Table setting.
It is hard to believe that the Casa Pascal restaurant is
now 11 years old, especially when I can personally remember the opening.
However, 11 years it is, at the same location next to Ruen Thai in the soi
opposite the Dicey Reilly’s Pub in front of the Pattaya Marriott Resort and
Spa.
In those 11 years, subtle improvements have been made,
with the latest being the al fresco dining area outside, but the pleasant
up-market ambience remains the same, the epitome of good taste, with large
tables, comfortable carver chairs, quality glassware and napery. It has that
difficult to describe feeling called “class”.
Cappuccino.
To celebrate the 11 years, Pascal and Kim put on a
special dinner menu, and Madame and I were fortunate to be invited. Ask
around the local gourmet groups and you will find that Pascal Schnyder is
almost universally known as the most creative chef in Pattaya.
The evening began with a small cocktail party, and
friendships were renewed, or new ones were made. It was good to see Fredi
Schaub (Bruno’s restaurant) there as well. An evening at Casa Pascal is
always ‘special’. Helping ensure that everything went smoothly was Pascal’s
wife Kim Schnyder, as she does every evening in the front of house, while
Pascal ensures the kitchen also runs smoothly!
True to his reputation, Pascal’s starter was a chicken
liver and port wine mousse on a mulled wine syrup with a fig and raisin
chutney. The digestive juices were soon circulating after those different
flavors and textures.
Ravioli.
Pascal followed up the starter with a cappuccino of Cepes
mushroom cream soup, smooth and this prepared the stomach for the next
course which was a prawn and pork ravioli on a spicy tomato salsa. A
completely different taste sensation.
At that stage it was time for a breather and a palate
refresher and the passion fruit and mint sherbet primed the taste buds for
the upcoming mains.
The choice of main courses included a citrus fruits and
coriander marinated swordfish fillet on green asparagus and red onion
marmalade with hazelnut potatoes, or lamb cutlets with roasted garlic gravy,
potato gratin and grilled Mediterranean vegetables. Madame had gone with the
fish, whilst I chose the lamb cutlets. We also sampled each other’s choice,
and the thick swordfish fillet was remarkable in its retained moistness and
the red onion marmalade did not overpower the fish. I really enjoyed it. My
two lamb cutlets were also juicy, and Madame enjoyed it as well as I did.
Two wonderful main dishes.
Main lamb chops.
Again a little breather was called for before the dessert
confection, emptying one’s wine glass (we were drinking an Italian San
Giovese red) and thinking about the road home.
After congratulations and goodbyes to Pascal and Kim, the
guests at the 11th anniversary left fully replete, and
undoubtedly all will be returning at some time in the future, and long
before the 12th anniversary. And if you haven’t
experienced the Casa Pascal restaurant, then you should. I guarantee you
will not be disappointed. Six years ago, I wrote, “The success of Casa
Pascal is only through Pascal and Kim’s attention to detail that this
restaurant has consistently performed so well in the competitive culinary
stakes. Make no mistake, Casa Pascal is very firmly in the Dining Out Team’s
top three, and has been so for many years, since it opened on March 17,
2001.” Highest recommendation possible.
Casa Pascal, 485/M10, Pattaya Second Road (small soi,
next to Ruen Thai and opposite the Marriott Hotel’s Dicey Reilly’s Pub)
Pattaya City, telephone for reservation 038 723 660, email info@
restaurant-pattaya.com. Secure parking. Breakfast and Lunch Buffet from 8
a.m. until 2 p.m. dinner 6 p.m. until late.
Main swordfish.
