When the Dining Out team received an invitation from Sopin (Noi) Thappajug to come and sample the fare at her Diana Garden Resort, we remembered the days gone by when Noi’s resort and Green Bottle Pub were on Second Road. What would the Diana Resort be like now, so many years later? To find out, we immediately said yes.
The resort is on a back street, roughly parallel to North Pattaya Road. Easiest way to find it is to turn off Sukhumvit Road heading towards Naklua and then left into soi 32, cross one street and the resort is 50 meters on the left with plenty of parking in the grounds.
Once you are in the resort the staff will soon point you in the right direction and you are quickly led into a large air-conditioned sala, complete with wood paneling and views out to the lush gardens and swimming pool. Noi has a long history with Chiang Mai and you are reminded of this by the crossed ornamental kalae dotted around the gardens. Again, being a resort, Diana Garden has a shuttle bus service to the central Pattaya every two hours between 10 a.m. and 8 p.m.
We were looked after by Nualchan Phuphaisit, the act. GM, who never stops smiling.
We perused the menu, which is photographic. Well done Diana Gardens for remembering that not all guests speak English. The opening page is one of special prices on beers, so we took them up on their offer. Wine choices are a little light on, but Mont Clair at B. 800 a bottle represents a cheap tipple.
The rest of the menu is split between European food and Thai items and what I would call some “cross-over” cuisine. These are very different, such as the “burger” made from noodles.
As it is a resort, Asian and American breakfasts (B. 130-160) begin at 6 a.m. After breakfasts, appetizers are B. 95-150 with a shrimp cake at the top end. Soups are next B. 95-120 leading on to light meals B. 120-150 leading through to mains at B. 295 including Beef Stroganoff and fish and chips. There is also European food teamed with noodles.
Thai dishes (B. 95-150) includes the Thai burger which looks like a burger, but is actually Pad Thai. The vegetables all come from Noi’s nursery and are organically grown.
We began with a plate of salad rolls, which is very similar to a Vietnamese salad roll, with garden fresh sliced vegetables wrapped in rice paper. Crispy sunflower and sprouts was another amazing dish, crunchy and appetizing.
The next dish was fillet of sole with tartar sauce. Another very good item, with no bones at all. A simple fish and chips as well, was excellent and the chips were cooked correctly.
We finished with an Irish coffee, made at the table with the attendant drama, always fun.
Diana Garden Resort is offering its guests some very different items, and we became very enthusiastic over the cuisine as the evening continued. Restaurant food can become very boring and Diana Garden Resort food is definitely not boring. Some of the dishes I had never experienced before, and we can very strongly suggest you try something different, which will pep up your taste buds, as well as being healthy alternatives. An example of this is the crispy sunflower and sprouts. A crunchy delight. Try something new.
209/112 Moo 6, N Pattaya Rd (Soi 32 off Sukhumvit), open 7 days, hours 6 a.m. to 11 p.m., secure parking in the grounds, phone: 038 415 212 – 19.
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