For a surprising Teddy Bears’ picnic!
by Miss Terry Diner
Remember the Teddy Bears’ picnic ditty which began,
“If you go down to the woods today, you’re sure of a big surprise!”
With the koala bear logo of the Woodlands Resort, this all became
particularly apt when the Dining Out Team went to the Woodlands Resort for
dinner at their new restaurant - it was a big surprise! And a pleasant one
too. Read on.
Since our last visit to the Woodlands Resort there has
been a complete refurbishment and enlargement, with the new restaurant
around the edges of the swimming pool, and access via quaint bridges and
footpaths.
The restaurant proper is in three sections - outside
deck along the pool, inside poolside and air-conditioned, and another
air-conditioned section with the bar and buffet area. Along with the
Woodlands theme, there is extensive use of wood - chairs, tables and
ceilings, along with complementary terracotta tiles on the floor. One
outside wall is predominantly glass and during the days would give a
pleasantly airy feel to the dining area.
The menu is a unique triangular design, written in
English, German and Thai, and is quite extensive, and you will also find
not too expensive (but remember to add in the plus-plus, since this is a
resort). Beginning with cold appetizers and salads between 80-150 baht it
includes a homemade duck terrine with raspberry vinaigrette. Warm
appetizers follow (B. 110-150) and then soups (B. 90-110) with lobster
bisque at the top end.
There are six pizzas and pastas, with a warning that
pizzas take 17 minutes, ranging in price between B. 120-200. Ten choices
of meat and poultry mains are next, ranging between B. 180 for mixed grill
on lemongrass skewers, through to B. 380 for an oven-roasted imported NZ
rack of lamb served with a Thai herb crust. The mignon of pork and saut้ed
king prawns on a honey-Pommery mustard sauce also looked interesting at B.
190. Six seafood choices (B. 160-335) included the perennial fish and
chips through to rock lobsters.
Burgers and sandwiches are offered for daytime diners,
plus a page of vegetarian food items. There is also a 30 dish Thai menu,
with the majority of items under B. 100. The wine list begins with enough
choices well under B. 1000 and wines by the glass are only B. 70.
We began with the scallops salad for me, which was a
very pleasant appetizer with plenty of garden greens, and the wild
mushroom soup for Madame. This came in a large crusty rye-bread “pot”
and the soup was thick and delicious. We were also served with hot bread
rolls, but unfortunately those fiddly foil wrapped butter pats that I can
never open!
For mains, I had chosen the pan-fried stuffed chicken
breast, while Madame went for the poached dory fillet on ratatouille
Nicoise. Again I enjoyed my chicken, the serving was adequate and the
lobster-ginger sauce adding that extra something. Madame waxed eloquent
over her dory fillets, and I must say that I too was very impressed with
the delicate cooking of the fish and the attendant vegetables in my
sampling, and the wonderful sauce topped this off, making it the dish of
the evening for both of us (at B. 180, a “steal”).
We were too full for the offered desserts or coffees
but enjoyed just sitting back and enjoying the ambience, while we finished
our wine (thank you GM Stephan Bringer for the Penfolds Bin 389 Cabernet
Shiraz, a good ‘solid’ wine).
The Dining Out Team was more than happy with the food,
service and surroundings at the new Woodlands Resort restaurant. The
restaurant design is innovative and the chef’s creations likewise. The
use of sauces is very European and the Pernod and aromatic herb sauce
which came with the Dory or the lobster-ginger sauce with the chicken were
excellent. When you take into consideration that the average main course
was priced between B. 180-280 that makes this restaurant excellent value
for money. We enjoyed it and I am sure you will too. Highly recommended.
The Woodlands Resort, 164/1 Moo 5, Pattaya-Naklua Road, telephone 038
421 707, email [email protected], www.woodland-resort.com, Security
parking at the front of the resort.
