Forgive my ignorance, but can you please tell me what is all the excitement about Villa anyway?

I have visited them in Hua Hin (maybe a different experience thank bkk, don't know) and find them ridiculously expensive with nothing special on offer. Veggies more expensive then in Europe, give me a break, do I really need imported American potato for 150-200thb/kg?! (price of a chicken breast in lotus) And what about a THAI beef steak for 800/kg? Wines? Under a 800-1000/bottle nothing acceptable, Wine Connection and one other shop in Hua Hin had MUCH better prices and choice (3l casks of nice white for 600-800, yeah! , 400 for a decent bottle).

Now I'm in Phuket and just bought a 2kg tenderloin from Choice Foods, they go mainly wholesale, but as I LOVE beef I don't mind buying more...Whole piece goes for 1600, so 800/kg - same as Villa, BUT it's imported AUSTRALIAN and FRESH, NOT FROZEN! Just made steaks today and the rest is being marinated for a fine goulash I couldn't resist and ate some today, really soft real Australian beef, not as tasty as it will be in 2 days, but still so good! (so fresh it has to rest for some time to get to perfect, you know what I mean ) For the same price as Villa selling Thai beef bull-SHIT ...

So please explain - what is so special in this store? Not veggies, not wine, not meat...so what? Maybe I'm not an anglo-saxon and British cousin really doesn't make any impression on me (most of all is unedible for me to be honest), what are the things that make you pay for them more than in your home country?

Tahina, please. Dried Chipotle chilies - a larger selection of dried herbs and spices in general, would be nice. Better selection of various types of flour. Nuts NOT fried in palm oil - can't stand the sweet taste.

Does anyone know anything about the Villa Market advertised at the Marriott Vacation Club place in Mai Khao??

Tahina, please. Dried Chipotle chilies - a larger selection of dried herbs and spices in general, would be nice. Better selection of various types of flour. Nuts NOT fried in palm oil - can't stand the sweet taste.

Yes raw nuts and other healty food. Chipotle Chilles sound great ..

Does anyone have the Villa Phuket address?

Does anyone have the Villa Phuket address?

Never mind, we got our shipment out them.

Had to call headquarters...

So an update anyone in the area. We're a week in to April, is Villa open yet?

So an update anyone in the area. We're a week in to April, is Villa open yet?

This Friday will be opened.

Gerd

So an update anyone in the area. We're a week in to April, is Villa open yet?

This Friday will be opened.

Gerd

Just drove by (3.50pm today,)

a large sign is being erected

so far it reads

"VILLA MAK"

so Ihope their products will be better than their spelling

I will pop down on Sat morning and I really hope that it is open

Me too ... Gerd, will we see you there ?? I'm assuming you have some sort of connection with the new Villa Market...

Me too ... Gerd, will we see you there ?? I'm assuming you have some sort of connection with the new Villa Market...

Maybe he owns it

Me too ... Gerd, will we see you there ?? I'm assuming you have some sort of connection with the new Villa Market...

Yes, some sort of

It looks like you will see me there.

Gerd

Maybe we should do a ThaiVisa members party this Saturday morning in Villa Market?

I will be in frozen foods around 10.30 hope to see you there!

Maybe we should do a ThaiVisa members party this Saturday morning in Villa Market?

I will be in frozen foods around 10.30 hope to see you there!

Yeh... I'll recognise you as the one wearing the funny hat and sunflower in lapel. Just kidding...

A further thought. Gerd, any free wine samples. That's the place to all meet about 10.30 Saturday...

Maybe we should do a ThaiVisa members party this Saturday morning in Villa Market?

I will be in frozen foods around 10.30 hope to see you there!

Yeh... I'll recognise you as the one wearing the funny hat and sunflower in lapel. Just kidding...

A further thought. Gerd, any free wine samples. That's the place to all meet about 10.30 Saturday...

I guess there will be a lot of samples for testing/tasting. No idea about wines & spirits, can tell you more tomorrow evening, a lot of work tomorrow for us .

Gerd

Just drove by (3.50pm today,)

a large sign is being erected

so far it reads

"VILLA MAK"

so Ihope their products will be better than their spelling

"Villa Mak.." to compliment the very large signS in the windowS at the sports store that show a photo of a scuba diver diving a coral reef and in big big letters say DRIVING.

I looked through the window a couple of days ago & the liquor section, which still did not have all the shelves up, seems quite large.

Villa Market In Phuket, What do you expect?

Marmite and Branston Pickle!

And crumpets!

I know, zero chance of that.

Does anyone have a recipe?

Yes they have crumpets!!!

Had a chance today to check all sections in there, found them in the deep frozen section.

Opening tomorrow morning!

Gerd

Make sure to check the used by dates on everything!!

I hope it's different than the out of date or moldy foods i used to get from the Bangkok stores.

Just come back from Villa Market, and I was very impressed with the all-round selection... no more trips to Central or Big C for me!

It kicks the a** of the mini-Lotus in Chalong... happy days!

Just come back from Villa Market, and I was very impressed with the all-round selection... no more trips to Central or Big C for me!

