Review: Canterbury Tales

[Chris Pattaya]

Situated on the corner of Soi Chaiyaphum, Pattaya, Canterbury Tales is, at first glance, a cut above the normal shophouse eating place.

Light, spacious, clean and well ventilated it offers a book shop, a pool table, and current British newspapers for its guests.

What it doesn't have, however, is food you'd be happy to eat.

On three visits this week I have consistently been served overcooked or stale food in paltry portions (5 chips with one meal!) and loud, blaring guitar music making this restaurant a place to avoid if you can.

Sure, it's cheap but it aint good value.

 

Atmosphere **

Cleanliness ***

Food *

Value *

[sexy man]

i agree try seaside 2 just up the rd great value

[mike22]

Canterbury is the famous breakfast place but they make good F&C too. Dave is a good bloke. Lately I've found their bread to be a bit stale when I have an afternoon breakfast. Must tell Dave about this.

[LaaMok]

I stayed there for 5 weeks recently and i ate there all the time! I had at least two meals a day there while i used the internet cafe, the food was great, I didnt have a problem! And its cheap! And Dave is a good bloke!

 

He doesnt play loud guitar music!! lol

[Daveo]

I stayed there for 5 weeks recently and i ate there all the time! I had at least two meals a day there while i used the internet cafe, the food was great, I didnt have a problem! And its cheap! And Dave is a good bloke!

 

He doesnt play loud guitar music!! lol

 

 

Hi guys.

Dave here from Canterbury tales Cafe.

 

I was a bit disgruntled to read the first report by Chris but as ever have taken it on board and I appreciate the comments as I have said before its the only way I find out sometimes and therefore can do something about it.

 

I constantly check on the cooks and staff and of course when your around they tend to put in more effort than when your not and I appologise for the complaints and will always do my best to rectify them, I ask anyone who is not completely satisfied to let me know and in my defence we as most businesses here get consistant staff problems and its an ongoing problem to keep quality and consistancy to a high standard.

We do however try our best and I hope if you come again things will be better.

 

Cheers guys Dave

[Treebeard]

I have just got back from a 17 day Pattaya holiday, and had Breakfast here approx 10 times. No complaints from me at all as it was always good. The staff are friendly, and importantly for me, the place is clean

 

[mike22]

There's 2 things I don't like about CT:

 

1-Dave permits his guests to dine topless. You can imagine....

2-The open garbage bins are kept too close to the tables on the far West.

 

I hope you can do something about these 2 points Dave. I'm a regular and will continue to come there but I want to bring these 2 issues that are unacceptable to your attention. All the best. You work hard and it shows.

[Daveo]

There's 2 things I don't like about CT:

 

1-Dave permits his guests to dine topless. You can imagine....

2-The open garbage bins are kept too close to the tables on the far West.

 

I hope you can do something about these 2 points Dave. I'm a regular and will continue to come there but I want to bring these 2 issues that are unacceptable to your attention. All the best. You work hard and it shows.

 

Yes the topless guests, I have tried to deal with thuis before and take your point, I will make a point of it.

As for the bins, well they are not ours and when I moved in here the new building I moved them but was told that its not my land, not my bins and they were there before I was, by the Thai guy next door whos food resembles whats in the bins told me all this, so all I can do now is put in some better smelling stuff occaisionally and as you notice I put up a banner right accross them.

 

If anyone would like to steel them one night please do and come see me for the reward.

[dimples]

I have just got back from a 17 day Pattaya holiday, and had Breakfast here approx 10 times. No complaints from me at all as it was always good. The staff are friendly, and importantly for me, the place is clean

 

 

Same same, i've only ever eaten the breakfast at CT, so I can only refer to that and I have tried alot of the recommended breakfast places and never found a problem with the food at CT. Neither the food, cleaniness, ambience or other diners.

 

For the price and quantity I havn't found any better, i'll be back again

[T.Louis]

Situated on the corner of Soi Chaiyaphum, Pattaya, Canterbury Tales is, at first glance, a cut above the normal shophouse eating place.

Light, spacious, clean and well ventilated it offers a book shop, a pool table, and current British newspapers for its guests.

What it doesn't have, however, is food you'd be happy to eat.

On three visits this week I have consistently been served overcooked or stale food in paltry portions (5 chips with one meal!) and loud, blaring guitar music making this restaurant a place to avoid if you can.

Sure, it's cheap but it aint good value.

 

Atmosphere **

Cleanliness ***

Food *

Value *

 

I must say that my wife and i have eaten there for a while when we were there and found the food very good and filling. Dave the guy that owns it is very friendly as well. free Internet as well. T.V. pool what more can you ant. I recommend it. DONT TRY THE NEXT DOOR PLACE AS YOU WILL GET FOOD PIOSONING AT CRAZY DAVES THAT IS.

