Evil Penevil

After an atrocious Christmas dinner in 2016, Hooters is this year sticking to what it does best: booze, calendars and attractive waitresses. Santa Penevil

Caprese salad- fresh mozzarella, tomato and basil drizzled with balsamic vinegar and extra virgin olive oil. It cost the equivalent of 160 baht at a Shoprite in northern New Jersey. Evil

Maybe the waitresses will be wearing Santa hats? I'm not in Pattaya right now and can't check personally, but an informed source tells me Chunky Monkey has dropped the starter and dessert from the special offer, but allows the choice of two meats. Santa Penevil

Cabbages % Condoms could be an option for those who aren't interested in traditional western Christmas fare. Santa Penevil 

For those of you who don't like traditional Christmas food but want a festive meal on Dec. 24th or 25th, Fat Belly Pattaya in Naklua could be an option. Fat Belly is noted for its casual atmosphere and creative food. The photos are from Fat Belly's Facebook page where you can find more info on the holiday menu. Santa Penevil

Infiniti at the InterContinental (former Sheraton) has some of the best sunset views in all of Pattaya. From the Web site: Infiniti isn't offering a Christmas menu, but you can check out its "Romantic Dinner Menus." An example: Christmas Elements at the InterContinental does have Christmas Eve and Christmas Day buffets. Impressive! That's a REAL buffet menu. It's not cheap, but considering some pubs are charging over 1,000 baht for limited carvery buffets, it's good value for money. Santa Penevil

Santa Penevil

Here's the text from a photo I saw on another board: Simple Simon's Christmas Dinner Served at 1.00 pm and 4.00 pm Free glass of red/white house wine Creamy chicken & mushroom soup or prawn cocktail Slow roasted turkey, succulent roastpork loin, chipolata sausages wrapped in bacon, creamy mash potato, roast polato, sprouts,baby carrots, cauliflower, brocolli, Yorkshire pudding, sage & onion stuffing, Cranberry sauce & onion gravy Christmas pudding or mince pie with custard 850 Bt Inclusive + Thai Menu Also Available Simple Simon's is located on Soi 5 (aka Soi Immigration) off Jomtien Beach Road. Also ... Santa Penevil

A lot of the local turkeys probably come from: The Facebook page says Tananan's turkeys are "heritage" turkeys, but doesn't specify the breed. In the U.S., over 99.99% of all turkeys raised and sold are Broad Breasted Whites, a breed developed in the 1940s. Through selective breeding, those turkeys have become giant lumps of white breast meat that can't fly and hardly walk. They also mature twice as fast as other domesticated turkeys, which is why the white meat is so dry. The turkey doesn't have time to develop a layer of under-skin fat that would help keep the meat moist during roasting. Heritage turkeys are making a comeback in the U.S. from the verge of extinction. In 2000, only about 4,000 breeding heritage turkeys were known to exist, while about 270 million Broad Breasted Whites were produced the same year. Because heritage turkeys are produced in such extremely small numbers, they are much more expensive that the Whites, even though many people consider the taste of heritage turkeys far superior. The risk is that heritage turkeys can be very tough and not suitable for roasting but better used in stews or soups, perhaps slow-cooked. In colonial North America, wild turkeys were boiled, rather than roasted. But today's commercial turkeys haven't descended from those ancestors. Modern turkeys come from wild turkeys that were domesticated by native Americans in Central America about 2,000 years ago. These turkeys were taken to Europe by the Spanish in the 1500s. They were called "turkeys" because the Spanish shipped them from Spain to Turkey, from where they were sent to England. In the 1700s and 1800s, British settlers in North America brought British-bred turkeys with them and the modern Broad Breasted White descended from those birds. Santa Penevil

