Tom's travels - Hua Hin after dark

[Dannie Boy]

Ten years ago I encountered a young college student in Hua Hin who had come off her bike and grazed her leg.

Ten years on and she wanted to take me out for dinner, but wouldn't tell me where; so I got in her car and she took me to this place:

Let's Sea

Location: On the seafront about 1Km north of Khao Takiab. There's a lack of road names and numbers in this area but the place is quite well signed.

A very high end restaurant with a balcony overlooking the crashing surf. I felt slightly under-dressed.

Excellent service and the food was both excellent and well presented. There were also some original novelties, such as being offered a selection of steak knives to choose from.

She refused to let me see the bill, but I clocked on the credit card terminal that the total came to 3000 and something.

Clearly not cheap, but a very good venue for a romantic dinner.

You must have made more of an impact than the tarmac!!


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[caller]

Let's Sea has been in business a long time, so they must be doing something right. I first went there in 2005 or 6 when I was staying at a nearby resort. It was a bit cheaper then and the area a lot less developed.

[thecolonel]

Ten years ago I encountered a young college student in Hua Hin who had come off her bike and grazed her leg.

Ten years on and she wanted to take me out for dinner, but wouldn't tell me where; so I got in her car and she took me to this place:

Let's Sea

Location: On the seafront about 1Km north of Khao Takiab. There's a lack of road names and numbers in this area but the place is quite well signed.

A very high end restaurant with a balcony overlooking the crashing surf. I felt slightly under-dressed.

Excellent service and the food was both excellent and well presented. There were also some original novelties, such as being offered a selection of steak knives to choose from.

She refused to let me see the bill, but I clocked on the credit card terminal that the total came to 3000 and something.

Clearly not cheap, but a very good venue for a romantic dinner.

You must have made more of an impact than the tarmac!!


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Tom's a sly fox with plenty of cunning!

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[uncle tom]

I went for a stroll, and headed up Soi 94 (as previously requested) slightly beyond my normal stamping ground.

At the lower end is probably the longest row of consecutive massage shops in the town, in varying liveries but all advertising near identical pricing. Further up, approaching the railway, are three cafes, next door to each other. I stopped at the first.

Pat's Place

Simple cafe/bar/eatery, clean and sensibly furnished. For Everton supporters (or anyone else who doesn't care for Liverpool F.C.) the many favours might annoy.

Slightly unusual is that the bar stocks Brain's Black (in cans) - the only time I've clocked that beer outside of Wales.

My small Leo cost me 70.

A pleasant cafe.

Moving on up I crossed the railway where the new elevated railway is well under construction, with most of the deck beams in place now, although not over 94 itself yet. It doesn't look like there will be that much headroom over the road - perhaps 15ft at most.

Further on I reached territory I have not previously explored. A rich Smorgasbord of small bars and restaurants. It being about 4.30pm at that point there were not that many people around, but I didn't clock many Bar4Sale signs or abandoned premises. It felt like a viable little satellite nightlife area.

Heading back I went down Soi 80. At 5pm this was really dead - painfully so. There were perhaps two dozen customers in the entire soi, about 80% of bars empty of paying trade.

I stopped for another beer at Night Owl bar, and was the only customer. Four bored girls lounged around..

[uncle tom]

Back to the centre of town..

Paradise Bar

Location: Poonsuk Rd, about 10m south of the junction with Selakam on the east side.

Quite long established, the current boss having been in residence for over a decade, this is a busy bar for gents seeking a wife for the night.

To a lesser extent it also caters for hard drinkers and will cut deals on spirits by the bottle. They currently have a special offer on the bar, a Rehoboam (4.5 litres) of Chivas Regal complete with pouring stand - yours with mixers thrown in for a mere 20,000 baht..

Pricing on other drinks is par for the district.

The bar is afflicted by the noise from the live music in the neighbouring London Bar, but it has always been friendly and straight dealing in my experience.

[uncle tom]

Time for an eatery.

Da Capo

Location: Heading east down Selakam, take the left fork at Limelight bar, about 40m down on the right hand side.

This Italian restaurant has a european business ethic - when trade is slack, a blackboard goes up outside offering any pizza for 199.

