by Miss Terry Diner
At times we forget that the Eastern Seaboard stretches a
long way past just Pattaya and Jomtien. This week, we headed East for a very
leisurely trip to Ban Chang, which took around 40 minutes via Sukhumvit
Road. At the first set of traffic lights as you enter the township of Ban
Chang, turn left and head up the street (AKA Ban Chang’s ‘strip’) until you
come to a row of new shop houses about 500 meters along on the left. The
Offshore Bar and Restaurant is well marked, and there is plenty of parking
outside.
This venue is actually the “new” Offshore, we were
advised by its Executive Chef Director Gunnar Jacobsen, and had been at this
new location for around nine months. The bar and restaurant is indeed very
well outfitted in a wood and brass nautical theme, complete with portholes
and a diver’s headgear, reflecting the fact that Gunnar is an old
Scandinavian seafarer. There is seating for the restaurant around one half
of the area, and then along one wall is a curved sit-up bar, with a pool
table in the far corner.
The venue is still being modified, with a beergarden under construction
outside (currently being watched over by a randy goose), and some
accommodation at the back to complement the other residential (holiday)
rooms upstairs.
We actually arrived mid-afternoon and spent an hour at the bar before doing
some Ban Chang sightseeing. The staff were courteous and left us to enjoy
our beer in peace. Such a pleasant change from many other Ban Chang bars!
Mention should also be made of the fact that there was an interesting range
of beers, some of which I have not seen in Pattaya, including San Mig Light
(which turns out to be 5 percent alcohol, but low in carbohydrates).
When we returned, the Offshore was much busier, with many
patrons intent on the Formula 1 on the large screen TV, and we could then
see why there were so many waitresses to cater for the brisk bar trade.
When we sat down at the wooden ‘rustic’ tables, a basket with all the usual
condiments and sauces and vinegar was brought for us, plus a large wooden
pepper mill (something we did not expect). The cutlery was serviceable, and
the female maitre d’ was very attentive and made sure that our orders were
taken correctly.
The menu is quite comprehensive and covers British, Scandinavian, Italian
(pizza, which came with a recommendation from others in the pub), American
(burgers) and Thai food. There is even a traditional English breakfast,
complete with black pudding!
We decided to try some of the appetizers before going into the main courses
and began with onion rings (B. 50) and “two bite” spare ribs (B. 90). The
onion rings were excellent, with a very pleasant batter, showing that the
chef was not re-using the cooking oil. It was an auspicious start.
For mains, Madame went for the imported sirloin steak (B. 350), which comes
with vegetables, and salad and bread and butter, while I decided the British
chicken and mushroom pie sounded interesting (B. 175), which came with peas
and chips, and would be a good example of ‘pub’ food.
After a starter, Madame found it difficult to make her way through the
sirloin with its attendant salad, but it was a valiant effort. For me, the
chicken and mushroom pie was as I expected, and the pie crust not overdone.
Desserts we passed on!
The overall impression we received from our visit to the Offshore Bar and
Restaurant was that this was a quality, clean venue, very suitable for
families, offering good standard pub food at reasonable prices. It is most
definitely not a ‘girly’ bar, even though there are a few of them further
down the road. It would also be a good watering hole for golfers who play at
Eastern Star.
The (new) Offshore Bar and Restaurant, 1/38-39 M1, Tambon Pala, Ban Chang,
telephone 038 601 025, fax 038 602 107, open seven days from 9 a.m. till
10.30 p.m. for the restaurant and until 1 a.m. for the bar.
