White Pines

[socrates]

I saw an advert on FB somewhere - looking for a Chef (cook)

[ChiFlyer]

Stopped in to try the Fish Sandwich just for old times sake. Place was empty at 7 PM. Doubt I will be back, unless I read about some kind of Renaissance. The Wooden Box has many better options for a light supper. 

[Kreggerz]

White Pines -- a classic case study in the real value of one key employee.

 

Rest

In

Pizza

[jpmelville]

5 hours ago, Kreggerz said:

White Pines -- a classic case study in the real value of one key employee.

 

Rest

In

Pizza

Another case study should be "New chef, new menu". Without recipes new chef can never duplicate another's best dishes, so better to let new chef make her/his own menu and utilize her/his strengths.

[ChiFlyer]

18 hours ago, Kreggerz said:

White Pines -- a classic case study in the real value of one key employee.

....

To add injury to insult, after having the sandwich, I spent the night in the bathroom.

[Kreggerz]

13 hours ago, jpmelville said:

Another case study should be "New chef, new menu". Without recipes new chef can never duplicate another's best dishes, so better to let new chef make her/his own menu and utilize her/his strengths.

That's assuming the chef is creative and talented enough to pull off something original like that that people will actually want to eat. 

I seriously doubt that describes the typical local "chef" that is going to accept what they're paying. 

[lolokalbo]

I just ate there last night for the first and last time. The Greek salad was something to forget and lasagna was all cheese and oil. I took 2 bite of both and paid the bill. 

[soi16]

10 hours ago, lolokalbo said:

The Greek salad

How to hell they can ruin such a simple dish?

Anyone who can read a little bit opens a book and puts together the ingredients, so easy it is.

[robert]

Where did the prior chef go?

[BeerBelly]

8 hours ago, robert said:

Where did the prior chef go?

Open her own place at Pattaya Park from what I heard.

[BeerBelly]

I offered my assistance to the owner in the form of feedback on how to get the calamari back to the original. But it seems she doesn't to make an effort, ignoring FB messages for over a week, for example. In my opinion, she doesn't really care about White Pines as much as her other venture.

[navidnavid]

Went there a couple weeks ago... place was dead at 12 am other than 2 other guys eating pizza.... I ordered four items all coming out at sporadic times... with the bruschetta bread arriving to the table 3/4’s of the way into the meal...

Fruit shakes were ok and the food was average at best.... calimari sucked, lasagna was mediocre, Thai girl didn’t finish her Thai spaghetti, bruschetta was ok....

I don’t know if I will be back ... 

[ChiFlyer]

On 1/31/2018 at 17:23, BeerBelly said:

Open her own place at Pattaya Park from what I heard.

If anyone has anymore details on this, I would like to know. That is not that far from my condo. I could ride over on my motor bike for lunch some day, although I would not want to pay any park entrance fee.

[Eskorteprinsen]

On 30.1.2018 at 06:05, lolokalbo said:

I just ate there last night for the first and last time. The Greek salad was something to forget and lasagna was all cheese and oil. I took 2 bite of both and paid the bill. 

Its just sad.I really enjoyed my meals there on my last trip, back in late october last year.Funny how things can turn around so quickly.....I suppose the new chef isnt living up to the standards of the past.Reading all the negative posts about the place,I wont be eating there again.

[Kreggerz]

Maybe someone with deep pockets can bankroll that talented chef for a new actual restaurant?  Isn't that place in PP some kind of food stall not a real restaurant? 

[BeerBelly]

After not going to WP for a long while, I decided to give them another try last night hoping the new cook was gotten things under control. Sadly, I could not tell you how his food tastes as I left before I got any.

When I arrived, there were two tables of single diners, one was just ordering. He ordered the chicken Caesar salad and something else, maybe a burger. The staff took his order to the kitchen, then returned to the other diner, who also ordered a chicken Caesar salad. But just at that moment, a second staff came to tell them they didn't have Caser salads. So they both changed to Greek salads with chicken.

The waiter came to me after those orders were sent to the kitchen. I saw something new on the menu, Buffalo wings. So I ordered Buffalo wings and spaghetti bolognese>

After a bit, the water came back to me to inform me they didn't have Buffalo wings at the moment so I confirmed the spring rolls were the vegetarian ones as opposed to the shrimp and ordered them instead.

Minutes later, I was informed they didn't have spring rolls either. So after getting the list of things they actually have, I choose chicken wings.

After quite a long time, the first table got his burger/sandwich. Then shortly thereafter, the second table got  his salad, and finally the first table got his salad as well.

Then nothing....wait...wait...wait....wait...I checked my Facebook feed on my phone for the tenth time or so and dropped my phone on my table with a loud thunk. Both staff turned around and laughed. I asked how much longer and was told "wait" which is very much the wrong answer.  She could have told me "one or two minutes" or "He's just finishing making your dish"....but "wait" just made me say, "Check bin...I don't have time to wait"

The cashier asked if I wanted it togo, and I said "No" repeating that I don't have time to "wait". I walked up to him and gave him 40 baht for the Coke Light I was nursing until my food was to arrive and said, "This is 40 baht for the Coke" and I walked out.

I relayed my experience to the owner. I doubt she will do anything about it as she concentrates on her other place.

[Kreggerz]

BB -- I more or less predicted this restaurant was in deep irredeemable doo doo after my last visit but I didn't think it would get quite as bad as you described. It's almost funny what happened there. 

