The delightful Village complex is located on the corner of Soi Chaiyapruk and Sukhumvit Road, Jomtien.  Nestling beside the hubbub of Thailand’s main arterial highway and, mostly undiscovered,  lies this  prettiest of landscaped gardens embellished with ornamental water features, lakes, fish ponds, Japanese timber bridges, rockeries, manicured plants and grasses.   This enchanting setting is the beautiful locale for the following two new establishments.

 

Suzette

Sited at the north end of The Village this speciality French-style creperie is run by the charming Tossana and offers, for the first time in Jomtien, authentic buckwheat crepes to suit the savoury or sweet-toothed customer.  Although a bijou crepe bar it is big on flavour and quality of ingredients.  Always made to order these Gallic pancakes come packed with a variety of fillings: blue cheese, bacon and walnuts, Paris or black forest ham, cream and Emmenthal (B.75) plus many more creative concoctions.

Mick and I are savoury lovers so when offered a sample crepe recently we opted for coppa, goat cheese and thyme (B.130) for Mick and a smoked salmon, cream and caper assemblage for myself.  The crepe itself is light and flavoursome, the filling exceedingly appetising and the whole concept yummy and scrumptious.  The savoury crepes are can be accompanied by a crunchy,  fresh (hydroponically grown) bowl of salad complete with balsamic vinegar, extra virgin olive oil and speciality salt and peppers. The famous French snack Croque Monsieur and Madam is also available along with Suzette’s speciality club sandwich (B.100).

To complement our crepes and to retain the French flavour we were imbibing an excellent dry cider (Duche de Longueville) at B.90 per glass.  A sweet version is also available and would be a perfect partner for one of the sweet crepes with molten Hersey chocolate and walnuts, chestnut puree with whipped cream or rich nutella with almonds and caramel (B.90).  The eponymous Suzette is, of course, available and can be ordered with bananas,  strawberries, vanilla ice cream, or Hersey chocolate all drenched in orange juice, and flamed in Cointreau.   

Do visit Suzette soon and discover for yourself why these crepes are so beloved in France that they are now considered a national dish and, as is traditional, enjoy a glass (or two!) of French cider as you relax in the tropical garden paradise of The Village.

Suzette is open every day from 10.00 am – for evening visits please call in advance.  Tel:  085 431 6190 or visit www.blogspot.com. 

Zack’s Wine & Cheese Lounge

Sited on the south west of The Village beside the band stand in this stunning garden is Zack’s Wine & Cheese Lounge.  Inside it is laid-back and restful with a large, comfy sofa and easy chairs in which to relax and unravel from the day.  The terrace provides more comfort with upholstered patio furniture and trendy bean bags in which to take it easy and enjoy the beauty of the surroundings.

The House wine at Zach’s is from a gold medalists winery –  the Chilean Wine Producer of 2008, Santa Alicia.  The a la carte wine selection has been carefully chosen with many labels recommended from such illustrious  publications as The Wine Spectator and The Wine Advocate.   All pedigreed wines indeed (prices from B.995 a bottle)  and we urge all you oenophiles to come and see for yourself.  Mick and I enjoyed a top notch bottle of  Santa Alicia Gran Reserve, Cabernet Sauvignon which proved a marriage made in heaven when supped with Zach’s platter of  luxury cheeses.

Only the best French and Swiss cheeses are flown in to be served here.  Tomme du Berger from Province, St. Felicien from the Rhone, and Bleu d’Auvergne are just a few of the exciting names that are on offer on this menu.  Speciality cheese platters are served here and are accompanied by a glass of red or white house wine.  Cheeses on offer are  Brie Cantorel, Stilton (B.425), Camembert au lait ru or Yerbe d’or (B.450), New Zealand cheddar, Monzzeller and other world-class classic names. 

Wine buffs listen up;   at present every bottle of wine ordered on Friday between 6.00 pm and 8.00 pm will be accompanied by a free basket of cheeses plus there is a 30% discount on all drinks and also – one for your diaries:  October 31^st at 2.00 pm (till approx 10.00 pm) Zach’s will be hosting an exclusive wine tasting.  A string quartet will play out on the lawn, snacks and cheese will be available and Zach’s finest selection of wines can be tasted.    Please phone Zach for a reservation. 

For wine and cheese lovers this is a treasure of a discovery.  Set into a pastoral, tropical haven is this quality wine bar serving some of the best cheeses in the world in an ambiance of friendliness and cordiality – could we possibly wish for more?

Open daily from midday.  For evening visits please call in advance.     Tel:  08 6147 2479 or email bwatkinz@msn.com.