THE AUSSIE PUB AND BBQ
This spectacular Australian themed pub/restaurant is located on Sukhumvit Soi 11. One can’t possibly miss this watering hole. It hits the passer-by squarely in the eyes with its appealing entrance, bright lights and equally bright colours. Corrugated iron features prominently and the bar is decorated with large photos of Australian film and music stars.

There is a plethora of LCD screens everywhere in the establishment featuring all of the sports that Australians love; Aussie Rules, Rugby League, Rugby Union and it also shows the premier league from England and F1 races as well.

During a month spent in an apartment on Soi 11, I must have passed this place countless times.

A huge load of money has been spent on this pub, it lacks for nothing in its infrastructure and is probably the most luxurious pub/bar in all of Bangkok.

One evening She Who Must Shop and your correspondent called in for a couple of rounds of liquid sustenance and as it was happy hour(s) we expected either half price or the usual two for one.

A schooner of Heineken was 100 baht ($AUD4 at the time), which I concluded was above the odds for a promotional happy hour.

The gin and tonic for the shopping girl came in at 185 baht ($AUD7.40 at the time), which once again I noted was well over the odds of its nearby competition.

Then the comedy routine started. The front of house manager is an Australian with a shaved head and the most pronounced “ocker” accent I have heard in many years. He was yelling and barking out orders to the skittish Thai waitresses and it resulted in a comedy of errors.


Nearby tables were telling the waitresses “I didn’t order the potatoes wedges, I ordered hot chips”, while on the other side of us a woman lamented “I didn’t order the chicken parmigiana – I ordered the roast chicken”.

This unbelievable disorganisation persisted for the hour we spent there. Many tables were taking it well and laughing their heads off. The problem was definitely the shiny headed manager, because of his barking in his heavy accent, the girls just weren’t able to understand what he was saying. Indeed, I could barely understand him.

We left at around 7 pm just as a group of Aussies were heading up the stairs wherein we overheard one of the guys saying “I wonder if it will be Three Stooges tonight like was on Monday night”?

Over the course of the following weeks I would call in each evening to watch the mayhem and as the weeks passed I couldn’t help but notice a declining patronage.
Despite the shambles at the front of the house, the food when it was presented looked quite good, so one night She Who Must Shop and yours truly decided to try the cuisine from the rather impressive kitchen of the Aussie Pub & BBQ.

Once again the drinks were well over the odds and as we perused the menu I noticed that the prices were much like the drinks – overpriced.

As an example of this, the menu amongst many other offerings listed Australian Black Angus Steak at 925 baht ($AUD37.75 at the time). I have never eaten any steak anywhere at that price and so I ordered the Fish With Chive Sauce at 340 baht ($13.87).

She Who Must Shop ordered the roast chicken and of course couldn’t pass up on the desserts as she additionally ordered a serving of ice cream gateaux.

After we had placed our choices with the waitress, I ordered another rounds of drinks. By this time Happy Hour had concluded, so I was almost knocked off my perch when I was charged 200 baht for a Crown Lager ($AUD8.20 at the time) and the gin and tonic for the shopper was equally expensive at 190 baht ($7.75). I mentioned to the shopper that at these prices we wouldn’t be having too many drinks.

After about 15 minutes our meals arrived and I was surprised to see a pie sitting on my plate with a serve of chips and salad. I called over the loud Aussie manager, whereupon he explained that the Fish With Chives WAS A PIE. OK, I got the message.

The pastry was spongy on first entering the encasement wherein the interior revealed a white morass of sauce with specks of green chives and fish pieces with no discernible taste. In fact the fish pie was so bland that I only ate half of it. The chips were beautifully cooked, clean, non-greasy, crisp and most enjoyable. The salad consisted of a mesclun mix of fresh leaves with slices of red capsicum and red onion with a light vinaigrette dressing.

On the other side of the table the shopper declared the roast chicken to be tasty and perfectly cooked, accompanied once again by the perfectly cooked chips and a serve of carrots and peas.

At this stage I happened to notice that on the table next to us one of Australian diners had ordered the Angus Steak. I took particular note when it arrived that it had a hard crust on the outside which suggested that it hadn’t been on the BBQ bars but had been oven roasted. At $A38 I was glad that I hadn’t ordered it!

With our main course meals concluded, the waitress arrived with She Who Must Shop’s order of the ice cream gateaux.

A serve of vanilla ice cream resided on the big white plate along with a triangular wedge of cake, along with some whipped cream. The shopper rated the cake as good, the ice cream just on par and the whipped cream below par.

Aware that I would be slugged heavily if I ordered another round of drinks, I summoned the manager and asked for the tab.

