Searching thru the reviews on Trip Advisor for a new (for me) restaurant to dine, I came across the following review; “The restaurant overlooking the gulf of Thailand is a perfect place to visit for amazing views over the sea. On a good day you may almost see Pattaya. The food matches the views. The missus and me shared a Chateaubriand cooked to perfection. The day we visited, they offered truffle fries as a special. I never had it before, but both of us found it addictive. Prices are not on the cheap side but appropriate. So if you want a (romantic) outstanding dinner, that is your place”.
The restaurant they were talking about was Hua Hin’s Beach Café, located next to the beach in front of the yellow high rise building Condo Chain. Near and opposite to the Bangkok Hospital.
With a review like that, we had to give the Beach Cafe a try. We did and were lucky enough to run into the owner, Christian Rasp. Chris showed us their menu and told us they have taken the most popular “specials” over the past few years and incorporated them into their daily menu. We asked him what his “best sellers” were, and he said that for appetizers, they were definitely the Shrimp Cocktail and their Tuna Salad and Pineapple. For the main course, he said their Australian tenderloin is by far their most popular. Another big seller he said was their Braised Lamb Shank “Ossobucco” where they marinate the meat for two full days. Other popular dishes are their Calamari and Lobster Spaghetti.
We started our meal with a recommendation of Chris’s, which was the Shrimp Cocktail. Chris explained that the cocktail sauce was his personal recipe and contains 8 ingredients, the last being a splash of brandy. The shrimp cocktail arrived and tasted terrific. The shrimp were fresh, cold, firm, and dipped into the cocktail sauce, delightful, with a bit of a kick.
The other Appetizer’s ordered were the salmon salad, which consisted of smoked salmon, greens, and onions all beautifully presented and the Scallops with Spinach in Garlic Butter. Being a big garlic fan, I was not disappointed. The scallops were fresh and the spinach abated just a bit of the bite of the garlic.
Our main courses consisted of their Australian Rib Eye, Ossobucco, and the Lobster Spaghetti. My Rib Eye was grilled on their BBQ, mildly seasoned and was cooked to perfection. There were many choices of sides and sauces. I chose a jacket potato and a pepper sauce to accompany my steak. The Ossobucco, a classic Milanese dish, after being marinated for two days and cooked in a rich broth that included tomatoes and wine was full of flavor and amazingly tender. After tasting the Lobster Spaghetti, it was easy to see why it was one of the Beach Café’s best sellers. Tender chunks of Rock Lobster in a tomato parsley sauce over pasta al dente, Splendido!
The beach Café is also open for lunch with a full menu. It is the perfect place to while away the hours with great food, a glass of wine or a cold beer while you enjoy the ocean views and take in the sights of the Kiteboarders who are flying right in front of you.
For those who would like to have a party on the beach but don’t want to pay the 5-star beachfront hotel prices, the Beach Café is available for private parties in any budget range. Weddings, company parties or anniversary parties on the beach are all happily arranged. Recently they catered a wedding for 150 guests with a beach Chapel in front of their restaurant.
It is the unfortunate norm that if you have a view restaurant, the food is usually not that great, it’s the view that sells. And the restaurants with the most fabulous food don’t often have the most beautiful view. At the Beach Café however, the spectacular view and fantastic food are perfectly united.
For reservations or more information call 032 512 254. www.beachcaferestaurant.com