Finally! Something different! Instead of Bistro and Bar, Laong comes up with Bistro and Boutique. The name conjured up our interest, so the Dining Out team descended into Jomtien to review this new restaurant.
We were met by a sophisticated young woman who introduced herself as “Laong”, which incidentally is pronounced “Lah-ong” and she is a very proud Thai who had worked previously in the fashion business in Bangkok.
A classy sign for a classy restaurant.
The restaurant has been going only for 10 weeks and simply oozes “class”. It is on Jomtien Second Road between sois 11 and 9 and just before a 7-Eleven (though using 7-Elevens as a marker these days is fraught with mix-ups!).
The restaurant has a glass frontage and has high ceilings with off-white walls. On one side is a glassed in boutique, while on the opposite side are some large Chesterfield style chairs and sofas for sitting and chatting after dinner.
We claimed the Chesterfields while perusing the menu, which in itself is another classy number, complete with photographs, another of the important items in today’s multicultural Pattaya as not everyone can read English.
The wine list is not extensive, but has representatives from Australia, France, Chile and Italy. A glass of Australian house white is B. 125 and by the bottle generally in the B. 1625-1845 range, though a premium wine such as a Chateau Neuf du Pape was B. 4410. I drank the house white with dinner and it was a very pleasant and quaffable wine from Australia.
The menu begins with breakfasts with the full English with the works B. 245 and a “rustic” omelet at B. 235. Waffles are B. 145-199.
The restaurant slips into ‘afternoon’ mode at 12.30 with burgers at B. 365 and sandwiches B. 199-295.
Tapas and snacks are next including avocado fries with salsa, lemon mayo and cocktail sauce. Spicy lamb samosas are B. 255 and a steak and ale pie is B. 215.
The restaurant refreshes the table settings at the end of the afternoon ready for what they call ‘Exquisite Evenings’ commencing with antipasti, mostly B. 255-299.
Meat dishes range from meat balls at B. 199 to 200 gm Wagyu at B. 1,495, while 250 gm of Black Angus rib eye is B. 985.
Seafood dishes range between B. 495-899 with tiger prawns at the top end.
Pastas are B. 235-325.
A light and airy ambience.
There is one section called “light meals” (B. 99-225), but the menu doesn’t end there. There is a set menu of three courses for B. 475 which includes a glass of wine. The current set menu has lamb samosas as the starter, pork saltimbocca as the main and pineapple flambé for dessert.
The set menu was very inviting for me, whilst Madame ordered the avocado fries and a Caesar salad with chicken lava, (like Kiev but served on a Kashmiri curry) for the main dish. Both of us were over the moon with the whole dining experience and we were left exceptionally impressed with Laong’s Bistro and Boutique. Not only the amazing ambience, but also the originality in some of the dishes. The deep-fried avocado slices with the salsa, lemon mayo and cocktail sauce was a real stand-out. The set menu on our week which at B. 475 included a glass of wine was superb value with the saltimbocca main course which had two large pork medallions.
A superb chicken lava.
We did not frequent the boutique side, but the mannequins on display were showing rather stunning fashions, in keeping with the rest of the restaurant.
This is a new restaurant in Pattaya and is set to shake the establishment. This restaurant comes in with our very high recommendation. Do try.
Laong’s Bistro and Boutique, 350/77 Moo 12, Jomtien 2nd Road (between Sois 9 and 11 on the left headed towards Thappraya Road), telephone 038 233 099, open six days (closed Tuesdays) from 9 a.m. up till 10 p.m., plenty of on-street parking.
The amazing avocado and sauces.
The saltimbocca in the set menu.
