides: During the recent crackdown on licences and closing times, the officers charged with making sure that tourists didn’t spend too much of their holiday money in watering holes and that most of them managed to get back to their hotel for a good night’s sleep, concentrated their efforts on boozers employing females and those who would be female.

However, concerned officials are now turning their hoses on the pink palaces. Basically, they are leaving no shirt unlifted in determining whether boozers, most of which are located in Sunee Plaza, Pattayaland Soi 3 (Boyztown) and Soi Day-Night 2, have the requisite licences. The word is that those places that fail the paper test will be compelled to shut their doors for up to 30 days or more.

I’m in Paradise: The Paradise Club lounge lizard libation room, located towards the Beach Road end of Soi 8, is currently offering all night happy hour on Sunday’s with all liquids at just 55 baht (except Remy Martin and cocktails).

Considering I coughed up 55 baht for a glass of syrupy pineapple juice at a tiny beer boozer in Soi Happy just recently, I think 55 baht for almost any drink in an air-conditioned lounge lizard den to be more than generous.

Wobble out of the Warbler: The official grand opening extravaganza funfest party is due to take place at The Warbler 2 lounge lizard libation room and noshery (situated at the front of the Baiyoke Hotel, just across the road from the long-established Golden Dragon beer boozer and body paint shop) this weekend.

The Warbler 2 wants to concentrate on its excellent Mexican-style nosh and following the opening party - and for the foreseeable future - all drinks will be sold at the bargain basement price of 30 baht. The joint kicks off at around 4:00 p.m. and continues until 2:00 a.m.

The original Warbler is in Bangkok, just around the corner and down the street from the Nana Entertainment Plaza, and has built a steady following among expats and regulars in the Big Chilli.

Ahoy, you swabbies: For those who like to saunter around Fun Town’s number one dine and dash street - namely Soi 6 - but don’t want to be hassled by young, and not-so-young, lasses suggesting a closer look at their etchings, then a good and friendly place to watch the comings and goings is the Jack Tar beer boozer.

Drinks are reasonably priced and there’s a good variety menu available for those who get a bit hungry watching all the primping and preening at the entrances to less salubrious locations. You never know just who you might spot ducking in when they think no-one’s looking.

Quasimodo on the line: I doubt there would be a beer boozer in town that could top the following story. A regular customer to the Atlantic beer boozer and magic pool ball hall (Soi 3, opposite the Sabai Room bathing salon) was back in France and, although only a couple of days from returning to Fun Town, to get in the mood he got on the blower to the owner and asked him to ring the bell. The owner told his friend that the joint was packed with customers and ringing the bell would cost a small fortune (probably the equivalent of giving Notre Dame Cathedral a fresh coat of paint). However, the ebullient Frenchman was insistent and so the deed was duly performed with the phone placed close enough to the bell so that the latter-day Quasimodo could hear the cheers from the assembled multitude. The Frenchman duly arrived a few days later and happily settled his account. Talk about premature excitation.

My e-mail address is: [email protected]

Back to Headline Index

News | Business News  | Features | Columns | Letters | Sports | Auto Mania | Kid's Corner 
Who’s Who | Dining Out |  Community Happenings | Classifieds  
Sports Round-Up | Books Music Movies

Copyright 2001  Pattaya Mail Publishing Co. Ltd.
370/7-8 Pattaya Second Road, Pattaya City, Chonburi 20260, Thailand
Tel.66-38 411 240-1, 413 240-1, Fax:66-38 427 596

E-mail: [email protected]