Your childhood revisited!
One of the newest restaurants in Pattaya is Fatboy’s
Diner, a name that conjures up someone like the overweight Billy Bunter made
famous by author Frank Richards (real name Charles Hamilton) in ‘The Magnet’
boys paper. However, there is a world of difference between Billy Bunter’s
Greyfriar’s School and Pattaya’s Fatboy’s Diner.
Fatboy’s is in the new The Avenue shopping center (the one with Villa
Market), on the right hand side of Second Road and just past Soi Yamato. The
Diner is on the first floor up, take the escalator and turn right and you
can’t miss its bright red neon sign.
Inside it is all red and white, chrome and mirrors with diner style alcoves
and a sit up bar along one side, set off with a tiled black and white
chequered floor. This section is air-conditioned, though there are a few
tables and chairs outside for those who like to watch the passing traffic.
We were met by some very happy staff, including David the owner, whose badge
proclaimed “the Big Cheese”. He is a very well experienced restaurateur from
the UK, who has been in Thailand for years running many kinds of
restaurants.
The menu repeats the red and white and chequered theme and describes the
venue as the “most retro-cool diner in South-East Asia”. It probably is.
Menu is divided into sections, beginning with All Day Breakfasts ranging
from toasted buttered teacake and jam (B. 60) through to the Fatboy with two
of everything in English style, plus home fries (B. 250).
From there it is into ‘Dinners’ with most B. 220-250, Sandwiches and Burgers
majority B. 180-280, Pasta and Rice (around B. 185), Salads and Sides,
Children’s meals (B. 80) with free ice cream, desserts and drinks.
There is a wonderful selection of old style milk shakes, ice cream sodas and
even Italian sodas with a bewildering range of flavors all imported from the
USA. We chose strawberry and blueberry and mentally revisited the milk bar
of yesterday. There are also beers, shorts and house wines by the glass.
At David’s suggestion, we tried several dishes, including one from the
children’s menu. While waiting, a basket of different sauces was brought to
the table. The children’s dish came first - the Fishy Feast, and a large
feast it was, with daughter unable to get through it all, though mother and
father came to the rescue! My choice was the cheese and bacon burger (B.
270) which featured 150 gm of Australian beef, fried onion, a rasher of
bacon and melted cheddar cheese in their own specially baked, toasted sesame
seed bun. This comes with chips and coleslaw. It reminded me of the ‘real’
hamburgers you used to get many years ago. A first class 1960’s burger.
Madame had ordered the vegetarian melt (B. 240) which was toasted French
bread with Mediterranean vegetables done in a balsamic reduction and cheddar
melted across the top. This was very flavorsome, and very apt, with the
Vegetarian Festival being in full swing when we did the review. We also
tried the spaghetti carbonara, lightly sautéed with back bacon and a creamy
egg sauce and served with garlic bread (B. 195). Again a good example of the
genre.
We finished with a waffle with ice cream and maple syrup plus a coffee, to
go out in the grand diner manner.
Fatboy’s Diner has just short of 100 items, so it is a little different from
the diner frequented by the comic strip character Dagwood, which had about
one item cooked by a disreputable chef. It is possible to look into Fatboy’s
kitchen and it is as spotless as the restaurant itself. The cuisine covers
American, British, Australian, Italian and Vegetarian, and with a children’s
menu, makes Fatboy’s Diner ideal for families, especially those going to the
movies, or afterwards. Surprising high quality and well worth a visit.
Fatboy’s Diner, ‘The Avenue’ Second Road, Pattaya, telephone 038 723 959,
open seven days 10 a.m. until midnight. Parking available in the center, but
go up into the multi-storey car park (which is free), rather than the
outside car park where you will only get one hour free with the restaurant’s
stamp on it.
Oysters Kilpatrick
Oysters have been given cult status over the years, and
have ascribed aphrodisiac qualities, although it has also been said that the
bravest man of all time was the one who ate the first oyster. Purists will
say that oysters should only be eaten as Oysters Natural, with a slice of
lemon and ground black pepper, but Oysters Kilpatrick is a popular
alternative way to indulge. It is also a way you can offer your guests
oysters, but very cheaply from the local markets. With local oysters less
than 100 baht a bag, here’s a way to the high life - on the cheap! All you
have to do is to have saved the oyster shells from a previous dinner.
Cooking Method:
Put cleaned shells on a baking tray and heat in a moderate oven. Mix
Worcestershire sauce and cream. When shells are hot, place two oysters on
each shell. Use tongs to handle the shells, as they get very hot. Add a
little of the cream mixture to each shell; sprinkle with pepper and salt.
Top the oysters with chopped bacon and fine breadcrumbs. Place baking tray
under a salamander and grill until bacon is crisp but not burnt and oysters
are warmed through.
Ingredients Serves 4
Oysters
48
Oyster shells
24
Worcestershire sauce
1 tspn
Cream
1 cup
Pepper and salt
Bacon rashers, chopped finely 250 gm
Breadcrumbs
