FROGGY’S

A Gem of a Neighbourhood Bistro

by Mick and Di,

The Food Lovers

thefoodloverspattayatoday@msn.com

Imagine a small neighbourhood French bistro where the chef appears at your table to discuss the menu du jour then hurries back to the kitchen to personally cook it for you; where the same chef shops daily for fresh produce and seasonal items, prodding and squeezing the fruits and vegetables to make sure that they reach your table in perfect condition. He also makes daily excursions to Naklua fish market for the best polar fresh seafood at the best possible price to ensure that his set menu offers value for money in the extreme. Stop imagining it now – for its all true – and the name of this chef is Gilles and he is the patron/chef at this gastro-serendipity called Froggy's.
The set menu is an astonishing – hold on to your chapeau, B. 270 for three courses with a monthly changing five course selection for B.490. All dishes on the set menu can be ordered separately but why not take advantage of the bargain all-in price and indulge in a trio of courses. Nine options for starters, ten for main courses and five for desert. It's very easy finding something to your taste at Froggy's.

Admittedly tucked away, once found though you can sit back, either on the terrace or inside with a lazy fan whirling over head, and envision you are in chef's home province of Picardy. There's usually a contingent of French ex-pats adding to the ambiance, the feel is free and easy and the food delicious.

Mick and I arrived about 8:30 pm recently and already on the terrace a birthday party was in full flow, tucking into huge pots of moules mariniere. We elected to choose from the B.270 set menu and to start ordered moules gratinee and wild boar pate.   I love mussels and these were soft and briny, served in the shell and coated with a garlicky, buttery emulsion. The pate is a wonderful thing – robust, meaty and hearty. Boars liver tastes like a gamey pigs liver and is packed full with iron and minerals. Thickly spread on crunchy bread it is scrumptious. Other starters include soup of the day, wild mushroom pancakes (B.160 if ordering singly), prawn cocktail with aurora sauce, warm liver salad, egg cocotte, shrimps and spinach plus an interesting bacon muffin "Chiang Mai" served with blue cheese.
Wine is by the glass (B.80) or carafe and is highly quaffable and enjoyable. On to our main course. Mick had chosen duck leg confit (B.190 if ordered singly) and I had plumped for catch of the day. While confit de canard is served all over France it originated in Gascony and has become a firm favourite of chefs everywhere. Cooking it in this method transforms the leg into a soft, luscious meat with a melting consistency. Both dishes were excellent;   my snapper, perfectly cooked in a light buttery emulsion and accompanied by mashed potatoes while the duck fulfilled all expectations. For beef lovers look out for the boef Bourgignon (B.190 if ordered singly), or the house beefsteak (200 gr. portion) but it does carry a B.80 supplement to the set menu. More main courses include coq au vin, pork casserole with vegetables or beef lasagne.

A brief stop here to tell you about the other culinary events on the menu including the B.490 gourmet 5-course set menu. It changes monthly but when we visited in August the starters included crabmeat cocktail, smoked French ham piperade, fillet de boeuf with blue cheese sauce, Boursin maison tartines grilles, with a desert of chocolate cappuccino and finishing with coffee. If ever there was a place to try your first frog's leg – it's surely got to be Froggy's. In fact, on Thursday, there is a fete of grenouille! One dozen of these much loved amphibians are served with a glass of wine for only B.270. On other days of the week you can order 12 or 6 pieces at B.190 and B.120 respectively. They can be prepared in various ways, so have a word with Gilles as to your preference. Frogs legs are rich in protein, omega-3 fatty acids, vitamin A and potassium. They are often said to taste like chicken because of their mild flavour with a texture most similar to chicken wings. Give them a try. Save room for dessert especially the dastardly good meringue and ice cream which is definitely worth every calorie.

Froggy's is a gem of a neighbourhood bistro. It is the sort of brasserie that you would stumble across in every town in France, but here in Pattaya – not so often.   During a recession that is making other restaurateurs wince, Froggy's is doing well. Prices, les bons plates de France, coupled with the happy ambiance all contribute to make you want to come back here again and again.

At the bottom of the B.270 menu are the words, "sourire compris" which translates as "smile included"- what a lovely conclusion to the menu and so fitting. Mick and I were certainly smiling as we bid "bonne nuit" to Gilles.

Located on Paniac Chang 2 (the same soi as Luk Tod – about 200 mts further on the left side.) Open 7 days a week from 11:30 to 14:30 and then 17:30 until 21:30. Tel: 086 150 3481.