I'm writing this post at the risk of exposing one of my favourite little hideaways, where I regularly sip on some cheap beer with close friends, sing along to terrible 90's songs, order the same three dishes over and over again (they are that good), and eventually stumble home after getting one too many "crazy-falang" looks from the waiters. The place is called Rod Sabieng Restaurant, which sits unobtrusively opposite the train station, and offers great, affordable Thai food until late at night - but enough of that. The important thing is, this is my local beer buffet, and nobody seems to know about but me (the fact that almost nothing related comes up in a Google search should tell you enough).

The beer buffet has been around as long as I've lived here (going on 16 months) which says a lot for Rod Sabieng, as most beer buffets in the city seem to quench the bar owners' thirst for money within a few weeks, and leave plenty of people wondering where to drink without breaking their budgets. However, there have been a few changes over the last few months, with the new alcohol tax in Thailand bringing the price up to ฿139 when it used to be cheaper. But who's complaining at that price, right? Also, they don't leave the jug of beer at your table like they used to, but instead bring it round when they feel like filling it up (I suspect we might have had something to do with this new rule - whoops).

The food is consistently good, and after a few meat-mishaps in the early days, the staff now understand that I'm the difficult one who sends back pork-filled Vietnamese spring rolls which I had asked to be vegetarian. Make sure the staff know what you're on about as they are all very willing to put up with any requests, especially strange ones after you've had too much beer. They also have a great stock of mushrooms and tofu, so veg-versions of most dishes will be bulked up and filling, if you know how to ask for it!

Rod Sabieng Breakdown:

Drinks:	Cheap! Chang Draft buffet every single night, from 5 pm til 8pm, for ฿139 per person. Other drinks available, ranging from large Leo beers for ฿70 to a small bottle of Sangsom for ฿179. Not bad at all!
Food:	Pretty much everything myself or my friends have eaten at Rod Sabieng have received positive mmm's and oooh's. The food is solidly and authentically Thai, packed with strange ingredients and way too much chilli (just how I like it). - The majority of the menu's dishes range between ฿69 - ฿99 a plate. - The fried fish dishes are more expensive at around ฿179 or so, each. - Dishes with snapper fish are the most expensive at ฿249. - Surprisingly, the international food section of the menu is not more expensive than the Thai section, with a burger being a reasonable ฿80.- There are some great bargain dishes, including Pad Thai, Khao Soi and Sukiyaki, for ฿45 - ฿55 each, and fried rice dishes for ฿49.
Pros:	- Atmosphere. The simple wooden chairs amidst hanging plants and dim lights are a great way to spend an evening unwinding. - Service is good from most of the staff, although it was better before when you could fill up your own glasses. - The bathrooms have recently been renovated, and look fancier than ever. - Music. Most of the time, sing-along tunes come from the big box speakers dotted around the restaurant - think Eric Clapton's Tears in Heaven, The Eagles' Hotel California, and Celine Dion's My Heart Will Go On. So bad they are good, with the occasional Avril Lavigne or Robbie Williams thrown in to make it even worse (ie: better). Usually, you can expect great live music from a guitarist or pianist when it gets a bit later. - Food. The food is a great introduction to typical Thai fare done well. My carnivorous friends rant and rave about the Neua Tied Tieaw (sesame sun-dried beef fried with crispy lime leaves), while we all collectively rave about the Pak Boong Tord (deep-fried morning glory salad, with an unbeatable sauce filled with chillies, coriander, peanuts and shredded carrot). Special mention goes to all the Thai spicy salads on the menu - they never disappoint with their spiciness. In fact, they make you cry. - Location. Great for me! It's right near my place, which could be a bad thing, actually...
Cons:	- Location.  There aren't really any nearby bars or places to hang out after the beer buffet, which is why it's just really for some dinner and beers with friends. - Service. The beer jug is no longer left at your table, but now filled up irregularly by whoever decides to saunter over. Personally, I don't enjoy or see the need for you to be interacting with staff more than a few times in an evening, which is a downfall for Rod Sabieng. You have to constantly draw attention to yourself, and even when you ring the bell provided, they are reluctant to rush over. Also, there are two or three waitresses with bad attitudes who seem to seethe at the idea of bringing over a mosquito coil or ashtray, leaving the task for a good fifteen minutes every time. (Unfortunately, you do come across this behaviour in many different places in Thailand - I tend to chalk it down to their own personal problems or depression, and try not blame myself.) - Mosquitoes. As usual (this is Thailand, people).

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Khao Soy and beer - perfect combo!