by Miss Terry Diner
This week’s review is not of a restaurant, but rather
of a group of small restaurants in South Pattaya. Miss Terry cannot really
claim that she was out and about and wanted a quick snack, but rather that
the Dining Out Team became involved with an English TV crew, doing a
humorous documentary about scorpions - and that included eating them!
That quest took them (and us) to the Marine Plaza, that
rather busy and extremely noisy area of South Pattaya behind Walking
Street. An area inhabited by noisy bars, gentlemen smoking hookah’s, a
never ending stream of tourists and local girls, motorcycles and baht
busses, numerous small food carts and a larger restaurant, but still an
open area, called Maliwan Café.
Let’s begin with the most exotic, a “bug stand”
run by the ever-smiling Khun Sauew. This is on the left at the far corner
after you come in from Pattaya Second Road (opposite VC Hotel). You will
recognize it immediately from its amazing collection of wildlife, and the
sign that says, “Photo 10 baht”. The reason for this is quickly
evident - her cart is surrounded every evening by incredulous tourists
looking in horrified groups at the stainless steel trays containing shiny
black menacing scorpions, the pride of her small “restaurant”. Stand
and watch as the scorpions and grasshoppers become deep fried along with
pandanus (?) leaves. Stand and watch further amazed as some of the Isaan
girls munch them down with gusto! (The English TV crew did try the
insectivorous cuisine and declared it “interesting” to downright
“unspeakable!”)
Moving around the food carts, next to Khun Sauew is a
crepes station. These come in two types - savoury or sweet (dessert). The
former has choices including hot dog, pork, crab or tuna, while the latter
has strawberry, orange, pineapple and blueberry, and lots more. The crepes
are cooked on spotlessly clean circular hot plates, then folded in half
and then in quarters and popped into a cardboard cone so you can eat on
the run. Price? 20 baht!
Other carts include fresh fruits, with very colourful
displays of every type of fruit imaginable, Chinese noodles, chicken shish
kebabs grilled on the rotisserie for B. 60, satay stands with beef, pork,
chicken and sausages, stir-fried Thai noodles (pad Thai), papaya salad
(som tum) and there is even a Taiwanese drinks stand with fruit juices,
Ovaltine and iced coffee - yours for B. 20.
The only real ‘sit down’ restaurant is the Maliwan
Café (on the left if you continue on from the bug lady through to
Walking Street and Marine Bar). Plastic tables and chairs and a large
charcoal griller to cook your choice of seafood. And it is some choice
too, with prices that are very cheap. Whole fish range generally around
130-150 baht (per 100 gm), crabs between 50-70 gm/100 gm, a plate of four
rock lobsters is B. 100, or a dozen mussels B. 40, or five very large king
prawns are yours for B. 150. There were also some very large oysters (from
Ranong, I would imagine) at three for B. 100. This establishment opens at
5.30 p.m. and closes at 5.30 a.m., so could be the ideal place for that
very, very, very late night snack!
These restaurants are the places to go if you want some
‘ethnic’ cuisine, some different dishes, noise, bustle, excitement and
the ability to dine out on some fabulous food at ridiculously cheap
prices. It is an experience you should personally try at least once, and
the whole area should be one on your list of places to take overseas
guests. Very highly recommended.
Maliwan Café and thirty-odd food carts in the Marine Plaza
(behind Walking Street). Cash only! Parking in front of Marine Plaza Hotel
- slow down and look for an older lady who will direct you to a parking
spot and charge you 20 baht. And give you a receipt, if you are on expense
accounts!
