There is a new face at Dicey Reilly’s, the Pub Manager Philip Spirig. An adventurous young Swiss, Philip came to Pattaya for a vacation while running the famous Kaufleuten Club in Zurich. He stayed at the Pattaya Marriott Resort and was interested in expanding his horizons, as he was finding Switzerland too small.
Two days after returning to Switzerland he was having a teleconference interview and three weeks later he was at the helm of Dicey Reilly’s, where he has made keeping the high standards his priority. Philip has already seen that in Pattaya, to survive as an ex-pat pub, you have to provide good ex-pat pub grub, at good ex-pat pub grub prices.
Philip Spirig.
While at Dicey Reilly’s, we also made a re-acquaintance with Aussie Dylan Counsel, back at the Marriott as the director of operations and then discussed the menu with another Aussie, Luis Zamora, the director of kitchen operations. Despite the antipodean flavor, there is, however, no kangaroo or emu on the menu, but plenty of the before-mentioned ‘pub grub’.
For those who have not dined at Dicey Reilly’s, it is on Second Road, just past the Royal Garden Plaza and the Marriott Resort, and underneath the Marriott’s Garden Cafe. It is set back slightly from the road, and the best parking is under the Royal Garden Plaza. Inside there is plenty of wood paneling, some Irish style murals on the walls, a central sit-up horseshoe bar with several large screen television sets and a kitchen behind glass along one side wall. Then there are many freestanding tables and chairs, some pool tables, darts and other pub games. The cutlery is of good standard and there are two grinders on the table, one with peppercorns and the other with rock salt.
On our night (a Tuesday) there were quite a few people, including two families, and Dicey Reilly’s does cater to children, with their own menu. On Thursdays and Fridays there is live music to entertain the throng.
The menu has wines and beers at the usual prices in the pubs around town, but with a greater range than most. Heineken draft is B. 95.
Food prices are again very reasonable and there are many choices, including, pizzas (B. 220-260), burgers (B. 230-280), ribs, pub style mains and a good Thai menu (B. 200). There is a blackboard menu with specials as well.
We both began with the French Onion soup (B. 150), and it was a good hearty version with the bread and cheese served as a side. We plopped ours in the soup in traditional French (onion) style. Served hot to the table, this was an excellent starter.
For mains, we had ordered a traditional (British/Irish) fish and chips (B. 300) and a gammon, egg and chips (B. 280), one of my favorite pub grub items. With Madame unable to come to Dicey Reilly’s that evening, famous magician Howard Posener joined me, and he certainly made the fish and chips disappear! No ‘Abracadabra’ needed! Howard commenting that this was one of the best he had ever tasted.
My gammon dish had two gammon steaks, two eggs, a thick slice of pineapple, baked beans and plenty of fries. This was good solid pub food, and I found the size of the portion very large. So large, in fact, that I was struggling towards the end. The only ‘downer’ was the usual rock-hard butter pats, which you cannot spread. I suggested that perhaps they could look at margarine, which you can spread, even direct from the fridge. And healthier, too.
So, did we enjoy the Dicey Reilly’s experience? Yes we did. Would we go again? Yes we will. With the friendly, and fun service staff and many beers on tap, and reasonable prices, it certainly makes it a good watering hole in the center of town.
Dicey Reilly’s Pub and Eatery (beneath the Marriott’s Garden Cafe and close to the Royal Garden Plaza), Second Road, Pattaya. Open seven days, 12 noon until 12 midnight. Secure parking in the Royal Garden Plaza car park (but remember to get your parking ticket validated before leaving the pub), otherwise some limited parking on the pub forecourt, telephone 038 411 771, email [email protected].
