Brasserie de Paris. Not good experience

[Dawebo]

I went to Brasserie de Paris down by the waterfront with my wife on Friday night. I went specificially becuase I heard they have Chataubriand steak.

Anyway we ordered a medium Chataubraind and 10 minutes later the staff came to our table with a large salad and the chateaubriand. The waitress cut one slice and showed it to us to see if we were happy with how it was cooked. We were. She continued to start to slice the steak. As she was almost finished cutting the steak at our table, she realised that this order was for an adjoining table. She swiftly removed the steak and took it to the next table and started to serve them. She left the salad with us and I noticed the next table never got a salad.

Another ten minutes later our chateaubriand arrived. Again the waitress cut one slice to show us how it was cooked. It seemed to be undercooked but it was a little dark and also we were very hungry at this stage so I let her cut away. Another salad arrived for our table. The 3 restaurant staff who were all involved in the serving of our table and the next one failed to realise that they gave us two salads and none to the next table over.

Anyway, to my main gripe. My problem was not that the steak was undercooked. This can happen anywhere from time to time. My problem was that the steak looked and tasted like it was cooked hours ago and just reheated. It was the worst chateaubriand I have ever had.

Now normally I am one to complain in a restaurant if there is a problem but we were very hungry and the steak was edible so I didn't make a complaint. We were also tired and I didn't want to go through the "hassle" of complaining and probably waiting another lenght of time to receive another re-heated steak.

Oh, one more thing. I ordered a glass of house red. Wow, how bad was that. Again, normally I would complain but it was a rare evening where I was tired and did not.

All in all this place was a let down. The owner is French and was there. It's a pity that he finds it acceptable to serve steaks clearly cooked hours in advance and re-heated. I also thought that a French owner would not serve undrinkable house wine.

Maybe someone reading this knows the owner and will let him know. Normally I would make a complalint as it may help the owner and the restaurant to offer a better service in future.

P.S.
Before anyone says that they cook steaks less in France than what others are used to, I will say that I have lived in France for two years and know what to expect there.

[stgrhe]

Having recently moved to Hua Hin I have frequented a number of western oriented restaurants to find out for myself which restaurant is good and which is bad here in Hua Hin.

Brasserie de Paris was on my list of restaurants to be visited but thanks to your post you save me the trouble of going there. In return I like to warn you of the so-called steak house that call themselves 'California Steak House and Cantina' at the Naresdamri road - a really bad experience.

I had lunch there the other day and ordered a medium grilled New York cut sirloin steak. I was served a pre-heated well done and odd looking piece of meat that had no resemblance with what I had ordered. I can honestly say it was the worst steak I have ever eaten and I have had quite a few ones before. The side order and the French fries were no good either.

This establishment will not see me again and I will warn members of other forums too from wasting their time and money by going there.

If you want first class food and wine served with style and elegance visit the Italian restaurant La Grappa, first class!

G.

[pitsch]

I visited the Brasserie one year ago at my birthday and ate the Menu Gastronomique:



We ate all 6 courses for 2 persons and it was very good. Also a glass of red wine (from Australia, I think) was very good, but expensive. The problem might be, that you dont find decent beef for steaks in Thailand, but this does not excuse a pre-cooking. By the way, the owner is from Belgium.

This year we went for birthday to Supatra by the sea (Khao Takiab) and I liked it much more, really great choice of good food, better trained personnel and very nice ambiance.

[hhfarang]

The place must have changed owners. I was there a couple of years ago on a special occasion (don't go to expensive places except on special occasions) and all four of the people in our party thought it was excellent.

None of us had steak though and the owner then was Belgian, not French (from the French speaking part of Belgium). I know this because one of my guests was originally from Belgium and they had a long conversation about the homeland.

Sorry to hear that it is no longer up to its former quality, but as Pitsch said, maybe it's just the steak; we had seafood...

[Farang]

I do like a good steak occasionally and therefore frequent restaurant Natha opposite Markwin Lodge on 88 Northeast.

[thaiorchid]

I am sure Dawebo had a bad experience at the Brasserie, But is it fair to use this forum to critisize small private run enterprises ? It could easily be misused for personal vendettas, because no doubt a post like will hurt a restaurant depending solely on farang patrons.

stgrhe wrote: "This establisment will not see me again and I will warn members of other forums too from wasting their time and money by going there" (about California Cantina)
Why stop with other forums ? Have you forgot the newspapers ? I am sure VG (norwegian rag) would be interested in a scoop like that.
Get real. There are so many restaurants in HH and it is very simple:
You like=you go back. You not like=you not go back.
Sometimes you should even give some of the places a second chance.
One place where I had a very bad experince a couple of years back, is now a place I go to quite often, and enjoy it.
So if you find a superplace, please let us know. If your experience is not so good, keep it to yourself. All might not agree with you, and you are hurting the owner of the business. (His wallet)
thaiorchid

[Randy Cornhole]

Best steak i'v had in HH was at Monsoon (not far from the Paris place) It was 400bht which seems reasonable. The ambiance was the best bit. We were on the little balcony upstairs, but I dare say there is somewhere better these days...

