Beefeater - Soi Diana Inn

[davidge]

Decide to treat myself to a decent steak.

 

As this is a more upmarket, and far more expensive, restaurant than my usual in Pattaya, I will hold it to a higher standard.

 

Arrive about 8.45 ask for table for 2 and asked if we have reservation - first time this has happened to me in Pattaya.

 

Told we can have table outside or wait 15 minutes. Consider going to Patrick's which appears to have plenty of room but opt to wait. Get table inside in 5 minutes.

 

I order the 200g fillet with gratin potatoes. My friend the same but with mash. We both ask for well done. We order a carafe of house red. I order water, my friend soda water.

 

The waitress brings two waters. Not a good start! She doesn't open the bottles nor pour into the glasses. I'd expect that in this standard of restaurant.

 

There are free tortillas with dip.

The dip is quite spicy. The tortillas have no taste without it.

 

The red wine is brought chilled. Absolutely unforgivable.

 

The meal arrives. I ordered the red wine sauce, my friend the mushroom.

 

The meals look good.

 

The gratin potato is very tasty and there is plenty of sauce.

 

The steak is very good but not well done.

It is just, and only just, cooked enough for me not to send it back.

Not sure the photo shows the extent of the undercooking:

 

Waitress asks if everything is OK.

Not a good idea if you don't want to hear the truth as I always say what I think!

Tell her the steak was underdone. Her response is to say that 'some meat is red'.

 

Friend finished eating before me. His plate is cleared away before I finish eating. Not good enough for a restaurant of this standard.

 

In conclusion. Clearly a popular restaurant and the meat was good. However, fell some way short of what I consider to be acceptable.

 

Total cost for two people: 1770 baht.

[nigelt]

No offence meant to your fine report but a couple of things stand out to me.

 You are under the illusion that Beefeater is some kind of "upmarket" restaurant? It definitely isn't mate!

I would also prefer my red wine to arrive chilled and allow it to warm up (doesn't take long in Thailand) than for it to arrive above 16 - 18 degrees which is really unacceptable.

As for ordering a fillet steak and requesting it well done, if it had been a classy joint you'd have noticed all the staff sniggering at you.  You don't overcook the best cut of meat there is, may as well cook a flip flop.

[OoJohnnyoO]

 

 

You don't overcook the best cut of meat there is, may as well cook a flip flop.

This.

 

Plus I've never understood why people drown their steak in gravy/sauce, especially when ordering the best cuts. It's fine for rump or even t-bone, but for me, the top cuts are too flavorsome to be lost in mushroom/pepper/red wine sauce. I prefer to dip every now and then, that way I enjoy the beef flavor more.

[Ohyesuare]

He said more upmarket than his usual which could mean street carts or hole in the wall places. I agree about asking for filet to be well done though, they did him a favor by ignoring that request.

[Gaggball]

 

As for ordering a fillet steak and requesting it well done, if it had been a classy joint you'd have noticed all the staff sniggering at you.  You don't overcook the best cut of meat there is, may as well cook a flip flop.

 

No disrespect, but i do not agree with you.

I always order my steak well done, thats the way i like it. And when i am paying for my food, i want it the way i like it.

[just hanging]

I order my steak well done, always have and thats the way I like it, that was the way it was cooked when I grew up

 

In a restaurant when a steak is ordered it is almost always cooked a bit less than ordered.  learned my lesson, if you cook it exactly like you order it, many will say it is cooked too much, then what do you do.  You can throw it back on the fire, but you cannot reverse it. 

[One hung low]

Is the sauce thing a European , UK thing? Never seen this in North America. I also like the taste of beef.

Personally, I don't understand why people pour sauce on a choice cut of meat. Or ketchup for that matter, MAYBE steak sauce.

But then again , that's just me. And although I like my meat medium rare, doesn't mean others like the same, and a steak should be prepared the way the paying customer wants it. My 2 cents

[Sounder]

OP, I knew you would get a few posts about ordering a "well done" steak. Not most peoples preference (and surely not mine) but that doesn't matter. You are the customer and you are paying for a product. Raw or burnt to a crisp, it should come as you request it. Mis-cooking a steak at a steakhouse is about the worst thing a steakhouse can do, regardless if it's a nice restaurant or not. Hopefully it was a "One off". Glad you said something however.

[simguy_jp]

Honest review from his point of view. Can not bash on a guy for ordering a steak well done as that is his preference. Chilled house red wine again some like it chilled others like it room temperature. I would say if its a top wine then defiantly not chilled but a house wine in the heat of Pattaya chilled might be the way to go. My take away is he thought the food was good but service was not so great.

[TheMarlon]

Thanks davidge for your nice detailed review, the steak in the photo was definitely not a well-done cook, which is weird because Beefeater always provide solid experience, you may try steak & co next time, they serve better steaks than Bf & Patrick's.

