I have to admit that I had never beforehand been to the
A-ONE The Royal Cruise Hotel, in its previous guise as a single ship on
Beach Road, nor to its newly opened ‘sister liner’ on the corner of Soi
3. Why? I do not really know, I knew it was ‘there’ but somehow I had
missed the boat, if you’ll pardon the pun!
We came to try the new ‘Boat Music Place’, the
upscale dining and cocktail bar area of the new hotel, but before moving to
the higher ‘deck’ we walked around the buffet areas around the swimming
pools, and through the coffee shop, all of which looked very inviting
(particularly when we heard later that the international buffet is only B.
250 net!)
On the upper deck in the new building is the Boat Music
Place, fitted into the ‘bow’ of the ship. The first aspect that hits you
is that it does feel like an ocean liner, but without the movement. The area
is very well appointed, with much use of natural wood. There is a central
circular bar, with diners on one side and those just wanting a drink and to
listen to the relaxed music from the band on the other. Once again, very
cruise liner! To complement this, the staff are decked out in matelot
outfits, with the maitre ‘d looking very nautical in his double breasted
‘captain’s’ outfit.
The menu is large and begins with several papaya salads
between B. 65-85, followed by more salads (B. 80-120) including such diverse
items as spicy horseshoe crab eggs and some larbs.
Main courses include a mix of deep-fries and stir-fries
(B. 80-250) with most around the B. 100 level. Spicy soups are up next, with
again the average being B. 100.
Thai curries have their own section (B. 80-250) with many
‘wild curry’ items as well as the usual green and red. Fried rice based
dishes were all under B. 100, as were the noodle dishes.
There are also some European items, generally around B.
200, including pepper steak, pork chops and salmon steak. Then there are
some Chinese, Vietnamese items and Japanese items and desserts. Again
inexpensively priced, and quoted as net figures instead of the usual
“plus, plus” you are lumbered with in hotels. Well done, A-ONE The Royal
Cruise Hotel!
The wine list has both old and new world wines, with the
majority between B. 600-1,100. House wine was B. 130 a glass and eminently
drinkable.
We dined with the F&B manager, Sompong Klinpirom, and
in Thai fashion, many dishes arrived together. The tom yum goong (spicy
prawn soup) had very large prawns and was not too hot for my taste, though
in Thai fashion, the heads are left on. Madame, who is Thai, ate mine as
well!
The deep-fried fish with spicy sauce I found very good.
Not dried out at all, and the spicy sauce just lifted the white meat of the
fish. It was my pick of the evening.
Even the som tam was not over the top, and I found I was
enjoying a dish I normally avoid.
The standard of wide selection of food we tried at the
A-ONE The Royal Cruise Hotel was excellent. The fact that one of Pattaya’s
most senior Thai chefs has been spirited away to the hotel to oversee the
food may be one reason, and we had no complaints at all, with any of the
dishes. The tastes and flavours were there, and equally as suitable for the
ex-pat palate as well as Thai. Looking at the imaginative ‘nautical’
ambience and the relatively inexpensive menu, I have no hesitation in saying
that this was the surprise of the culinary year. Very difficult to beat for
value for money. We won’t miss the boat a second time! Very highly
recommended.
A-ONE The Royal Cruise Hotel, 499 North Pattaya Beach Road (corner Soi
3), telephone 038 424 874, fax 038 424 242. (International buffet open from
6 p.m. till 10 p.m. and the Boat Music Place from 7 p.m. till 2 a.m.) Secure
parking underneath (enter from Soi 3).
