Do you like the buffet restaurants?

[parbeau]

You know the restaurants where you can eat a much as you want for 99, 109, 119 or something baht? Very popular among Thais.... What´s your view on these? Personally I say to myself after every visit - "this was the last!" I find it difficult to produce something tasty on these table-grills, everything tend to stick to the metal (or fall down in the boiling water) and is never well-cooked. It gets very hot because of the table-BBQ, the steel table is soon filled with different plastic plates and everything get very messy, and people running around everywhere making a lot of noise.... Not a very nice eating experience IMO. Am I being too negative? Perhaps strange with this comment from a Swede, that originally invented the phenomenom "smorgosbord", but would be nice to hear what you think!

[STEVE G]

We do our own at home; you can buy the fire bucket and cooking plate on the road near the back of the day market for very little.

[burnling]

It gets better if you use the pieces of lard and put on before the other stuffs on the metal.
Stuff the water with veggies, seafood and cow stomach.
Use a lot of the sauces.

That is a good start for a successful BBQ. Bring some thais with you that can help you is even better. And if you bring Isaan girls you will see that you are not such a big eater that you think.

[parbeau]

Yeah Burnling, next time (if next time?) I cover the metal cone with three pieces of lard before starting! I know how to do and do like you say (I pass the cow stomach though) but it´s still difficult - that´s why my Thai friends - mostly - do the cooking for me, but it´s still not very aroy....

[Ropes]

I quite like them and use Backyard Steak House (159 baht) on the Petchkasem Road two or three times a month and they have a good selection of meats, beef, chicken and pork as well as a good salad bar.

I think good value and usually a mix of farangs and Thai's.

[Siani]

Buffet restaurants vary greatly Some are really great, this is because they are managed by a lot of staff who fill the trays often. The serving trays are shallow. Where is all goes wrong is when you have very deep trays and the food stands for a long time The owner of these sort of places comes around and gives everything a stir...now and again! I went to a terrible one once in France...the food was all stuck to the sides, yuk!

The best buffet I had was in Singapore, all shallow dishes which were filled every 10 mins according to them being emptied. This way, the food stays fresh. The fish was to order, so by the time you reached the end it was waiting for you.

What I hate with buffet restaurants is when you get "The Greedy Family" in who pile all the dishes on one plate, with spring rolls tumbling off the edge! The whole idea is to take a little and then go back for different courses. In the UK, some people are very badly behaved with no sense of etiquette at all Also a big pet hate is when I see people picking food with their fingers and eating it on the way around

[Lung Per]

When I have guests from abroad I take them to Coco for a wonderful dining and music experience with sea view. IMO the best in Hua Hin. If I want to take them to a local Thai restaurant with a cozy atmosphere and a wide selection of Thai food, I take them to the 99 baht buffet on Petchkasem near soi 47. It's been there for ages. It's always full and the turnover of food is fast. Fresh food. And besides the grill on the table, there is a larger grill in the back where you can fry your fish and other large items. And I jest love the sign that says 35 bht fine for each shrimp on you plate not eaten. Besides the loud music that you find almost everywhere, it's a good homy spot with a wide selection of reasonably good and fresh food.
For 99 BHT -a great value.

[Siani]

When I have guests from abroad I take them to Coco for a wonderful dining and music experience with sea view. IMO the best in Hua Hin. If I want to take them to a local Thai restaurant with a cozy atmosphere and a wide selection of Thai food, I take them to the .99 baht buffet on Petchkasem near soi 47. It's been there for ages. It's always full and the turnover of food is fast. Fresh food. And besides the grill on the table, there is a larger grill in the back where you can fry your fish and other large items. And I jest love the sign that says 35 bht fine for each shrimp on you plate not eaten. Besides the loud music that you find almost everywhere, it's a good homy spot with a wide selection of reasonably good and fresh food. For .99 BHT -a great value.

Wow..that sounds really great When next there will give it a try

[dtaai-maai]

When I have guests from abroad I take them to Coco for a wonderful dining and music experience with sea view.

When I have guests from abroad I might allow them to take me to Coco - or maybe Dusit.
But a sea view is not much use after 7 p.m.

More seriously, Coco is OK, but nothing special considering the price.

[Lung Per]

When I have guests from abroad I take them to Coco for a wonderful dining and music experience with sea view.

When I have guests from abroad I might allow them to take me to Coco - or maybe Dusit.
But a sea view is not much use after 7 p.m.

More seriously, Coco is OK, but nothing special considering the price.

You may not neccessarily be right - but you are entliteled to you own opinion. It's a (relatively) free country.

[richard]

When I have guests from abroad I take them to Coco for a wonderful dining and music experience with sea view. IMO the best in Hua Hin. If I want to take them to a local Thai restaurant with a cozy atmosphere and a wide selection of Thai food, I take them to the 99 baht buffet on Petchkasem near soi 47. It's been there for ages. It's always full and the turnover of food is fast. Fresh food. And besides the grill on the table, there is a larger grill in the back where you can fry your fish and other large items. And I jest love the sign that says 35 bht fine for each shrimp on you plate not eaten. Besides the loud music that you find almost everywhere, it's a good homy spot with a wide selection of reasonably good and fresh food.
For 99 BHT -a great value.

Been there many times but take a couple of Isaans with you. They know the ropes (Ropes started the thread). Plenty of sauces too. I also take my own condiments (Colmans mustard) as I love the liver, heart and kidneys. Leave the fish, sea food and veg for the girls to sort. Also go get your fruit and ice cream early as they often run out.

In an Isaan village this type of meal is considered a luxury and they gorge out when it's on offer

[Pleng]

Also a big pet hate is when I see people picking food with their fingers and eating it on the way around

Well if people do that at the Thai style buffets I guess they're gonna get what's coming to them the next day!

[Vital Spark]

We do our own at home; you can buy the fire bucket and cooking plate on the road near the back of the day market for very little.

I'm with Steve on this one - DIY is lovely if you've got an outside table and protect it from the heat. We've got a couple of 'moo gataar' kits: a smaller one for the two of us, and a larger one when we have guests. We do, however, have it 'farang-style'. Pork, chicken, beef and bacon for the dome grill, and bean sprouts, cabbage, carrots (thinly sliced), and baby sweetcorn in the soup bit. We tend to pass on the blood and innerds. Mr.VS also makes the most yummy hollandaise sauce, which goes superbly with absolutely anything. It's an easy meal to prepare and ideal for alfresco dining.

VS

[lomuamart]

Yup, those barbecue places are great and good value.
I love the way that some fine an eater if a plate has any food left on it.

[Dr Mike]

Buffet, great for breakfast