Another
new restaurant has appeared on the run down towards the Dong Tan Police box
from the Hanuman statue. It had been in operation for six weeks when we made
our visit, so we expected it to be just finding its feet.
It encompasses a double shophouse building and is open to
the street-front and along one side. The design is what brings your
attention to it - a very architectural ambience with much use of wood and
integrating straight lines and circles, with vertical beams and a circular
central bar area with the tables arranged around it. The colours are a
mixture of salmon, cream and black, again very avant-garde. The tables have
yellow tablecloths and brown throw-overs and have candles, while the chairs
are matt black metal framed items with padded seats. A refrigerated cabinet
in one corner holds desserts, with items like Black Forest cakes on display
on our evening. Finally, the staff are decked out in pink shirts with cream
aprons. Understated and complementary colours all the way through.
Outside
there is an illuminated menu board with some of the items on offer, as well
as colour photographs of the dishes along the top of the entrance. There are
also some circular tables for those who prefer pavement style dining. It is
difficult to fully describe, but there is almost a continental feel to it.
There is a function/karaoke area upstairs which can
accommodate private parties for up to 20 people, or the same number of
karaoke warblers. I am also led to believe that if you book for a birthday
function, the management will throw in a birthday cake or even a celebratory
bottle of bubbly if you are lucky.
The menu is reasonably extensive, starting with a section
called American Breakfasts that range in price between 45 baht for two
boiled eggs through to B. 95 for toast, butter and jam, fried eggs, bacon,
sausage, ham, coffee or tea.
Next up are five soups (B. 50-60), including a Hungarian
goulash, and then four rice soups (B. 20-70 depending upon the ingredients).
Six salads (B. 69-120) include chicken, tuna and crabmeat. Pasta in the
guise of spaghetti (B. 95-120) has the traditional Bolognaise and Carbonara.
Two pages of snacks follow, with most under B. 50 and
includes various styles of hamburgers and sandwiches and noodle soups.
Thai a la carte is next, with all of them around B. 35
and comprises stir-fries of various types, served with rice. A page of
steaks follows, covering beef, pork, fish and chicken, with most dishes
around B. 200.
Finally there is a page of Chinese food including grilled
duck and BBQ pork with prices ranging from B. 35 through to B. 150 for a
large duck.
Beverages are last, including local beers at B. 70 or
small draft Heineken at B. 45. There are also spirits at B. 100 and
cocktails around B. 150.
We ordered from both the Thai menu (Madame) and the
European menu for myself. Madame’s spring rolls were excellent, coming
with the plum sauce. They were cooked correctly and not hard and overdone as
one meets so many times. Madame’s second course was a shrimp based soup
and was also given the thumbs up as being to correct Thai taste. My pepper
steak was tender, though a little underdone for the designated medium-rare,
but still pleasant enough, and came with either french-fries or baked potato
- I chose the fries.
Number One Food and Drink is not an expensive restaurant,
even though it looks it with its high class decor, and assessment of this
venue has to be taken with the final cost in mind. For the price, it is can
be very good value, especially the Thai food side of it, for example the
spring rolls were exceptionally good, and at B. 50 wonderful value.
The final summing up has Number One Food and Drink as a
restaurant with potential. The new management people are finding their feet
and I do believe that this will be one place to watch.
Number One Food and Drink, 406/350 M12, Thappraya Road,
Jomtien, telephone 038 233 790, 01 754 8031.
