I have never found it difficult to break 100 playing golf. I have, however, found that breaking 100 on the back nine was definitely more difficult! So what was I doing in a golf bar?
We had been invited by Colin Davis to come and review his restaurant Ferdinand Golf Bar which opened up three months ago in Soi Buakaow after previously being involved with Lewiinski’s in South Pattaya for some years. “It’s Fine Dining at Buakaow prices,” said Colin. With that boast it was necessary that we go along and see what we thought!
It is not too difficult to find, being 150 meters from Pattaya Tai which gets you just past the markets coming from Pattaya Tai, and there is ample parking in the markets for B. 30, rather than trust to luck in Buakaow itself. The Marin apartments opposite Ferdinand’s also offers parking at a similar price.
Inside the restaurant it is very clean, with faux sandstone brick lining the walls. There is a sit-up bar along one side, run by a smiling young lady called Yim (and very appropriate too)! Closest to the street frontage is one area where the golfers meet, discuss the next golf tournament, and exaggerate the length of their drive.
The menu is under the supervision of the cook, who also moved up from Lewiinski’s, and since it is a bar, look at the beer prices – local beers B. 65-70, but happy hours are from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. and beers are B. 55.
Breakfasts are catered for and are between B. 100-150. Appetizers are B. 95-150, with shrimp at the top end.
Salads are next in the range of B. 100-135, followed by soups B. 80-120. If a burger is more to your fancy, those are B. 120-170 depending upon additional ingredients.
Pasta is B. 180-210 and Pizza is B. 140 and you can add your own choice of extra toppings which are B. 50, B. 30 and B. 10.
The items change once you get into the choices of mains beginning with a pork chop at B. 260. Lamb chops are imported so there is a premium there at B. 510. Imported tenderloin steaks come as 200 gm for B. 450 or 250 gm at B. 550. Beef stew, a western staple is only B. 180. Fish steaks range between B. 250 and 395.
Thai dishes are generally around B. 120, so they are also inexpensive (“Buakaow prices,” says Colin).
Madame decided on Thai and ordered a chicken in basil (there is a choice of shrimp, chicken, pork, squid or beef) while I was attracted by the marinated braised beef in red wine sauce with sautéed shallots, bacon, garlic and mashed potato, which was B. 265, hardly over the top!
Madame said her chicken was fairly spicy, so for the non-Thai palates, go carefully! For me, my braised beef was simply excellent. The meat fell apart on the fork, and the presentation was top class, with a small “flower pot” made from thinly sliced carrot with a salad filling being a wonderful way of delivering the vegetables.
Discussing the lunch between ourselves afterwards, we did go along with Colin’s pride in the food from his kitchen. “Fine Dining” would be overstating the mark a tad, but make no mistake, the food was much better than you would expect in busy Soi Buakaow, and the prices were not higher than similar pub/restaurants in Buakaow.
If you are a golfer, then a trip to the Ferdinand Golf Bar will certainly get you on the greens, but even if not a golfer, Ferdinand’s represents good food and great value for your money. Well worth exploring the Pattaya Tai end of Soi Buakaow. I am sure you will not be disappointed.
Ferdinand Golf Bar, 111/178-179 Soi Buakaow, (100 meters from Pattaya Tai Road), South Pattaya, hours 8 a.m. to midnight, telephone Colin 089 826 0764, open seven days, on-street parking or in the adjacent market, web www.ferdinandgolfbar.com.
