Natan's Jomtien

[davidge]

@ChiFlyer Don’t doubt your experience there. A couple of BMs seem to go to this place regularly - mainly for seafood, I think, which I don’t eat. Maybe there are some acceptable dishes there. I still wouldn’t want to pay the prices to sit next to a busy road and sweat whilst eating.

As I said earlier in thread though, the meal was honestly the worst I can remember in my visits to Thailand. The only plus was it didn’t give me the shits.

The most telling point for me was the fact that the owner (yes, the one in your photo) obviously couldn’t care less about customer satisfaction. He saw I’d hardly touched the meal, I even saw him signalling to a waitress to clear my table, but had no interest in finding out what the problem was let alone trying to fix it. I think that says a lot about a restaurant.

Maybe he does well enough from the ‘pink £/€/baht not to worry too much about standards.

[davidge]

6 hours ago, latestarter said:

Thanks for the review. When I'm in town I tend to follow Trip Advisor and am often underwhelmed. Too many glowing reviews written by tourists wearing rose coloured glasses. It's good to have a different perspective from somebody who obviously knows the local scene well. Do you have links to any of your other reviews?

Not sure if this link is going to work!

http://www.pattaya-addicts.com/forum/forum/47-restaurants-cafes-take-aways-nightlife-venues/?sortby=forums_topics.last_post&sortdirection=desc&page=1

Tried to filter by Topics I Started. They won’t all be reviews.

 

Edit: No, sorry, doesn’t look as if I can do that. You’ll just have to look through this bit of the forum.

 

Edited February 17, 2018 by davidge

[davidge]

8 hours ago, jimboh said:

Where is Mignon?

Oops, sorry. Changed name to Cafe Dior. Think that’s closed now? There are a few small restaurants in Jomtien Complex that can change name etc but I don’t check out that area very often.

[latestarter]

35 minutes ago, davidge said:

Not sure if this link is going to work!

http://www.pattaya-addicts.com/forum/forum/47-restaurants-cafes-take-aways-nightlife-venues/?sortby=forums_topics.last_post&sortdirection=desc&page=1

Tried to filter by Topics I Started. They won’t all be reviews.

 

Edit: No, sorry, doesn’t look as if I can do that. You’ll just have to look through this bit of the forum.

 

Thanks for that. Just read your review of Cafe Des Amis. Agree with you about them being a touch on the pretentious side, but I guess we had more luck that you on our visit. Our table of 6 were all very happy with their food.

[jimboh]

Mignon was a favorite of mine, and was replaced by Café Dior, which was good also but did not last long, now a massage shop, I think. I am a bit confused about 2 places in Jomtiem complex. Ritz was also a favorite of mine years ago, run by a daft old English man, Khun John. He took not well a few years ago. Now there is a similar looking place a few doors up from Ritz, called café John. Anyone know the story?

[davidge]

47 minutes ago, jimboh said:

Mignon was a favorite of mine, and was replaced by Café Dior, which was good also but did not last long, now a massage shop, I think. I am a bit confused about 2 places in Jomtiem complex. Ritz was also a favorite of mine years ago, run by a daft old English man, Khun John. He took not well a few years ago. Now there is a similar looking place a few doors up from Ritz, called café John. Anyone know the story?

I haven’t noticed it but according to this review on TA it had to change its name for legal reasons.

Now called Cafe John

This little restaurant in the Jontiem Complex will always be known to locals as the Cafe Ritz, but it's name has had to be changed for legal reasons to the Cafe John. 
Fortunately for all concerned, it remains the same restaurant with the same value for money menus, excellent food and great service.
This is one restaurant that serves only European dishes, - no Thai food at all.

Edit: a Scottish bloke who is obviously a fan of the place has posted in another review that John has died and his family are now running the place.

Edited February 18, 2018 by davidge

[jimboh]

Sad news about John, thanks for update. He would have been a good age.

[ChiFlyer]

8 hours ago, davidge said:

I haven’t noticed it but according to this review on TA it had to change its name for legal reasons.

Now called Cafe John

This little restaurant in the Jontiem Complex will always be known to locals as the Cafe Ritz, but it's name has had to be changed for legal reasons to the Cafe John.

Interesting. The location could work very well for me on nights when the GF has early evening customers.

Is this map accurate?

 

 

Cafe John.pdf

[davidge]

5 hours ago, ChiFlyer said:

Interesting. The location could work very well for me on nights when the GF has early evening customers.

Is this map accurate?

 

 

Cafe John.pdf

I honestly don’t know. I often cut through the Complex during the day when going from beach/VT7 area to FoodMart area but haven’t noticed it. The businesses are, obviously, mainly closed then so guess it’s easy to miss things.

[ChiFlyer]

I will report back. Will probably give it a go sometime this week.

[jimboh]

Yes, map is accurate.

[splitpin]

Do Natans still put all the hot food on cold plates?

[jimboh]

No, I use this place a few times a month, its top drawer IMHO

[iron]

l'olivier in the jomtien complex is my place of choice, good food and great service.

[ChiFlyer]

Had dinner at Cafe John's tonight. Nice enough place and good customer focus. I was unimpressed with the dinner I had. I ordered the roast lamb. It was a little dry and not that flavorful. I am not writing the place off, but am also not in a hurry to get back.

The wine is better at Natan's and overall I like Natan's better. Cafe John's is air conditioned, actually too much so. I am actually starting to prefer the al fresca places. I will probably reverse that tendency as we get into March.

I think some of Davidge's and mine differences of opinions at times relate to the fact that I like lighter fare, such as seafood, whereas he seems to prefer more European Farang dishes, which I tend to find to be heavier that I like. Who knows?