[wobblyjohn]

I constantly check on the cooks and staff and of course when your around they tend to put in more effort than when your not and I appologise for the complaints and will always do my best to rectify them, I ask anyone who is not completely satisfied to let me know

Dave have you changed the cook since you were across the road, I must say I did see a down turn and you weren't there so I could voice my opinion as you were at the other place

 

Cheers Wobbly

[Sunderland Supporter]

Situated on the corner of Soi Chaiyaphum, Pattaya, Canterbury Tales is, at first glance, a cut above the normal shophouse eating place.

Light, spacious, clean and well ventilated it offers a book shop, a pool table, and current British newspapers for its guests.

What it doesn't have, however, is food you'd be happy to eat.

On three visits this week I have consistently been served overcooked or stale food in paltry portions (5 chips with one meal!) and loud, blaring guitar music making this restaurant a place to avoid if you can.

Sure, it's cheap but it aint good value.

 

Atmosphere **

Cleanliness ***

Food *

Value *

 

Slow learner? 3 visits - think I might know sooner!

[mike22]

Open letter to Dave: There's a topic about the topless diners in your restaurant on another board posted 2 days after you promised to do something about it on this board. One poster claims you were seen speaking with your topless customer for awhile while he dined. The poster boycotted your restaurant on this occasion. I for one will do the same if this unacceptable allowance continues. You're the boss, up to you.

[tarivid7]

I stopped in pattaya for a year last year went for a evening meal there 4 times a week ,meals there are bang on cheap,free internet , problem dave nice bloke

[sexy beast]

Yes the topless guests, I have tried to deal with thuis before and take your point, I will make a point of it.

As for the bins, well they are not ours and when I moved in here the new building I moved them but was told that its not my land, not my bins and they were there before I was, by the Thai guy next door whos food resembles whats in the bins told me all this, so all I can do now is put in some better smelling stuff occaisionally and as you notice I put up a banner right accross them.

 

If anyone would like to steel them one night please do and come see me for the reward.

 

 

cheers Dave for answering criticism, I myself ate there twice last time no complaints from me, its cheap & cheerfull.

 

How much for the reward?

[Dean]

After reading Dales review in a previous thread i decided that id try CT as i only stay on soi Exyte.

 

1st morning i wake up in Pattaya 28/04/07 myself and the wife walk around the corner to check out the BIG breakfast. Great sit down and order, i order the large brekkie and the wife the small.

Literally 30 seconds after i order, the food is on the table ..... well i though THATS SERVICE!!!

 

i dig into the sausage..... cold

i dig into the bacon........ cold

i cut up the egg............. cold

i scoup up some beans....cold

 

Im not sure if they had made up a whole batch of breakfasts that were meant to to microwaved or sumthing.... but everything on the plate was freezing cold.

 

I sit there pondering and ask the waitress " is Dave around?" No not here ...ok no problem. I leave the breakfast and so does he wife

 

I sup my hot tea and on the table nxt to me is 6 brits, 2 with no shirts on.... now im not shy but im trying to eat and so is my wife... but every sentence that came out of there mouth started with a f**k and ended with c**t... there obviously still really pissed from the night before so i let it go, and there accents were so stong my wife couldnt understand most of the swear words anyway. Next a guy who was obviously staying at the hotel comes walking through the restaurant in his chequred boxer shorts and starts shouting and swearing at the top of his voice to his mate on the opposite side of soi chiyapoon, whilst standing at the edge of the restaurant.

 

Time to go....khep dang khrap.

 

Leave the tea...walk around the corner and eat a continental bakery for the rest of the month.

 

I know the sort of client coming into the restaurant is beyond your control, but surely guys should be dressed in some sort of clothing??

 

As for the breakfast.... well fantastic portions.... but only 1 word sum it up for me...

 

Disappointed.

[Laawman]

Owning a business in Patts can be exasperating, especially when it comes to training up the staff. You tell them what you want, and then while you're out of the way they do exactly as they please. Little respect for the farang - which is why many places hire a Thai manager to interface properly which the staff. I used to live above an English restaurant so I well know the difficulties of getting things to run smoothly.

 

CT is now in an area I like to refer to as 'Little London', with many bars and restaurants vying for business in a now very busy part of town. Refusing to serve shirtless guys can well turn out to be a bad business decision as they can simply move somewhere else very easily. If you eat 'al fresco' as it were, then having large, sweaty guys sitting at the next table will be a fact of life as many cannot tolerate the heat as of yet, which presently is very high. Shouting across the street will also be a fact of life due to the demographics of the area - in bad taste or not!

Short of enclosing the restaurant area and installing A/C (with higher pricing), then I'm afraid it's a situation any prospective diner will have to face. You simply cannot please all the people, all the time.

[Sweetgirl]

Hi guys.

Dave here from Canterbury tales Cafe.