 

btw don't listen to those who dictate how you should eat your steak, especially when they aren't paying for it, you definitely know what suits you better than them.

[Gaggball]

Is the sauce thing a European , UK thing? Never seen this in North America. I also like the taste of beef.

Personally, I don't understand why people pour sauce on a choice cut of meat. 

I think it's just a different culture?

In Norway we have a saying: The sauce is 50% of the meal...

 

For me personally, i think the sauce is 30%, the meat is 30%, then you got the potato, salad and beer for the rest.

When all of this goes together, you have a great meal.

[Da cook]

Used to work at a steak place in Hawaii. People would order the filet well done. We always asked if ok to butterfly it to ensure well done temp. 90% of time customer refused the offer. Ok microwave 10 or 15 minutes sear marks on The Grill a ladle of butter on top and serve. Never returned one of them. If your used to tough dry meat it does not matter that you just ruined a genuine piece of art.

[soi16]

 

"Told we can have table outside or wait 15 minutes. Consider going to Patrick's which appears to have plenty of room but opt to wait. Get table inside in 5 minutes."

 

 

"Thanks davidge for your nice detailed review, the steak in the photo was definitely not a well-done cook, which is weird because Beefeater always provide solid experience, you may try steak & co next time, they serve better steaks than Bf & Patrick's."

 

What?

[thomo1978]

"Told we can have table outside or wait 15 minutes. Consider going to Patrick's which appears to have plenty of room but opt to wait. Get table inside in 5 minutes."

"Thanks davidge for your nice detailed review, the steak in the photo was definitely not a well-done cook, which is weird because beefeater always provide solid experience, you may try steak & co next time, they serve better steaks than Bf & Patrick's."

What?

What what? The quotes above make perfect sense to me, but then again I am at an advantage with English being my first language....

[soi16]

Okey!

 

OP went to Patricks and ate a steak. Mr Marlon criticise the steak what they ate in Patricks was cooked wrong way in the Beef Eater.

 

So, if the steak is not well done in Patricks you can always complain in the Beef Eater.

 

Wierd to me too?

[thomo1978]

Okey!

OP went to Patricks and ate a steak. Mr Marlon criticise the steak what they ate in Patricks was cooked wrong way in the Beef Eater.

So, if the steak is not well done in Patricks you can always complain in the Beef Eater.

Wierd to me too?

Try reading again. He ate at Beefeater. Could've got a table at Patrick's but decided to wait and got a table at Beefeater in 5 minutes as opposed to the 15 minutes he was originally told.

[Luv2Phuket]

Okey!

 

OP went to Patricks and ate a steak. Mr Marlon criticise the steak what they ate in Patricks was cooked wrong way in the Beef Eater.

 

So, if the steak is not well done in Patricks you can always complain in the Beef Eater.

 

Wierd to me too?

 

Think you're mis-reading it -- he CONSIDERED going to Patrick's but the 15 minute wait at Beefeater turned into only 5 minutes, he got a table inside and ate the steak there.

 

At least that's how I read his post....

[soi16]

Apologies every one!

 

This word "CONSIDERED" i was too lazy to check.

 

Sorry again.

Edited July 9, 2015 by soi16

[Uncle-V]

Stopped into Beefeater with my girl this Saturday night. No bars or restaurants were serving alcohol because of the holiday. So I decided to just get a burger (I need a glass of wine to really enjoy my steak).

 

Worst decision ever! The burger meat was damned near inedible, tasting like hamburger helper. Very mushy mystery meat. Definitely had some kind of soy or bread additive.  I ate the bacon on top which was nice and crispy. The side of shrimp salad was also very tasty. But could not get in more than a few bites of the burger.

 

My girl had Tom Yam Goong, which was surprisingly good. Shrimp were fresh and very nicely spiced soup. 

 

But my burger was a disaster. I know this is known as a steak place. But am I crazy to think that a good steak house should also serve a decent burger?

 

 

[davidge]

Can't help you with burgers as I never eat them.

 

I tried Patrick's Restaurant just opposite Beefeater later in my holiday and I found it much better - especially the service.

Perhaps you could try there next time?

[mcginley]

Did you bring the issue about the burger to their attention?

[Jack Frost]

Well established Resturant & known for being very good.

 

8+ 

[Uncle-V]

No I didn't as I thought it was really up to them to ask why I left it uneaten like that.

 

In any case I haven't given up on the place. I will go back for a steak soon...

[gimmesum]

Beafeaters sucks.  I had their Mexican buffet once and not only was it the worst Mexican food I ever had it was the worst buffet too.  Never went back to try the steak after that experience.

[King Cobra]

I've never really had a bad meal at Beefeater.

My girl and I eat there several times when I come home.

I get their Plank Steak with Mash potatoes, Caesar Salad.

My girl likes their Ribeye and House White Wine.

 

Only problem is that they are popular and seating on the weekends

during peak times is difficult unless you make reservations.