A new restaurant has opened in Pattaya promising European cuisine and atmosphere. This is Legende, run by Oksana, a charming Estonian lady in the front of the house, and Leo, a Swiss/Thai chef in the kitchen. After one evening in Legende, we felt Oksana and Leo have definitely combined to offer Pattaya’s gourmets something different. Lamb with couscous, for example, but there are many more.
Legende also displays one of Pattaya’s amusing little foibles, being on the corner of a Thappraya Soi with no number! Somewhere between Soi 7 and Soi 9 but it isn’t Soi 8 as that is the other side of the road. For now, let’s call it Soi Seven and a Half; however, when coming up Thappraya Road, Legend is on your left after Soi 7, and as they say in the classics, “Seek and You Will Find”.
Entering the restaurant you are presented with a wonderland of Euro-style décor. Large tables, chairs or pouffes to sit upon and some amazing wall art. The kitchen is behind the far wall and glass features along another two walls. Outside is another al fresco dining area, which on the evening we arrived, very quickly filled up. Serving the tables are some very pleasant service staff in grey uniforms and green aprons.
Beverages has beers B. 90-220 and house prosecco B. 190 per glass. Champagne is offered from the prosecco range all the way to Moet et Chandon for a good blow out at B. 5800. The House wines are from the Santa Helena Chilean label and begin at B. 750 and are eminently quaffable.
The next indicator that Legende is something special comes with the menus, leather-bound and substantial. Not present were the usual number of “starters, mains, desserts” but some very different items under headings such as Warm Palate, Morning Set (B. 220-370), or Tea Menu for example.
Coming from Leo’s kitchen were such items as goat cheese salad (B. 280) with lettuce, nuts and red vinegar dressing, and several others including Caesar salad with chicken, shrimp or salmon (B. 220-270).
Soft Beginnings has a chicken liver terrine (B. 165) and Let’s Go Essentials has a risotto packed with chicken and mushrooms (B. 290). The cauliflower soup B. 160) was very smooth, but I requested some ground black pepper to give it more zing for me. The Scandinavian salmon soup with cream and vegetables (B. 190) looked very interesting.
Taking a more plebian approach, there were several “burgers” with the Moroccan burger with fries (B. 330) attracting me, and turning out to be a wonderful collection of tastes wrapped up in a crispy bun around a lamb patty, eggplant caviar, arugula and mozzarella and sun-dried tomato plus some fries on the side as well.
Another interesting combination was avocado and crab (B. 250) in the Warm Your Palate section.
Other “Essentials” included a garlicky shrimp in olive oil and parsley (B. 220) and that looked very ‘essential’ to our team. The risotto was superb, generally not one of my favorites, but I was so glad I tried it.
Legende is a very welcome addition to Pattaya’s better restaurants. The décor from Erawan Deco (so outstanding I had to mention them) and Oksana’s professional training as a Maître d’ at front of house and international chef Leo in the kitchen all combine to give the readers a very pleasant dining experience. Will it become a legend? Only time (and you) will decide that, but the Dining Out Team is giving Legende a highly recommended rating. Do try.
Legende, 162/203-204 Thappraya Road, tel 098 3060 444, on street parking, open 9 a.m. until 11 p.m., open six days (closed Mondays).
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