Wok & Rok Chinese Restaurant

[chookyargyll]

Should be renamed WOK & ROK POOL HALL & Chinese ? restaurant.

 

5 of us went there after reading reviews and seeing pictures of this place and decided to give it a try. That was our first mistake. We were put to a table at the back next to the pool table, where there were ongoing games. We then attempted to order from the 3 staff who were all shouting over each other and it was no surprise when they totally fecked up our order. In the meantime while waiting to see what we had ordered, there was a gathering and very noisy discussion between customers and staff next to us over who was next on the pool table. No surprise that it was one of the staff that won that one.

 

This kicked off another gathering beside us with staff and customers all shouting for their favourite player. We had ordered 2 chicken curry, 2 special curry and a chicken foo yung with fried rice. What emerged from the kitchen was 4 special curry and a so called chicken foo yung. When told the order was wrong, I was told "but special curry very good" ?? Maybe but only 2 were ordered. These were taken away and replaced 5 min later, but meanwhile the rice stayed on the table going stone cold.

 

My so called chicken foo yung turned out to be an onion omelette with 4 miniscule bits of chicken. A fecken disgrace. While we were trying to eat cold rice meals a shirtless moron with an Northern Irish tattoo on his back walked past us with a lit cigarette in his hand and right into the kitchen, came back out, stood next to our table and gave the pool players some friendly abuse, all the while smoking away, and then wafted past us with a smile underneath the baseball cap to his mates waiting in their wife beaters for their turn on the pool table. Obviously someone who does not care if we eat while he smokes.

 

Having given up I went to the toilet upstairs, and thereby hangs a tail. A fecken long one, between 2 black bags of rubbish. I made a hasty retreat back downstairs and myself and 4 friends check binned el rapido and got the hell out of dodge.

 

Shite meal, shite service, shite customers, but hey-- you get a good game of pool !!

 

A place to be avoided at all costs

[jerry]

I got the idea you won't be back ..  . 

[Kreggerz]

I had a similar poor experience there.

Ordered Hot and Sour soup.

It was a small portion, acceptable enough, but really overpriced for what it was in that setting.

It was not an authentic tasting Chinese soup but they don't make any claims of offering that.

Then ordered a chicken dish. I forgot exactly which one but when it arrived it looked like Chicken curry (which I didn't order).

Chicken curry was also the special of the day on the board.

I complained and said that's not what I ordered and they just took it away and didn't offer any replacement.

I consider that very strange service.

So I had a tiny soup, not cheap, and left very hungry.

I got the idea you won't be back ..  . 

It's a trend. 

[petermik]

I walk by daily- a restaurant within a bar rarely works IMHO

[lecarreblanc]

had 2 different meals there in february...hot and sour soup,beef lo mein and fried rice with chicken....all meals were overpriced...could not finish any of the meals...chinese food was not authentic and fried rice was the worst one I has in thailand....I am suprised this place is still running

[English rose]

Sorry guys…what a load of wank posts…..the food is authentic English/Chinese food, I think wherever you've come from, you're not getting the same as back home, but trust me, myself and many customers before you and your troll buddies are very happy with what comes out of this place. Long live Wok & Rok. oy oy oy

[Kreggerz]

I am not a troll. I just honestly posted my personal experience there. 

[chookyargyll]

Sorry guys…what a load of wank posts…..the food is authentic English/Chinese food, I think wherever you've come from, you're not getting the same as back home, but trust me, myself and many customers before you and your troll buddies are very happy with what comes out of this place. Long live Wok & Rok. oy oy oy

Because you happen to disagree and are possibly friends with another business owner, you do not do yourself any favours by calling genuine posts "wank". If you read my op, you will see that the food was only a small part of our wok & rok experience. Arseholes smoking, not wearing shirts, loud useless serving staff more interested in playing pool than looking after customers very poor overpriced food and to top it all off, a fuckin RAT in an upstairs toilet. For the avoidance of doubt, this is not a troll post, just a genuine review of OUR experience, not yours.

 

I am not a troll. I just honestly posted my personal experience there.

