CAFE JOHN in Jomtien Complex

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puan
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CAFE JOHN in Jomtien Complex

Post by puan »

My first time there. A little delight in Jomtien Complex. The western food is excellent, portions are large, the menu is extensive and the prices are brilliant. Highly recommended.
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Gaybutton
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Re: CAFE JOHN in Jomtien Complex

Post by Gaybutton »

Actually it has been there many years - under different ownership and different names. I remember it as Cafe Ritz.

You're not the only one giving it an excellent review. See: https://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurant_ ... vince.html
Jun

Re: CAFE JOHN in Jomtien Complex

Post by Jun »

I used to visit the place about once a year, as someone was keen on going there for his birthday.
There were no vegetarian options on the menu & I was once offered a Tomato salad as the main course. The tomato salad arrived and it was literally a plate full of sliced tomato. [Another JC restaurant repeated this stunt last year with a starter]

Someone asked the Thai manager where was John and we were told he's in London. We left and one of our group spotted John stood outside a rival restaurant, next door but one.

I now avoid the place and believe I'm not the only board member doing so.
puan
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Re: CAFE JOHN in Jomtien Complex

Post by puan »

Interesting anecdote. I still recommend Cafe John.
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Re: CAFE JOHN in Jomtien Complex

Post by Gaybutton »

Same as any other restaurant - If you like it, it's great. If you don't, then eat somewhere else.
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Re: CAFE JOHN in Jomtien Complex

Post by thaiophilus »

"If you like it, it's great. If you don't, then eat somewhere else."

Sure. But how does that help if you haven't yet had the experience that determines whether you will like it?
Surely the purpose of a review forum like this one is to provide objective evidence to help people decide.
if the experience is so subjective, what's the point?

(Never eaten there, so I have no opinion)
Jun

Re: CAFE JOHN in Jomtien Complex

Post by Jun »

thaiophilus wrote: Thu Nov 17, 2022 12:19 amSurely the purpose of a review forum like this one is to provide objective evidence to help people decide.
if the experience is so subjective, what's the point?
I agree that the purpose of a review forum includes posting reviews of restaurants & other such businesses.
However that can include objective and subjective experiences.

e.g.
Objective: No vegetarian options on the menu (when I was last there)
Restaurant manager lied to us

Subjective: Taste of food was poor

I don't see how you can have a proper restaurant review without some subjective assessment of the food.

Incidentally, I don't see anyone telling us we can't review restaurants.
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Gaybutton
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Re: CAFE JOHN in Jomtien Complex

Post by Gaybutton »

thaiophilus wrote: Thu Nov 17, 2022 12:19 am But how does that help if you haven't yet had the experience that determines whether you will like it?
It makes you aware of restaurants you may not have heard of. People will tell you whether they like the place or not. Nobody can decide for you what you're going to like or dislike, especially if there are conflicting reviews such as this one. I have no idea what you will like any more than you have any idea what I will like. No way to know until you try it for yourself. Haven't you ever been to a restaurant that someone told you is excellent, but you thought it was lousy - and vice-versa?

I remember a Chinese restaurant in Pattaya, long gone now, that I always liked, but one person kept insisting it was terrible. Why? Because he had been to China many times and said the food at this one wasn't authentic. Well, what the hell did I care whether it was authentic or not? The only thing I cared about was whether I liked it - and I did.

Do you ever look at the restaurant reviews on Trip Advisor? You can bet that most restaurants will have reviews from people who loved it and reviews from people who thought the same restaurant was terrible. As for Cafe John, Puan likes it and Jun doesn't. Both explained their reasons. I don't know what more to expect a person to do.

I think if you look through these reviews they give you a very good idea of which restaurants you might want to try.

When I read these reviews, I not only am interested in whether the reviewer liked the food, but also the service, the portions, what kind of food, a link to the restaurant's web site or Facebook page if they have one, the prices, the location, the ambiance, and any other details the reviewer can provide.
windwalker

Re: CAFE JOHN in Jomtien Complex

Post by windwalker »

Jun wrote: Mon Nov 14, 2022 7:56 pm There were no vegetarian options on the menu
I understand the food at Cafe John is traditional British dishes so no surprise there are no vegetarian options on the menu. Although there are large portions of vegetables served with each main course. The relationship between Cafe John and the Rival restaurant is rather complicated, so also not surprising that you may not have been told the whole truth.
Only complaint I have heard about Cafe John is there is too much food served with the meal and it is British/English style food.
Jun

Re: CAFE JOHN in Jomtien Complex

Post by Jun »

windwalker wrote: Tue Dec 13, 2022 7:33 pmI understand the food at Cafe John is traditional British dishes so no surprise there are no vegetarian options on the menu. Although there are large portions of vegetables served with each main course.
So it may be, but I reside in the UK and can't actually remember when I last went in a restaurant there with no vegetarian options. The selection of vegetarian food in the UK has been OK for at least 40 years. Even continental Europe has embraced the idea in the 21st century.

Many of the farang restaurants in Pattaya seem to have a menu frozen in time at about 1960, or possibly earlier for all I know.

Fortunately, the excellent dedicated Thai vegetarian restaurants meet my needs for dining during the day. Even there, Pattaya lags other Thai cities, but the selection is sufficient.

Dining out with friends in the evening is more difficult. Typically involving making do with a salad and hoping they don't manage to cock that up.
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