But there is one restaurant in Pattaya where one goes not only to enjoy the food but also delight to a culinary show piece experience performed exclusively by one’s very own chef.  It is the extremely popular and internationally renowned Benihana Japanese Steakhouse on the second floor of the Royal Garden Plaza.  

On the 11th of February at 11.00am, Benihana launched their latest venture on the culinary scene with the grand opening of their special Sunday Beni’s Brunch. 

Every Sunday from midday to 2.00pm, Benihana will provide a sumptuous Sunday Brunch for 1,100 baht (plus tax and service charge) including all drinks and a choice of colourful cocktails and half a bottle of quality wine per person.

The elegant restaurant is transformed from its usual stylish red and black chic decor and unique Benihana uniforms and the scene is set to a more relaxed ambiance, where even the chefs all parade in smart but casual black outfits. 

Sections of the 120 seat restaurant are prepared with food stations containing a variety of delicious culinary delights for everyone to visit then choose and enjoy the tempting dishes for a long and lazy lunch.     There is a great selection to choose from including an assortment of fresh and colourful salads, cold cuts of meat, splendid cheeses and pates, quiches, seafood and delicious sushi to choose from. 

Plus of course, the enjoyment of watching your own personal chef perform juggling tricks and joking as he cooks gourmet egg recipes and all the trimmings for you at your special teppanyaki table whilst cool jazz is being performed in the background by the resident band.  

At Benihana the food is choreographed by experienced chefs who entertain you as they prepare with a grand panache a meal before your eyes. Highly skilled in the art of “Eatertainment”, each personal chef performs as they cook on a hibachi table (an American-style term for "teppanyaki" cooking. Teppan meaning “steel grill” and yaki meaning “broiled”).

Internationally known  Benihana means “red flower” in Japanese, has an American and Japanese origin going back to 1964 when Japanese restaurant entrepreneur Rocky H. Aoki opened his first Benihana restaurant in New York. Rocky created the idea of "Eatertainment" where the great showmanship of the chefs amazed restaurant goers with their quick cutting and culinary skills whilst preparing fresh and delicious food.  There are now over 100 Benihana Restaurants worldwide franchised to selected organizations such as the Marriott Hotel Resort and Spa here in Pattaya. 

This latest venture, Beni’s Sunday Brunch is the brainchild of executive chef Andy and it certainly deserves to be a great success with his excellent range of creative recipes using top quality ingredients.   After being escorted to your table and introduced to your personal chef, ours was head chef Khun Ampan Thippitaktorn, you are invited to wander around the various food stations to pick and choose what to eat.  

Our first visit was to the drinks station where freshly prepared fruit juices are made to order including quenching Smoothies.  If you want a ‘pick me up’ drink with a bit of a bite, then go to the special Bloody Mary booth where one can sample Benihana’s version of the great tasting cocktail with a choice of top international brand vodkas such as Absolut, Stolichnaya, Smirnoff and Finlandia, mixed with fresh tomato juice, Tabasco, Cayenne Pepper, Worcestershire Sauce and celery stick.