Scampy's Restaurant Reviews - The Farang Connection, Surin

**The Gentleman Scamp** · 10-07-2009, 04:25 PM

I was in Surin the other night, in a place called The Farang Connection and I ordered a beer but was unable to buy a beer on account of it being a public holiday - try explaining that to somebody who's never been here - anyway, 'your loss' I thought, and ordered a bottle of water, and the waiter bowed ever so slowly and sauntered off to the fridge - he may as well have shuffled backwards to get it, anyway - he comes back with the water and so begins the process of putting it down on the table.

I was halfway through a conversation with a Seppo and I could see the waiters arm and the water in my left peripheral vision, the water slowly making it's way downward to the table at the speed of about 5 meters an hour, with the same dainty care normally applied to finishing a house of cards or completing a matchstick Eiffel Tower.

I came this fucking close to swiping it out of his hand and slamming it down in front of me, throwing the ice from my glass over my shoulder and pouring the already very cold water myself - leaving the subservient twat frozen bent forward with his hand open.

I'm sorry, I just had to get that off my chest.

Oh, and by the way - actually this should be the dominant subject - the sausage beans and mash that descended to my table at the same delicate progress was fucking awful, really really bad - the sausages literally made me heave and tasted like gone off 7-Eleven hamburger patties, the beans were sort of grey in colour and the mash was pure white, unsalted and more bland than a bowel of steamed rice - which would NOT have cost 200 baht.

The name of the place once again is The Farang Connection and the owner has a photo of him and his wife on the menu. Whoever you are, you look like a nice enough bloke so just to let you know - sort out your restaurant, it's proper shit and should be shut down. Gordon Ramsay would have called the police, and the only reason I didn't blow a fuse was because I was ushered away quickly by the two merkins I was with, I mean Jesus Christ - even the Coleman's mustard on EVERY table was off - how bad must a place be for English mustard to turn foul??? I had to disguise the taste as best I could with Heinz hotdog mustard and it repeated on me for hours. The dogs didn't even touch the sausage I rejected, you're lucky I didn't have my camera on me.

If anybody knows this establishment, please pass on my disgust - hopefully he will have some pride in his business and make a little effort, that's all it takes, a little effort and investment, to be a half decent place that folks can give a good report about. I don't blame him for the waiters, they are from Issan and that has to be expected.

If the owner is a member on here then please PM me so we can arrange for me to get my 200 baht back.

**Spin** · 10-07-2009, 04:30 PM

I beg you to go over to TV and post this. The owner is (or was) a regular over there, possibly even a mod (cant remember).

**English Noodles** · 10-07-2009, 04:31 PM

I think the English owner, ex RAF (Martin I think) was fucked off by his mrs and maybe now is only a Thai run place pretending to be a faranag place, I could be wrong though, I'm sure someone knows.

**Attilla the Hen** · 10-07-2009, 04:31 PM

It's owned by a well known TV member who goes under the name of lampard10.
It is the "unofficial" Surin TV hang-out.

**English Noodles** · 10-07-2009, 04:32 PM

Originally Posted by Spin

The owner is (or was) a regular over there, possibly even a mod (cant remember).

were sponsors when I used to post there.

**The Gentleman Scamp** · 10-07-2009, 04:32 PM

Okay, maybe I will title it differently - something like:

The Farang Connection (IN SURIN) needs to be shut down.

Actually, to make it palatable for TV I'm gonna have to give it a Ned Flanders style edit - i'll also unwittingly reveal my TV identification.

Originally Posted by ATH

It's owned by a well known TV member who goes under the name of lampard10.
It is the "unofficial" Surin TV hang-out.

There was no farang to be seen but he and his missus looked like a nice couple, he needs to be informed - he's not gonna get any repeat custom at this rate.

**tjyflhol** · 10-07-2009, 04:33 PM

The owner was and I think still is a member on TV, pm him there.

(edit: shit, u bastards got a lot of replies in before I typed up mine.)

I always thought FC was reputed to have some pretty good farang food, but that was reports from some years back, these places can go downhill fast.

I was halfway through a conversation with a Seppo and I could see the waiters arm and the water in my left peripheral vision, the water slowly making it's way downward to the table at the speed of about 5 meters an hour, with the same dainty care normally applied to finishing a house of cards or completing a matchstick Eiffel Tower.