As I have done

 

Very commendable trying to defend them. As you stated, authentic English/Chinese food. My understanding is that they were trying to recreate a Glaswegian/Chinese restaurant, and the chefs training was in Glasgow. I was born and bred 8 miles from the centre of Glasgow and have had Chinese meals all over Scotland, England ,Europe, USA, Australia and the far east and this has been by far the worst. Authentic English/Chinese cuisine my arse.

[GlennUK]

I have not been there but the menu does not inspire

 

The dishes seem a bit basic and more of the Chinese fish and chip shop who also do a Chinese menu rather than a Chinese restaurant in the UK experience.

 

I will at some point give it a go but no crispy aromatic duck no Singapore noodles perhaps the Glaswegian pallet is less used to such things.

 

They could try deep fried mars bars to make it really authentic

[Taa_Saparot]

My one and only visit was also pretty similar, to the OP's, and ruined by smokers.

 

I said at the time, the owner needed to make up his mind whether he wanted a restaurant, a beer bar, or a knocking shop, as all three together does not work.

[Global traveller]

Should be renamed WOK & ROK POOL HALL & Chinese ? restaurant.

 

5 of us went there after reading reviews and seeing pictures of this place and decided to give it a try. That was our first mistake. We were put to a table at the back next to the pool table, where there were ongoing games. We then attempted to order from the 3 staff who were all shouting over each other and it was no surprise when they totally fecked up our order. In the meantime while waiting to see what we had ordered, there was a gathering and very noisy discussion between customers and staff next to us over who was next on the pool table. No surprise that it was one of the staff that won that one.

 

This kicked off another gathering beside us with staff and customers all shouting for their favourite player. We had ordered 2 chicken curry, 2 special curry and a chicken foo yung with fried rice. What emerged from the kitchen was 4 special curry and a so called chicken foo yung. When told the order was wrong, I was told "but special curry very good" ?? Maybe but only 2 were ordered. These were taken away and replaced 5 min later, but meanwhile the rice stayed on the table going stone cold.

 

My so called chicken foo yung turned out to be an onion omelette with 4 miniscule bits of chicken. A fecken disgrace. While we were trying to eat cold rice meals a shirtless moron with an Northern Irish tattoo on his back walked past us with a lit cigarette in his hand and right into the kitchen, came back out, stood next to our table and gave the pool players some friendly abuse, all the while smoking away, and then wafted past us with a smile underneath the baseball cap to his mates waiting in their wife beaters for their turn on the pool table. Obviously someone who does not care if we eat while he smokes.

 

Having given up I went to the toilet upstairs, and thereby hangs a tail. A fecken long one, between 2 black bags of rubbish. I made a hasty retreat back downstairs and myself and 4 friends check binned el rapido and got the hell out of dodge.

 

Shite meal, shite service, shite customers, but hey-- you get a good game of pool !!

 

A place to be avoided at all costs

 

I have been there a number of times and always found the food to be good, my only complaint was the portions were too big, as i was on a diet at time. I did go back,  with a girl and was going to share a dish. but what i did not know she also ordered a dish. I did not eat all mine and neither did my lady.  

I would definitely not go back if they allow smoking tho! Is the pool table a recent thing, I am sure there was not one there on my visit about 1 month ago.

[Yahooka]

I have been there a number of times and always found the food to be good, my only complaint was the portions were too big, as i was on a diet at time. I did go back,  with a girl and was going to share a dish. but what i did not know she also ordered a dish. I did not eat all mine and neither did my lady.  

I would definitely not go back if they allow smoking tho! Is the pool table a recent thing, I am sure there was not one there on my visit about 1 month ago.

Can`t remember the pool table either.If that`s the case it`s not a good thing........Pool tables should be found in pool halls only IMO.To much riff-raffs tends to congregate  around  them,including the shirtless-crowd and MB taxi drivers.

[Wok N Rok]

Thanks for your review sir.

 

I remember you, and where you were sat. Maybe not the best position, considering what was going on at the time.

 

I just asked what happened here.

 

Everybody at the table ordered the special of the day which was 'special curry' The Husbands ordered for their Wifes. When the food came, half the plates were eaten then the Women complained they "cannot eat beef or pork" and wanted only chicken curry. The kitchen obliged at no extra cost but the Women continued to moan about it.

 

They looked long and hard at the menu and number 15 'special curry' states chicken beef and char sui pork.  

