Review

Dragon Belly presents modern Chinese cuisine, featuring a myriad of dishes from across the provinces, in a contemporary setting just off the Pattaya beach road. A neon-lit glass dragon surveys all diners at ceiling height, seemingly keeping its reptilian eyes firmly focused on the busy scene below. Roasted duck, and crispy and barbecued pork, hang temptingly in windows leading to the kitchen along with dozens of stacked dim sum baskets ready for the busy service. The restaurant recommends dragon ball noodles with lobster, with the entire lobster sectioned into various parts, some steamed, some fried, and some boiled, surrounding a ball of crispy noodles. The noodles are then drenched in pumpkin and shrimp tea that infuses the noodles without making them soggy. The kitchen team is separated into dim sum and mains, and it is worth ordering from both. For desserts, fried banana with ice cream does not do justice to the crisply fried banana balls surrounded by strawberry slices, ice cream, fresh cream, crushed nuts, and maple syrup. A full selection of teas is constantly replenished at your table, and there is a small wine list and a selection of whisky, beers, and spirits. Dragon Belly has quickly built a value-for-money reputation among visitors to Pattaya from China and is busiest in the evenings.