A few more. The Lion Pub on Soi Regional Land and El Greco (Greek and Mediterranean) Restaurant: El Greco also has this special offer: Offer with any order in Restaurant 1. Free entree of Tzatziki, Olives and Homemade Pita Bread whilst waiting for your meal. 2. Free Coffee or Desserts after meal. And two on Soi Diana near LK Metro. The Robin's Nest has a three- course, all-you-can-eat buffet and Harry's is going with a traditional Swedish Christmas Eve buffet. The Robin's Nest doesn't accept reservations for Christmas dinner, while reservations are mandatory at Harry's. Here's a translation of Harry's Christmas Eve menu: Welcome to celebrate Christmas with us at Harry's Restaurant on December 24th in Pattaya! Traditional Swedish Christmas Table with Meatballs, Pickled Beet Salad, Herring (several types), Pickled Salmon, Smoked Salmon, Red Cabbage, Priinskorv (sausage), Ham, Jansson's Temptation (potato and anchovy casserole), Spare Ribs, Deviled Eggs, Liver pâté, Rice a la Malta, Fruit Salad, Mulled Wine, Gingerbread, Scandinavian Shots & much more! 995 baht Only bookings with 500 baht in deposit. First seating: 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. Second searing: 7.30 p.m. untill late Santa Penevil

One more: Santa Penevil

Dealing with a few posters reminds me strongly of the first argument I ever had with a female who wasn't a family member. I was in first grade and it was a December afternoon during the arts & crafts session. The girl beside me had drawn a picture she said she was going to include in her letter to Santa Claus. She had drawn a Christmas tree surrounded by wrapped presents and I remember thinking it was a very good drawing. But cynical little bastard that I was back then, I told her there wasn't any Santa Claus and it was pointless to send him a letter as he'd never get it. She was indignant at that suggestion and insisted there was a Santa Claus. I used all the anti-Santa explanations my Mom and Dad had given to me and my sister. My parents were quite progressive and believed it wrong to deceive children with fairy tales. They emphasized that Santa was a symbol for Christmas, but it was absurd to believe there was such a person. So I asked the little girl: How could reindeer fly? How could Santa get into houses when almost none had chimneys anymore? How could one sleigh carry enough toys for all the children in the world? To each of my objections, she answered, "It's magic." But finally I asked her a couple of questions she couldn't answer. Why are there so many toys in stores during December if Santa delivers them to children? What happens to the toys in stores? At that point, she banged her little fist on the desk and told me in a loud, angry voice, "I don't care what you say, I WANT TO BELIEVE IN SANTA CLAUS!" The impenetrable BMs are like the little girl in the story. They WANT to believe in the silliness about out-of-control prices for drinks, girls' services and bar fines; coyotes who won't BF; punters who drive up prices for others, etc. Reasoned debate can't change their way of thinking. And it goes way beyond Christmas and punter-board myths. I've lost count of the number of people I've met over the years who stubbornly cling to irrational notions on politics, religion, economics, history, physical health- any subject you can think of- for no other reason than they want to believe. I did indeed learn an important lesson that day and it hadn't been presented by my first-grade teacher. It took me some years to put it in its proper context, but I grasped its essence even then: it's pointless to argue with some people. Later on I realized that nothing I could say or write would make any difference to certain individuals, as the real grounds of their beliefs are not those which are alleged. It's not an original insight and it's been expressed numerous times in one form or another by everyone from Greek philosophers, Biblical prophets and Sun Tzu through Bertrand Russell, Erwin Rommel and Kenny Rodgers ("You've got to know when to hold 'em, know when to fold 'em, know when to walk away and know when to run …"). But no one could have made it clearer than that little girl when she pounded the table and insisted she wanted to believe in Santa. It's a the Christmas-related memory that has stuck with me the longest. Evil

This is the cheapest fixed plate option I've seen so far. I applaud their honesty in stating up-front it's local turkey. I just hope they have a good supplier. Tequila Sunrise is on the corner of Jomtien Beach Road and Soi Chaiyaphruek, so it's a bit of a haul from central Pattaya. Book early if you're interested; it's not a big place and I'm sure it will be sold out. Santa Penevil

By all accounts, Washington was a moderate drinker by the standards of the day, but was one of America's biggest producers of whiskey. When he retired from the presidency in 1797, he started a distillery on his Mount Vernon estate. In 1799, it turned out 11,000 gallons of 100 proof rye whiskey. Washington was land-rich but cash-poor and began several side businesses to increase the revenues from his plantation. The distillery was by far the most profitable, with sales of whiskey in 1799 equivalent to $150,000 in current dollars. The distillery was reconstructed about 10 years ago on its original site, following Washington's plans. It has become a popular tourist attraction: Using equipment, methods and recipes from Washington's time, the distillery has also recreated the type of whiskey Washington sold. As it wasn't aged, Washington's whiskey was more like grain alcohol than what we consider whiskey today. Consumption of alcohol was much higher in colonial times than today. Men drank six to 10 times more pure alcohol, largely because water supplies in cities were unsanitary. Men drank beer and cider, often fortified with crude whiskey, throughout the day. Egg nog began as a "pick-me-up" drink given Washington's Christmas mix. It was basically eggs and milk with rum or whiskey added.

