by Miss Terry Diner
The Little Hill Restaurant in the Little Hill Resort
(out near the Pattaya Land and House development) was last visited by the
Dining Out Team almost three years ago - which shows just how many
restaurants there are in Pattaya! In the interim, there has been a
re-shuffle in the managership and the old team of Hans and “Dickie”
Frei have returned with the avowed aim of bringing the restaurant back to
the standard it had before they relinquished their previous control.
The
venue itself is spectacular, being a covered area overlooking gardens and
bush plants around the free-form swimming pool. It is open on the pool
side, with the natural ventilation being augmented by overhead fans. The
table settings are cane and padded, and very comfortable. It is the kind
of place where you do not mind spending some time. White linen tablecloths
are set off with green throw-overs and white place mats. The tables have
orchids sprays and good quality glassware.
The menu is large, both physically and in number of
dishes on offer. Since the restaurant also serves the resort, it opens
early and the menu begins with breakfasts, Continental at 105 baht or the
American at 170 baht. It is also possible to order a la carte items (B.
40-90).
Next
up are 6 house specialties (B. 285-490) including a classical Swiss cheese
fondue and a raclette served with side items and salad. These are followed
by appetizers, both cold and warm (B. 130-185). Amongst these are a
tartare steak, a beef carpaccio, and a fried sea scallops in a butter
balsamic sauce.
The salads are next, with 3 types (B. 60-75) and then 8
soups (B. 85-110) including French onion and a lobster cream. Next page
has 7 pasta dishes (B. 125-160) and then 4 choices of fish and crustaceans
(B. 280-380) with a parrotfish in white wine sauce looking very inviting.
6 charcoal grill items are next (around B. 400 with a Chateaubriand for
two at B. 700).
Meat and poultry is the next category (I told you it
was an extensive menu) with the majority under B. 300 and includes pork,
beef, chicken and duck. Following these there is a small children’s menu
(B. 55-85) as the restaurant is very suited to family dining.
There
are also two pages of Thai favourites (generally around B. 100) - in
English and in Thai script, then 15 desserts and finally tea, coffee and
Ovaltine for those who want to sleep well!
Madame chose a “Rose of smoked Norwegian salmon” as
the starter, while I chose a consomm้ with egg yolk and sherry. The
salmon came with dishes of capers, onion and horseradish sauce and was
most enjoyable (and decorative), while my soup was most interesting with
the sherry just imparting a little “sharpness” offset by the
mellowness of the egg yolk. I really did enjoy it!
For mains, Madame had decided on sliced pork, Zurich
style with Rosti potatoes. This came with a mushroom cream sauce and I did
sample it and this was another delicious dish, with the Rosti being
particularly good.
For myself I chose the flamb้ beef tenderloin
prepared at the table. I must admit that I love “theatre” with the
meal and our young waiter certainly provided the goods with much
flamboyant flaming! The beef was grain fed from America, “Dickie”
assured me and it was very tender - and cooked exactly to my order. Thank
you, Little Hill.
By the way, we had a very good red wine with the mains,
a 1994 Morgon from the Beaujolais region, and Hans said he still has a few
bottles left.
The Little Hill is a fair step the other side of
Sukhumvit, but the standard of the food and the ambience makes it a very
pleasant alternative to our better city restaurants. If you are thinking
of “dining out” rather than just “having a meal”, then we can
highly recommend the Little Hill. You will not be disappointed.
Little Hill Restaurant (within the Little Hill Resort,
get there via Soi Nern Plabwaan, right at Phattanakarn Rd and follow the
signs), M 13, Nongprue, telephone 038 734 484.
