The Duke's - Don't Get It!

[sassienie]

Hi all

after all the recent fuss/ravings about the Duke's, I thought I'd give it a try, having

managed to not eat there yet in the year and a half I've been living here.

And to be honest, we won't be eating there again. We thought we'd try some of our

favourite farang foods so ordered buffalo wings, ribs, and a pizza, and I had a couple of G n Ts

The sauce the wings came in was horrible, quite sour and un-appetising, and a small portion, the ribs

never came at all!!! so can't comment. The pizza was impressive looking, but SO SALTY

to make it almost inedible, and the G n T's were 150 bht each, extortionate!

For the 'pleasure' of all this we had to stump up 850 bht! Enought for us to eat out

every night for a week locally, including beer!

(one more thing, why do Americans have to talk so loudly when eating out, is it a cultural thing?)

So... won't be eating there again, but could list it in my top 10 worst places I have eaten

in Chiang Mai

David

I`ve been to the Dukes several times and never been disappointed.

Glad I`m not in business having to deal with customers like you.

And also are you suggesting that Americans should be banned from restaurants because they talk loudly?

You should visit some of the restaurants back in my country, England.

After the pub animal chucking out time period, the restaurants are full of foul cutter mouthed yobs, enough to put anyone off their food for weeks.

The Dukes is OK, but than can`t beat a good ole English slap up fish and chip meal at Cheerful Charlies.

So if you are tired of loud mouthed yanks, than see you at Charlie`s. The Americans and the English in there are much more respectable, including me, obviously the most intelligent ThaiVisa member.

[StevieH]

You should visit some of the restaurants back in my country, England.

After the pub animal chucking out time period, the restaurants are full of foul cutter mouthed yobs, enough to put anyone off their food for weeks.

you're talking about curry houses at 11.30 at night? that or you just go to crap restaurants?

[Rasseru]

To Mr. UG

Thank you and thank you for both counts

and I think your books have the nicest words in all CM

Well said, and, if I might, I would like to add to that that UG's books have a range of words, in terms of length and meaning (and first things first, after all), that exceeds that of all other English language book stores in Chiangmai and, as best I can tell, is second to few, if any, in the entire world.

Edited May 25, 2009 by Rasseru

[IanForbes]

America, home of ROCK and ROLL. We are mostly borderline DEAF. That's my excuse and I am going to stick with it. Actually, I talk in whispers ...

I DO believe that Jingthing is correct. The loud talkers are probably deaf. Of course, it doesn't help when a restaurant is playing music so loud you can't hear the person beside you speak at a normal level.

I can't comment on the Duke's food because I've never eaten there. I'm too much of a cheap charlie to spend over $12 on a meal when I can eat all I want for $4... and have more fun into the bargain.

[getgoin]

I think the operative question is, what toppings did you have on your pizza? Anchovies by their nature are salty fish and pepperoni also has a lot of salt.

[Puwa]

A humble suggestion, not tongue-in-cheek at all. Why not have a series of taste tests at the ThaiVisa parties. Bring in pizzas from the Chiang Mai pizzerias, don't let us know what comes from where, and have a genuine blind taste test. Get the TV community to decide which is best and worst. Can do the same with burgers at the next event.

[Texpat]

Some people go to a restaurant for the express purpose of being disappointed.

I suspect the OP is one.

[safe66]

Some people go to a restaurant for the express purpose of being disappointed.

I suspect the OP is one.

why

[ThaiPauly]

Some people go to a restaurant for the express purpose of being disappointed.

I suspect the OP is one.

why

Yes, why do you draw that conclusion.?

Please share with us

I am sure he HAS eaten at OTHER restaurants before ya know.

Sounds like you just want to have a pop at someone for no good reason

[PeaceBlondie]

The loudest restaurant customers in the USA are Chinese.

If you cannot train Thais to cook farang food, close the place.

[elektrified]

Have to agree with the booming American voices thing. What is wrong with you that you have to bellow at someone sitting just a couple of feet away?