The Hilton Resort Pattaya at Central Festival has a slew of options for the holidays. The Hilton has a 12-page brochure (!) with all the details, in case you want more information. Santa Penevil

Taking this opportunity to wish everyone  George Washington had a recipe for egg nog that's guaranteed to get you into the Christmas spirit PDQ! I have tried this egg nog several times (and the other drinks as well) at various pre-Christmas receptions. The recipe was found among his papers at Mount Vernon and in keeping with the custom of the times, was simply a list of ingredients: One Pint of Brandy Half pint of Rye Whiskey Half pint of Jamaican Rum One quarter pint Sherry Eggs (George didn't specify how many) Twelve tablespoons sugar One quart of Milk One quart of cream Here's a modern recreation of his recipe: George Washington's Egg Nog * 2 cups brandy * 1 cup rye whiskey * 1 cup dark Jamaica rum * 1/2 cup cream sherry * 10 large eggs * 3/4 cup sugar * 1 quart milk * 1 quart heavy cream * 1 teaspoon fresh ground nutmeg * 1 cinnamon stick Mix liquors first in a separate container. Separate yolks and whites into two large mixing bowls. Blanchir egg yolks (beat adding in sugar until the mixture turns a light yellow). Add liquor slowly to egg yolk mixture, continuing to beat (mixture will turn brown) until well incorporated. Add milk and cream simultaneously, slowly beating the mixture. Set aside. Beat whites of eggs until stiff and fold slowly into the alcohol mixture. Add nutmeg and cinnamon stick, and stir well to incorporate. Cover mixture in an airtight container. Allow egg nog to cure undisturbed for several days (4-7) in the coldest art of the refrigerator (below 40 degrees). The mixture will separate as it cures. This is OK. Just be sure to re-incorporate mixture before serving cold. If that recipe sounds a bit complicated, here's a simpler one: Traditional Egg Nog 1 quart milk 1 cup superfine or confectioners' sugar 1 vanilla bean, split in half lengthwise and seeds scraped out 12 large eggs, separated 2 cups heavy cream 2 cups bourbon 1 cup brandy Freshly grated nutmeg, for garnish Chocolate shavings, for garnish In a large saucepan, combine the milk, 1/2 cup of the sugar, and vanilla bean and seeds and bring to a gentle boil. Remove from the heat. In a medium bowl, beat the yolks until pale yellow and thick, 2 to 3 minutes. Slowly pour in 1 cup of the hot milk, whisking constantly. Pour the egg yolk mixture into the saucepan with the hot milk, whisking. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly with a heavy wooden spoon, until the mixture thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon, about 5 minutes. Strain through a fine mesh strainer into a clean container. Cover with plastic wrap, pressing down against the surface to keep a skin from forming. Refrigerate until well chilled, at least 4 hours or overnight. In a large bowl, beat the egg whites with an electric mixer until soft peaks start to form. Slowly add 1/4 cup of the sugar and beat until stiff peaks form. In a large bowl with clean beaters, beat the cream until thick and frothy. Add the remaining 1/4 cup sugar and beat to soft peaks. In a large punch bowl, combine the chilled egg yolk mixture and the bourbon and brandy. Fold in the sweetened whipped cream, then the egg whites. Refrigerate until chilled, 30 minutes to 1 hour. To serve, sprinkle nutmeg over the top and garnish with chocolate shavings. Serve chilled. If you're not a fan of egg nog, here are some alternative Christmas cocktails: Gingerbread Stiffy 1 shot vanilla vodka 1 shot hazelnut-flavored liqueur (recommended: Frangelico) 1/2 shot butterscotch schnapps 4 ounces ginger beer Float dark rum Ice cubes Gingerbread man cookie for garnish Pour first 4 ingredients into a cocktail shaker filled with ice. Shake well. Strain into high ball glass or any 8-ounce glass filled with ice. Top with ginger beer. Pour a little dark rum over the back of a spoon and float on top of the ginger beer. Garnish with a gingerbread man cookie. Candy Cane Cocktail 1 shot vanilla rum 1 shot white chocolate liqueur (recommended: Godiva) 1 shot peppermint schnapps Candy cane, garnish Pour first 3 ingredients into a cocktail shaker filled with ice. Shake well. Strain into high ball glass or any 8-ounce glass filled with ice. Garnish with a candy cane. Blue Xmas 1 shot vodka 1 shot blue fruit- and cognac- liqueur (recommended: Envy) 1/2 shot orange-flavored liqueur such as Cointreau) Shredded dried coconut, garnish Moisten the rim of a martini glass and dip into the shredded coconut. Pour first 3 ingredients into a cocktail shaker filled with ice. Shake well. Strain into glass filled with ice. Sprinkle coconut on top of drink. This one isn't Christmassy, but a damn nice drink. It can be difficult to find Hangar One , but you can make the equivalent by steeping kaffir lime leaves in any vodka for a few weeks. Thai Martini 2 oz Hangar One Kaffir Lime vodka Fresh cilantro juice of 1/2 lime Splash simple syrup Cayenne rim on glass Combine the ingredients, including cilantro, in a cocktail shaker and shake well. Pour into cocktail glass, garnish with more cilantro. Enjoy! Evil

