There are not too many restaurants in Pattaya that have been in existence for more than a decade – and even fewer in the same place. Ib and Kannikar Ottesen’s Captain’s Corner Grand Texan style BBQ has been at the same location on Thappraya Road for over a decade and has watched other restaurants find the location, but only a few have survived the test of time, and there still is only one Texan BBQ.
The Captains Corner has become very well established as one of the better family dining restaurants in town and at B. 395 for all you can eat, is not expensive (and children under 10 years are half price). The restaurant is in two sections. The outside garden setting which is under cover, or on the pool terrace, but we dined under cover. The staff are all dressed in “nautical” uniforms, and nothing was too much trouble, even when I lost my BBQ number! The atmosphere is pleasant and relaxed. And if you are a fan of Elvis, he still lives and can be caught at the Captain’s Corner Saturday and Sunday night at 9 p.m.
There was a special offer on wine on the evening we visited, a Hardy’s Grenach Shiraz at B. 800. Great drinking at that price. Definitely recommended.
The Grand Texan style BBQ certainly is ‘grand’ with an enormous number of items you can choose for your BBQ. It is far more than just throwing another prawn on the Barbie!
The BBQ concept is very simple. Along the far side of the garden area are the makings of your BBQ. You choose a plate, which has a number tag. Put the tag in your pocket to display on your table, fill the plate with the items you want for your BBQ dinner, the staff take your plate and it is delivered to your table when your choice is cooked.
Taking the BBQ first, there are steaks, fish, prawns, squid, BBQ skewers, pork chops, pork tenderloin, chicken drumsticks, spare ribs, home made sausages, sausages wrapped in bacon, hamburgers, maize corn and baked potatoes.
Having made your selection you can then go back to the salad bar which has seasonal vegetables, freshly baked bread with butter and garlic bread. However, there are also choices of green curry, chicken stir-fry, crab sticks, French bread with herb butter and garlic bread. You will not go hungry while waiting for your BBQ items.
I enjoyed the stir-fry so much, I went up for a second helping, while Madame gave the green curry full marks. The children enjoyed the garlic bread while waiting for their BBQ.
The BBQ chefs are a hard-working pair, and I remarked that it was amazing that they managed to get the correct items back on the numbered plates – but they did, and I saw no-one complaining that they did not get their choices.
I had chosen a baked potato with a green pepper pork steak and two small pork medallions, while Madame had selected some prawns and the very large spare ribs and sweet corn. All of our choices were cooked correctly, including the baked potatoes in foil. There is also a large range of sauces and condiments.
Even though the much vaunted famous flamed Irish coffee was on offer (B. 165) we had made such gluttons of ourselves, we could not possibly fit anything else in. All you can eat deals certainly bring out the pig in one’s nature, and with a BBQ as comprehensive as this, the end result was definitely porcine!
As a family and in a total agreement for once, we judged the Captain’s Corner to have great food and to be excellent value. It is a place you can safely take the whole family, or visitors from overseas. You will not be disappointed. Very highly recommended.
By the way, if you are a visitor, they have a minibus service to pick you up from any hotel in the Pattaya-Jomtien area and drop you back later, just phone 038 364 314-5.
The Captain’s Corner, 146/107 Thappraya Road, South Pattaya, telephone 038 364 318, email [email protected]. Plenty of on-street parking outside. BBQ buffet from 6 p.m.
