For some people food is just a way of keeping the body fed and ingesting nutrients into the body. I pity anybody who has this philosophy as they are missing out on one of the greatest pleasures in life. For those people who consider themselves amateur chefs, there is also vast enjoyment of visiting the local market, carefully selecting the appropriate ingredients, and rushing home to create something unique in the kitchen. However, there is no real substitute for going out to dine. The expectation of visiting a favorite haunt or even a brand new restaurant, is one to slaver over. Even the pre-dinner discussion of what and where to eat, brings forth exciting expectations of things to come. Living in Pattaya I am most fortunate as the types and quality of cuisines available in Fun City is quite simply staggering. Even the Thai food is significantly different than any other town or city in Thailand, perhaps with the exception of Bangkok. This is because the Thai people living and working in Pattaya come from all over the Kingdom, and demand the food that they are familiar eating back home. If you were to take a stroll downtown you can easily see the diversity that is available to the hungry diner. Perversely there is almost too much choice, and one particular night my friends and I were in such a quandary. Over a few pre-dinner drinks and much deliberation of what type of cuisine we wished to dine on that evening, our discussion threw up up a few possibilities. Mr Polenta If you are crazy about polenta then there is only really one option in Pattaya and that is Mr Polenta. They mainly offer two types of polenta; yellow polenta and polenta taragna and these are served with a delicious variety of stews incorporating such delicious ingredients as, venison, wild boar, meat and fish. They also offer a limited but fine Thai menu, and some really choice Italian wines to choose, including a fruity Barbaresco and a heavy Valpolicella. Fire and Stone Pizzeria Fire and Stone Pizzeria Fire and Stone Pizzeria serves authentic Italian cuisine created by their own Italian chefs using traditional recipes. They are keen to combine this perfection with imported Italian ingredients that brings a true taste of Italy to Pattaya. The decor is modern and intimate with a lot of exposed stone to add to the theme. Order of the day are salads, pizzas and delicious pastas, washed down by a good selection of reasonably priced Italian wines. The Sportsman The choice of The Sportsman was inspired by one of our party who happened to want watch his team play live on TV whilst dining. The Sportsman offers an extensive menu that offers more than simple pub grub, all the normal favorites are there, plus delicious salads, pastas, curries, Thai dishes and an extensive drinks list. In addition to the weekday specials that are available at the Sportsman, they also serve up one of the best Sunday carvery's around. Such is the popularity, it can get a little busy, so it might be best to book in advance! The three choices were widely different in terms of cuisine and type of establishments, which just reinforces the options that are open to dining out in Pattaya. I can seriously stand by a statement that I imparted to one of our group; "I have never known so many such diverse types of cuisines in one place". This is perfectly true, from eating street food for a few baht, to five star international dining where a jacket is required. Living in Pattaya is much more than just a gastronomes paradise, it is food heaven for all and sundry who enjoy their food.
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