Bad Mouthing Don's Cafe

[donbattles]

As I am here every day and no one has ever made a comment about our food or service I accept this as pure BS from those who would not know a good meal if they ate one.

Our cooks have an average of 8 years working here under direction of some of the best chefs from Europe and America. We have operated this business for 11 years which is a lot longer than most of the other fly by night places. We also grow and process our own tender grain fed and aged 21 day beef.

Regarding our service, we have used hand held computers to order food and beverage for the past 9 years. Khun Elle who has lived in the UK for 20 years is our dinning room manager and speaks perfect English and has not reported problems to me.

We have the longest running Saturday night barbecue in Thailand serving 20 items of food and changing each week.

If you are encouraged by other competitors to slander some one else then that is another issue.

Don Battles

Owner

[hagler]

As I am here every day and no one has ever made a comment about our food or service I accept this as pure BS from those who would not know a good meal if they ate one.

Our cooks have an average of 8 years working here under direction of some of the best chefs from Europe and America. We have operated this business for 11 years which is a lot longer than most of the other fly by night places. We also grow and process our own tender grain fed and aged 21 day beef.

Regarding our service, we have used hand held computers to order food and beverage for the past 9 years. Khun Elle who has lived in the UK for 20 years is our dinning room manager and speaks perfect English and has not reported problems to me.

We have the longest running Saturday night barbecue in Thailand serving 20 items of food and changing each week.

If you are encouraged by other competitors to slander some one else then that is another issue.

Don Battles

Owner

Mate, not having a go, but do yourself a favour and engage the services of a good experienced PR person before you REALLY do some damage to your business which you have obviously worked long and hard to build up. The internet is a whole new battlefield.

Best wishes and success to you. There will ALWAYS be plenty of "gonnas" but very few "doers".

[donna]

Good for you Don. I feel it only fair that you have the opportunity to defend the business you have built up over so many years.

Members, if you feel the need to criticise Dons, i feel that the best way is to talk to Don yourself when you are there. constructive criticism is welcome at most establishments and i am sure that your comments and suggestions will be received with grace.

lets PLEASE not turn this thread into a slanging match, or it will be closed down and warnings will be given.

[funfun]

don battles

I dont know you, i dont know your cafe/ resteraunt, i have personally never heard of you or your whereabouts and never heard any talk good or bad about you, or your buisness.

"no one has ever made a comment about our food or service" what in eleven years, not one good or bad one?

i have worked in the catering ind all my life and it is absolutly impossible to please everyone as we are all different, if someones pissed ya off let em get on with it, if youve been in any buiness for 11 years sounds like ya doing ok, dont let em get ya down, and bieng in thailand you will be over familiar with cha cha boss

Good luck

chris

[smartecosse]

only eaten at don's once - the ribs were great

BUT you can't say that in 11 yrs no one has been unhappy, thats just not possible by the law of averages.

I would suggest Don that you simply let the moaners get on with it and keep serving the local community and tourists who seem more than happy with your establishment.

In Saiyuan there have been plenty of restaurants that have opened and closed over the years without managing to make a go of it. Yours is still there so must be doing something right

[thaigerd]

Couple of weeks ago on a Sunday morning I said to my wife:"Let's go and have a nice breakfast at Don's!"

I've choosen this place cause we can sit on the outside with our dog.

So we've ordered 2 different breakfasts. I knew at this time Don was not there for a couple of days cause he had to take care for his other places in Samui, BKK, CM, CR etc.

To make a long story short:

We had great food and a very nice service! and went back the next week for having the same results again.

I even send an email to Don to tell him how happy we've been in his place.

I am long enough in this business here in Thailand as a Chef to know what it means to run such a big place, even when the owner is not around!!!

I know that all his staff is working very hard and trying to make a good job.

I am looking forward having breakfast again tomorrow or Monday!

Gerd

[happyaussie]

Sounds great. Don what's the name of your restaurant and where wre you? I'll definitely come and try.

People should understand that they are playing with many peoples livliehoods when they slander someones business. If I had experienced a poor meal or average service I might give the place a second chance allowing for a the fact they may have had bad night. 2nd time I simply don't go back. Or if I think the owner is interested I would tell them. I certainly wouldn't crucify them on forums like this. Far too much to loose.

For those businesses that are obviosuly out of their depth and have no idea what to do. They will naturally go away.

[smartecosse]

yeah but there's way to many "internet warriors" that know how to do everything better than anyone else when they are sitting anonymously behind there keyboard.

invariably they are the ones that cant actually hack it in the real world and belittling other peoples efforts makes them feel better

[steelepulse]

yeah but there's way to many "internet warriors" that know how to do everything better than anyone else when they are sitting anonymously behind there keyboard.

invariably they are the ones that cant actually hack it in the real world and belittling other peoples efforts makes them feel better

I must say that when Don is in Phuket, you can always find him at the mall (Don's mall that is).  He greets all his guests and is always asking if everything is OK.  When I have a problem there, I tell Don and he does his best to remedy the situation.

[YaiJung]

Don's = Best Ribs on the Island!!!

