by Miss Terry Diner
The Art Cafe had been open for only nine days
when the Dining Out Team called on Jo Stetten’s latest project last
week. And what a transformation this project has been, taking a run-down
old home close to the beach in Naklua and turning it into an art deco
artists haven - and including a Mediterranean restaurant as well!
The restaurant is easy to find. Turn left after the
temple into Soi 16 from the Pattaya-Naklua Road, heading towards Naklua.
Go right to the end of the soi to where it turns hard right and the
restaurant and its parking area is on the right.
The restaurant is housed on the ground floor of a
colonial styled house, set in a palm tree studded garden. The French doors
are opened up to allow a ‘natural’ garden style atmosphere to prevail,
while the interior is in a daubed yellow ochre colour, with many paintings
on the walls. At one end is a sit-up bar, while tables, chairs and easels
take up the rest of the space. Jo told me that he will be making the area
available to local artists to display their art and is in the throes of
making contact with the Art Department of the University of Bang Saen.
The whole area is very bright, from the coloured place
mats to the terracotta tiled floor and the myriad of lights. The cane
chairs (with cushions) and the very high quality cutlery, all add to the
happy mood.
The menu, like all newly opened restaurants, is a
preliminary one, but shows the strong Mediterranean influence that Jo is
striving for, with dishes ranging from Spain to Turkey. It commences with
10 entr้es ranging from soup of the day at 95 baht to scallops in
orange sauce at the top end of 250 baht. The ones in between are generally
around 150 baht and show the international origins, with, for example, a
Couscous and a Rillette of salmon. There is also an antipasti with an
assortment of the entr้es at 190 baht.
Next are three pastas (B. 180-230) and then four fish
choices (B. 220-290) including a saut้ed squid in a Spanish sauce as
well as the fish of the day. Fish are followed by the meat dishes which
range between B. 180 for the chicken breast with bay leaves and pepper
cream sauce to an imported T-bone steak at B. 620. All the meat dishes
come with vegetables and a choice of four potato styles. After that there
is a Thai favourites menu (around B. 120) and desserts.
To assist us with digestion, we tried both the house
white and red, both French and both eminently drinkable. We began by
sharing a plate of the antipasti, which gave us the chance of sampling a
few of the entr้es. For me the salmon mousse was superb, so much so
that I asked for another serving of it. Really ‘more-ish’.
For mains, Madame ordered the pan fried duck breast
with Balsamic vinegar, whilst I went for the Pastis flamed tiger prawns
with steamed potatoes and vegetables of the day. The tiger prawns were
huge and not overdone and the potatoes and vegetables not overcooked. Both
an excellent dish and not sparing in the quantity. Madame’s pan fried
duck breast was excellent, and was another full dinner plate, which she
enjoyed enormously, as did I in sampling a dish I would not normally have
chosen. Compliments to the chef for this one. We were too full for
desserts, but did manage to have another wine, brought to the table by the
very attentive service staff.
The Dining Out Team very much enjoyed the atmosphere of
the Art Cafe. It is a restaurant where one can savour the
surroundings as well as the food. The dishes were well prepared and well
presented and we felt that the Art Cafe deserves its place in the
Pattaya restaurant scene. It is well above the average and well worth a
visit to experience something just a “little different”. Highly
recommended.
The Art Café, 285/3 Moo 5, Soi 16, Pattaya Naklua Road, Naklua,
telephone 038 367 652, fax 038 367 653.
