by Miss Terry Diner
The Captains Corner on Thappraya Road has been around
for a few years and has become very well established as one of the better
family dining restaurants in town. It had also been some years since the
Dining Out Team had formally visited the restaurant (even though it has
been an often visited personal favourite of Miss Terry’s for some time).
Since the first official visit, the restaurant area has also expanded. Ib
and Kannikar Ottesen have now added poolside dining to their familiar BBQ
garden to make it even more of a family venue.
The restaurant is in two sections. The outside garden
setting which is under cover, or around the pool, however, since on the
night we reviewed the restaurant rain was threatening, we dined under
cover. In the evenings the diners are also entertained by George Sinatra
(no relative!) who plays and sings in the garden area. The staff are all
dressed in “nautical” uniforms, and it would be hard to find happier
and more attentive service people anywhere. The atmosphere is pleasant and
relaxed.
The
bulk of the diners do go for the Grand Texan BBQ, an all you can eat deal
for 295 baht (kids under 12 eat for 175 baht) or you can also eat a la
carte and there is a large menu to choose from. The menu includes the wine
list with a good selection of wines from both France and the New World,
with most bottles under 1000 baht.
We decided to go for the BBQ and the concept is very
simple. Along the far side of the garden area are the makings of your BBQ.
You choose a plate, which has a number tag. Put the tag in your pocket to
display on your table, fill the plate with the items you want for your BBQ
dinner, the staff take your plate and it is delivered to your table when
your choice is cooked.
Taking the BBQ first, there are steaks, fish, prawns,
squid, BBQ skewers, pork chops, pork tenderloin, chicken drumsticks, spare
ribs, home made sausages, sausages wrapped in bacon, hamburgers, maize
corn and baked potatoes. Having made your selection then go back to the
salad bar which has seasonal vegetables, freshly baked bread with butter
and garlic bread. There is also your choice of salad dressing with 1000
Island and Vinaigrette for example.
We decided to try the House Wine (95 baht by the
glass), and this comes from the Australian Kaiser Stuhl Winery and it is
eminently drinkable. While waiting for the BBQ items we nibbled on our
salads, with Madame even going up for seconds!
In
my opinion, one of the biggest problems with BBQ’s and steak is getting
the correct cooking instructions through to the chef. We had no problems
here with the very pleasant young staff members being totally bilingual,
and understanding the meaning of rare, medium and well done! I had chosen
a steak plus a pork medallion and the meat arrived exactly as ordered.
Madame also said that her choice of BBQ items were also done correctly.
After letting the BBQ settle we decided on a coffee.
They have some very imaginative after-dinner coffees - try these: 1st
Mate’s (Pernod and Cointreau), Boatswain’s (Thai whiskey and Kahlua)
or Captain’s (Tequila and Brandy) as well as the more usual Irish
coffees. Being a little partial to Pernod I went for the 1st Mate’s
variety and the aromatic blend takes your breath away! Fabulous! And if
you want something really special to end the evening, try the Black
Vodkas. These are an Ib Ottesen special item, and if you enjoy liquorice
these will really blow you away!
We judged the Captain’s Corner to have great food and
to be excellent value. It is a place you can safely take the whole family,
or visitors from overseas. You will not be disappointed. Very highly
recommended.
By the way, if you are a visitor, they have a minibus
service to pick you up from any hotel in the Pattaya-Jomtien area and drop
you back later.
The Captain’s Corner, 146/107 Thappraya Road, South
Pattaya, telephone 038 364 314.
