El Paso Steak House is Heaven For Meatlovers

This is the second time I have eaten here and I should have been prepared for the size of the meals. I also like the fact that the staff are not intrusive.

The first time I had the Goulash Soup, followed by the Swedish Hash Mix, also known as Pytti Panna. When I had finally finished I really knew I had had a meal.

On this visit we were waiting for friends to join us and that gave us the chance to peruse the menu more thoroughly.

When our friends arrived and had had a chance to look at what was on offer and we placed our orders.

They shared a plate of garlic bread that was huge and my wife and I both ordered the shrimp cocktail. When it arrived I was so taken aback that I forgot to photograph the dish.

In a large glass bowl was a very good salad mix with a rose marie sauce that was just right in taste and amount; so many places swamp the dish with the sauce to hide the defects.

But it looked like half the fishing boat catch of shrimps was lined up around the top of the bowl ( I exaggerate, but it was a very generous portion).

Our host, Torstein Olaussen from Norway, came over to discuss with us regarding our choice of steaks. He recommended items Nos. 31 & 38 and my wife and I followed his advice and were not at all disappointed.

So, my wife ordered the 200gm tenderloin and I went for the pepper steak, whilst our friends both went for the rib eye steak.

My wife had ordered the mashed potatoes and a plain sauce but I indulged in  the French fries plus the pepper sauce.

Both dishes arrived with a generous and varied helping of vegetables plus each of our sauces in a small serving jug.

The amount on the plates was too much for our friends and they took half theirs home with them.

We struggled gamely and in the end we had to admit defeat, my wife leaving some of  the mashed potatoes and I, to my shame, left some of my steak.

An excellent meal and when the waitress asked if we would like a dessert we said “No thank you, we are full” (In Thai, but my keyboard does not have Thai on it).

However, Torstein came over and said could he offer each of us a coffee and a piece of his special cake.

I was the only one taking coffee and we said could we have a small piece of cake and we would share it.

If heaven comes on a plate that was what that cake was like, absolutely wonderful.

What are those prices like? This is not a low end eatery but with regard to value for money in both quality and quantity it would be hard to beat. All the figures are in baht.

There is a range of starters; chicken wings and vegetable spring roll both 125; garlic bread with cheese, 95; shrimp spring roll,145; mixed salad,115; Norway smoked salmon + scrambled egg on toast, 175; and that unbelievable shrimp cocktail, 185.

A range of soups at 140 includes creamy garlic, creamy mushroom, creamy asparagus, and creamy broccoli.

There is also French gratined onion soup,155; and that meal in itself, the goulash soup, 165. They also come with two slices of garlic bread.

The steak menu has eleven different varieties on it ranging in price from 395-850 with a choice of four different sauces plus six different ways to have your potatoes and a good selection of mixed vegetables.

Other items on the menu are: surf 'n turf, cordon bleu, pork chop, wienersnitzel, beefburger, spaghetti bolognaise + garlic bread, spaghetti carbonara + garlic bread, mixed grill,  lamb chops, steak mix and that Swedish hash mix. The prices range from 245-475.

If this is not enough, they offer a special salmon dish and a cod version, both at 445.

For the Brits, there is Fish 'n chips (North Sea cod) with tartare sauce.

If you still have space, the desserts are: three scoops of ice cream, caramel custard and cream, chocolate mousse and cream, and finally apple pie + vanilla ice and whipping cream. Prices range from 135-225.

Indulge yourself with an Irish coffee at 260.

For those with Thai partners there is a great range of most of the usual dishes, prices 135-225.

Torstein came over personally, as we were leaving, to say goodnight and we said what a great meal and how wonderful that cake was...his reply was “ it's a diet cake” to which I said “yes, about 3000 calories a bite”, and on that note we wended our way home well replete.

Well worth a visit, especially to take visitors to as it lets them see that there are many good restaurants in Pattaya.