by Miss Terry Diner
It has been some time since the Dining Out Team had
officially visited King Seafood on Walking Street and when Miss Terry was
joined by a visitor from Australia last week, the question was where to
take a visitor that would epitomise Pattaya? The “Fun City by the Sea”
is the catch-cry that is often used, so we decided we too should dine by
the sea.
King Seafood is built out over the water on the ocean
side of Walking Street. The sign outside advertises that the food is so
fresh it was still swimming, and indeed, as you go inside there are some
very large tanks with several fish dinners still going round and round in
circles.
The restaurant area has gentle sea breezes,
“garden” style table settings, brightly clad service staff in white
aprons (who can speak English), a great atmosphere and a menu large enough
to give any visitors more than just a taste of Thai cuisine. The menu is
truly enormous, both in physical size and number of items - 185 in all,
with each dish described in Thai, English, German, French and Russian.
There are 19 appetisers ranging in price from 60 baht
to 180 baht. Even these are international, with sashimi, deep fried crab
legs, Japanese crabmeat rolls and tod mun pla in addition to the more
usual seafood and prawn cocktails and oysters.
The next group is Seafood Combinations, with the
individual sizes (and prices) being clearly marked. These ranged from 420
(medium) to 750 baht (large).
The next groups are based on market price by weight and
include the king lobsters, rock lobsters, tiger prawns, sea prawns and
river prawns. These can be cooked in many different ways, fried, baked,
steamed, saut้ed - use your imagination, the choice is there.
From there, it is into the clams, cockles, mussels and
scallops. The medium and large plates range around 120-160 baht. The next
sections are again market price - crabs (many varieties), snapper and
other different fish.
By this stage you are half way through the menu and in
need of a drink to get through to the end! The wine selection at King
Seafood can be mentioned at this point. Probably one of the better cellars
in Pattaya and we decided on the house white wine, which I can easily
recommend if you like a dry white and one that complements seafood in
particular.
The Thai menu is next with clearly marked small -
medium pricing. These were generally around 80-120 baht. Almost at the end
(gasp) there are the rice varieties (14 in all) and finally soups and
steaks around 200 - 300 baht.
One excellent feature of this restaurant is that the
kitchen is on display and hygiene standards are very high.
We began with king prawn in garlic and pepper with
steamed rice; followed by pad pak ruam (stir fried vegetables), some
steamed mussels and then a grouper with chilli sauce. The food came out
quickly and was accompanied by small dishes of chilli fish sauce (nam pla
prik), tartar sauce and a sweet dipping sauce.
My favourite was the garlic and pepper dish, the prawns
being large, extremely succulent and not at all rubbery. Top marks for the
chef for that one. The grouper was the favourite for Madame and I must
admit it was a toss-up between them. The chilli just permeated the flesh
of the fish. Mention should also be made of the mussels - again they were
soft and not overdone. In a busy kitchen such as at King Seafood, the
chefs still are on the ball.
We finished with crepes suzette made and flamed at the
table, complete with bell ringing and fire. A great end to the evening. My
guest was impressed and so was I. The Dining Out team can easily give a
very high recommendation for this restaurant, and as a place to take
visitors it is a most impressive venue. Of course, with the threats to the
water side of Walking Street, perhaps you should go quickly!
King Sea-Food, 94 M 10, Beach Road (Walking Street),
South Pattaya, telephone 038 429 459.
