DINING OUT - ENTERTAINMENT

R.J. Kitchen

“Clean food, good taste, low price.”

There is a new restaurant in Jomtien, just after the Hanuman statue, as you swing right to go towards Dong Tan police box on Jomtien Beach. Called R.J. Kitchen, it had been open for 11 days when we decided to pay an unannounced visit.

The single shop-house restaurant attracted us with the brightly lit “kitchen cart” at the front, and many people milling around. We were welcomed profusely and ushered inside, where there was another revelation. The place was all brightness, mirrors, colour and unbelievable decor. This is a restaurant like no other.

For starters, both walls are mirrors, with brightly coloured ceramic fish ornaments. The tables are built on a stainless steel frame with glass tops, with a bowl of dazzlingly coloured artificial flowers under each tabletop. Above each table surface, on a small shelf attached to the mirror wall, are some bottles of beer, the obligatory four dispensers with chilli powder, fish sauce, sugar and vinegar, napkins and toothpicks, plus a model of a hawker’s cart. The tables are arranged alcove ‘diner’ style along both walls with padded booth seating.

The owner, Suttinan Pukahuta, appeared and excitedly gave us the ideology behind the new restaurant. It is a family business, with numerous of her eight brothers and sisters involved (and the family likeness is obvious in a few of the staff) and is more of a hobby project than anything else - she has a manufacturing business in Samut Prakan (which incidentally made the tables) which keeps the family going.

She explained the diversification into the restaurant business as follows, “I eat food in Pattaya, not so good taste. So I want to make the food, good taste, clean and beautiful.” To assist her in this quest, a Chinese chef who was related to the family by marriage was brought in, the Samut Prakan factory geared up, and the family members pitched in.

The menu is simple, stuck on the mirror beside each booth. 10 items only starting with two noodle dishes with red pork or roasted duck, followed by wonton red pork or roasted duck. Next are a combination of noodles and wontons and the duck or pork, followed by rice and red pork or rice and roasted duck. All of these items are 35 baht. The final two items are a red pork (on its own) for B. 70 and roasted duck ditto for B. 100.

Beverages are crayoned on the mirror, beers generally B. 45-75 depending on brand and size and coffee, tea or Ovaltine are also available. A couple of items that Suttinan gave us were a Chinese vegetable juice, which was actually slightly sweet and a Longan juice, which is very sweet. These they make themselves and cost B. 10.

We ordered a wonton with red pork and a roasted duck. They both came with a bowl of consomm้ (as you get with khao mun gai), and with the duck presented on a beautiful rectangular green ‘leaf pattern’ plate.

First the wonton dish - the wontons are a 50/50 pork and shrimp mixture and are very pleasant, in fact some of the nicest wontons in town. The red pork was also very flavoursome. Now the duck. Obviously this is their specialty, and Suttinan is very proud of the results from her chef. I am assured that the roasted duck takes six hours to prepare, and ours was certainly tender and succulent. I liked the dark soy and chilli sauce too.

We had a wonderful time at R.J. Kitchen. The food was good, and the whole place is sparkling clean (and the toilet is immaculate, check it out). It is an opportunity to try ‘ethnic’ food in excellent surroundings. I am assured that all food is fresh, and Madame, who is a cook herself agreed that the ingredients were indeed very fresh. The final words from Suttinan: “Save the plane fare to Hong Kong - come and see me!” Indeed, it is well worth your while coming to see R.J. Kitchen. Take along a few friends and enjoy yourselves. We did! Highly recommended.

R.J. Kitchen, 406/328 Thappraya Road, telephone and fax 038 233 608. Street parking outside.