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The Pattaya area’s fine-dining scene is helping to
redefine the meaning of R&R, says Dr Iaian Corness.
Pattaya is really one of the newer centres in Thailand, despite
the fact that King Taksin the Great rested here in the late
1760s on his way through to throw the Burmese out of Ayutthya.
It has seen periods of accelerated growth, but probably none
as dramatic as the current spurt. With 60 percent of Thailand’s
manufacturing output coming from the Eastern Seaboard, of
which Pattaya is its unofficial capital, and with the proximity
of this popular seaside resort to Bangkok, it should come
as no surprise that the area enjoys a vibrant economy. Add
to this proximity to the new international airport at Suvarnabhumi
– making Pattaya a quicker drive for international travellers
than from many hotels in Bangkok! – and it is not difficult
to see why the area should enjoy continued prosperity.
Pattaya is seeing the arrival of more discerning travellers,
and catering to them are new high-end hotels such as the Sheraton
and the Hyatt, with more on the drawing boards, while the
well-established hotels such as the Royal Cliff Beach Resort,
Dusit Resort, Marriott, Amari Orchid, Siam Bayshore and Woodlands
Resort have all raised their game, particularly in terms of
fine dining. For example, the Royal Cliff’s The Grill
Room and Wine Cellar has now won three consecutive Wine Spectator
Awards, and its Rossini restaurant took one in 2005. In the
past year the Siam Bayshore launched fine-dining Thai cuisine
with its Siam Elephant restaurant, while the Dusit has established
The Bay restaurant and its new Chinese restaurant, The Peak.
This year, the Amari Orchid will open Mantra.
The surge in upscale living can also be seen in the development
of high-end condominiums and residential villages throughout
the greater Pattaya area, and this means more residents in
search of upscale dining experiences. The restaurant industry
has risen to the challenge, with Mata Hari, one of Pattaya’s
best owned by Louis Noll, the bailli or head of the gourmet
group Chaine des Rotisseurs, moving its operation to the satellite
city of Jomtien and to even larger premises. The restaurant’s
previous location in central Pattaya has since been taken
over by another Chaine des Rotisseurs member who has opened
the Symphony Brasserie there. With more development in the
Jomtien area has come a number of small restaurants. Not all
will survive of course, but for every restaurant that fails
it seems a couple more emerge, these new establishments offering
a wide range of international cuisines from Italian, Danish
and Russian to French, Korean and even, or instance, Turkish.
Firmly at the top of the independent restaurants are Bruno’s
and Casa Pascal , with Bruno’s owner giving it a new
lease of life and importing high-flying young Michelin-star
experienced kitchen artists to act as chef-in-residence for
limited periods. Casa Pascal is also bringing in changes by
rotating its menus regularly as well as introducing services
such as limousine pickup and return and valet parking. For
the high-end gourmet, the choices in Pattaya have never been
better.
While many tourists come to Pattaya and the surrounding area
to enjoy the water and the watering holes, there is now a
strong epicurean presence here and thus more and more fine-dining
opportunities.
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