Pattaya Bay Thai Restaurant

"Pattaya Bay owner Gift wants customers to know that she took over the decade-old space from the previous owner seven years ago, gave the interior an upgrade, and revamped the menu. This episode features a mouthwatering pair of blood clam dishes, featuring fresh shellfish imported from Baja California. There’s a spicy cockles salad full of Thai herbs and steamed cockles with a spicy seafood sauce to bring out the freshness of the firm blood clams. The two dishes appeal to Thai, Mexican, and Central American diners, who are typically familiar with the prized blood clam. In the episode, Gift says tom yun soup with chicken hen and tamarind leaves is “always popular with Thai people.” Money bags, a blend of marinated ground chicken, peas, and carrots in a fried wonton skin, are served with a sweet and sour sauce. “They go great with beer,” says Gift, who offers $5 Tsingtao, Singha, and Chang beers, wine, and sake to pair with the extensive menu. The restaurant shows sporting events, and before the pandemic had live music until 3 a.m. on the weekends. Karaoke sessions feature Thai, Filipino, Indonesian, or Japanese songs." - Bill Esparza