[chelsea]

Best steak i'v had in HH was at Monsoon (not far from the Paris place) It was 400bht which seems reasonable. The ambiance was the best bit. We were on the little balcony upstairs, but I dare say there is somewhere better these days...

Randy, would have to agree with you regarding the Monsoon, have had drinks and also eaten in there a few times and has always been good. It seemed a bit more upmarket than some of the other places in Hua Hin i had been to, and always a good crowd in there.

[johnnyk]

Very tired French 'tourist' menu. I'm surprised he didn't feature mousse au chocolat or ile flottante, two great cliches from the 1960s.
No doubt he's in Thailand because he couldn't meet French standards.

[Super Joe]

California Cantina wasn't too hot when it first opened, maybe learning curve for the new staff, had a couple of meals you could have complained about but been there many times since and the food and service has always been great. Nice setting too with the tables outside and down the pavillion area away from the road.

Farang has mentioned an excellent place in Natha Soi 88, particularly for steaks. Remember him posting about it maybe well over a year ago and eat there a lot now, great food and inexpensive prices. Really friendly Thai family run place too.

Agree with thaiorchid about criticising and warning people off after just a bad meal, they should be at least given a second chance before that, or ofcourse don't go back for a second time. Different if you've been ill from it or the manager has has told you where to go etc.

The owner is French and was there. It's a pity that he finds it acceptable to serve steaks clearly cooked hours in advance and re-heated.

Does he? or did his cook/waitress cock-up an earlier order and scared to throw the steak away in case they got in a bit of trouble or money docked. You obviously had a bad meal Dawebo no doubt, but I'd just vote with my feet, it's all but impossible here to get things done properly all the time with the local staff when you have a business.

SJ

[Jamtarts]

I can't comment on the French place as I have never eaten there , however I have eaten at the Califonia Cantina on many occasions with my wife and sometrimes with many guests and everyone has found the meal to be excellent, with good friendly service. As so many others have pointed out slagging off someones restaurant on a forum just because you had one bad meal is well over the top, this is someones living remember. Just don't go back and leave others to make up their own minds. I have lost count how many mistakes I have made over the years by listening to someone elses opinion, so I thought I'd give you mine Califonia Cantina recommended, and they also do a great Margarita.

Shit rolls downhill.

[tj]

Think it would have been good to advise the owner. If the owner or manager dosent know there is a problem how is he meant to fix or compensate you for your substandard meal??
Found a lot of restaurants in Hua Hin are hit and miss especially in low season as the owners generally take their holidays then and if left to the staff who knows what u can be served up with. And the produce isnt turned over enough due to lack of customers so the freshness is questionable? Make a point of not eating seafood in the low season esp if it is not the restaurants core businiess.

[elem]

I agree that you should have notified the owner/waiter right away. Unless you do, you can't get an alternative, and you do not give the place a chance at correcting their mistake.

We had dinner for a special occasion in the Brasserie about 6 months ago, and had an excellent chateubriand accompnied by lots of salad and veggies, and a great bottle of wine.

[stgrhe]

I am sure Dawebo had a bad experience at the Brasserie, But is it fair to use this forum to critisize small private run enterprises ? It could easily be misused for personal vendettas, because no doubt a post like will hurt a restaurant depending solely on farang patrons.

stgrhe wrote: "This establisment will not see me again and I will warn members of other forums too from wasting their time and money by going there" (about California Cantina)
Why stop with other forums ? Have you forgot the newspapers ? I am sure VG (norwegian rag) would be interested in a scoop like that.
Get real. There are so many restaurants in HH and it is very simple:
You like=you go back. You not like=you not go back.
Sometimes you should even give some of the places a second chance.
One place where I had a very bad experince a couple of years back, is now a place I go to quite often, and enjoy it.
So if you find a superplace, please let us know. If your experience is not so good, keep it to yourself. All might not agree with you, and you are hurting the owner of the business. (His wallet)
thaiorchid

If a restaurant does not deliver what they charge for it is in my opinion perfectly right if the owner is loosing his customers. But saying that constructive criticism might lead to a vendetta is a rather pathetic statement as it has nothing to do with the owner himself, but the lack of quality of the products he are suppling. That is two entirely different things.

By the way, I have no interest in Verdens Gang as I am not a Norwegian, and actually, I have never read the paper.

[Big Boy]

With one rider, that you should complain, and give them the opportunity to correct the problem first. If you return, and then experience the same problems again, then is the time to go public. However, one must always remember that their standards will be different to others.