In the western world, there is always something
magic about turning 21. Though no longer the age of majority in most countries,
it is still the important birthday when you receive the symbolic key of the
door. The Green Bottle, one of the longest running pubs in Pattaya has also
turned 21. Not a bad effort as when it was opened all that many years ago, as
those in the know said it wouldn’t last - it was too far out of town! How
Pattaya has changed. It is about right in the middle these days.
We went to the Green Bottle to see if it too has changed, and decided to make a
lunch visit to sample the “Super Special Lunch” which is on offer between 11
a.m. and 3 p.m.
While every business will tell you this is the low season and the entrepreneurs
are hurting, it has certainly meant that the citizens of Pattaya are enjoying
bargains in the hotel/hospitality industry such as they have never had before.
One of these is the Super Special Lunch which costs only B. 119.
A little about the Green Bottle Pub itself. Located adjoining the Diana Inn, it
is owned by the Diana Group and has to conform to the Diana Group standards,
overseen by its MD, the energetic Sopin Thappajug.
When you step inside, the lighting is subdued but the welcome is warm. Dark wood
abounds with the usual pub memorabilia in nooks and crannies. Very comfortable
upholstered seat bottoms are also welcoming and invite you to stay! There is an
L shaped bar in the center of the area and a pool table at one end and a raised
dais for the band at the other end.
The special lunch menu is varied and has both Thai and western items. The
western list covers pepper steak, fillet mignon, fillet steak, mixed BBQ,
Hawaiian pork chop, chicken breast and fish and chips, and includes unlimited
mixed salad and coffee.
The a la carte dinner menu is extensive and is in English, Thai and Russian. For
those who only want a light snack, the sandwiches are generally around B. 85,
and you can even get a hamburger at that price. Main courses (and there are
pages of them) are usually B. 270 and below, though the T-Bone steak naturally
has a premium and is the most expensive at B. 435. Seafood dishes are also
around B. 270.
As it was lunchtime when we wandered in, and rather than trying the a la carte
menu, we decided to stick with the Super Special B. 119 deal to see just what
you would get for that kind of money.
Madame went Thai and the sliced chicken was her order. My lunch partner was
particularly impressed with the sliced chicken with red curry (jungle) soup. Hot
and spicy and a large serving. “There’s enough for two people here,” was the
expressed opinion.
I had ordered the fillet mignon, which arrived very quickly as per my order of
medium-rare. The chips were correctly fried and the mushroom sauce was
excellent. The value was certainly there, particularly when you factor in the
fact that the B. 119 special included unlimited mixed salad and coffee. The B.
119 price has also been the lunchtime offer for over a year, so again, the Green
Bottle Pub is doing its best to contain inflation. Now it is you who reaps the
benefits.
The Green Bottle has certainly endured. It remains a pleasant place to drop
into, a pub with music and very acceptable food. And after 21 years it is not
“too far out of town”; quite the opposite, it is in the center of town! And by
the way, on the 21st of each month the Green Bottle is running an anniversary
day 15 percent off food in the a la carte menu. More bargains!
The Green Bottle, 216/6-20, between Sois 11 and 12, Second Road, Pattaya City,
(lunch specials from 11 a.m. until 3 p.m. and live music from 6.45 p.m.)
telephone 038 429 675, email dianagrp@ loxinfo.co.th. Limited secure parking
behind the restaurant (off Soi Diana), otherwise street-side parking, or in the
Mike’s Shopping Center underground car park.
Spicy Potatoes
I had a wonderfully spicy garlic dip at the dusit D2
baraquda the other day, and then came across this recipe for spicy potatoes.
This is something to ‘spice up’ European dishes, adding a little extra
flavor to the main dish. While you can make spicy chips, they are
deep-fried. These are not, and have more flavor than chips dusted with
spice. Preparation should only take around 15-20 minutes and cooking another
15 minutes, so fits in very well with cooking European steak dishes.
|
Cooking Method
Wash and peel the potatoes and cut into chip size.
In a heavy pan heat the oil over medium heat and add peppercorns and
cumin, then garlic until it is slightly browned. Remove from the
heat and add chilli powder and turmeric.
Now add the potatoes and return the pan to medium heat. Sprinkle the
salt over the potatoes, stir and mix and then cover and cook for 3-4
minutes. Stir again and continue cooking until the potatoes are
browned.
Serve with the main dish. Great with steak and blue cheese. |
Ingredients Serves 4-6
Potatoes 500 gm
Vegetable oil 3 tbspns
Green peppercorns ½ tspn
Cumin seeds ½ tspn
Garlic, crushed 4 cloves
Chilli powder ¼ tspn
Ground Turmeric ½ tspn
Salt
1 tspn