[Pheat]

I had 2 meals in the Wok/Rok last week

Both were ok if nothing special

Sometimes need a British chinky fix

But the smokers of which there are many do ruin the food

(Maybe have a non smoking area for the non smoking diners)

if you find that rat put it on the menu as a special rat curry

[chookyargyll]

Thanks for your review sir.

 

I remember you, and where you were sat. Maybe not the best position, considering what was going on at the time.

 

I just asked what happened here.

 

Everybody at the table ordered the special of the day which was 'special curry' The Husbands ordered for their Wifes. When the food came, half the plates were eaten then the Women complained they "cannot eat beef or pork" and wanted only chicken curry. The kitchen obliged at no extra cost but the Women continued to moan about it.

 

They looked long and hard at the menu and number 15 'special curry' states chicken beef and char sui pork.

Thank you for your quick, if erroneous reply. I repeat again, 5 at table, 2 ordered the special, the 2 women ordered themselves-- chicken curry-- and I ordered a chicken foo yung. When the food arrived the serving staff were told IMMEDIATELY this was not what was ordered, and the food was NOT half eaten as you stated, not even touched. If YOU order food whilst eating out, do you not tend to moan if they get the order wrong? it is human nature. Very generous of you not to charge us for your staff mistakes.

 

As you are quick to defend your staff, how about addressing the other issues I raised in the original post ? I got a supposed chicken foo yung which was nothing more than a 30 baht omelette I could have got from half the barras in Pattaya- is this the standard you aspire to ? Do you condone shirtless customers at 9pm ? Do you allow free access to your kitchen to staff and customers, even whilst smoking ? Do you think it is acceptable to have people smoking whilst other customers are eating ? Should people dining have to put up with being jostled by staff and customers alike while playing pool ?

Finally, I understand being an open beer bar/pool hall/restaurant that you will get the occasional wildlife like cockroach, stray cat, soi dog etc coming in to the property, but I would be VERY concerned to find a rat. Upstairs. In a restaurant.

[Kreggerz]

I think if a restaurant could do egg foo young the way westerners expect it, they could sell a lot of it.

I have never seen in Thailand.

Maybe if a place isn't really up for doing it even close, maybe just strike it from the menu.

 

As far as defending staff, ever heard of the phrase the customer is always right?

Of course staff will lie to the boss if they can get away with it.

But customers are paying the money.

They are usually worth listening to.

That's how businesses can improve. 

[ausmagoo]

Because you happen to disagree and are possibly friends with another business owner, you do not do yourself any favours by calling genuine posts "wank". If you read my op, you will see that the food was only a small part of our wok & rok experience. Arseholes smoking, not wearing shirts, loud useless serving staff more interested in playing pool than looking after customers very poor overpriced food and to top it all off, a fuckin RAT in an upstairs toilet. For the avoidance of doubt, this is not a troll post, just a genuine review of OUR experience, not yours.

 

 

As I have done

 

Very commendable trying to defend them. As you stated, authentic English/Chinese food. My understanding is that they were trying to recreate a Glaswegian/Chinese restaurant, and the chefs training was in Glasgow. I was born and bred 8 miles from the centre of Glasgow and have had Chinese meals all over Scotland, England ,Europe, USA, Australia and the far east and this has been by far the worst. Authentic English/Chinese cuisine my arse.

 

If you did not like this when you walked in and sat down ...... why didn't you just up and leave.

 

You must have seen the pool table and the people playing pool as you went to where you were going to be sitting.

 

Don't like it... turn around and leave.

 

Agree ... you would not know about the quality of the food until it was delivered but all the other things that you disliked were on show before you even sat down to order.

 

You made that decision .... no one else.

 

Plenty of other places to eat in Pattaya and especially in the area you were in.

 

You are making a mountain out of a molehill.

 

Before you ask ..... I do not know the owners or involved in the business in any way.

 

cheers

[Kreggerz]

Well there are only a limited number of places offering western style Chinese food so people looking for that are naturally going to want to try Wok Rok at least one time. 

[ausmagoo]

Well there are only a limited number of places offering western style Chinese food so people looking for that are naturally going to want to try Wok Rok at least one time. 

