Pattaya: I LOVE FOOD AGAIN!

This blog post was inspired by love and created by Centara's Brilliance!

I have honestly finally found a piece of paradise in Pattaya. A truely exquisite setting, divine atmosphere. Over looking the (cleaner) Wong Amat Beach in Pattaya and breaking ground with its millions of nooks and crannies of spar pools and infinity pools and BBQ area's and manicured grass. I really have not experianced luxuary like this since SA. And whats more is there is just NOT enough words in the english dictionary to describe how truely magical this little piece of paradise is! With 8 Returants to choose from your options are unlimited! And each one..... Perfect.
Centara Grand Mirage
Resturants at Centara

MEAL 1: FLAMES

Like a lightning bolt straight to the heart of the food lover; this unique concept hit us and hit us HARD and well......sent us down in a ball of Flames in food extacy. It was as though the food selection was created just for the South African/ Australian Carnivors that inhabit our hearts. Obviously; considering we were over looking the ocean; we started off with some cocktails. Dustin taking a "Sea Breeze" and I took a well-saturated "Mojito" Both DIVINE! The freshness of the Sea Breeze was great and who ever poured the Mojito was not shy.

Right off the bat the service was superb. The engrish, excellent. Waiters? Well trained, polite, and ever so friendly. The novelty of Flames is that ypu can choose a "Set" of some descriptions. Sets with the names like "Shrimps on the Barbie" and "Slap a steak on the Barbie" (And if you are a veggie....you would be well catered for too....dont you panic little veggies out there) The sets come with 4-6 items which ALL belong to you and your eager palet. You can then either cook the meat yourself (with a little help from the chefs) or send it off to the absolute genius behind the kitchen door. (Meat Company in SA should be ashamed.....Along with the Butcher Shop and Grill)

All the sets come with a "Salad Valley" idea and you can order some sides from the menu. We chose the FANTATIC garlic mash and buttered asapragus. To die for. Seriously. (If i were in a concerntration camp somewhere and my life depended on getting this meal to people; i would spill whatever information i had hiding....) On inspection of the Salad Valley; it needed to be ammended to the Salad Eden. With fresh food i have not ever seen in Pattaya. Ever. There was coleslaw and Eggplant/Aubragine/Bringels.....there was little sauteed patatoes and a mini caprese salad, with real basil......real devine basil. Then the bread selection. Everything fresh and lovely and soft and clearly home made. Then just to top it off was the Ceaser Salad ingriediants and mixer.....what this was; was a selection of salad items like Butter Lettus; bacon bits; tomatoes; etc and a bowl in another bowl made of a huge cut out piece of parmasen wheel.....where you plop all your salad ingredients in and mix....making the perfect salad!
It was then back to the table. We ordered a lovely Australian wine to wash down our 4 Steaks which were perfectly cooked. Just completely devine from begining to end! 10/10 actualy no.... 15/10 for Flames!

Meal 2: ACQUA

Aaaaah....The divinty that is Acqua. Absolute perfection in every sense. An italian resturant my italian brothers would be envious off!
Starting off i decided to go with the Caparinha....again the barman clearly had a heavy hand :) i cant complain, but refeshing and lovely! 2 seconds later.....my bread basket arrived; Which had a little combination of everything. A homemade walnut bread, pumpernickle, wholewheat and no bread basket would be complete without a bread stick. All prefectly presented. Along with this came a selection of 3 bread......goodies? Pasley in olive oil; Marnated Capsicum; Olive Tappenade. My god. The olive thing....it was like tiny explosions of lovely on my tongue! Not bing the biggest fan of parsley, i avoided it a little until curiosity overtook me and i tentivaly dipped my bread stick in.....needless to say; the bread stick suddenly became green as i smothered it in the pasley thinger.
For starters i ordered a caprese salad.....which.....was.......breath taking. It containted the buffalo motzarella that Alex bragged to me about for years until i had it in italy.....seriously.....it was out of this world. So out of this world inforact i completely forgot to drench it in olive oil and balsamic!
I chose an Austrialian fillet; on a bed of sauteed veggies, with a red wine reducation; and blanched crisp spinach on the top and then just to make it over the top devine....the little polenta croutons..... OMG! Every mouthful was amazing. They didnt have the Pinot or the Merlot i ordered; but instead i took the softer route of the Chiante which they did have on hand. I was hoping for a more agressive wine with such an agressive meal; but to be deadly honest the honey liquid of the Chiante caressed the taste. The tastes were ruthless; the presentation of the food, relentless. Hold your hats ladies......Then came dessert. My trio of Creme Brulee's. At this point i was ready to hug and kiss every one of the 5 waiters assisting me.....The trio consisted of Pineapple; Green tea and (For the life of me i cant remember the one that was the best.....apple maybe?) Mystery. As distrubing and miserable as green tea creme brulee sounds.....i HIGHLY recommend this devine holy trinity of creme brulee's. Again the attention to detail was just devine! Little chocolate triangles and fruit bits.
Once my meal was complete i recieved a complimentaty (Cos i rock and speak a bit of thai....) biscuits and chocolates. Although i dont eat that kind of chocolate the biscuits were a little stale....maybe its why they were complimentary? Other than that. Perfect.