Probably seen you on telly and was star struck. Don't blame the peasants for acting odd in your company Scamp, you'll have to get used to it now.

**Spin** · 10-07-2009, 04:37 PM

Originally Posted by English Noodles

were sponsors when I used to post there.

yes

Originally Posted by Attilla the Hen

lampard10.

Now I remember

Originally Posted by Attilla the Hen

It is the "unofficial" Surin TV hang-out.

Indeed, there were some rather unflattering photos knocking around a while back of a gathering.

**Spin** · 10-07-2009, 04:38 PM

Originally Posted by tjyflhol

Probably seen you on telly and was star struck

Yeah, I'm surprised they didnt shuffle along the floor on their knees to scampy, just like the Isaan housekeepers do in the thai soaps on the telly

**The Gentleman Scamp** · 10-07-2009, 04:44 PM

Originally Posted by tiffol

The owner was and I think still is a member on TV, pm him there.

(edit: shit, u bastards got a lot of replies in before I typed up mine.)

I always thought FC was reputed to have some pretty good farang food, but that was reports from some years back, these places can go downhill fast.

I agree that PM is the way to go, that way he can change the way it is run without the embarrassment of a thread with the Surin FC in the title rubbishing his place - it's possible that he doesn't deserve the criticism or that he has been unable to oversee how things are being run of late.

I went there because it is supposed to have a good reputation, and it is such an enormous letdown when you have been eating noodles for days without any stodge or carbo and you get something like that - i.e. minimum effort - maximum price.

**peterpan** · 10-07-2009, 04:49 PM

I'm afraid Scampy, this sort of crap Engrish food is all around the North East. I ate at a Danish restuarant in Nong kai today, the waitress, a fat slapper was dressed in a slinky Lycra dress, would have looked alright if she lost 20kg. As usual more interested in her fvcking mobile phone that customers.
Food was shite. As is my wont I ordered pad Grapow Gai, we waited 25 mins and it arrived stone cold, If my 'ol lady cooked PGG like that I would have scrapped it down the shitter and made her cook it again. Last time I was in Nk we ate at a farang restaurant facing the river, I think you ate with us there first time we met with Tex & GP. Anyway similar deal, Painfully slow service and really CRAP CRAP food, both Thai and English, my mate ordered pork schnitzel, and they deep fried! it to a cinder, Never go there again.
If the owners couldn't give a toss about their business, why the hell not get out?

What interests me is that the Thai owned business wouldn't put up with this crap, we go to pure Thai restaurants on occasion and get smart service and bloody good food. In future I am dodging any Farangs owned businesses.

**The Gentleman Scamp** · 10-07-2009, 05:00 PM

^ I totally agree/sympathize Pete - by the way I got pissed at that place we met 2 weeks ago with Tex and Gallowspole - where were you? I don't have your number, I lost a third of my phone numbers when I returned from the UK and put my AIS simcard back in.

Issan is a bit rubbish isn't it really, and it's all the same too - but some good scenery.

The only thing more crap than the 'restaurants' is the tractors.

**MeMock** · 10-07-2009, 05:01 PM

Scampy, you should head a little further down the road to Ubon and come and eat at my place when you get a chance.

**melvbot** · 10-07-2009, 05:07 PM

I'd like to complain to the author of this thread.

When I see "restaurant review" I expect pictures of the food, granted, a written explanation is acceptable but a picture paints a thousand words. For a seasoned videographer to oversee this is unacceptable.

Also there is (so far) no description OR photograph of the toilet facilities, an absolute mainstay of the TD restaurant review ethos.

Yours grumpily
Melvbot

**aging one** · 10-07-2009, 05:26 PM

Anybody old enough to remember the original Farung Connnection in Nana Plaza. You have to go back 20 years. American ex army Wayne who passed away years ago and his British mate David who took poor Wayne for everything he had. Took a few people he did.

Sounds like a shit hole though.

**The Gentleman Scamp** · 10-07-2009, 05:28 PM

Who changed the title of this thread?

I deliberately titled the thread: 'The oh so delicate obsequiousness of the Issan waitperson' ..Or was it longer.

Anyway, change it back please.

Originally Posted by Memock

Scampy, you should head a little further down the road to Ubon and come and eat at my place when you get a chance.