It kicks the a** of the mini-Lotus in Chalong... happy days!

So its officially open? kicking a** at the mini-Lotus at Chalong is really setting the bar very low indeed and doesnt provide much in the way of detail. For instance while I would expect their products to be generally good and somewhat overpriced, I would be surprised if, for instance, their meats were anywhere like the quality of Choice Foods which is located less than a mile away.

I am hoping that it will offer fresh french breads, Coleman's mustard, tomato relish, fresh cream etc at prices that are similar to those in Bangkok. I would also hope they will be open for extended hours at least until midnight. The wine selection was never up to much in BKK, so I wont expect much (mostly fairly crap wines but ok prices.) Maybe I will be wrong on this because it doesnt make much sense to select wines on the same basis as Wine Connection also less than a mile away.

If anyone has a full report on what is on offer and what is not, I would be interested to read it. I would also like to know whether to the extent things are not available, it is because they will not be rather than the 'market' is not yet fully stocked.

Went in this morning with the intention of buying coffee and dog food.

Came out with coffee, toffee flavoured pecan nuts, muslei, pasta, chocolate chips a Barbie DVD and other items. Only went down 3 aisles because my toddler was about to have a meltdown.

Forgot to buy the dog food.

Spent about 1300 baht.

Big trouble for me having this place so close by...

Nice alcohol range, picked up some fresh gammon ham.

Thank god i don't have to commute to Jungceylon or Central anymore.

Not long back from Villa. Good show of customers (almost all Farang). Bumped into member Valentine. Sure others must have been there. Gerd not there (found out he was on the way from home).

Really good selection of foods I have not seen in years, and all under the one roof. Now I can buy frozen TV dinners again. Wife just had to buy the spaggetti in bacon cream sauce. 78 baht, just eaten it, tasty enough but a very small single portion. Bread department very disappointing. Guess it's still Carrefor for bread. Meat department very good.

Interesting there was no off limits time in the booze department. Maybe the attendant did know, but there were none of the usual signs like Lotus/Carrefor/Big C.

I did notice that like-for-like items were up to 10 baht more expensive compared with Lotus/Carrefor, but maybe cheaper the Festival Tops.

Be aware that lots of items have not yet been priced. I'm sure they are working on that and there is a barcode checking machine for customer use near the frozen food section. I used it a lot ....

We will definately be regular customers.

Not long back from Villa. Good show of customers (almost all Farang). Bumped into member Valentine. Sure others must have been there. Gerd not there (found out he was on the way from home).

Really good selection of foods I have not seen in years, and all under the one roof. Now I can buy frozen TV dinners again. Wife just had to buy the spaggetti in bacon cream sauce. 78 baht, just eaten it, tasty enough but a very small single portion. Bread department very disappointing. Guess it's still Carrefor for bread. Meat department very good.

Interesting there was no off limits time in the booze department. Maybe the attendant did know, but there were none of the usual signs like Lotus/Carrefor/Big C.

I did notice that like-for-like items were up to 10 baht more expensive compared with Lotus/Carrefor, but maybe cheaper the Festival Tops.

Be aware that lots of items have not yet been priced. I'm sure they are working on that and there is a barcode checking machine for customer use near the frozen food section. I used it a lot ....

We will definately be regular customers.

So will we

Most impressed,

mind you it's always nice to be given free samples everywhere, could almost have had lunch !.

Terrific selection, nice atmosphere, met Gerd, without dogs, and he promised to see if he could order in Walnut oil,essential for salads.

Didn't spend long in the wine secction, difficult as still a lot without prices.

Also a bonus........no problem parking and a nice boy trollied our purchases to the car.

If that sort of service is the norm we will be regulars.

This sounds really good, and as i am coming out on wednesday can someone tell me how to get there from Heroines monument - that's my nearest landmark

Am sitting here stuffed after our first experience with Villa supermarket. For dinner we had the most amazing Wagyu steak, on Gerd's recommendation, washed down with a beautiful Bordeaux. Our trolley contained other goodies such as crumpets, digestive biscuits, brie, chili flavoured chocolate, wholemeal croissants, real yoghurt etc. Although very slightly more expensive than TOPS the choice and quality and the proximity to home makes me another regular customer. Just like Wellington, who I met there, we were escorted to our car by a pleasant chap who chatted about the weather. Recently after spending a day at Carrefour shopping, eating and cinema we were given a parking bill of 30 baht. It's not the money but having spent close on 10,000 baht the last 30 baht for the pleasure of parking there grated. Needless to say the parking was ample and free at Villa and our experience a good one. We will return!... and Gerd the steak was divine.

Great to meet some TV members today there .

Very busy the last couple of days to set up all our counters in there but not finished yet.

Wellington, I'll get your walnut oil next couple of days, don't worry!

Just start to plan a great food tasting/testing in a very good hotel:

6-7 course menu with different kinds of wagyu beef with some perfect wines, followed by some french cheeses.

Will invite 3 members from Phuket as witnesses .

Gerd

This sounds really good, and as i am coming out on wednesday can someone tell me how to get there from Heroines monument - that's my nearest landmark