I've had meals ruined everywhere because I can't hear my fellow dinner guests because of some American sitting several tables away.

I was once asked by a Thai woman why Americans speak so loud, while another meal was being ruined, and I replied, "Because they come from a big country", but all joking aside, its incredibly rude and there should be a sign in restaurants ABOVE the No Smoking sign, telling Americans that if someone is sitting just two feet away you don't need to shout at them.

Many times while dining in restaurants I've heard Germans, Czechs, Italians, etc. be rude and shout or speak loudly, so that's rubbish that its an American only thing.

[cmjantje]

The loudest restaurant customers in the USA are Chinese.

If you cannot train Thais to cook farang food, close the place.

Or do it yourself and Don't open a chain. You cannot be at two places at the same time, IF you are already in one!

Edited May 25, 2009 by cmjantje

[Bill97]

and for the price, I think they should offer a better

than 'hit or miss' standard . . .

[/quote

They DO offer better than a 'hit or miss' standard, if they did not, they would have gone out of business years ago. Also, when it is a miss, my experience is that they correct it IF you ask.

[Tywais]

Some people go to a restaurant for the express purpose of being disappointed.

I suspect the OP is one.

Sounds like you just want to have a pop at someone for no good reason

[Theyreallrubbish]

Have to agree with the booming American voices thing. What is wrong with you that you have to bellow at someone sitting just a couple of feet away?

I've had meals ruined everywhere because I can't hear my fellow dinner guests because of some American sitting several tables away.

I was once asked by a Thai woman why Americans speak so loud, while another meal was being ruined, and I replied, "Because they come from a big country", but all joking aside, its incredibly rude and there should be a sign in restaurants ABOVE the No Smoking sign, telling Americans that if someone is sitting just two feet away you don't need to shout at them.

Many times while dining in restaurants I've heard Germans, Czechs, Italians, etc. be rude and shout or speak loudly, so that's rubbish that its an American only thing.

At no point do I say it ONLY an American thing.

Its just much, much more common with Americans.

I notice you don't deny that Americans are often too loud, just try to say that other nationalities are as bad.

[Jingthing]

Americans are indeed often loud, often very loud. So people are often conditioned to react, loud people, Americans. That means you don't even NOTICE the super quiet Americans like me. Same difference with flamboyant homosexuals. People NOTICE them but don't take into account that most are not flamboyant, you don't even notice them.

[Theyreallrubbish]

Americans are indeed often loud, often very loud. So people are often conditioned to react, loud people, Americans. That means you don't even NOTICE the super quiet Americans like me. Same difference with flamboyant homosexuals. People NOTICE them but don't take into account that most are not flamboyant, you don't even notice them.

I have many American friends. Fortunately, none of them are bellowers. Although I have had to say on occasions, "I'm sitting right here, I can hear you fine."

Having lived in the US I know its a minority, but its a large enough minority to be very noticeable outside the US

[FarangCravings]

Hey guys!

I apologised already!

Why you apologizing

You posted an honest review of the place no need to apologize

I think the place is crap too eat there once and thought it overpriced and not good at all

[Theyreallrubbish]

Americans are indeed often loud, often very loud. So people are often conditioned to react, loud people, Americans. That means you don't even NOTICE the super quiet Americans like me. Same difference with flamboyant homosexuals. People NOTICE them but don't take into account that most are not flamboyant, you don't even notice them.

I have many American friends. Fortunately, none of them are bellowers. Although I have had to say on occasions, "I'm sitting right here, I can hear you fine."

Having lived in the US I know its a minority, but its a large enough minority to be very noticeable outside the US

[Ulysses G.]

I'm not sure where other people are eating, but I consider hit or miss meals to something that you can not avoid in Thailand if you want to eat farang food in a restaurant.

I don't know of any place that I can even be sure that I will even get what I ordered, but things are a heck of a lot better now than it was when I first came here and the Duke's is part of the reason that restaurant standards have risen.