I was in Ubon Ratchathani for two nights and was on a bender the whole time I was there. I would prefer to meet you sober and will be in touch should I be up that way again, thankyou for the offer... I bet your food is NICE.

**sabang** · 10-07-2009, 05:50 PM

A much better place to eat in Surin is Norbys (N & N's), a German bar/restaurant in the main nightlife soi, a short walk from FC on the other side of the bus station.

For a beer though, FC gets more people, and a place on the other side of the parking lot- Oasis or something (?) is said to get the heavy drinking permanently pissed crowd. I've never eaten at FC because I heard the food was proper shite, strangely enough.

Why didn't you ask advice Before cruising Isaan scampy?

**aging one** · 10-07-2009, 05:50 PM

Originally Posted by The Gentleman Scamp

I was in Ubon Ratchathani for two nights and was on a bender the whole time I was there. I would prefer to meet you sober and will be in touch should I be up that way again, thankyou for the offer... I bet your food is NICE.

Seems to me the nick is well deserved.

**crazy dog** · 10-07-2009, 07:13 PM

Good post scampy, I have been there once and never again. I related what happend to us, think it was on TV and the owner just said I was not telling the truth. This was four years ago and he had just extended the place. The mrs ordered a dish which she described as the worst Thai food she had ever eaten, BUT she did not tell me until we left so could not complain at the time. After we went upstairs to use his internet, actually it was so slow as to be unusable, but did not complain and spent the time looking at some pics we had taken on a USB stick. When I found out it was 90 baht an hour I thought I would mention that as well. Both negative comments did not go down well and the owner was VERY pissed off. He claimed he did not make any money on the internet, hardly surprising at a rate more than four times the rate in Bkk and he said we should have complained about the shite food at the time. Yes we should have complained at the time but you know what Thais are like sometimes-don't like to make a fuss. Anyway, better places to go than there.
If owners like this are not thick skinned enough to take the bad comments with the good they should not be in business IMO.

**peterpan** · 10-07-2009, 07:17 PM

Originally Posted by The Gentleman Scamp

^ I totally agree/sympathize Pete - by the way I got pissed at that place we met 2 weeks ago with Tex and Gallowspole - where were you? I don't have your number, I lost a third of my phone numbers when I returned from the UK and put my AIS simcard back in.

Issan is a bit rubbish isn't it really, and it's all the same too - but some good scenery.

The only thing more crap than the 'restaurants' is the tractors.

i have ditched my Mobile scamp, you could contact me on skype but you won't accept the invitation.
Otherwise my wifey mobile, I will Pm the number.

**The Gentleman Scamp** · 10-07-2009, 07:26 PM

^ Ah, I better PM you my real Skype address - I had forgotten about that thread!

**extras** · 10-07-2009, 08:11 PM

The place must have gone downhill since Martin split with his wife (that's last I heard of anyway). Been there a few times myself, quite liked their breakfast. But did get food poisoning once from there.

**britmaveric** · 10-07-2009, 08:33 PM

You could eat Thai food Scampy and then prob get a delicious meal instead of the usual english crap!

**Gallowspole** · 10-07-2009, 08:44 PM

Originally Posted by peterpan

Last time I was in Nk we ate at a farang restaurant facing the river, I think you ate with us there first time we met with Tex & GP. Anyway similar deal, Painfully slow service and really CRAP CRAP food, both Thai and English, my mate ordered pork schnitzel, and they deep fried! it to a cinder, Never go there again. If the owners couldn't give a toss about their business, why the hell not get out?

Yes, Peter, the food quality there plummeted when the cook left to start his own business and the owner went to work abroad for almost a year. The owner is now back permanently and we just had a big discussion over what had happened and the quality only 4 days ago. He's in the process of revamping the menu and is most certainly not adverse to hearing criticism - quite the opposite in fact as he's well aware that what once was the most popular place to eat has nose-dived. The P&L accounts don't lie!

Competition in NK has been increased now with Milford's New York Jazz Bistro (excellent Greek/Mediterranean fare) and Beer Belly Billy's (pies and fish'n'chips).

**crazy dog** · 10-07-2009, 09:22 PM

Originally Posted by extras

quite liked their breakfast. But did get food poisoning once from there.

Now there's a recommendation for you. Gone down hill, it was at the bottom four years ago so it must have gone up to go down again. I expect his ugly mrs ended up the lot then?

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