Long John Silver’s (U.S. seafood fast food chain) docks its first Thai branch in Megabangna

[tomazbodner]

Had Long John Silver's at Imperial World Lat Phrao... uff... 20+ years ago. Was on ground floor on the right side of the mall.

Still remember their black plastic plates (like packaging that you get food in at 7-11) and plastic cutlery.

 

Don't remember much more about them. Not overly impressive, I would guess, else I'd remember more.

[Fortean1]

On 7/30/2024 at 6:08 PM, TallGuyJohninBKK said:

 

Believe one of the OP linked articles says that hush puppies are NOT on the Thailand LJS menu...

 

But Cheddar Bay Biscuits are on the Red Lobster Thailand menu... if your wallet is fat enough!  🙂

 

Your mention of American biscuits reminded me that I saw at Villa Market in Hua Hin a can of biscuits.  It was a fat and small size.  The price was 283 baht.  Heck no.

[Yellowtail]

Well, I gave LJS's a try this morning. I had the 2 pcs fish combo for 189.

 

Fish and crunchies were hot and crunchy, and the fries were hot and crispy. Oil seemed fresh. 

 

The fish was nice and moist, and the batter tasty. The tarter sauce was pretty good, but I only tried it, but fish was better without. I'd have asked for malt vinegar, but I did not think about it. All in all, it was okay. I would not make a special trip for it, but if I were at the movies and had a hankering for fish I would do it again. 

 

Shop was spotless, and the staff seemed friendly and competent. Five out of maybe twenty tables open, but I was there at opening. I do not generally take photos of food, but: 

 

 

[Yellowtail]

Saw a double feature at Mega Bangna yesterday, so I tried LJS's Hoki combo in the morning, and while it was good, I think I like the regular (and cheaper) cod better. 

 

Between movies we tried Shake Shack (my wife loves shakes) and split the "Shack Stack" burger which was pretty good. I thought the beef patty was excellent as was the lettuce and tomato. The bun was good and nicely toasted. The "Shroom patty was good, but not worth the up-charge. A second beef patty would have been better, and cheaper. 

 

Fries were nice and crisp and not at all oily.

 

My wife had the regular size vanilla shake and while it was pretty good by Thailand standards, it was nothing special by US standards.

 

It's nice they have free big cups of ice water. If we went again, I think I would try the SmokeShack and the cheese fries but would pass on the shake.

 

 

 

[tjintx]

On 7/30/2024 at 2:07 PM, Yellowtail said:

I was sorry to see Carl's go, but I won't miss Outback, it was good, and then they cheeped it out, Sizzler at three times the price. Like to see a Longhorn give it a shot. 

 

Did you forget A & W? Kind of miss them, my kid loved it, and it was fun. 

 

I'll have to try the Red Lobster, my wife and kid both love it in the US. 

 

If Long John's is open, I'll give it a try, but I doubt Thais will like it, I know my wife does not. 

 

 

 

Omg!   The memories!   I used to go to the ground floor bar at Pantip (really, it was on the ground floor back right almost under the escalators, and it was cheap!!!) and then head over to A&W outside of the Pantip entrance!   Pantip for the memories and lost opportunity with that Plaza always brings a tear to me eyes.

[NativeBob]

9 minutes ago, tjintx said:

 

Omg!   The memories!   I used to go to the ground floor bar at Pantip (really, it was on the ground floor back right almost under the escalators, and it was cheap!!!) and then head over to A&W outside of the Pantip entrance!   Pantip for the memories and lost opportunity with that Plaza always brings a tear to me eyes.

Ice cream with Root Beer, waffles and quite good deep fried chicken. since 1997

[bkk6060]

I assume the cheaper rent and low wages are bringing these fast food places here.  But, I do not see a lot of Thais in them must be the because the prices are high.  

Anyway, I hit up the Bobś Big Boy at MBK today.  Just average I thought will not repeat.

[marin]

45 minutes ago, NativeBob said:

Ice cream with Root Beer, waffles and quite good deep fried chicken. since 1997

Opened here in Central LadPrao in 1983. The place being spoken of in Panthip opened in about 87 or so. Long before waffles and chicken hit...

[Yellowtail]

My kid loves A & W, we used to hit the one at Siam Square now and them. 

[KannikaP]

On 8/2/2024 at 10:43 AM, tomazbodner said:

Had Long John Silver's at Imperial World Lat Phrao... uff... 20+ years ago. Was on ground floor on the right side of the mall.

Still remember their black plastic plates (like packaging that you get food in at 7-11) and plastic cutlery.

 

Don't remember much more about them. Not overly impressive, I would guess, else I'd remember more.

Do you remember any of the other restaurants you have visited since this one you describe?  555

[In Full Agreement]

On 7/30/2024 at 12:44 PM, TallGuyJohninBKK said:

It will be interesting to see how this pans out. Thailand's recent history seems to be littered with attempted western / U.S. restaurants and chains that opened and ultimately failed here

 

 

Maybe that's because the  said restaurant is its namesake in name only.

