Fine Dining
JULY 2010 ISSUE 73
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ocated along Pattaya’s famous Beach Road, Mantra Restaurant is a radiant bastion of stylish dining illuminating the Northern end of the Amari Orchid Hotel. With a blend of Asian and Mediterranean cuisine, your palate is in for a joyride of flavors from around the world. Radiant hues of red beam from the entrance while what seems like 40-foot ceilings greet visitors as they enter into the Feng Shui inspired bar. Whether stopping in for after-work cocktails or pre-dinner refreshments, the chilled-out vibe and sensual colors set the tone for a fashionably exquisite evening. As dinner time approaches, dine in one of the intimate dining alcoves on the restaurant’s balcony level or enjoy a front row seat at the main Dining Theater. With seven dining stations featuring cuisines from every end of the globe, the chefs are the main event as they take to their stages and prepare Japanese, Indian, Chinese, Thai, Mediterranean, Seafood and BBQ sensations. Apart from displaying their culinary craft to diners, Mantra’s special monthly menu showcases the chefs’ abilities to create entrees from one special item each month. On a particular visit, the item of choice was the white asparagus. Starting things off, we sampled Green Asparagus Cream Cappuccino with Truffle Foam & Gold Leaf. This is a warm foamy dish with subtle flavors. The expected coffee after taste is absent while there is a slight sweetness to the soup like selection. Next up was the very Thai inspired Deep Fried Prawn Salad.
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Surprisingly, this dish is warm and quite bold in taste. Hearty pieces of seafood are lightly battered, fried and topped with a fruit infused creamy dressing. Seafood lovers will especially enjoy the Atlantic Cod Fish wrapped in Parma ham with sage, pesto, potatoes and grilled artichoke. This lighter choice is a nice alternative for those watching calories or taking time off red meat. The ham and seafood combination works out perfectly while the grilled veggies give the entrée a bit of balance. Keeping on the seafood track, we dined on one of the house favorites, Snow fish in brown sauce. While the flavors from the sauce are reminiscent of Westernized Cantonese favorites such as Moo Goo Gai Pan and General Tso’s Chicken, the texture of the fish is unusually soft and does not take on the characteristics of flesh from the ocean. Another Chinese inspired dish from the kitchen and quite possibly the winner of the evening was the Sweet & Sour Chicken Wings with Deep Fried Taro. This savory selection is tasty, sticky and well worth the messy hands. As we wanted to explore the tastes of India, we ordered one of the most well-liked entrées possible, in hopes to see how Mantra recreated the flavors. The Chicken Tika Massala was bold but not too jammed packed with spices. Topped off with a basket of piping hot butter Naan bread, we give this taste of South Asia two thumbs up. After jumping around the world of flavors, it was time to end the evening with a local favorite we were assured would be unlike any version we’ve ever tried. Mantra’s Mango and Sticky Rice is a delicious assortment of dessert art. Baked inside individually wrapped pastry sacks, the sticky rice is served with chopped sweet mango and a scoop of coconut ice-cream. The flavors of all three components —pouch included, makes for a delicious play on the original that will have you asking for more. Whether sharing an intimate meal with a significant other or trying to impress the in-laws or boss, there’s enough scenery, ambiance and mystic at Mantra to keep the most discerning of individuals occupied and awed. Mantra Restaurant & Bar Pattaya Beach, Chonburi Tel: 03 842 9591 Open daily 5pm - 1am. Sunday brunch 11am - 3pm. Dress code applies
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