Many times, folk who enjoy good food will contact the Dining Out team with their suggestions. Nong Bistro on the ‘dark side’ is one of those recommendations, and we are very thankful for the tip off.
Nong Bistro is owned by Nong, a lady with a Belgian partner, and there is a decided European feel to the restaurant. The cuisine is also European (and Thai) and there are good reasons for that. The restaurant is also relatively new, having been open for 18 months only.
Nong Bistro is on Siam Country Club Road and coming from the Sukhumvit end you go past the large Wanasin markets and look for Doi 13 on your left. About 50 meters further on you will see Nong Bistro on your right. (If you get to the Hastin Kindergarten, you have gone too far!)
The restaurant takes up a double shophouse frontage (and Nong tells me they will be taking over another unit shortly). There are a few table settings outside, but the main part of the restaurant is inside and air-conditioned. There is a sit-up bar along one wall, plus a couple of refrigerators (one a dedicated red wine fridge).
One aspect that is immediately noticeable is the friendly welcome from the staff. (We went unannounced for our first visit and did not reveal our identity as the Dining Out team, so the welcome was genuine.)
We also met the chef, a delightful lady who worked at one of Pattaya’s top restaurants for nine years, which explained much about the standard of the food coming from her kitchen. We actually inspected her kitchen, and it was spotless. She obviously takes a pride in her work.
The menu covers both the European and Thai items, and there are photos to go with most items. This is something that too many restaurants do not do, forgetting that not everyone reads English or Thai.
Nong and her chef also pointed out that they only use quality ingredients, with many items imported, such as steaks from Australia, lamb and mussels from NZ and salmon from Norway. Many items are also baked on the premises, such as the bread rolls.
Appetizers are B. 90-250 with most around B. 120 including chicken and pork satays, Golden bag (prawn deep fried in a wonton wrapper) and oysters Kilpatrick. Salads are B. 80-150, soups B. 110-150.
The mains are led off by steaks, ranging between B. 350 (Nong Bistro steak with whiskey and garlic sauce) through a 200 gm rib eye (B. 580) with the fully imported 500 gm T-bone at the top end at B. 1,200. There is a Dutch style beef stew on offer at B. 280.
Pork is B. 280 for pork chops and up to B. 380 for a stuffed tenderloin with bacon and cheese in a creamy brandy sauce. Lamb is up next B.480-550 with the very popular slow cooked lamb shank B. 480.
Chicken dishes are B. 320-380.
The mains are accompanied by fresh salad or vegetables and a choice of potatoes from French fries, croquettes, sautéed or mashed and a choice from seven sauces. There is also a seafood section B. 260 (Dory Fillet) through to B. 550 (snow fish in a butter lemon sauce).
If that is not enough there are some pasta items B. 220-230, with the ravioli made on the premises.
For the review, Madame and I shared a plate of very plump NZ mussels grilled with cream cheese as a starter, with Madame then going into the Thai menu and selecting a tom yum goong, which she said was excellent.
I chose the Steak Nong Bistro which has 150 gm of thin beef fillets with whiskey and garlic sauce. This was superb, and I enjoyed every last drop of the sauce. Incidentally, I chose the croquettes which went very well with this dish.
This restaurant is definitely worth visiting. Highly recommended.
Nong Bistro, 99/6-7, Sirisa Building, Soi Siam Country Club, Moo 6 (about 50 meters past Soi 13 and on your right and before Hastin Kindergarten), email: [email protected], telephone: 038 115 701, mobile: 082 131 3411. Open six days (closed Mondays), 1 p.m. till 11 p.m. Plenty of parking in front of the restaurant.
