by Miss Terry Diner
With Pattaya moving steadily up-market, our better
restaurants and hotels have done the same. The Pattaya Marriott Resort and
Spa is no exception to this, having progressively upgraded the property and
facilities over the past couple of years. The latest to have the ‘make-over’
treatment has been the Rice Mill restaurant.
The
last time we visited the Rice Mill we enjoyed ourselves, but with the dark
ambience and low ceilings, it detracted from what was otherwise good food.
Following the recent revamp, we were invited back to see the changes, and to
also try their seven course individual menu, priced at only B. 350++. It all
sounded as if it were too good to be true, so it was with great expectations
we went to the Rice Mill for a mid-week lunch.
The first change we noted was that the downstairs restaurant venue was no
longer dark, the colours were lighter, there were light coloured paintings
on the walls to go with the improved lighting, and the ceiling had been
raised. Yes, the Rice Mill raised the roof. The Pattaya Marriott Resort and
Spa certainly meant business.
The Chinese style chairs and tables were still there, and the terracotta
tiles, but almost everything else was new, even down to the very elegant
gold and black tunic outfits for the service personnel.
After being seated, we were immediately brought cold towels and offered the
drinks menu. As we had gone at lunchtime, and there was still work to do
that afternoon, we stuck with soda water, but the full wine list is
available for those who are able to indulge.
The first individually plated dish was the Rice Mill prawn salad, which
comes in its own woven edible noodle basket. A very pleasant starter. This
was followed by the Szechwan soup, a spicy soup laden with Yunnan ham, Char
sui pork, chicken, shrimp and bean curd. This was simply superb.
Now it was time for the third course which boasted fried Australian sea
scallop with X.O. Hunan ham sauce and braised broccoli (the Aussies love
their broccoli, and with the F&B manager Dylan Counsel and the kitchen
operation manager Dennis Barton both coming from Australia, this could
explain it!). Again a ‘sampling’ serve, which left you looking forward to
what was coming next, which was deep fried snow fish in a light soy sauce. I
added some of the black vinegar that had been brought to the table to give
this one a little more ‘bite’.
Course five and we were regaled with sweet and sour pork, with a very
‘moreish’ flavor, and from there into a fried egg noodle with shredded
chicken served in another edible basket for the sixth luncheon course.
The final course was a dessert made from sago and cantaloupe with coconut
milk. I had to pass on this one, having been force-fed sago as a child, I
cannot look it in the eye; however, Madame enjoyed hers, and then ate mine!
When you go to the Rice Mill, and wish to try the B. 350 set menu, you
should remember that you can add on to the seven courses from the a la carte
menu if you have a big appetite, but both Madame and myself were satisfied
with what we ate as a lunchtime repast. Not only that, but it did also
showcase the talents of Chinese chef Surin Chaikam who produced dishes with
great flavors. This was certainly no bland Cantonese cooking served in
shared melamine dishes on Chinese laminex tables. The end result easily
equals the variety of tastes that you can experience in the better class
Thai restaurants, without having your taste buds blown off with harsh
chillis. We certainly enjoyed the Rice Mill, and would go again to have the
B. 350 bargain set menu (which cannot last forever)! You should try too.
Recommended.
The Rice Mill, Pattaya Marriott Resort and Spa, 218/2-4 M10, Beach Road,
(but best reached from the Pattaya Second Road main entrance of the
Marriott), telephone 038 412 120 ext 1361. Open seven days, 12-2 p.m. for
lunch and 6 p.m. until 10 p.m. for dinner. Secure parking in the Royal
Garden Plaza.