Some decent offers at the Robin Hood Tavern, although I haven't been too impressed by the food on a couple of past visits. They may, however, be a bit optimistic with their Scotch egg promotion. I wonder if they have been inspired by the story of Robert the Bruce and the spider? "If at first you don't succeed ..." Evil

Steak & Co on Soi Lengkee. Potatoes roasted with goose fat are great! Santa Penevil

And for those looking for a fine-dining experience: The prices are reasonable for a restaurant of Bruno's standard, considering pubs are charging around 1,000 baht for Christmas dinner. Santa Penevil

The always-popular Nicky's on Soi Buakhao, with pics of the Christmas desserts: Santa Penevil

There was an explanation given on Sunny's Facebook page. Apparently it's hard to get quality turkey in Thailand this year.

Sunny's is a popular family restaurant on the Darkside. Note that there's no turkey on the menu and the FB page confirms no turkey will be served. Also ... Santa Penevil

And if money isn't a concern, here's a suggestion for Christmas Eve and Day from Casa Pascal on 2nd Road near The Avenue: The buffet at the Mercure on Soi 15 is much cheaper, but I doubt it will be very Christmassy, more of an Xmas buffet. Santa Penevil

I had the breakfast burrito at Retrox Game On this morning and it was mediocre. With the 50% Eatigo discount at 7.30 a.m., it cost 88 baht, plus 40 baht for a bottle of water. The menu description of the breakfast burrito was a bit optimistic. The pork sausage was tasteless; the small strip of bacon had been fried brittle, not just crispy; there was maybe a tablespoon of scrambled eggs; no hash browns but two chunks of what might have been baked potato; and there might have been a speck of mozzarella, not more. Except for the saltiness of the bacon, there was no taste at all. I had asked the waitress to hold the baked beans, but in afterthought, that was probably a mistake. The beans would have added some desperately needed flavor. I'm glad the sausage had been cut into chunks rather than diced, as that made it easier to avoid eating. Without flavor, sausage is just meaningless calories. And if Retox is not going to use proper hash browns, the potato should have been diced and fried with onions or sweet peppers for flavor. More scrambled eggs and less potato would have been a good thing. The tortilla was tough, a sign that it had been overcooked, maybe even reheated in a microwave. It would have been improved by Mexican or Tex Mex seasoning. Cheese would have helped, too, but not mozzarella. It would be unrealistic to expect Monterey or pepper jack cheese in Pattaya, but Swiss, Emmenthal or even cheddar would be better than mozzarella. Bottom line: Unless Retox Game On changes the recipe for its breakfast burrito, I won't be ordering it again. There's no way much a bizarre combination of ingredients can taste good together. Evil