Not So Ordinary People
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Ken of Little Mango Restaurant
This is another in our series on everyday people who enrich our lives in one way or another.
Not yet thirty, the affable Ken has been
running Little Mango Restaurant on Soi VC for about two years. The
small cafe has become a popular spot for both Thais and farangs as a
result of its mouth watering food and reasonable prices. Appetizers run
from fifty to seventy baht and include such items as garlic bread,
mussels au gratin in garlic butter and prawn cocktail.
Ken, who has three siblings was born in Kalasin, in northeast Thailand and moved to Sakon Nakhon when he was eight. After high school, he attended college, where he studied electronics and learned English, which he speaks quite well. Although Ken worked in an electronics repair shop when he first came to Pattaya, his dream was to be a manager in the service industry. He imagined pleasing his customers by attending to their needs and offering first rate service. He worked as an assistant manager in a hotel coffee shop in Rayong before coming to Pattaya seven years ago. Besides working in the electronics shop, Ken moonlighted as a waiter in a local café. Little Mango, formerly called Non’s, was originally managed by Non, Ken’s friend.
Eventually, Ken joined with Non to run the café. When Non decided he no longer wished to own a restaurant, Ken took over. About a year ago, he changed the name to Little Mango. As many locals know, Ken’s personal partner is the well-known Allen Briggs, who formerly produced the weekly Pattaya gay report. Allen had been quite ill, but has made a remarkable recovery and is back to teaching university classes six days a week. Allen is a steady customer at Little Mango; and, by the way, he pays for every meal. According to Ken, Allen feels that he’d be paying if he ate somewhere else, so why not at Ken’s place?
It would appear that Ken has successfully channeled his entrepreneurial spirit and has created a cozy restaurant serving delicious food at reasonable prices; and, he tends to his customers with efficiency, grace and charm.
LITTLE MANGO CAFÉ-RESTAURANT
201/5 Moo 10, Soi 17 (Soi VC), Pattaya
Tel: 086-864-1152
Open Nightly