It is always surprising that there are restaurants that can
somehow slip through the net. The Camillo Restaurant in the Siam Bayshore Resort
is one of those. Somehow or other, you forget that it is there. But no more,
after the Dining Out team visited last week.
There
definitely is an ‘olde world’ charm in the restaurant. Thick pile carpets,
heavy dark red drapes on the large bay windows, brocade armchairs, big tables
with plenty of space between them, large pot plants and unhurried waist-coated
waiters, enormous padded Chesterfields along one wall, candles on the tables and
real flowers. The atmosphere is hushed early 20th century drawing room - a
wonderful retreat from the bustle of today’s living (or the excesses of
Walking Street).
The menu begins with a rotating candlelight dinner set, three
courses plus coffee or tea for B. 595 (net, not plus plus!) which looked
inviting with Coppa ham and fillet of sole on our evening.
The
next page has several appetizers (B. 195-335) with smoked salmon fillet at the
low end and crunchy fried prawn tails with ginger flavoured soy sauce at the
top. These are followed by a choice of salads (B. 95-165) including organic
greens and green asparagus with quail eggs and vinaigrette and then some soup
choices (B. 95-165), with an Italian style tomato soup with fresh herbs looking
interesting.
Fish dishes are up next, with a steamed white sea bass at B.
295 looking very inexpensive, with the top item being char-grilled prawns with
garlic olive oil sauce and ratatouille at B. 415.
Specialities of the resort are next (B. 225-495) and include
pork fillets, Coq au Vin, Tagliatelle Verde Alfredo, pepper steak and salmon. A
Chateaubriand for two with b้arnaise sauce, baked potatoes and seasonal
vegetables is B. 995. Finally there are desserts, including Italian cheesecake
and hazelnut cream ้clairs on raspberry sauce.
We were brought hot bread rolls to the table, baked in the
Siam Bayshore kitchens, I was assured, and chose an Angove’s white wine
(Australian) to go with the first course, and a red to follow, which was allowed
to air in proper fashion. These were the month’s specials at B. 750 - and a
bargain!
I began with the tomato and mozzarella with basil leaves.
This dish was worth it just for the theatre alone - the waiter pouring on the
virgin olive oil with great aplomb. Madame chose the traditional German
split-pea soup and enjoyed this Bavarian staple.
For mains, Madame chose the pork knuckle from the
‘Specials’ menu, while I felt like trying the pepper steak. Both of these
turned out to be good choices, with the pork knuckle crispy-skinned and
enormous, while my imported steak was very tender, cooked exactly to my order,
the sauce was excellent and the potatoes correctly cooked. It was also of a good
size - and a good choice.
After dinner we were joined by chef Manfred, a jolly jovial
German who not only likes a beer after work, but is very knowledgeable on Asian
history, regaling us with the territorial movements of the Mon nation for the
past 1,000 years! Manfred has taken his chef’s toque all over the world,
rattling off around 10 countries where he has stood in front of the stove, but
has now settled in here - so he should still be here next week! Whatever, he
knows his cuisines, stating that the current ‘in’ style is Italian, so hence
the Italian leaning in the menu.
The food we found was good in Camillo, as good as in other
similar hotel establishments, but at a much lower price premium. The service was
up-market but friendly as well. As I wrote at the start of this article, this
restaurant had somehow been overlooked. If you are searching for somewhere
“good” to take friends, you will not be disappointed at Camillo. If they are
German and hungry, remember to ask for Manfred’s pork knuckle. Highly
recommended.
Camillo Restaurant, Siam Bayshore Resort, Beach Road (nr. Bali High pier),
South Pattaya, telephone 038 428 678, fax 038 428 730. Secure parking in the
grounds (entry from Second Road, shortly after the Pratamnak/Thappraya
junction).