Last night I ate in a place that is mentioned on Thai Visa fairly often and that I think is fairly good for greasy American food that tastes pretty good, but ruins the waistline. They have added a bunch of new dishes (in Chiang Mai, that usually means copying dishes that the Duke's have added to their menu or have as specials, rather than something they dreamed up themselves). I decided to try Sloppy Joes as I enjoyed it as a child and do not understand how anyone could mess it up. Well the Sloppy Joes were not even sloppy. They were ground meat in a bun like a hamburger and you picked it up and ate it, but it tasted like peppers, not like sloppy joes. It really reminded be of one of those Chinese pork buns (sarapoaw) that you get on the street for 7 baht and it was bearable, but that is it.

I also ordered a baked potato which was HUGE - I was really surprised - but it was accompanied by a really tiny portion of butter and sour cream that would have been skimpy on a potato 1/4 of the size of the one I got. It was not bad at all, but putting it out with so little topping just did not make sense.

Anyway, that is pretty typical around here, so I feel almost.. blessed when I sit down at at the Duke's and the sloppy joes taste like real sloppy joes and you get more than enough butter and sour cream to satisfy almost anyone and if you ask, David will give you even more.

Sure they make mistakes there, but I still don't know where you people are eating farang food that don't screw up on a regular basis?

[WaiWai]

Why not have a series of taste tests at the ThaiVisa parties. Bring in pizzas from the Chiang Mai pizzerias, don't let us know what comes from where, and have a genuine blind taste test.

So, the blind would lead the deaf, or ... ?

Terrible, perhaps , but my very first thought was of the potential for corruption ...

[NaiGreg]

Hi all

after all the recent fuss/ravings about the Duke's, I thought I'd give it a try, having

managed to not eat there yet in the year and a half I've been living here.

And to be honest, we won't be eating there again. We thought we'd try some of our

favourite farang foods so ordered buffalo wings, ribs, and a pizza, and I had a couple of G n Ts

The sauce the wings came in was horrible, quite sour and un-appetising, and a small portion, the ribs

never came at all!!! so can't comment. The pizza was impressive looking, but SO SALTY

to make it almost inedible, and the G n T's were 150 bht each, extortionate!

For the 'pleasure' of all this we had to stump up 850 bht! Enought for us to eat out

every night for a week locally, including beer!

(one more thing, why do Americans have to talk so loudly when eating out, is it a cultural thing?)

So... won't be eating there again, but could list it in my top 10 worst places I have eaten

in Chiang Mai

David

Americans? Loud? Which ones are the loud ones?

Hassedic Jews from New York?

Cattlemen from Texas?

Red-skinned Indians from the plains states.

Hawaiian hula dancers?

Professors from Boston?

Mexican migrant landscapers in S. California.

Red-necks from Georgia?

Fishermen from down-east in Maine?

Wine snobs from Napa Valley (N. Calif.)

Farmers from Iowa?

Factory workers from Detroit?

Computer geeks from Silicon Valley?

Eskimos from Alsaka?

Cubanos from Miami?

Micro-brewery owners? (Actually there are thousands of them! All loud. True.)

How about Tiger Woods? He seems pretty loud. Nice swing, though.

My grandparents were Swedish immigrants to America. They talked softly, but laughed loudly. Does that count?

How many quiet Americans are there? They seem to be every where but they are stealthy b*stards. Sometimes they slurp their noodles. I hate that. Those are the Asian-Americans. There are 14 million of them.

Is it true all the males are all well-endowed and the females are blonde? And war mongers, too.

oh ...

I give Duke's 2 1/2 stars out of 4.

[cmjantje]

I'm not sure where other people are eating, but I consider hit or miss meals to something that you can not avoid in Thailand if you want to eat farang food in a restaurant.

I don't know of any place that I can even be sure that I will even get what I ordered, but things are a heck of a lot better now than it was when I first came here and the Duke's is part of the reason that restaurant standards have risen.

