The Centara Grand Mirage Beach Resort is so enormous it can be daunting for some people. It really is OTT, but that should not stop you from making a reservation at one of their many restaurants. 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 a little hidden.
Having got there, this week the Dining Out Team descended on their Ginger and Lime restaurant, and ‘descended’ is the correct term. You start at the lobby level and then go down several flights of steps to the beach level. If unsure there are floor tiles with Ginger and Lime for you to follow, and if still unsure, just ask any of the staff who will be delighted to escort you there.
Mentioning staff, and Centara Grand seems to employ the happiest people. Quite honestly, they were delightful to be with. Well done Centara Grand!
When you get to Ginger and Lime, you have just discovered a restaurant that seats 282 with a combination of indoor and outdoor sections and two glassed in ‘private’ areas. Along two sides of the restaurant are live cooking stations with many chefs producing dishes a la minute – so there’s no soggy lettuce and cold seafood awaiting the diner, so it is not the usual style of buffet.
The way they have accomplished this is to have mini-clothes pegs with your table number which the chefs keep after you have made a selection. When cooked, your choice is brought directly from the cooking station to your seat.
As well as the very busy wok cooking stations there are also Teppanyaki stations as well.
I counted the different dishes on offer and gave up at 40. Be assured you will find something you like. The chefs are also showmen, with plenty of flamed dishes, as well as the usual banter from the Teppanyaki chefs.
As I counsel every time we review a buffet style dinner, walk round carefully and note what you might like beforehand. If you just tuck in, you will find something later you wished you had tried as well.
A wine which I find goes well with Asian dishes is the Stonefish Sauvignon Blanc and we drank a 2016 vintage. Everyone at our table enjoyed it.
We tried many dishes and we were not at all disappointed. Prawn crackers were very crispy and filled in the time while waiting for our next choices to be cooked.
The Teppanyaki station was very busy on our night, and with choices including shrimp, rock lobster, mussels, lamb, chicken and pork. Madame being very partial to the lamb chops, while I was greedy with the rock lobster.
For me, as I avoid chilli, there was plenty to choose from, with my favorite being the beef in oyster sauce.
It was a relaxed, fun evening. As I say, food should be fun and the Ginger and Lime restaurant filled the bill.
We certainly did enjoy Ginger and Lime, and with the staff all adding to the enjoyment, we give this restaurant a double thumbs up.
Ginger and Lime, Centara Grand Mirage Beach Resort, open seven days, hours 6 p.m. to 11 p.m., secure parking in the hotel grounds, telephone 038 714 981, email [email protected], B. 888++ (B. 1045 net).
