I was walking through the Northern Thai real estate office the other lunchtime, when I noticed one of the salesmen sitting there with a large tray of food and a large cup of soup. He also had a small container of bacon bits, something to which I am very partial. So I stole some. However, everything looked so good and wholesome I had to ask where he got it. It turned out it was Sizzler.
Now Sizzler has been around for a long time, and has won itself a good reputation for steaks, but it is probably not thought of as a place for takeaway lunches. I contacted John Heinecke who runs the Sizzlers throughout Thailand and said how impressed I was with his take-away soup and salad and he agreed that the salad-to-go offer is an exceptional deal at 80 baht, and confirmed that it is available all day and night at all Sizzler restaurants nationwide.
He also mentioned their B.169 meal which includes the salad bar and a choice of fried fish or the spicy BBQ grilled chopped pork steak, starting September 4. He felt that they were probably an even greater value as you get to enjoy the service, the restaurant, and as many visits back to the salad bar as you would like. That may be so, but there are many people, like me, who really don’t have the time for a sit-down meal at lunchtime and yet want something a little healthier than take-away burgers and chips.
The salad bar is quite extensive, and not restricted to just sliced onions and several different types of greens, but has asparagus spears, beetroot, pumpkin and cashews, Waldorf salad, bacon-lettuce-tomato salad, seafood salad, tuna Nicoise, a salsa and much more. The soup station also had hot cream of mushroom or an onion soup, plus ground pepper if you want it.
Having made my selections and placed them in the tray I returned to the cashier’s counter for the weighing in of my choices. Remember that the deal is up to 500 grams for B. 80. The young girl took my soup and salad choices and removed the soup before weighing the tray. I had thought that the soup would have been part of the 500 grams, but no. She looked worried, “Mister, only 370 gram. Can take another 130 gram.” So with my tray returned, I hit the salad bar once again. The chicken salad was revisited, and the asparagus with the blue cheese dressing. And some more blue cheese dressing, and then another dollop to make sure. And while I was up, some more bacon bits as they don’t weigh much and another heavy sprinkling of cheese.
I returned for weighing in. This time it was 450 gram, and I had to do quite some convincing of the Sizzler’s young lady that I didn’t want to go back again for another 50 grams. I know my lunchtime limits!
There were several reasons I decided to write up the lunch from Sizzlers. Firstly, the salad bar items were of a very high standard. Secondly, there were plenty of choices, and thirdly, the items were quality ones and very fresh. This was no cold cuts and half-dried salami, but well prepared items, such as the quail eggs and the chicken and cranberry, and of course, the blue cheese dressing. It is definitely a healthy alternative as a take-away and in addition great value, particularly when you will pay around B. 80 for a large cup of soup on its own at other fast food outlets. This soup and salad offer is probably the best bargain right now in Pattaya.
Sizzler advertises their salad-to-go price with one free cup of soup as starting at 80 baht per 500 grams and an additional 10 baht per 100 grams. It has to be a bargain anywhere. I have been back many times since, and I suggest you do too, if you are looking for an inexpensive but healthy lunch to go.
Sizzlers, Royal Garden Plaza and Central Festival Pattaya Beach. Open seven days 11 a.m. until 11 p.m. Secure parking in the shopping center car park areas.

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Shepherd’s Pie

This is another of those traditional recipes which will continue to be popular with children forever. You can add or subtract items, depending upon what you have in the larder at the time!

Ingredients                           Serves 4-6 Ground beef                              500gm Mushrooms, chopped                200 gm Onion chopped                          ½ cup Garlic finely minced                   2 large cloves Salt                                          1 tspn Ground black pepper to taste Worcestershire sauce                1 tbspn Beef stock                                ½ cup Cream                                      ½ cup Garden peas                             ½ cup Potatoes                                   500gm Cheddar cheese finely-shredded  2 cups Mayonnaise                               ¼ cup Milk                                           ½ cup Butter                                        2 tbspns

Cooking Method
Preheat oven to 375 F. Place ground beef, mushrooms, onion, garlic, salt, and pepper in a large heavy skillet. Sautee, breaking up beef, until the juices have almost evaporated. Stir in Worcestershire sauce, then cook for one minute, stirring often. Add beef stock, stirring to combine, then add cream. Simmer until gravy thickens. Pour into glass baking dish. Let cool slightly, then sprinkle green peas evenly on top of beef.
Boil potatoes in salted water until tender. Add 2 tablespoons of butter, and mash. Add enough of the milk to bring the mashed potatoes to a creamy consistency. Season well with salt and pepper. Spread evenly over beef layer then sprinkle Cheddar cheese on top.
Bake for about 45 minutes until cheese has melted and is slightly browned.