Last night I ate in a place that is mentioned on Thai Visa fairly often and that I think is fairly good for greasy American food that tastes pretty good, but ruins the waistline. They have added a bunch of new dishes (in Chiang Mai, that usually means copying dishes that the Duke's have added to their menu or have as specials, rather than something they dreamed up themselves). I decided to try Sloppy Joes as I enjoyed it as a child and do not understand how anyone could mess it up. Well the Sloppy Joes were not even sloppy. They were ground meat in a bun like a hamburger and you picked it up and ate it, but it tasted like peppers, not like sloppy joes. It really reminded be of one of those Chinese pork buns (sarapoaw) that you get on the street for 7 baht and it was bearable, but that is it.

I also ordered a baked potato which was HUGE - I was really surprised - but it was accompanied by a really tiny portion of butter and sour cream that would have been skimpy on a potato 1/4 of the size of the one I got. It was not bad at all, but putting it out with so little topping just did not make sense.

Anyway, that is pretty typical around here, so I feel almost.. blessed when I sit down at at the Duke's and the sloppy joes taste like real sloppy joes and you get more than enough butter and sour cream to satisfy almost anyone and if you ask, David will give you even more.

Sure they make mistakes there, but I still don't know where you people are eating farang food that don't screw up on a regular basis?

Beautiful story but.. If you are the man "who loves to eat" IMHO I think you should be checking every meal going out of the kitchen and Not open a chain. Otherwise it will always be a hit or loose thing.

And my thoughts about the shouting Americans is: I doubt if they are all Americans. I think they are people who have to prove They Are There because otherwise you don't belong to The Club. See and be seen, hear and be heard.

Second I think Dukes is floating on previous fame.. But sitting back and thinking that people will come anyway is reall wrong!

[jackr]

Been there loads a times and never a bad meal. <deleted> orders a pizza at a sitdown restaurant as a main dish anyway? Perhaps have one on the side for the table, but... Go again and try the Chicken Fried Chicken.

Haven't had a problem with loud Yankee doodle dandees there either. Last time there though, there were three very annoying, loud European <deleted>... that grating froggie-esque sound that makes one cringe even at 1 decibel. Give me 100 redneck dB over that anyday.

[jimmym40]

I've eaten at Dukes (next to Mac's) and only get the pizza. I think it's the best, if not the best pizza in CM (Hawaiin style). I've had pizza there about 4 time this year. It was always GOOD.

A few days ago I tried something new. And I LOVE it. The chicken fettechinni (sp?). It was simply delicious.

I think the prices are bit teeny bit high but the thing I don't like is the 10 percent service charge they add on. Sometimes the service is top notch and sometimes I have to go get my own refill on the ice tea.

Overall, I rate it a 7 out of 10.

[cmjantje]

There is one more thing I want to say...

I used to order my dinner through Meals on Weels. I stopped because of the quality delivered by the restaurants. One big exeption is the Dukes.

Every time I am surprised why, if you do not use their staff, plates, glasses, airco, chairs and whatever I can imagine, why these restaurants cannot pack their meals properly without mixing everything together in one box.

MoW is doing a great job, I cannot blame them. But.. Besides the Dukes it really is a mess.

What are your experiences?

[Ulysses G.]

I think the prices are bit teeny bit high but the thing I don't like is the 10 percent service charge they add on.

Me either. Avoid the Night Bazaar Branch. Walk across the steel bridge right behind it to the original Duke's across the river and no mandatory service charge and cheaper prices as well. The rent at the Night Bazaar is astronomical!

[Gonzo the Face]

Funny ,,,,,,, 3 pages now and nobody has mentioned the price of the water...

or the quality

or the taste.....

Dukes 9 out of 10 stars

Never try for perfection, the nail holes will kill you

[MonsieurHulot]

Funny ,,,,,,, 3 pages now and nobody has mentioned the price of the water...

Because it's freeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee

[mnbcm]

Salty? That's a new one. I go there only for the pizza. It's half the price what I'd pay in the U.S., provides 2 meals, and it's as close to pizza back home as I can find.