It
seems strange to describe the La Mer restaurant in the Montien Hotel as
being ‘new’ and ‘vibrant’ since it seems as if La Mer has been
around for ever, but if you have not been there for a while, be prepared for
a shock. La Mer has always been sort of ‘grandmotherly’ - warm, yet
refined in an ‘olde worlde’ way. That really has changed. But do not be
afraid, it is a pleasant one!
The Dining Out Team went there to experience the
Wednesday evening Mediterranean buffet dinner, being almost 12 months since
we had made our last ‘official’ visit. The first item that strikes you
is the carpet! The brighter colours underfoot just lift the venue, and the
splashes of yellow go well with promoting the Mediterranean concept.
Our
hostess for the evening was their bubbling PR lady, Pornpimon Geybui, who
made sure we were well looked after, but noting the attentiveness of the
waiters and waitresses at the other tables, we were not getting anything
other than the Montien’s usual excellent service. Mention should also be
made of the live background music supplied by the pianist and the singer,
who understood exactly what ‘background’ music really means. One could
converse normally, while still enjoying the music. Well done!
The tables are large, with comfortable chairs, but the
throw-overs on the tables are now various bright colours, as are the
napkins. This adds to the Mediterranean atmosphere. The service staff with
their long aprons also looked suitably European.
One difference between La Mer and most hotel restaurant
buffets is that the buffet stations are in the center, rather than around
the perimeter of the area. La Mer’s is also brightly lit, which again adds
to the bright atmosphere.
The actual items in the buffet have weekly changes, so
that repeat customers are not presented with the same choices. On our
Wednesday, there were 13 Antipasto including a deep fried sole with almonds
and raisins and Mozzarella with tomatoes.
In the food warmers were several pasta items and six
Mediterranean dishes including Italian style beef tenderloin in Chianti
sauce and a grilled Lemon-pepper snapper on creamed cilantro pesto.
There were many more items, including salads and pickles
and live cooking stations for pastas, Caesar salad, special grills and the
‘Signature’ dish of char-grilled duck.
We began with the roasted eggplant soup with garlic
croutons for Madame (which was excellent), while I managed to try several of
the antipasti with the poached chicken breast and the smoked fish being very
tasty. While Madame had the freshly prepared Caesar salad, I tried the
Tuscany vegetable soup with cannelloni and borletti beans and fresh parmesan
on hand to sprinkle on top. This soup alone would get me back to La Mer.
For mains, I went for the ‘Signature’ dish of the
duck kebab while Madame went for the pasta, being linguine noodles tossed
with butter, garlic, basil and salmon in a fresh cream sauce - smooth and
delightfully subtle tastes. My duck was superb, and the dish as brought to
the table looked exactly like the ‘show’ dish.
Miss Terry usually does not have dessert, but the hot
poppy seed waffles with maraschino flavoured fruits, cherry ice cream and
white wine ‘zabaglione’ was too much to pass by. Calories galore, but
beautiful!
There was no doubting the excellent standard of the food
on offer. The numerous choices were such that everyone could find items to
delight their palates, and the number of repeat diners, who made their
presence known to us, is a testament to the quality of the food and the
following enjoyed by the restaurant itself. At B. 450 ++ for adults and B.
250 ++ for children (it is in a hotel remember), it is one of the cheaper
top class buffets in town, but it is also one of the best. The Dining Out
Team has no hesitation in awarding the La Mer Mediterranean buffet a Highly
Recommended rating. Take the family.
La Mer Restaurant, Montien Hotel, Pattaya 2 Road, (50
metres after Pattaya Central Road intersection), North Pattaya, telephone
038 428 155, email pattaya@Mon tien.com
Secure parking within the hotel car parks.