Thus tempted, I crossed the threshold and was greeted by a jovial Italian. The restaurant is well furnished with double table cloths and quality glassware. Through an opening I could see into the kitchen where an Asian chef was working with frenetic speed. I've never seen a Thai man wind up more than half that energy, so I assumed he was Chinese.

Soon after I arrived the restaurant filled up and the blackboard was retired. While waiting for my pizza I had a small Tiger beer priced at 95. I was just finishing it when my pizza arrived, so I ordered another.

Although every table was adorned with a heavy glass ashtray, no-one was smoking.

The pizza itself was a little on the thin side for my preference, but properly made and perfectly baked.

The full price for this pizza on the menu was 280, which seemed a little steep, but at the offer price seemed good value for a proper restaurant.

What to tip? Thai tipping is generally at a token level, but the Italians tend to tip like the Americans. Upon receiving my 389 bill I offered 420 and they seemed happy.

Some of the pasta dishes being generated by the kitchen looked quite enticing. Despite the offer, pizza may not be their strongest suit. When I'm feeling hungry and indulgent, I must re-visit.

[Gus]

That short stretch of road from Limelight used to have 3 Pizza restaurants, I think Caruso was at the sea end on the corner, also there were 2 Roma restaurants, before it was 1 then there was a business disagrement so it went to 2.
I nicknamed the road Soi Pizza as Limelight and El Murphys also sold Pizza.

[europtimiste]

New Roma is the best.

[NOKYAI]

I believe your “jovial Italian ‘ is Stefan from Germany . But I agree it’s a good value place and one of my low season hangouts. Even more so now I won’t be bumping into certain people there

[uncle tom]

So, which is the cheapest place to eat and drink in the centre of town?

Setting aside those places that are 100% Thai language, and of course, unless anyone knows better..

Talay bar - this name taken from the menus, the Chang sponsored vinyl banner over the bar reads 'Thale'

Location: The little cul-de-sac that leads down to the Chinese shrine at the south end of the fishing pier road. On Google maps it appears as Naret Damri Alley. Most customers sit at tables across the Soi from the bar itself.

Bar is run by a friendly Thai lady, pretty much single-handedly.

Price is it's big thing. My large Leo cost 100, they quote a pitcher of Chang at 150 (but not clear how big the pitcher is)

The Thai food prices are very competitive, a dish of fried chicken and rice is 50, but I didn't try it.

The bar also runs a laundry service, by the looks of it in conjunction with the shop next door; but the prices are not advertised.

Simple and friendly, although the la fresco seating is not that comfortable.

[uncle tom]

Cool and very overcast this morning, I took an umbrella instead of a hat when I went to breakfast, although in the event there was only the lightest drizzle.

There's been no rain of note in Hua Hin so far this year, and much of the country is suffering a severe drought. A good downpour wouldn't hurt right now to flush clean the Sois and sewers.

Returning from breakfast I found my diligent room maid hard at work, so went for a short stroll.

Instead of a bar/restaurant review today I'll post a little trivia question instead:

Ignoring the roads leading into into it, how many massage shops did I count this morning on the four sides of the Bintablock?

Answer tomorrow..

[Dannie Boy]

2


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[Dannie Boy]

2


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As in too many!!


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[thecolonel]

12

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[uncle tom]

And..

The Colonel is spot on! - did you also go for a stroll?

Moving on:

Buffalo Bill's (Also has a sign saying Ye Olde Buffalo Tavern)

Location: On the corner of the fishing pier road and Soi 55, also known as Naresdamri Rd and Chomsin Rd

I struggle to remember just how Ye Olde this place is, but it's certainly been around for a fair length of time. It's a restaurant cum bar cum occasional live music venue.

Somewhat detached from the other venues in the fishing pier road, it's a spacious tranquil place, with background music at a very low volume.

The seating is comfortable, it has a number of TV screens showing various sports (although none of them very big) and it also has a selection of newspapers.

As the name suggests, it offers Australian steaks on the menu as well as English favourites and some lighter snacks.

Beer prices are very reasonable for this road, my large Leo's costing 100 each, but the food prices are pretty much at the same high level as most of the other outlets in the fishing pier road.

A great venue to relax and meet someone for a chat, or just enjoy a few beers.