by Miss Terry Diner
Last week the Dining Out Team went to the Dusit Resort
for the Saturday BBQ buffet. A splendid meal in even more splendid
surroundings – but at B. 960 ++, it was not a cheap evening. This week we
decided to look at the other end of the scale, and see what was being
offered in Pattaya for under B. 200. The venue we chose was the Diana Inn,
with their daily buffet promising 99 items for B. 175 net.
The Diana Inn is another of those Pattaya institutions,
on the corner of Second Road and Soi Diana (yes, named after the inn) and
next to the Green Bottle Pub, almost opposite Mike Shopping Mall. Parking
can be a bit of a problem, so grab any space you can (or park in the
shopping mall).
The buffet is held each evening from 6 p.m. through to 10 p.m. in the
air-conditioned Diana Inn Coffee Shop, with the buffet extending right along
one all, and even flowing out towards the bar area with a live cooking
station, which on our evening was producing Pad Thai, cooked on the spot.
The
coffee shop has almost an ‘old world’ ambience, being non-threatening, and
comfortable. The tables are covered with material cloths, and the chairs are
padded. Cutlery is sturdy (no Uri Geller spoons here), and the staff is
plentiful and very helpful. It is also comforting to see two chefs, complete
with pleated tocques, frequently checking the buffet items. At 6.30 p.m. a
traditional khim player provided some authentic background music – let us
never forget, we are in Thailand!
The 99 items is somewhat of a misnomer. There are undoubtedly a grand total
of 99 ingredients in the many items in the buffet, but the total number of
actual dishes is obviously less that that, but I can assure you that nobody
could eat their way through everything. There is just too much on offer.
With that in mind, it is well worth your while walking the buffet line first
to get a handle on what you might like. For me, the northern nam prik ong
looked very inviting, but finally I began with the Hungarian goulash soup, a
meaty item and a good starter.
To go with our food, I decided on a draft beer (Heineken or Singha on tap),
though there are some very inexpensive wines, starting at B. 675 (French and
Chilean in the main) up to just over B. 1000.
After our starters, Madame and I decided we would share a Pad Thai from the
live cooking station; however, when it arrived at the table, we had a Pad
Thai each! Since the buffet is all you can eat, we did not complain too
loudly! The Pad Thai did have a nice bite to it, so was obviously done to a
traditional Thai recipe.
I then decided on some of the cold meat items, with another good range of
sauces, with potato salad and some crunchy water chestnuts. Following that I
ventured into the hot items, choosing a pepper steak and sautéed potato to
make for my third course of the evening. Again good quality.
Desserts? I had to pass, being too full!
At B. 175 net, there was no getting away from the fact that this was good
value. There are enough, in fact more than enough, choices to suit everyone.
Both hot and cold items, western or Thai, or even Northern Thai were on
offer. Considering that many of the buffet items change every day, this also
means that you can go more than once and not be faced with the same choices.
I spoke to one British couple who are regulars at the buffet who said that
their reasons for returning included the cleanliness and freshness of the
food, as well as the inexpensive nature of it all. The Dining Out team could
only agree. It is difficult to imagine such variety, for the price, in such
a clean environment. It is certainly a bargain buffet! Well worth trying.
Diana Inn, corner of Soi Diana and Pattaya Second Road (almost opposite Mike
Shopping Mall), telephone 038 429 675. Seven days, 6 p.m. until 10 p.m.
