Fatties
Diner is not hard to find, a brightly lit sea of red, white and blue, with a
mannequin outside dressed in a ‘fat suit’. This creation is so
‘wild’ that tourists stop just to have their photo taken with it!
Inside it is air-conditioned and is done in true
‘diner’ style, the kind of place in which Dagwood gets his coffee. Sit
up stools to the bar, with a few tables along the windows, both inside and
out. Placemats are colourful Union Jacks, while the American Stars and
Stripes are festooned around the ceiling. The rest of the decor is amazingly
United Kingdom of America, to amalgamate a couple of nations. There are
posters of 1950’s American motorcars and photographs of London busses, a
Statue of Liberty, American Pie posters, plus an inflatable shark and a
large blow-up spider! Perhaps eclectic would be a better description. The
background music will also get anyone over the age of 30 guessing the
artists - I picked Del Shannon (Runaway), plus the Everley Brothers and Boy
George and the Culture Club.
The
menu is an equally red, white and blue number, beginning with 20 ‘all
day’ breakfast items, ranging from Fatties Combo which commences with
cereal and then eggs, bacon, sausages, baked beans, potato hash, tomato,
toast, butter, jam and orange juice and tea or coffee for B. 150, plus other
permutations of the Combo, omelettes B. 90-95, a Bacon Butty at B. 80, or
even a fruit platter.
The rest of the menu is divided into Appetizers, Mains,
Salads, Jacket Potatoes, Sandwiches, Sides, Kids Club menu, Desserts and
Thai favourites. Nine Appetizers are around B. 120 and includes Stuffed
Potato skins and a prawn cocktail, followed by 14 Mains ranging from B. 100
for Chips and Beans, through to B. 295 for a mixed grill.
Five Mexican items (B. 175-240) include Enchiladas and
Fajitas are followed by six Burgers (B. 130-175). For those who enjoy their
salads, there is a choice of five, all around B. 160.
You are still only half way! There are Jacket Potatoes
with various fillings (B. 105-175), Sandwiches mostly under B. 100, and a
dedicated Kids Menu at B. 75. There’s desserts and a small Thai menu too,
plus three pages of drinks, cocktails, shakes and smoothies, with local
beers around B. 70-75 and English tea for B. 50.
While contemplating, we were brought cold towelettes and
sat marveling at the decor and the fat suit! It was difficult not to rush
outside and get someone to take your photo.
Madame chose a jacket potato which came hot - and large,
complete with salad. Her tuna and mayo was filling and flavoursome. I chose
the Butch Cassidy burger which came in a large flat soft roll with a
mountain of chips. Again a filling meal in itself.
During the meal we began playing with the various battery
powered ‘toys’ on the table, till we were all laughing so much we had to
stop. It’s that kind of place.
Fatties Diner is what it looks like - a fun diner for a
filling meal. It is clean and fresh and probably one of the more ideal
places for kids, with a suitably priced range of English kids’ favourites.
However, the funky decor and the fun toys will bring a smile to anyone, and
brings out the kid in us all. Well it certainly did for us and the people
sitting opposite the Dining Out Team.
We felt that Fatties Diner was a worthwhile addition to
the inexpensive end of the restaurants in Pattaya, and certainly a good
venue for a fun family meal out. Parking less than 50 metres away also
helps. Try it.
Fatties Diner, Tipp Plaza (Beach Road end), Pattaya,
telephone 01 141 0309 or 07 058 0029.