 

Any Taco Bell that opened in the USA that had the same menu as the Thai one without beans and rice would be doomed to failure.

 

 

[KannikaP]

On 7/30/2024 at 5:56 PM, Jingthing said:

Do they still have hushpuppies?

https://www.hushpuppies.co.uk/

[tomazbodner]

20 minutes ago, KannikaP said:

Do you remember any of the other restaurants you have visited since this one you describe?  555

I do. In far more detail.

 

Will give LJS a shot again. The menu on the top looks way better than when I was last there.

Edited August 25 by tomazbodner

[Yellowtail]

Just now, tomazbodner said:

I do. In far more detail.

 

Will give LJS a shot again. Maybe their standards improved, or mine went down, so I might actually enjoy some comfort food.

It has been my experience, that the longer I'm here, the better the attempts at western food taste. 

[KannikaP]

1 minute ago, tomazbodner said:

I do. In far more detail.

 

Will give LJS a shot again. The menu on the top looks way better than when I was last there.

Most restaurants change their menus fairly regularly if only to reflect changes in prices, so I sincerely hope LJS's has since you were last there 20 years ago.

[Jingthing]

1 hour ago, KannikaP said:

https://www.hushpuppies.co.uk/

 

[Amethyst]

A series of off-topic diversion posts have been removed.

 

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

On 8/25/2024 at 10:30 AM, In Full Agreement said:

 

 

Maybe that's because the  said restaurant is its namesake in name only.

 

Any Taco Bell that opened in the USA that had the same menu as the Thai one without beans and rice would be doomed to failure.

 

 

Well, technically, Thai Taco Bell does have rice, not as a standalone menu item, but as an ingredient in some of their dishes, including some burritos and I think what they call their California bowl...

 

But I agree with you about the beans / frijoles issue... TTB simply doesn't have ANY of those in any form.  And without frijoles, to me, they're simply not a real TB.

 

[ricklev]

On 7/30/2024 at 6:08 PM, TallGuyJohninBKK said:

 

Believe one of the OP linked articles says that hush puppies are NOT on the Thailand LJS menu...

 

But Cheddar Bay Biscuits are on the Red Lobster Thailand menu... if your wallet is fat enough!  🙂

 

I just happened to be walking past there at Emquartier and noted that the biscuits are 35 baht each, takeaway.  I will satisfy that nostalgic desire soon, before they close down.  

Edited August 28 by ricklev

[impulse]

On 8/2/2024 at 11:43 AM, tomazbodner said:

Don't remember much more about them. Not overly impressive, I would guess, else I'd remember more.

 

Even back in the USA, Long John Silvers is more of a place to go for a change of pace than someplace I go on a very regular basis.  I like their fish and fries and some of their other offerings that slip my mind right now.  But not more than once or twice a month. 

 

[proton]

Hope it fails, the importing of western food outlets has done nothing for people's health.

[impulse]

On 7/30/2024 at 4:35 PM, TallGuyJohninBKK said:

Here, the wife and I tried the QSNCC RL branch soon after it opened, and had a nice, pleasant (albeit expensive) dinner there. The service was really good by Thai standards, friendly, English-speaking and just attentive enough but not overbearing/annoying, and both the steak and the lobster entrees we had were good and up to U.S. standards.  But it's not the kind of place that we, or I suspect most people, would go to on a regular/recurring basis... But who knows...

 

I think being in QSNCC will help them survive.  Most foreign companies won't flinch much at a $150 USD receipt for lunch at an international trade show, especially if you can mention a customer on the back of the receipt.  The question is whether the QSNCC will be hosting enough international trade shows to keep the expense account trade flowing through. 

 

I'm impressed with the recent QSNCC update, but I'm not sure Bangkok can support so many exhibition centers.  QSNCC has the location advantage over BITEC and especially over the IMPACT.  And I sincerely wish them good luck, along with Red Lobster.  But we'll see.  So far, the few trade shows I've attended have been domestic focused or rather small int'l shows.

 

[Yellowtail]

2 minutes ago, impulse said:

 

I think being in QSNCC will help them survive.  Most foreign companies won't flinch much at a $150 USD receipt for lunch at an international trade show, especially if you can mention a customer on the back of the receipt.  The question is whether the QSNCC will be hosting enough international trade shows to keep the expense account trade flowing through. 

 

I'm impressed with the recent QSNCC update, but I'm not sure Bangkok can support so many exhibition centers.  QSNCC has the location advantage over BITEC and especially over the IMPACT.  And I sincerely wish them good luck, along with Red Lobster.  But we'll see.  So far, the few trade shows I've attended have been domestic focused or rather small int'l shows.

 

I've manned booths in all three, and I much prefer BITEC