Lex in Pattaya – 2018 (3)
La Baguette (Naklua)
This year I'm ironing for the 4 againe down in pattaya. More than 10 times I have already been to Thailand, but now for the 4e once a week alone in Pattaya. Not completely alone, because fortunately I know enough people here to fill the week. Since I'm only going for a week, I'm even more picky about how I spend my time. And because I consider myself a real gourmet - others call me a fussy eater - I want to enjoy all the goodies that Pattaya has to offer every day. Think of it as tips, where I want to emphasize that there are still plenty of dining options that I have not (yet) tried. And of course I will make a short report of the trip, with tips that readers may find useful.
Day 3 – FritKot
It's been very hot the last few days Pattaya and a hot day usually ends with rain in the late afternoon. Sometimes a few drops, but sometimes whole pools falling from the sky. Likewise today. I walked on Soi Buakhao, enjoying the beautiful weather I decide to take a massage and an hour later outside it comes pouring down. Thunder with big bangs and flashes of lightning and Soi Buakhao soon turns into a river.
The water of the side streets, in my case Soi Lengkee, is added to that and you start to wonder at what point the scooter riders will decide that it is getting too deep. Legs up with only the spout of the exhaust still above water, they tear past. It is waiting for accidents because the street is not the same everywhere and this cannot be seen through the water.
Waiting at the 7/11 on the corner of Soi Buakhao/Soi Lengkee where I was fortunately still dry, my eye falls on a FritKot across the street in Soi Lengkee. From a distance I see that they sell frikandellen. Then of course the question is always whether it is the 'real' frikandellen or counterfeit frikandellen from a creative person. Waited for almost an hour, then decided that the chance of keeping my Birkenstock slippers dry was lost and made the crossing up to my knees in water. Arriving at the FritKot Pattaya 'Belgian Fries & Snacks' it turns out that it is not inferior to a Dutch snack bar. They have fries, frikandellen, homemade meatballs and croquettes. Ordered the frikandel and it must have been imported, because it tastes the same as in the Netherlands.
Tip! FritKot
Ready for a tasty Dutch or Belgian snack? Go to the FritKot on the corner of Soi Buakhao/Soi Lengkee.
Day 4 – La Baguette (Naklua)
Croissants in Pattaya have them almost everywhere. From those small limp croissants that you can't take a real croissant yourself. Those of Casa Pascal come a little closer. But the croissants are in a class of their own from La Baguette, a 'French Bakery' just outside Pattaya Central, diagonally opposite Terminal 21. It's absolutely walkable, and I always try to do everything on foot in my holiday, but my slightly older friend still preferred the Baht bus. So the three of us, my boyfriend and his Thai girlfriend, headed to La Baguette. It is always exciting whether the Baht bus at Central Road (Pattaya Klang) turns to Beach Road or goes straight on. I still have no idea how I could know this, but even though it was exciting for a while when it seemed that the Baht bus was sorting left, it went straight ahead. To get to La Baguette, drive or walk all the way down Second Road until you reach a roundabout at the end. Then take the 4e exit (second to last, before N. Pattaya Rd.) as you enter the roundabout the Thai way (i.e. turn left into the roundabout) and walk onto Pattaya Naklua Road. Here you will find French Bakery La Baguette between Na Klua Soi 22 and Na Klua Soi 20.
Tip! La Baguette
Fancy a tasty croissant? Or maybe a delicious cake, waffle or something sweet? Then head to La Baguette in Naklua.
Tip! Terminal 21
On your way back, don't forget to visit Terminal 21, Pattaya's newest shopping mall. I've owned a shop in a mall myself, so have some experience in that area, but this mall trumps everything. An insanely beautiful mall with lots of shops, entertainment, themed levels with matching food and even entertainment for the kids. Be amazed!
Day 4 – Restaurant Klein Vlaanderen
At Loi Krathong I was advised by a Belgian to definitely visit restaurant Klein Vlaanderen. Got a map with a photo with the route on it, so it was easy to find. Restaurant Klein Vlaanderen is located in the side street of Soi Buakhao opposite Pattaya City Hospital. I believe that the Dutch Malee Pattaya is also located in the same street, although I could not discover a name (anymore) with this orange bar. Klein Vlaanderen is located at the end of the street on the right. Opened a year ago by the brother of the owner of Klein Vlaanderen on Second Road, which has been closed for years now. We have a nice piece of steak here (240 Baht for approx. 200 grams). Not a flat shoe sole like in Thai restaurants, but a real steak European style. Completed with tasty baked potatoes, fries and baguette. All in all a good meal for a reasonable price.