 

I was a bit disgruntled to read the first report by Chris but as ever have taken it on board and I appreciate the comments as I have said before its the only way I find out sometimes and therefore can do something about it.

 

I constantly check on the cooks and staff and of course when your around they tend to put in more effort than when your not and I appologise for the complaints and will always do my best to rectify them, I ask anyone who is not completely satisfied to let me know and in my defence we as most businesses here get consistant staff problems and its an ongoing problem to keep quality and consistancy to a high standard.

We do however try our best and I hope if you come again things will be better.

 

Cheers guys Dave

I read on another forum that it is a great place to go Topless, ie no shirt required

[Daveo]

Yes I know the guy you mean who is a bit of a shouter, lout, he takes the holiday thing to extreme by getting drunk often and upsetting a few people who are looking for a quiet time, I must say he was with friends and showing off as they were all on holiday.

Thankfully they have gone now, he is still here but rarely hangs around as I have told him if he continues he will have to leave.

The guy who often wears no T-shirt, yes he is a regular customer and is one of the varied characters we get in here, takes all sorts, but I will put up a poster asking all customers to wear shirts.

 

I fully agree with Laawman, you cant please all the people all the time also with the staff thing, they are very capable of cock up and they have this strange idea that they have to get the food out as quick as possible to the expense of the actual requirements, they do not microwave the food, we use a bain marie for the sausages, bacon and beans, and we cook a kilo of sausages and bacon at a time as we have a quick turnover so on kilo only lasts maybe 10/15 minutes,but the eggs are always cooked to order, and sometimes when sitting under the large fans can soon cool down the food.

 

On the whole for the price and by the numbers of bums on seats we do offer a good service and I am usually around to solve any probs, if not things would get below par, so I appologise to anyone who has not been satisfied with our food.

Regards Dave

[Dean]

Thanks for the reply Dave... i realise how exhausting it must be trying to keep everything in check. I will definatly try there again on my next trip.

 

Cheers mate

Dean

[tjvol]

A lot of mixed reviews. As a former restaurant owner I know what a pain in the ass it is dealing with the help (and the customers). It has to be even worse in LOS. I appreciate Dave's responses and will definitely give the place a try.

[Chris Pattaya]

Just to say that, much as I stand by ther content of my review, the tone may have been a little harsher than I intended due to my current disgruntled state.

As for the poster who commented on my visiting the place three times: I'm going to continue with these reviews and, to be honest, visiting a place once and then commenting is, in my opinion, a little unfair.

Everyone screws up now and then.

[rafval]

I have to say that I prefer real coffee and real orange juice and even a complimentary glass of water with my breakfast, I guess most Pattaya tourists dont but its just an idea and I doubt its going to break the bank

[Rikky]

I agree totally Laawman, as a business owner myself, running a business, especially in these trying times can be difficult and you don't need the added pressures of lax staff, believe me they will take advantage of the boss not being around. Virtually standing over their heads or being present 24/7 is not always possible. Also the shirtless/topless issue is a difficult one from a business point of view. I always try to remind myself that I am in Pattaya where we don't always see the best of society. You will always get drunk, topless, loud tourists in most tourist destinations so it can be a difficult situation to be in. From a business point of view, would I turn away 4 topless paying customers ? I don't know if I would. Dave is a nice bloke and I am sure he will do whatever possible.

 

Owning a business in Patts can be exasperating, especially when it comes to training up the staff. You tell them what you want, and then while you're out of the way they do exactly as they please. Little respect for the farang - which is why many places hire a Thai manager to interface properly which the staff. I used to live above an English restaurant so I well know the difficulties of getting things to run smoothly.

 

CT is now in an area I like to refer to as 'Little London', with many bars and restaurants vying for business in a now very busy part of town. Refusing to serve shirtless guys can well turn out to be a bad business decision as they can simply move somewhere else very easily. If you eat 'al fresco' as it were, then having large, sweaty guys sitting at the next table will be a fact of life as many cannot tolerate the heat as of yet, which presently is very high. Shouting across the street will also be a fact of life due to the demographics of the area - in bad taste or not!

Short of enclosing the restaurant area and installing A/C (with higher pricing), then I'm afraid it's a situation any prospective diner will have to face. You simply cannot please all the people, all the time.

[pompooee]

These reviews & comments are waaaaaaaaaaay old, like 2 years FFS

 

Is the drunken shirtless guy still there?

 

If so I'd like to shake him by the hand!

 

Anyone who can stay drunk, shirtless & eat English breakfasts in Pattaya for 2 years is surely worthy of my admiration.

 

I'll be staying above the Chow Sow restaurant opposite Canterbury's in April / May 2009, and no doubt will be breakfasting at Canterbury's often.

 

I'll post my review in a couple of months.

 

Are you listening Dave? Extra sausage - nudge nudge wink wink