Getting too friendly with Royal Cliff’s chocolate mousse

PATTAYA, Thailand – Finding the best international buffet in Pattaya, not to mention the best breakfast or the best fish and chips, is a forlorn quest. It all depends who you are, your personal appetites and what you are prepared to pay amongst a myriad of other subjective factors such as what’s actually going on in the kitchen.

All-you-can-eat buffets can be traced back to ancient Egypt although one imagines the pharaoh didn’t have to queue up. The roots of the modern variants are traced to the casinos of Las Vegas in the 1940s. Here, the Buckaroo Buffet was devised as a way of feeding the hungry blackjack players whilst discouraging them from going home before they had become bankrupt.

I’m not a regular at six star hotels and readily accepted an invitation from visiting friends to try the Royal Cliff Beach Hotel’s Saturday evening international buffet at the Larn Thong and Terrace overlooking the sea. What you get is far more than an array of tempting dishes: there is exceptional service, attentive care, a relaxing and welcoming atmosphere and cleanliness. Yes, absolute cleanliness is the order of the day in this hotel as it always has been since the 1970s.

There’s a variety of Thai, Chinese and Japanese dishes together with the star attraction – the irresistible cold seafood section including river prawns, fresh squid and oysters – together with corners devoted to Indian and Italian selections. Vegetarians and vegans will be delighted by the extensive range of salads quite without equal anywhere else I know. Not to mention tasty cheeses, including brie and blue, and a fabulous display of desserts which should only be visited by those on a diet when it is a cheat day.

The recent covid pandemic has had a positive effect on high-standard buffets. The Royal Cliff provides spoons and tongs aplenty so there is no excuse for diners to handle any food at the selection process. Another feature of contemporary buffets is fusion cuisine, so sushi sits happily near pasta and you might expect to find dim sum neighbouring tacos. This buffet is more than food and taste: it’s a journey for your palate through time and taste.

The cost is 1,650 baht ++ (children discounted) per person. That may sound expensive, but if you are hungry and fond of high quality food, it is certainly worth the indulgence. However, alcoholic drinks are separately billed so watch how you go. The international buffet is held only on the last Saturday of each month and provided for me a memorable experience in good company, even if I now regret having become too friendly with the chocolate mousse. Any drawbacks? Just the chaotic and difficult parking. But wherever you go in Pattaya on a Saturday night, that’s the reality these days.