This was not the first time we have eaten at the Thai Garden Terrace Restaurant, having been introduced to one of the buffets by a friend who celebrated his wife’s birthday there. At the time we thought it was a special birthday offer, but it wasn’t. It was an everyday offer!
The Thai Garden Resort is truly a Pattaya icon. For those who have never been to the Thai Garden Resort, it is on Pattaya Neua (North Road), and coming from Sukhumvit, 100 meters past the Pattaya City Hall and on the other side of the road. You can’t miss it. You can do a U-turn at the traffic lights.
The resort is 25 years old and still going very strong, under the watchful eye of GM Rene Pisters and his wife Ploy who have built up and maintained the ‘family’ atmosphere.
Rene informed us that they began offering the buffets in December 2011, and during high season they were very popular. As an experiment they continued the buffets into low season, and once again, the attraction has continued, so he has now extended the B. 399 buffets into 2016. (A case of the old adage : “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it!”)
Thai “winter” is so mild in Pattaya that we chose to eat at the Thai Garden Terrace Restaurant under the stars around the swimming pool; however, there is a covered area for those who like a roof, or when it is raining. The chairs are comfortable and there are individual pepper grinders on the tables.
The original concept was to offer value for money in a pleasant ambience. The ambience is also heightened with the Filipino musical trio strolling around the tables and playing the requests from the guests.
The full revolving line-up consists of Mondays – Italian Buffet, Tuesdays BBQ buffet, Wednesdays Multi-cuisine buffet, Thursdays German buffet with roasted pig, Fridays Thai buffet, Saturdays International buffet and Sundays Steaks and skewers buffet.
The buffets are every evening 6 p.m. until 9 p.m. and to find the buffet area is easy too. Go in via the reception area, heading towards the large free-form swimming pool. On your left is a glassed in air-conditioned area which houses the food from the resort’s cold kitchen, and then in front and to the right are many tables, all with quality tablecloths and settings.
Outside there are the hot buffet items with the servings not too big, so that the chafing dishes are being continuously replenished during the evening so the food is fresh from the kitchen. For those with a sweet tooth, or who like to have desserts, there are pancakes with ice cream and toppings. (We had two children in our review group who certainly followed the “all you can eat” concept!)
With all buffets, I recommend a leisurely walk around first, otherwise you will find something you like that you missed and then have no room for it later!
The air-conditioned ‘cold cuts’ section attracted me with smoked salmon with onion and caper followed by potato salad. After that it was time to relax with a beer before heading off to the hot food section, which the children had already discovered. For me, it was a choice of pork and chicken, followed by another plateful of cacciatore and then some soup and then, and then and then, while the children attacked the pancakes and ice cream!
The prices are B. 399 net for adults and as a special promotion till 31 October with each paying adult, one child under 12 can have a free buffet. This certainly does make the buffets even more amazing value for money.
We can certainly recommend the Thai Garden Terrace Restaurant buffets, but do suggest that you book. Value like this does attract a full house – it was packed the night we were there.
The Thai Garden Resort, North Pattaya Road (179/168 M5 – coming from Sukhumvit it is 100 meters past the Pattaya City Hall, on the other side of the road), telephone 038 370 614 or email [email protected]. Secure parking within the resort grounds and there is plenty of it.