 

Agree... no problems there... but the OP is whining about things he didn't like about the place ... which he saw.. before he even sat down to order.

 

If the décor was not to his liking that night .... then return when it is..... not to hard to see these things before he sat down.

 

cheers

[chookyargyll]

If you did not like this when you walked in and sat down ...... why didn't you just up and leave.

 

You must have seen the pool table and the people playing pool as you went to where you were going to be sitting.

 

Don't like it... turn around and leave.

 

Agree ... you would not know about the quality of the food until it was delivered but all the other things that you disliked were on show before you even sat down to order.

 

You made that decision .... no one else.

 

Agree... no problems there... but the OP is whining about things he didn't like about the place ... which he saw.. before he even sat down to order.

 

If the décor was not to his liking that night .... then return when it is..... not to hard to see these things before he sat down.

 

cheers

 

Plenty of other places to eat in Pattaya and especially in the area you were in.

 

You are making a mountain out of a molehill.

 

Before you ask ..... I do not know the owners or involved in the business in any way.

 

cheers

 

Thanks for your input, and I understand where you are coming from. When we were first sat down, there was a falang playing pool with a young boy-- maybe 7-8 years old. We did not think then that this would descend into a first class pool hall rammy, or we would most certainly have moved on.

 

As to the smoking, this was contained in the open air part of the pool hall/ beer bar/restaurant, and we had no reason to believe that they would have moved inside without being told about smoking while customers eating. Obviously the owners/staff do not give a flying fuck about customer care. Regarding the shirtless smoking wonder, I must admit I did not see him on my way into the place, possibly because I was checking out the outside menu.

 

As for making a mountain out of a molehill, well sir, I only told it like it was.

Best Regards

[ausmagoo]

Thanks for your input, and I understand where you are coming from. When we were first sat down, there was a falang playing pool with a young boy-- maybe 7-8 years old. We did not think then that this would descend into a first class pool hall rammy, or we would most certainly have moved on.

 

As to the smoking, this was contained in the open air part of the pool hall/ beer bar/restaurant, and we had no reason to believe that they would have moved inside without being told about smoking while customers eating. Obviously the owners/staff do not give a flying fuck about customer care. Regarding the shirtless smoking wonder, I must admit I did not see him on my way into the place, possibly because I was checking out the outside menu.

 

As for making a mountain out of a molehill, well sir, I only told it like it was.

Best Regards

 

Which version do you want us to believe as your description in your original post is a lot different to the one you are now describing above.

 

That molehill seems to be growing into a higher mountain.

 

cheers

[chookyargyll]

Which version do you want us to believe as your description in your original post is a lot different to the one you are now describing above.

 

That molehill seems to be growing into a higher mountain.

 

cheers

Please note line from original post ---

"This kicked off another gathering beside us with staff and customers all shouting for their favourite player."

[Kreggerz]

This is getting tedious.

We're just talking about a little Dive bar slash restaurant in Pattaya that serves their interpretation of Scottish style Chinese food.

It's not a court of law.

If you want to try that food and are game to brave the sometimes odd atmosphere there, give it a try. Or not.

I did. Now I am not. 

[ausmagoo]

Please note line from original post ---

"This kicked off another gathering beside us with staff and customers all shouting for their favourite player."

 

Please note the paragraph from the original post .......

 

" We were put to a table at the back next to the pool table, where there were ongoing games. We then attempted to order from the 3 staff who were all shouting over each other and it was no surprise when they totally fecked up our order. In the meantime while waiting to see what we had ordered, there was a gathering and very noisy discussion between customers and staff next to us over who was next on the pool table. No surprise that it was one of the staff that won that one."

 

cheers

[ausmagoo]

This is getting tedious.

We're just talking about a little dive bar slash restaurant in Pattaya that serves their interpretation of Scottish style Chinese food.

It's not a court of law.

If you want to try that food and are game to brave the sometimes odd atmosphere there, give it a try. Or not.

I did. Now I am not. 

 

Fair enough.

 

It is not a court if law but when the same person posts two different versions of what happen then maybe it is more than meets the eye.

 

Agree  .... up to the person to try... and I am sure it will suit some and not others.

 

If it doesn't please you...vote with your feet and baht.

 

cheers