Scattered unassumingly around the gritty, burlesque capital city of Thailand's travel scene, Pattaya, are a number of highly rated gourmet dining experiences. Mantra at the Amari Orchid, Pattaya one of the most highly recommended, rated #1 by http://www.pattaya.bangkok.com/best-restaurants.htm and #3 by Tripadvisor.com. You can find it in North Pattaya at the top of the beach road. Greeting you at the entrance is a large red placard announcing that,"Mantra is sleek & stylish, which is how we like our patrons to dress." You'll immediately notice that the clientele differs from that of other restaurants in Pattaya. Missing are the Russians on cheap package tours, the hordes of Chinese bargain shoppers, or the western punters on the prowl for cheap beer and entertainment. Mantra appears to be a magnet for expat managers coming in from the industrial estates in Chonburi and Rayong. The menu was extensive. The best plan of attack is to order a bottle of wine or a cocktail and settle in for 20 minutes of leisurely research. With selections of Japanese, Chinese (primarily Cantonese) and Indian food, as well as western fare, including steaks, seafood and Italian, there is plenty to satisfy any craving. The food is indeed sleek and savory. Enjoying Mantra means visiting with the proper expectations. The layout is patterned after a Thai food court, with 3 stations set off to one side of the cavernous dining room. The decor suggests an upscale Hong Kong restaurant and is as clamorous as a dim sum Sunday brunch. Mantra is not the place for a quiet, romantic dinner because of the constant din. If you take your honey for a cozy dinner, bring a couple tin cans and a length of string so you can talk across the broad wooden table. Mantra would be a fantastic spot for a business diner, birthday party or other group occasion in which you can add your voices to the building symphony of the evening.
No comments:
Post a Comment