[araiwhat]

haha. tough crowd out nai harn way! Service in Thailand is not gonna happen the way it does back home. Who cares anyway! It's a trade off. I've been here six years and still have yet to see even the basic skills of table service performed like, consolidating trips, etc. I recently had dinner at a 5 star hotel's flagship restaurant and inquired about the difference in flavor and preparation of some items. The waiter had the English skills to explain if he gave a shit about food that he'd rather eat a steamy pile of buffalo dung rather than taste one bite of -- much less evaluate some subtle differences.

I've never had bad service at Don's, nor sevice considered "excellent" by western standards. But who does ANYWHERE? Not gonna find it in Thailand (Boathouse? -NOPE, Marriot -NOPE)

Why not kick back, relax and enjoy some beer or whiskey set service? The Thai's do that better than anywhere in the world. My point is...Bag the excellent service expectation anywhere in Thailand and you'll be much happier.

Rib's delicious? of course because he's from the South. If you guys really want to trash talk Don, say something about his bbq. hahaha. Just hide your IP address and personal info.

For me, buffet's boil down to high end items the chef can put out for guests. Don puts Virginia spiral cut honey baked hams out. Case closed.

Rock on Don.

[geriatrickid]

Couple of weeks ago on a Sunday morning I said to my wife:"Let's go and have a nice breakfast at Don's!"I've choosen this place cause we can sit on the outside with our dog.

Bet you a few people who love their dogs are going to pay attention to that line.

What could be more fun for some families then to have a real family outing, kids and best friends of kids included.

[naka]

Been to Don's many times and his Ribs are really wonderful, It's what I always order !

Now if I want a Rib Eye then it's gonna be a US grainfed cooked on my Granite hot plate at home (for 20 seconds flat )

No offence Don, as my raw slab of steak costs more than a nice meal with dessert at your place.

Good luck Don ... Naka will be back ... p.s., you have lovely, friendly and attentive staff and

you have been a favourite of mine for years and years.

Naka.

[flamingtodd]

I am from the south, and I have eaten these ribs you all speak of. As a matter of fact, I have eaten at Don's hundreds of times, and I have always enjoyed the food. No comment about the other things, but Don really does put on a great spread. The Barbecue is just like it is in Texas, where Don (and I) come from.

Always open, huge menu, great butcher shop, (excellent Sausages) and that International Store, I swear if he closed, I would be lost. I used to vacation here quite frequently, and Don's was my zen. My center.

As a Texan, I love Don's because I like Texas style food. And Don's is like the only real true Texas place. Biased I know, but this is home for me. I mean, if you want Sushi, don't go to Don's. I see plenty of I-talian places, German Places, Japanese Places, and of course, Thai places...

I don't know squat about Rocket Surgery, but I know good barbecue, and Don Knows Barbecue!!!

Who ever would bad mouth that place needs to go 10 times in a row. The time you went could have been a off day, but I can testify that 9 times out of 10, it is perfect.

Hats off to ya Don.

[stuandchris]

Don I have to take issue with your reply.

Whilst you have every right to defend your establishment your statements are incorrect. You have had complaints, I complained about my meal [chilli con carne] which had been nuked and was warm on the outside and stone cold in the middle. It was returned nuked some more and it tasted a bit strange but I put it down to me being leery after complaining. I spent the next two days looking down a toilet.

Hand held computers do not guarentee good service.

Everyone has an off day to deny this is purile. Also critisism is not slander.

Finally I do know good food, I have eaten all over the world in the best restaurants and from the cheapest stalls in deepest Africa, I have no favourites and am not trying to promote any other establishment.

Your suggestions from your post appear to blinkered and totally without any basis in fact. I hope this is not the case from all accounts you are a decent guy.

[choppychugger]

I use to go to the old Don's eatery around the corner, and have visited the replacement one on many occasions. My family and I are always made to feel welcome, and if Mr. Don is there, then he will always come over and ask if everything is ok.

Not my favorite restaurant but definitely worth a visit.

Keep up the good work.

[LiveSteam]

Don's Mall is the first real Deli in our area. I am not a fan of the whole menu but some thing are good, every place has its favorites.

LiveSteam

[HDRIDER]

HI

Just bought black Russian bread and seven gain bread rolls in Dons place, believe me its good.

[huggybear]

Don's Mall is the first real Deli in our area. I am not a fan of the whole menu but some thing are good, every place has its favorites.

LiveSteam

Good post, correct, some places have dishes they do very well, some not so good.

I've found that things on Don's menu that you know have been made way in advance, frozen, and then have to be microwaved, are not going to be the best dishes to order. Chili and goulash to name a couple. I'd say this is the case for all restaurants.........

[chinthee]

I've been going to Don's cafe both in the old location and in the new one for years, though very infrequently because I do not live down in that area. I've always found the food very good and the service fine. The last time I was there, a few months ago, Don was there and did inform me his staff was new and was being trained. And, true, the service was not good that day. But overall, he runs a very good establishment.

BTW, I do 'know' Don having met him on many ocassions, both at his restaurant in Phuket and in Bangkok just to say hi, but we are not friends.