Italian cuisine is regarded as the world’s most popular, and after spending an evening in the Pan Pan Ocean Marina branch, I have to agree. A sensational Dining Out review follows.
The name Pan Pan and Italian food has been well known in Pattaya since 1976. The first Pan Pan is at the bottom of Thappraya Road at the traffic lights, and there are two others, one in Central Festival and our choice of the Ocean Marina outlet at Km 157 on the left outbound Sukhumvit Road, after Mimosa and opposite Ocean Portofino and 1 km past the Ambassador on the right.
The restaurant is in a leafy garden setting with ample space for parking. Go through the al fresco dining section outdoors and into the air-conditioned area with its own alcoves, a bar and a pizza oven and at the other end a refrigerated gelati cabinet. The ambience is authentically Italian.
The menu is extensive, with many items presented photographically. An excellent concept that more restaurants should do. After all, most Russian visitors cannot speak, let alone read English. The items are also described in Thai and English, as well as Russian.
The staff are well dressed in black and were attentive, even though the restaurant was filling up by 7.30 p.m. It would be wise to book.
We sat back with a beer (Heineken B. 120) but the Montepulciano D’Abruzo at B. 1390 is an excellent quaffer.
Appetizers include Parma ham with the classical ham and melon served with pizza bread (B. 350 small or B. 550 large). Another popular starter is Bruschetta (garlic bread with tomato and basil, B. 120).
Going further into the menu, there is Minestrone soup (B. 150) and many pastas. Spaghetti with anchovies, garlic and parsley (B. 320) or Penne “Gianni” with cream, prawns and mushrooms (B. 360).
Several salads are offered (B. 180-310) followed by roast pork Italian style (B. 320) and various scaloppine’s. Italian spicy sausage is well worth exploring (B. 330).
Pan Pan is renowned for its pizzas, and there are 20 on offer and range between B. 200-420. At the top end is Pizza Gorgonzola e Speck which has tomato, mozzarella, mushrooms and Speck ham. There are also three vegetarian pizzas.
We decided to share a starter which was a tuna salad (B. 310), and were happy that we had decided to share, as it came in a large bowl, with fresh salad tossed in a vinaigrette and covered with tuna steak and eggs. This was an excellent starter.
Our choices of mains were a fried seafood and tempura vegetables (B. 390) for Madame whilst I went for an old favorite of mine, being a Scaloppine al Limone (B. 300), a dish that is very piquant when sauced correctly.
Madame was very well pleased with her fried seafood and vegetable combination, remarking on how the squid rings were not tough and rubbery and the tempura vegetables were also not overcooked. For me, the lemon sauce for the scaloppini was exactly right, smooth and slightly tart. I used some of the pizza bread to mop up the last of it.
Pan Pan 2 is very handy for those who have traveled out to Mimosa, or coming from Ban Amphur, for example.
As I indicated at the beginning of this review, we had an excellent meal. The Four Cheese Pizza was so good I ordered another one for home as a take-away. Pan Pan also does a home delivery (6 km radius) and no charge if the order is more than B. 600. If you have easy access to Sukhumvit Road, take the family. We are quite sure they will enjoy it as much as we did. Highly recommended.
Pan Pan 2 (Heading to Ban Amphur from Pattaya), Km 157 Sukhumvit Road (opposite Ocean Portofino), tel. 038 237 880 – 1, spacious car park, restaurant open seven days, open 11 a.m. close 10.30 p.m.