[davidge]

16 minutes ago, ChiFlyer said:

Had dinner at Cafe John's tonight. Nice enough place and good customer focus. I was unimpressed with the dinner I had. I ordered the roast lamb. It was a little dry and not that flavorful. I am not writing the place off, but am also not in a hurry to get back.

The wine is better at Natan's and overall I like Natan's better. Cafe John's is air conditioned, actually too much so. I am actually starting to prefer the al fresca places. I will probably reverse that tendency as we get into March.

I think some of Davidge's and mine differences of opinions at times relate to the fact that I like lighter fare, such as seafood, whereas he seems to prefer more European Farang dishes, which I tend to find to be heavier that I like. Who knows?

I’ll make sure to give Cafe John a go, now I know it’s there. Still looking for some cheaper places to add to my list - which it’s meant to be. I have very particular tastes in food  so it wouldn’t surprise me if we have different opinions. 

 

[ChiFlyer]

12 minutes ago, davidge said:

I’ll make sure to give Cafe John a go, now I know it’s there. Still looking for some cheaper places to add to my list - which it’s meant to be. I have very particular tastes in food  so it wouldn’t surprise me if we have different opinions. 

 

The roast lamb, a glass of red, and a Leo for the GF (she had already had supper) came to just under 500 baht.

Cafe John's is a little hard to spot as it is a smaller place, but it is exactly where the map indicates. Just as an fyi, and who cares, the waiter completed his sentences with ka not krap. Lots of blue light places in this area. As I have said before, the GF is a makeup specialist and hair stylist, so she knew quite a few people as we walked down the street.

Live and let live.

[davidge]

6 minutes ago, ChiFlyer said:

The roast lamb, a glass of red, and a Leo for the GF (she had already had supper) came to just under 500 baht.

Cafe John's is a little hard to spot as it is a smaller place, but it is exactly where the map indicates. Just as an fyi, and who cares, the waiter completed his sentences with ka not krap. Lots of blue light places in this area. As I have said before, the GF is a makeup specialist and hair stylist, so she knew quite a few people as we walked down the street.

Live and let live.

Your lucky it wasn’t on the other Soi that makes up the Complex or you’d have been fighting your way through all the bar boys trying to drag you into their bars 

 

Sounds like Cafe John quite reasonably priced anyway. I’m afraid anything under 300 baht for a main course often counts as that now.

[ChiFlyer]

9 hours ago, davidge said:

........

Sounds like Cafe John quite reasonably priced anyway. I’m afraid anything under 300 baht for a main course often counts as that now.

Here is a pic of the Roast Lamb dinner. I would not repeat this particular dish. The pasta and fish on some other tables looked more appealing.

 

[davidge]

On 19/02/2018 at 00:12, jimboh said:

Mignon was a favorite of mine, and was replaced by Café Dior, which was good also but did not last long, now a massage shop, I think. I am a bit confused about 2 places in Jomtiem complex. Ritz was also a favorite of mine years ago, run by a daft old English man, Khun John. He took not well a few years ago. Now there is a similar looking place a few doors up from Ritz, called café John. Anyone know the story?

He’s back!

I’ll post a review in a day or two. Had an excellent meal in his new place tonight. It’s Cafe Ritzi and it’s opposite the 7-11 & Subway on Thappraya as you approach the arch.

Highly recommended.

[davidge]

On 21/02/2018 at 08:54, ChiFlyer said:

Here is a pic of the Roast Lamb dinner. I would not repeat this particular dish. The pasta and fish on some other tables looked more appealing.

 

I ate in Cafe John a few nights ago. Soup wasn’t brilliant & stewed steak completely inedible. I won’t be back.

[jimboh]

Missus and I went to Nathans a few nights ago, and both had excellent meals. Had Mussels, with garlic butter for starters.

I had the beef bourguignon, lovely tender chunks of beef, in a rich sauce, came with sauté potatoes. Missus had a piece of grouper, with a peppercorn sauce. Had half a craft of house red-Italian. Bill came to 1,700 Baht. Service was good.

All in all, a totally satisfying experience, and good value.

 

[ChiFlyer]

6 hours ago, davidge said:

He’s back!

I’ll post a review in a day or two. Had an excellent meal in his new place tonight. It’s Cafe Ritzi and it’s opposite the 7-11 & Subway on Thappraya as you approach the arch.

Highly recommended.

I will give this one a try when I get back. Might have to save it for a night when I am on my own. Did you notice if they have Thai food dishes on the menu?

[ChiFlyer]

6 hours ago, davidge said:

I ate in Cafe John a few nights ago. Soup wasn’t brilliant & stewed steak completely inedible. I won’t be back.

Oh Davidge - if you are still in Jomtien, you might want to try La Taverna (Italian). It is also on Thappraya near the arch. There is a thread on it here in the restaurants section. Not cheap, but also not all that expensive.

[TWD]

Free raw veg dip while waiting for the salmon salad with warm asparagus entree. The salad was huge, enough lettuce for an entire warrenful of rabbits. Vinaigrette rather light on olive oil, so a little too acidic (even for the French). Surprised, given the restaurant's French link, that no bread was offered at any point. Unusual, a Frenchman will eat bread with virtually every dish short of a crème caramel. Plenty of salmon. But quite frankly, easily enough for a main course on the plate even without the bread. Think it was 250฿.

Followed up with a very French cut of beef, the hanger steak - otherwise known as the 'butcher's steak', because the butcher knew how flavoursome it was and often kept it for himself.

Big chunk of meat with a tasty shallot wine sauce. Again, enough sauce for three or four steaks, so a bit of a waste. Fries were homemade. Approx 450฿.

Convenient, busy location on Thappraya on the section leading to Jomtien Beach.