When the Centara Grand Mirage Beach Resort (what a mouthful) invites the Dining Out Team for a “Roast Sunday” they knew that they were offering us a culinary mouthful! However, we did not know just how much of a mouthful!
I think most readers will know where the Centara Grand is situated in Naklua and to get there go down Soi 18 of the Pattaya-Naklua Road, to the bottom and turn right and you are running alongside the Centara Grand property. Very grand. Very large! Careful at the entrance on your left as it is almost hidden.
Pizza chef hard at work.
Now the “Roast Sunday”, which was to be the subject of the review, is held at the Coast Beach Club and Bistro, a beautiful casual restaurant overlooking the beach and the water sports area. However, it may be somewhat difficult to find, but here’s how. Starting in the lobby, take the steps down and keep following your nose, over the suspension bridge and down more steps until you reach the flat and the Coast Beach Club and Bistro is there on your right.
We met with David, the EAM F&B, who immediately had us in a good mood as he enthusiastically explained the concept of the Roast Sunday. Starting at 12.30 this is not meant to be brunch but a relaxed Sunday lunch going through till 4 p.m.
The Coast Beach Club and Bistro staff are decked out in casual style and have obviously been picked for their happy nature. You get so many wide smiles, you can easily forget the hassles of the week.
Lunch for us began with warm bread delivered in a paper bag. “This keeps the bread fresh,” said David and three different oils are presented to go with the bread. No butter, but they will get you some if you must have it.
Next is a whole roast chicken plopped on the table to keep you going until the meats arrive, and these include Provencal lamb leg, Gai yang style chicken, Suckling pig and presented Churrasco style on the skewers at your table.
The buffet stretches around the corner from the roasting station and includes many Thai rice dishes and a good selection of cheeses. Pizzas are also made on site and the pizza chef was kept very busy on our Sunday.
Succulent roasts.
Relaxed dining fits in well with the buffet/churrasco style of eating, and I must mention the house wine on our Sunday which was a Stonefish sauvignon blanc, and served at the correct temperature. With three and a half hours of gourmet dining one can easily line up more than once and turn into a gourmand instead.
EAM David emphasized that the concept is to engage the guests and the main target is to produce lunch with fun. This fits very well with my own feeling that food should be fun, not just sustenance.
Colorful capsicums.
We thoroughly enjoyed our lunch with one of our Junior tasters seen making several trips to the ice cream lady and the other reveling in the potatoes. With lamb being a personal favorite, the churrasco chap kept my plate from going empty while I chose my own vegetables and sides.
The Roast Sunday does what is intended, in keeping the diners happy with a good combination of food, service and location. The three options of Buffet only at B. 899, Buffet plus free-flow soft drinks at B. 1,000 and Buffet plus free-flow wines at B. 1,500 are most reasonable, especially looking at the high quality of the food. Children under 12 are also half price. This promotion is definitely worth a visit one Sunday. You will not be disappointed.
Other events during the week at the Coast bar include:
Mondays Martini
Tuesdays Tiki and Mussels
Wednesdays Crabfest
Thursdays BBQ
Fridays 100 flavors
Saturdays Prawnfest
Sundays Roasts
Coast Beach Club and Bistro, Centara Grand Mirage Beach Resort, 277 M5 Naklua, telephone 038 714 981, secure parking within the Resort’s grounds.
