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Café New Orleans
by Miss Terry Diner
It is axiomatic that good restaurants will survive,
whilst others not so good will fail. The food business can be ruthless.
Sorry, the food business is ruthless. Against that background, we returned
to review Café New Orleans, a restaurant that has been at its location in
Pattayaland 2 for many, many years (at least eight). This restaurant is
definitely a survivor.
Café New Orleans is on the corner of Pattayaland 2 and Pattayaland 3, that
bright, garish forest of neon and nubiles. It has been called Disneyland for
Adults, and undoubtedly it is another world, but a fun one! Parking can be
difficult in this popular area, but look for space behind the Wild West Boys
on the left close to the mouth of Pattayaland 2. Otherwise grab a spot on
Pattaya Second Road.
The restaurant was designed around the concept of a New Orleans
paddle-wheeler, and it certainly has a New Orleans ambience, complete with
quiet jazz music in the background. Long and narrow, it seats around 50, and
there is a bar area at the back, plus a set of stairs leading up to the next
floor which is used for private functions (you can have buffet or a la
carte) for up to 45 people. Service staff are outfitted in natty ‘waistcoat’
aprons, and you begin to smile before you even sit down.
The menu has continued to grow over the years but to stop boredom setting in
for the many regular customers, a large and comprehensive list of specials
is also included. These are very keenly priced, with most between B. 225 to
B. 395, though the imported Australian Angus beef or the New Zealand lamb
does naturally come with a price premium.
Of course the renowned baby back ribs are still in the regular menu, “No one
makes them like us,” was restaurant manager Maike’s proud boast. Half a slab
is B. 375 and a full slab (but you’d want a voracious appetite) is B. 495.
The regular menu covers 64 items and with a dozen specials, there is
something to suit everyone, be that Cajun popcorn (B. 195) or a Creole onion
soup (B. 175) or Surf and Turf (B. 595).
Hiding amongst the specials is their chocolate soufflé (B. 195) which is
made to order with freshly whipped cream, fresh mango and cherry marmalade.
This takes 45 minutes to produce, so order at the same time as you order
your starters and mains.
To go with our food we drank the house wine which was a Trivento
Shiraz-Malbec at B. 850 per bottle or B. 195 per glass. A smooth red which
could be drunk immediately on opening.
I began my New Orleans adventure with their Oysters Kilpatrick. I like
oysters, and their Kilpatrick just cannot be beaten. Not the ‘classical’
oyster in the shell with Worcester sauce and bacon, but multiple oysters
packed onto the shell with lashings of chopped bacon. I have this every time
I go to Café New Orleans, and how could I resist? It is superb. Even Madame
agreed on this one.
For mains, Madame had ordered the stuffed crab claws which came with its own
salad, which was excellent. Deep-fried and stuffed with shrimp and crabmeat,
each claw was a meal in itself. Very pleasant.
I had decided on the special of the day, called Fisherman’s Wharf (B. 495)
which was a beautifully presented dish with three thick fillets of
herb-crusted tuna along with a tomato that had been scooped out and then
filled with red and yellow capsicum and Enoki mushrooms plus a wonderful
mixed salad with sprinkled Parmesan. In a word - sublime!
Maike asked if we would care for dessert, but we were both much too full. We
finished our wines and plunged into the throbbing environment of Pattayaland
2. It had been a spectacular night to remember.
It came as no surprise to us that Café New Orleans has been a success story.
It remains a great fun restaurant, serving excellent food at very reasonable
prices. Do try it - you will not be disappointed. My guarantee.
Café New Orleans, Pattayaland 2, South Pattaya, telephone 038 710 805, open
seven days 3 p.m. until midnight.
Tuna Melt
I saw Sam Lehmann, the ex-executive chef from the Amari
at the children’s fair and remembered his tuna melt. This easy to make
recipe is an old family favorite that we all had as children. Our mothers
had their own little variations or improvisations, but the great advantage
of this recipe is that you can pre-make the main ingredients, whip them out
of the refrigerator and present this mouthwatering creation in a couple of
minutes.
Cooking Method:
Toast both sides of bread. Lay lettuce and tomato slices on bread.
Fluff the tuna salad mix evenly over the tomato slices. Cover with grated
cheese and melt under the grill. Serve with seasoned fries, coleslaw and
lemon wedges. Sprinkle with cajun seasoning and parsley.
Tuna Salad Mix
Combine in a mixing bowl 230 gm tuna fish with 1 tablespoon (40gm)
mayonnaise, 1 tablespoon each of sliced celery, sweet corn and chopped
onion, a sprinkle of cracked black pepper and a pinch of salt. Mix well,
cover and refrigerate. Tuna salad mix should not be too wet.
Grated Cheese
Cheddar Colby 100gm
Mozzarella 50gm
Ingredients
Serves 2
Rye bread, 2 cm slices
1 piece
Tomato sliced
100 gm
Tuna salad mix
250 gm
Grated cheese mix
100 gm
Lettuce
2 leaves
Lemon wedges (1/6th)
4
Parsley chopped
10 gm
Cajun seasoning
4 gm
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