Day 4 – Late night snack
It strikes me that around 02.00:12 at night there is not much food left on the street. The normal chicken skewers, pork skewers and beef skewers are often gone, the kebab, actually only the Thai food remains. There are still plenty of eateries open at Soi LK Metro, but now to walk that whole stretch again… Fortunately, there is a hamburger joint on the corner of Soi 100 Pattaya Second Road where you can order a hamburger. I am very picky (read difficult eater) and like to eat a hamburger without cheese, sauce and lettuce, but with bacon and an egg. No problem here, and I don't think I paid XNUMX baht for a beef burger. Great to do, so recommended!
Hi Lex,
I like the nice stories you post here and you describe yourself as picky about food and your culinary pleasures.
But a question from my side, do you ever try real Thai food because you can also get fries from Piet, bitterballen or a barbeque skewer in an all u can eat restaurant in NL. (You don't have to fly 18 thousand km for it either)
I myself can especially enjoy the real Thai food.
Dear Mark,
I like the chicken with yellow curry and the beef with oyster sauce and garlic. But I mainly eat that in the Netherlands in Thai restaurants. In Thailand itself it is often too spicy for me. I am also a fussy eater. Potatoes, meat and vegetables are what I normally eat, otherwise nothing 'foreign' such as rice, pasta, noodles, etc. I mainly go to Thailand to rest well and to relax. I like walking, feel free to walk to Jomtien or Naklua, and just grab food along the way that comes my way (especially) meat.
Then go to the Salt and Pepper restaurant, which is near us.
Soi Kha Talo in Pattaya.
Just look it up on Google they have good food there.
What a shame if you spend a week in Thailand and then eat meatballs, croissants, steak with fries and spare ribs. There is so much delicious Thai food out there. If you do fly halfway across the world, at least let yourself be pampered with the local delicacies instead of those horrible frikadellen. You can do that the rest of the year. Yet the food takes up a large part of your story. Really a missed opportunity.
Opinions differ as much about taste as about politics.
One finds Thai food very rich, another thinks it is nothing.
Personally, I don't like Thai cuisine, but there are dishes that I love.
Nevertheless, I do eat a Thai snack on average once a day, just out of convenience.
“One finds Thai food very rich, another thinks it is nothing.”
Conscious or unconscious pun?…. Very rich
In my opinion, it represents exactly Thai cuisine. It also surprises me that in Thailand you choose steak, meatballs, fries, croissants. For me personally, the Thai cuisine is one of the reasons to fly those thousands of miles. Name, Som Tam, Pad Thai with extra Phrik nam pla, Tom Gha Kai, Morning Glory, Tod Man Pla, all curries especially Massaman etc etc. Those are exactly the things I travel to the Netherlands for to find the best restaurant what they increasingly lose from our own cooking skills (also in NL we have been trying to copy Thai cuisine at least 4 times a week for years).
But tastes differ, and there is no arguing with that. It's a good thing otherwise there wasn't such a choice of cuisines worldwide, and we probably all sat at the Big Mac every day. (Which I can't resist in NL every now and then)
That Bahtbus from 2nd road towards Dolphin…. we always watch what he does, does he go left again onto beach road, or turn right to Naklua…. immediately if it goes the wrong way. Almost all Baht buses say “Jomtien – Naklua” but many drivers do not adhere to that. If necessary, they dump the passengers somewhere to suddenly drive somewhere else with a few "Russians" who spontaneously rent the baht bus 🙂
Last week I also went to Terminal 21, impressively large with the Golden Bridge, Pisa tower, and Eiffel tower. But otherwise I thought it was just an out-of-power mix between the Bijenkorf and Hoog Cathareijne. Nice to see once.
Just ask the bathbus driver if he is going to Naklua, problem solved.
As for the food, there is no arguing about taste, I eat (almost) everything.
Why do you only eat Western food in Thailand? The food in Thailand is so delicious and you can eat frikandellen etc. in the Netherlands again. Enjoy the country and especially the delicious food!
You can enjoy the country without the Thai food. I've lived here for 10 years, and can't see pad thai anymore. I also never eat thai food, prefer european, indian and indonesian, in that order.
Tastes differ, there is nothing strange about it!!
I once found on the internet that you could buy prepared frikandellen, bitterballen, etc. in Thailand. I will not be surprised that this will be a Dutch-oriented company. Came from Chiang mai somewhere I thought.
But I will absolutely not eat in Thailand because of the delicious spicy Thai food, fish and not to forget all that delicious fruit.
Very occasionally I let myself be tempted and then eat “pizza” or, exceptionally, once at Mac. Usually I immediately regret it, I'm actually a whopper man, but you rarely come across it, just like in the Netherlands.
However, there are people who live by the saying: what the farmer does not know, does not eat
True, but nowadays there is also a Dutch person in pattaya who trades in snacks. I believe the company is called Joma snacks, and is also present during the football tournament in February in Jomtien with a snack stall.
If the "Thai food" is too spicy for you, just ask "Mai phet krap."