I noted that on this night the place was only about 20-25% full and wondered if the prices or the earlier chaotic front of house issues had done the rounds of the tourists and ex-pats.

When the bill arrived it notated the following:
1 x schooner Heineken (happy hour) 100 baht; 2 x Crown Lagers @ 200 baht, total 400 baht. 3 x gin and tonic 570 baht. Fish and Chive Pie 350 baht; 1 x roast chicken with vegetables 390 baht. 1 x ice cream gateaux 125 baht.
Total: 1935 baht ($78.97 at the time).

In all of the years that I have been coming to Bangkok this worked out to be the most expensive “pub” meal that I have ever encountered – and by a big margin! To make matters worse we didn’t even order the more expensive items on the menu.

Over the following weeks I noticed when I poked my head into the establishment that it was progressively getting fewer and fewer patrons, that its listed happy hour prices were still steep, that its meals menu hadn’t changed and that the big BBQ at the front had never been used.

I made a few inquiries from people who live in Bangkok and I was surprised to learn that the Aussie Pub and BBQ is owned by the same company that runs Molly Malones over in Silom. MM’s is one of the best bars in Bangkok and is a very slickly run outfit. How is it then that the Aussie Pub and BBQ is somewhat of a shambles accompanied by unsustainable high prices?

The owners need to take another look at this operation particularly the front of the house problems and not least, the unsustainable prices of the food and particularly the drinks.

VERDICT: This place is so impressive from the street entrance. A huge amount of money has been expended on this venue and it has everything going for it from an infrastructure point of view. The front of house management borders on the chaotic and the comedic, the wait staff have looks of bewilderment and stress on their faces and the place lacks atmosphere and warmth.

SCORE: Food 4/10; Service 3/10; Ambience 2/10; value for money 0.5/10. TOTAL: 9.5/40.

Next week I will post a positive review after two negative reviews during these first two weeks. For the Aussies on the forum I can tell you that the celebrated Australian chef Guy Grossi has opened a restaurant in Bangkok – and it is a beauty.

I'm with you Emdee. I wouldn't part with almost 40 bucks for a steak and over 8 bucks for a crown lager is absolute daylight robbery. These are "fine dining" prices in my book, not what one would expect at a "pub" and certainly not one in Bangkok. Do they think that we Aussie's are suckers?

Thank's for the review, looking forward to hear about Guy Grossi's venture, I've been to Florentino many moons ago in the days before fringe benefits taxes made it harder to write off a meal of such exhorbarant value.....great food though.

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I love Thailand this much

Good interesting read emdee, which reinforces my own opinions about farang operated places in Thailand. Obviously farang owners have far higher profit expectations than Thais and this is blatantly apparent when one compares the prices. In Khon Kean, where we are based at the moment, there are a handful of farang operated bars/restaurants grouped around the Pullman Hotel. They slug an average of 80Bt for a SMALL Heineken, served in a stubby holder in a non-aircon open-fronted bar. Well, for the same price we can get a LARGE Heineken served in glasses at a table in nice Thai-operated garden restaurants or roadside Khao-Tom restaurants, which also have all manner of tasty snacks available to go with the beer for 30-40-50Bt a plate. I work hard for my money so I keep well away from all farang-operated establishments.

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The Truly Wise Man Never Plays Leapfrog With A Unicorn

BobMac,

I agree wholeheartedly with your comments vis-a-vis farang v Thai operated bars.

Bangkok farang operated pubs now charge more for a beer outside of happy hour(s) than the pubs in Melbourne do. Some put it down to rent gouging by the landlords, others like myself and you Bob put it down to one the human race's cardinal sins . . . GREED!

Shanek: That is why we decided to dine out in GG's new Bangkok restaurant as his restaurant is a long way from our property here in Melbourne and I know the prices of the carte at the Florentino . . . great food . . . great prices . . . stupendous wine listings and prices to match.

By the way, you must be roasting in Mildura now and over the past week. I just can't believe the temperatures at this time of the year!

back Emdee.

I'm catching up reading your reviews and it's great to have you back.

Cheers Geri.

Thanks Geri. I remember you as well from years back. The "old" forum is slowly coming back together again under Steve's ownership. I think that is a good thing!

I hope so - slowly but surely! I can't remember if I mentioned, Emdee - I tried to get hold of Pamela in Hawaii but the email bounced, unfortunately. Here's hoping she'll wander by some day.

If you have any ideas of other old regulars I can entice back with an email, please let me know by PM, and I'll see what happens...

By the way, really appreciate the continued reviews. It's good to know where not to go as well as where to go!

Where's LA? He's a good pal of mine but I haven't caught up with him for a while now, always enjoyed LA's post, he has good things to say.

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The Truly Wise Man Never Plays Leapfrog With A Unicorn