The resurrection of Mata Hari

by Miss Terry Diner

For the keen followers of history, it was generally accepted that Mata Hari, the reputedly double agent in WWI, was executed by firing squad in 1917, but that appears not to be strictly correct. Mata Hari resurfaced in Pattaya (as many other people with interesting histories seem to have done) and could be found on Second Road until last year, only to disappear from public view again last year. However, for all Mata Hari’s fans I must report her resurrection on Thappraya Road.
For some time now, I have been reporting that Jomtien has been becoming the culinary capital of Pattaya. With Mata Hari now open, it is no longer ‘becoming’, Jomtien IS the culinary capital!
The Dining Out team took the advantage of being guests in a dinner party at Mata Hari, to prepare this report. Rather than a formal Dining Out assessment, look upon this week’s review as an ‘interim’ report on this restaurant, and is a collection of impressions we gained from the evening.
We were very pleased to see Mata’s portrait on the wall of the main dining area, she had been sadly missed. We were also very pleased to see Louis Noll, the Bailli of the Chaine des Rotisseurs and the owner of the Mata Hari restaurant, attending to the tables, as he always did, with his ability as a raconteur still very evident, though the strain of the past few months in getting Mata Hari up and running did show. The ebullience was a little subdued, but I am sure, knowing Louis Noll, that this will return as the new restaurant settles into its new routines.
The restaurant itself is divided into two areas, with one third being a wine bar, and the other two thirds being dining, complete with a glass sculpture in the middle. The friendly service staff in the long black European aprons and the starched linen tablecloths all promise elegant dining, but the prices have been maintained at around their previous levels, below those of most other accepted fine dining establishments.
As a group of eight, we had an unhurried and leisurely meal, after meeting together in the wine bar area first. I heard no complaints from any of the party, and there was much pleasure expressed when individual diners found some of their favorites still on the menu. Louis has taken the very sensible option of retaining much of the former (and much loved) menu, and items such as the grilled oysters are really old favorites, now available in a new location. The previous concepts of performance and price have been maintained in the wine list, and we tried more than one bottle of different vintages and labels without overstretching our budget.
We all felt that Mata Hari had certainly returned to Pattaya, though in a new (dis)guise. Particularly the new much larger area, and the ‘wine bar’ is a very welcome addition, providing a venue for those who would like to drop in for a glass of vino and a chat with friends on the way home.
There is no doubt that the ‘new’ Mata Hari will not just occupy the place in the dining out scene left vacant by the closing of the ‘old’ Mata Hari, but the new premises with parking facilities (which the old address never had), will enlarge the appeal of this restaurant. (However, do be careful, Madame did manage to reverse into the only light pole in the parking lot!) Mata Hari provides an almost unbeatable combination of ambience and food, where the price is not over the top, particularly when looked at with respect to the quality, quantity and flavor. It is easy to see why this restaurant has such a loyal following. If you are going to try, I would recommend that you book first. Very highly recommended.
Mata Hari, corner of Thappraya Road Soi 15, Jomtien. Open from 6 p.m. until late (wine bar will open earlier than this after the settling in period), closed Mondays. Parking on site and in the soi. Telephone 01 762 2359. Unfortunately no credit card facilities until the land-line is installed in the new building, so bear with the situation.