Pattaya & Jomtien Beach Thailand

Food Wave

Royal Garden Plaza
Beach Road
Central Pattaya

Quality: 7
Quantity: 8
Value: 8
Atmosphere: 9



FOOD courts are nothing new in Thailand, but few are as good as this.

Not only do you have the choice of Indian, Thai, Chinese, or European food, you get to dine while looking out to sea.

On the top floor of the Royal Garden Plaza sits Food Wave. It follows a similar format to other food courts, but takes things one step further.

The diner is given a plastic card with 1,000 baht credit on when they enter. They then choose from an array of food counters, their card is swiped accordingly, and then they pay as they leave.

It's a very simple and very effective way of eating, and you'd have to be starving or with a party of 30 to get close to spending 1,000 baht.

Large windows allow you to see out towards the dozens of ships that moor up off-shore, and also across to Naklua's fine beaches.

The counters all have English-based menus and pictures of what you can expect to receive. The Chinese option with duck and noodles was tempting, but we went for a sausage pizza and a ham pizza, which were both 45 baht each. A Caesar salad was 75 baht.

Chrome chairs and chic black tables give the place an added edge, while inset lighting and a smooth design add to its modern feel. It's a busy place too, which only adds to the atmosphere.

The pizza was excellent value: crisp on the outside and dripping with melted cheese and olive oil in the centre. Our salad had plenty of bacon and croutons, and was delicious. The only downside was that there wasn't room for the noodles.

It's not often that one food court stands out from the next, but at Food Wave the options are more varied and far more satisfying than the norm.