Dining Out: Hard Rock Cafe - more than just a meal, it’s an experience

by Miss Terry Diner

The newest, and most talked about, kid on the block is the Hard Rock Cafe on Beach Road. At the opening on the 15th of October, it gave all the appearances of a slick, professional venue, so it was decided to give them a couple of weeks to settle in and the Dining Out Team descended.

The parking attendant ushered us into a spot right outside and we were met at the door by the bouncing effervescent staff. We were immediately whizzed to a table and met up with PR lady SuSu who was our hostess for the evening.

A brief description of the venue is in order, as this is no ordinary cafe or restaurant. Along one wall is the glassed in kitchen, all stainless steel and full of white outfitted kitchen staff (there seemed to be about 14 on a quick head count). Along the next wall is the stage with its theatre lighting, complete with faux stained glass panels featuring Chuck Berry, Elvis Presley and Jerry Lee Lewis. Along the opposite wall there is a full length cocktail bar, complete with bar stools, while in the far corner there is the Hard Rock shop, with Hard Rock branded items for sale. On the remaining walls there are TV monitors showing rock music clips (including Carole King singing “Hard Rock Cafe”) and encased rock memorabilia. In the middle there are the tables, covered with cheerful blue and white check tablecloths, complete with padded seats for the diners. To say the ambience is “busy” is putting it mildly.

The menu is a large glossy fold-out item and obviously of sentimental value (Miss Terry had to swear binding oaths to return it the next day after taking it home to complete the review). It begins with 12 starters from 80 baht for a chicken noodle soup through to 340 baht for a jumbo combo, to share with others, made up of spring rolls, chicken wings, onion rings, potato skins and Tupelo chicken.

Next up are salads (B. 150-220) and then the burgers (B. 230-310) 1/3rd pounders, served with fries, lettuce, tomato, onion and pickle. Sandwiches, which appear enormous, come for around B. 250 and they are followed by Smokehouse Specialties (B. 280-380) with ribs and chicken dishes accompanied by coleslaw, beans and fries. A mixed bag follows with steaks (B. 650-730), fajitas (B. 430), then some chicken dishes and pastas (around B. 250). The menu finishes with desserts (around B. 160) and some beverages, including ones where you end up with the Hard Rock glass as a souvenir. The prices are also ++, by the way.

We chose the house white wine to go with our meals (B. 160) which was an excellent Highcliff Australian Chardonnay. Madame went for the oven roasted 1/4 chicken, while Miss Terry, who was feeling peckish, went for the hickory chicken ‘n ribs combo. Madame said hers was very tasty, while I was more than satisfied with my choice, a very large plateful indeed, and the smoked hickory BBQ sauce was very “more-ish”. For both of us, the main course was of such proportions that we were unable to sample the desserts offered by the very attentive staff.

After dinner we stayed (the very nice Chardonnay helped!), and sat and listened to the band “Energize” - a most energetic group with a very vivacious young lady out front. Our feeling from the night was that the Hard Rock Cafe is much more than just an eatery, being a music venue and nightclub as well. The total package is a good one, the food in large quantities and of a high standard, the entertainment excellent, and the service first class making for a great fun, but not inexpensive, night. If you like rock music or were a wild rocker in your youth, you should try Pattaya’s Hard Rock Cafe. It is an experience you should try at least once.

Hard Rock Cafe, 429 M9, Pattaya Beach Road, North Pattaya, 038 428 755, 7 days, all credit cards accepted.

One rule for some, another rule for others: No doubt most punters around town have noticed that the rigid 2:00 a.m. closing has once again become somewhat more elastic. However, could the relevant authorities charged with enforcing the closing hours of boozers and ogling dens please explain why Soi 2, 7 and 8 (as an example) are compelled to have lights out and music off by the witching hour of 2:00 a.m. yet the Best Friend Complex along Beach Road continues to operate with lights ablaze and music blaring well after 2:30 a.m.? Why should a clutch of beer boozers be permitted to corner the after-2:00 a.m. drinking market while others are compelled to call ‘time please’? Surely it should be one law for all, not just for some.

My e-mail address is: [email protected]