|
By Dr. Iain
Have you ever eaten in the Louvre in Paris or the National Gallery
in London? Of course not, you will not even be able to slip past
the door with a packet of sandwiches, but whilst not claiming to
be the equal of either of those aforementioned galleries, the Art
Caf? Pattaya does afford you the opportunity to dine in a real gallery.
Art Caf? Pattaya has become an integral part of the ‘art’ scene
in the twin resort cities of Pattaya-Naklua. Regular exhibitions
are providing talented artists with a spectacular venue to display
their work. Over the past 12 months artists who have taken advantage
of this have included Caroline Gehrke and Monika Podleska (watercolours);
Alain De Vuyst, (mixed material); Kittikoon Sirichantr, (woodlog
paintings); Erika Kakaukoa, (oils); J?rgen Guhl (large oils) and
upcoming local Thai artist Chayio Patsoda (water colors).
When you arrive at the restaurant, it is like no other. It is like
walking into a colonial house that has become an art gallery and
an eclectic one at that, with originals and copies of great masters
adorning every available space on the walls.
The venue is definitely romantic with the gardens, spotlights on
the trees and the well-lit colonial style house with open verandahs.
Every available area is taken up by paintings of all styles. Find
canvases wrapped in bubble-wrap for shipment and you are definitely
in a gallery.
The yellow ochre stippled walls inside, peeping through between
the paintings and the cream with green accents outside all help
to produce a warm and inviting ambience. The service personnel are
also smartly turned out in black with long yellow aprons and have
that wonderful Thai smile. The warm welcome is very inviting!
Managed by German ex-pat hotelier Jo Stetten and his wife Johanna,
they have given the Art Cafe a quiet efficiency, without losing
the relaxed atmosphere that you expect in the resort region of Pattaya-Naklua.
We were met by Jo himself and followed his suggestion that a drink
at the bar might be a welcome refresher after our trip. It also
gives you the time to sit back and take in the surroundings of paintings,
easels and more paintings. For Madame, an ardent art lover, it also
meant that she could walk around the entire gallery area and Jo
was only too happy to be her guide, pointing out some of the most
recent additions, following the very well received Chaiyo Patsoda
exhibition.
You have the option to ‘dine in’ with the art, or move outside
to the verandah area which opens out into the garden. Being a balmy
evening, we chose to eat on the verandah and with the cane chairs
and the bright ‘Modigliani’ style place mats, there is a tropical
atmosphere redolent with nostalgia everywhere. Was this what it
was like in the Edwardian era?
The Art Caf?’s cuisine is predominantly Mediterranean/European,
but there is a page of Thai favourites, for those who would prefer
to stay with the national cuisine. The menu is in French, English
and German and is kept deliberately small, but very varied in its
content. It commences with soups, with a French onion and lobster
bisque followed by entrees that includes a classical Greek salad
with Feta cheese, frog legs that can be done in traditional French
style or Thai style in garlic and pepper and snails in puff pastry
and a garlic cream sauce. The international range continues with
Lebanese Tabouli (cous-cous), Coquilles St. Jacques and even an
Antipasti plate.
Pastas include spaghetti with squid’s ink and an interesting pasta
in pesto with white haricot beans and bacon.
The international flavours continue in the fish dishes (Pattaya
being on the Bay of Siam is renowned for its seafood) and the Art
Caf? offers sauteed squid in a Spanish sauce and a Pastis flamed
tiger prawns, as well as the usual ‘catch of the day’..
Meat dishes include Moroccan chicken, duck breast in Balsamic vinegar,
pork, lamb and stuffed rabbit with imported steaks being offered
with a large choice of sauces and vegetables.
In continental fashion there is also a blackboard menu with different
items such as goose, turkey, lobster, barracuda and ostrich. Truly
an international and interesting mix of cuisines and dishes.
Our host Jo brought hot French bread to the table, and the crusty,
tasty loaf had us looking forward to our meals. We began with a
mussels in a paprika herb sauce for Madame and the Coquille St.
Jacques for me. The mussels were plump and not overdone and the
sauce with them very pleasant. My scallops came in an orange sauce,
complete with a slice of orange fruit. Certainly different, but
very tasty and a great entr?e to sparkle up the palate.
For our mains we had chosen the roast beef in a red wine sauce
for Madame and the pork fillet medallions in a whole-grain mustard
sauce for me, which came with a small tower of potato with baked
garlic, and was worth it, just for the potatoes alone. The pork
was also tender and the sauce was special. Madame’s beef came in
much thicker slices than we have seen recently and the serving was
very generous. We were not allowed to leave without trying the apple
tart. “It is our signature dish,” said Jo with an obvious pride.
It was also superb!
The Art Caf? has matured in the since its opening over 14 months
ago. It is a cultural and culinary oasis and Jo and Johanna have
to be congratulated in persevering with the concept of the Art Cafe
and making it work. The fact that it is now an accredited venue
for art exhibitions and for young artists to show their work, is
testament to this. Artists to be featured during 2004 include Sutirat,
(Thai paintings and charcoal renderings), Tiwa Napaamporn, (Thai
pencil sketches) and another from the very popular Caroline Gehrke
with her Thai themed watercolours.
|
