THE Montien Pattaya International Buffet Dinner every Saturday is a standout that’s hard to surpass.

Not only are guests treated to a great array of wondrous dishes but also entertained, sort of, by the chefs’ adroit cooking of some of the dishes right before you.

Available every Saturday from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m., the international buffet serves Mediterranean, Thai, Chinese, Latin and Western dishes. Here’s a sampler: Curried Lamb Cigars with Sour Cream and Chili, Morrocan Salmon Fillet in Charmoula Butter on Yellow Bell Pepper Sauce, Marinated Salmon with Honey Mustard Sauce, and Cold Poached Mussel in Coriander Cream.

The international buffet has a food selection wider and more varied than many other buffets in town. It has a Japanese corner that offers sushi, sashimi and tempura; a sushi chef is on standby to prepare the freshest dishes. The carved-meat section carves up roasted strip loin, honey-glazed BBQ ham, roasted lamb leg "Grand Mere," accompanied by a choice of condiments such as apple chutney, mint and béarnaise. They’re best eaten with roast potatoes.

The buffet is highlighted by the flambé section where you can watch the chefs prepare beef tenderloin, pork steak, salmon, chicken breast, prawns and vegetables with high flames in the pan, and then serve them on your plates.

The desserts on offer are equally varied and outstanding. The crepe suzette served with ice cream is not to be missed.

All bakery items are also served fresh from the hotel's bakery.

The Verandah Coffee Shop provides a pleasantly quiet and delightful setting for those who like to feast on buffet dishes without live music. It offers the option of dining either at the air-conditioned area or in the open-air garden terrace. The coffee shop also has a full bar with good wine selection.

The dining experience is made more pleasant by a wait staff that is friendly, polite, gracious and good-natured, as well as by the ornately carved fruits and vegetables adorning the food tables, which are done by the hotel's national award-winning team of fruit carvers.

The buffet, for all its extraordinary value, is priced at only Bt650++(for adults) and Bt350++ (children).—.

The Montien Hotel Pattaya is located at the 2nd Road. For reservation call 038-428155 or -361340 exts. 1620 – 21.