[Pheat]

47 minutes ago, Kreggerz said:

BB -- I more or less predicted this restaurant was in deep irredeemable doo doo after my last visit but I didn't think it would get quite as bad as you described. It's almost funny what happened there. 

Last visit I made to the pines a few weeks ago I had to wait nearly an hour for a pork chop and chips and salad I was 1 Of 3 customers in the restaurant at the time.Not been back since

[brooksie]

Is the owners other business a restaurant too? if so is it any better than WP now? cheers

[BeerBelly]

1 hour ago, brooksie said:

Is the owners other business a restaurant too? if so is it any better than WP now? cheers

Yes, it is a Thai restaurant on Sukhumvit some place. Maybe in Na Jomtien area, but not sure.

[Evil Penevil]

On 3/23/2018 at 14:20, BeerBelly said:

After not going to WP for a long while, I decided to give them another try last night hoping the new cook was gotten things under control. Sadly, I could not tell you how his food tastes as I left before I got any.

I had better luck a few days ago. I, too, hadn't been into WP for several months because of some disappointing meals in the wake of last year's staff hassles. However, I'd heard about the new chef and wanted to try his food. At 11.00 p.m., I was the only customer- not a good sign-  although one other person entered while I was there.

I didn't have to wait long for my meal-  I ordered the salmon with garlic rice- and it was quite good, especially the garlic rice.

The salmon was fresh and cooked properly,  not at all dry.  The garlic "chips" atop the rice has also been fried perfectly and added a nice accent.  The dill sauce was also good.  This meal harked back to the White Pines of the past.

When White Pines opened in November,  2016, it gained a reputation for offering excellent food at bargain prices.  The female chef at the time clearly knew how to make Western food, Italian in particular.  White Pines' location also made it very convenient for visitors to Walking Street.

However, when the chef left WP in October last year, the quality of the food slid significantly and the recovery process has been bumpy to say the least. 

It wasn't the biggest piece of salmon I've had in Pattaya, but at 195 baht, it was good value for money thanks to the quality.

This was only one meal, but it was certainly encouraging, enough so that I'll be back.  Next time I'll try the calamari to see if it has regained its previous heights.  I couldn't fault the service in any way.  At the end of the meal,  the chef came out of the kitchen and asked via the waitress if everything had been O.K.  I said yes and complimented him on the sauce and garlic chips.

White Pines has printed up a new menu, but the offerings don't seem to have changed up. It's now open between 5 p.m. and 2 a.m. ,  but closed Tuesdays.

 

Photos of some of the menu pages.

This is real fusion cooking for you: Tom Yum Quinoa and Krapow Quinoa with salmon.  I'm sure the early Andean people would be proud.

Physically, not much has changed with White Pines since it opened 16 months ago.  It's still clean, well-lit and comfortable.

Bottom line:  I haven't abandoned hope for White Pines and will be back to see if the improvement is lasting.

Evil

 

[ChiFlyer]

On 3/27/2018 at 09:30, Evil Penevil said:

I had better luck a few days ago. I, too, hadn't been into WP for several months because of some disappointing meals in the wake of last year's staff hassles.

........

Bottom line:  I haven't abandoned hope for White Pines and will be back to see if the improvement is lasting.

Evil

 

Thanks for the update Evil. It's going to take a couple of others saying similar things before I begin to consider a visit. My last visit went beyond horrible.

I hope they do make it back. It was a great place, but I will not be an early re-adapter. From what I have read this was mainly a management problem and she seemed not to give a shit.

[Evil Penevil]

Another update on White Pines.  I had the pumpkin soup-

and everyone's former favorite, the calamari-

Both were pretty good, but still not quite up to the former standard.  I know pumpkin soup isn't a "big taste" item, but it seems a bit too bland,  just not enough pumpkin flavor.  The garlic bread was excellent.

In terms of portion size and preparation, the calamari was closer to the version we all loved.  The garlic had been added as before.  Maybe it's only psychological, but I just felt something was missing in terms of flavor.  If the calamari before the staff change had been a 9 in my estimation, this was a 7.

I didn't see the male chef this time round, but two females were working in the kitchen.  Service was quick and friendly, but again, only one other customer.

Bottom line:  The jury is still out, but there are positive signs from White Pines.

Evil

[ChiFlyer]

On 4/5/2018 at 19:27, Evil Penevil said:

Another update on White Pines.  I had the pumpkin soup-

........

Bottom line:  The jury is still out, but there are positive signs from White Pines.

Evil

Is the fish sandwich (red snapper) still on the menu and has anyone tried it recently? This was the item that just wow'd me last Fall. It is also the one that almost put me in the hospital this January. I am having a hard time forgetting both versions, but my curiosity is building. That was such a damn good fish sandwich, I might try to forgive and forget.

[BeerBelly]

On 4/6/2018 at 23:05, ChiFlyer said:

Is the fish sandwich (red snapper) still on the menu and has anyone tried it recently? This was the item that just wow'd me last Fall. It is also the one that almost put me in the hospital this January. I am having a hard time forgetting both versions, but my curiosity is building. That was such a damn good fish sandwich, I might try to forgive and forget.

How do you know it was the fish that put you in the hospital? In January, there was a stomach virus going around. Also, typically, when someone gets food poisoning, it's not from the most recent thing they ate.