Is this the healthy alternative?
The Amor Restaurant will soon be celebrating its first
cycle. 12 years is a long time in an industry in Pattaya where many
restaurants close their doors before they get to the grand opening. I
suggested to owner Richard Burk that he perhaps had the right formula. He
agreed, but did admit that there had been some changes since our last
official review 12 months ago. “There’s only 245 menu items now, there
were over 300,” he said with a laugh. And he’s not joking.
If you do not know where the Amor Restaurant is (after
almost 12 years), it is in Soi Pattayaland 3, just where the soi branches
off from Soi Pattayaland 2 and the New Orleans Restaurant. If you have an
exceptionally long memory, it used to be a go-go bar, called the Amor!
Richard liked the name so when he took over, it became the Amor Restaurant.
The restaurant has two sections, an outside (almost)
pavement area under a large awning where you can watch the world go by, or
inside and air-conditioned. We chose the cool.
The atmosphere is ‘homely’ with the padded and
comfortable cane chairs, the tables with the blue throw-overs and the
woodwork around the L shaped bar. The tables are all set with their own
pepper mills and the cutlery is Thai bronze. This month’s wine specials
were indicated on a display card on the table, with a choice of six (three
reds and three whites) from Australia for B. 850, including Butterfly Ridge,
a most drinkable label.
The
menu is well worthwhile perusing, and I would suggest a glass of the Chilean
white house wine at B. 180 while taking it all in. You have not only a
choice of 16 sauces, but six varieties of potatoes. There are 14 choices of
soups, with most B. 130, while the starters are in the B. 150-260 range. For
the rest of the 245 items, steaks, chicken, pork and fish main courses are
generally between B. 300-400.
Vegetarian items are indicated with a (V), low
cholesterol with a (C) and the menu proclaims, “As all our dishes and
sauces are prepared to order, many can be adapted to meet any special
requirements you have.” This covers low sugar, low carbs and the like.
We made our choices and with both of us beginning with
soups, they soon arrived at the table, both piping hot. Madame’s mushroom
was very smooth, while I went for the corn and prawn, a very hearty soup,
and with my own pepper grinder I could flavor this the way I wanted.
For mains, Madame had decided on the salmon au vin blanc,
poached with shallots, garlic and shitake mushrooms, while I had my second
course from the two course B. 410 special for a Wednesday, which was a roast
beef, with roast potatoes, Yorkshire pudding and vegetables. These were
served on hot plates, with the service staff wearing oven mitts.
My roast beef was to my requirements, and I was offered
some horseradish sauce to go with it, which it did wonderfully. (I also
sampled Madame’s salmon and the horseradish sauce complemented this dish
too.) Again we were more than satisfied with our choices.
The Amor Restaurant is almost one of a kind in Pattaya.
The size of the menu is almost legendary, and Richard’s philosophy towards
his food items is very much health oriented. With items such as the sauces,
he is more than willing to include or delete ingredients, as he says that
everything is made fresh to order. The pricing is very moderate, and in fact
I do not know how he can do some of the items at the price quoted. An
Argentinean Angus beef is the most expensive item at B. 580, and most items
being between B. 300-400, shows keen pricing. The daily rotating specials
are also excellent value, and I had no complaint with my B. 410 choice of
the second of the specials.
Highly recommended.
Amor, 244/15 Pattayaland Soi 3, South Pattaya, telephone 038 710 680,
email richard @amorrestaurant.com, website www. amorrestau rant.com. Open
seven days from 5 p.m. till late. Street parking on Pattaya Second Road.
