Mk Restaurants

[bino]

I'm a member of the "Mai Bai Kin MK" club. I freakin' hate it.

Unfortunately, my Ms. is like all of the other Thais, and loves it. FWIW - she says that the suki ingredients at MK are the best / freshest over any other suki restaurants. I like the "Hot Pot" chain of restaurants... that have a fixed price deal, and more than just suki. They will have a salad bar, sushi, dimsum (I know - MK has dimsum, but only for lunch hours. Can't get it after 3 PM or something like that. Go figure.) and other things that I do like and can eat.

I thought that Hot Pot was a good enough compromise- she gets the suki, and there is other things for me to eat. However, Ms. is usually insistent that Hot Pot is mai aroi and that we have to go to MK instead. I go along just to placate her / make her happy, but I don't enjoy it at all.

Personally, i don't get the whole suki thing. When I go to a restaurant, I want to be comfortable and relaxed while someone else prepares the food and brings it to me. Sitting around a boiling pot (or grill in the Korean Restaurant) in the restaurant is a drag. The steam and heat seem to follow me wherever I sit, and my clothes stink afterward. If I wanted to hang out around a hot stove - can do that at home.

[cpofc]

yep me too! The best roast duck you can get. The rest is but a bland , tasteless, expensive gimmick.

Thais are even more susceptible and gullible to marketing gimmicks than us farangs. If that's possible.

[blue eyes]

It looks like the people that do not like MK seem not to understand that it is a resturant with its own gimick.Do not go if that is what you do not like.The wife and everyone that I know enjoy their dinning experience that we get at MK.No it is not some "high class"spot it is one of its self.If I did not like McDonalds (which I HATE and think is one of the worst places to eat in the WHOLE world).But if you like that food go for it.It does not mean that it is a bad place to eat,just the I do not like it.

[Roadman]

Apart from the Roast Duck, I'm with the OP.

Ditto.

Double ditto.

If she must go, with friends or family she knows she is going without me.

[spysee]

I know a lot of farangs who like it also. We go together every now and then.

You guys just dont know what good good is. Its healthy and tastes great. The hot pot is the best

[JetsetBkk]

A lot of Thais like "Sizzlers"

Says it all, really.

[Ossies]

This thread has got me laughing as I did not realise I was the only person who thought MK is a total rip off. The owners are definately laughing all the way to the bank. Provide raw ingredients, get the punters to boil it in water (insepid stock) and charge real restaurant prices.

I have to say that for the first time last week I actually made my excuses and excused myself from a visit there with my gf and her family as I could not face it again. Agree the duck is good but can find good duck elsewhere.

[Mosha]

I know a lot of farangs who like it also. We go together every now and then.

You guys just dont know what good good is. Its healthy and tastes great. The hot pot is the best

What are you smoking?

[IMA_FARANG]

Having eaten at many MK's I cannot say I find the food either tasty or inspiring.

A few OK dishes and the rest is boiled to death in the hot pot. Add a secret sauce and bingo, all the Thais I know seem to love it.

Is it just me being cynical and without good taste or has this company managed to convince the Thais this is good scoff.

My family think I am treating them when we go. I just cant wait to finish and get a Swensen Ice cream down my neck.

Personally, I find it is a place where my whole family and I can go. We get to select what we want to eat, cook it ourselves, and then pick and choose the items we want.

My Thai girlfriend ops for the vegetables (Buddhist thing), I like the calves liver and the seafood (mussels,octopus,etc.), the children each have their own favorites. So we order a selection of items, and pick out what we like. I'm also found of the mushrooms. Usually a small bowl of steamed rice for each person to go with the hot pot items.

You're entitled to your opinion, but as far as I'm concerned, it suits my family (five people) and let's each person pick what they like at a reasonable price (for the whole family).

Each to his own, if you don't want to go, it justs leaves room for me.

[Ossies]

@ Ima-Farang - I suppose your post confirms that basically it is a concept restaurant which is probably most appealing to families with children as it is a meal in which people can participate i.e. boil/poach their own food.

I don't think many would try and argue it is any great shakes as a restaurant, after all the there is very little on the menu cooked by the kitchen.

On that basis it is a great business idea for the owners as the overheads must be considerably lower then a restaurant cooking the good for you and from recollection the pricing does not reflect this.

[sangfroid]

We used to go to MK but I felt that the bill increased a fair bit when they introduced the hand held computer ordering and bill system. I emailed MK's "contact us" facility to comment about this, that was over a year ago .........No response.

[bonobo]

This is invarably the restaurant of choice when on a date with a Thai woman for the first time.  I frankly can't stand it, (excpet for the duck.)  So if I meet a THai woman for the first time, and we start to discuss where to eat, I immediately forestall MK by saying "anywhere but MK."

[moooooooo]

Yeah, I'm with the LaughingMan. I like MK cos I like the dipping sauce. The roast duck is pretty good too. And it's healthy. Nothing wrong with boiling food - I find it's great for a hangover cos all the minerals and vitamins that you ingest in the soup. They could do with better desserts though.

[Samuian]

MK is what it is - a chain - of a food supplier where the customer has the fun of "DiY", new sort of "Adventure Gastronomy" - I think the "Moo Katar" joints where one can eat "Buffet style" food and cook it Korean BBQ Style themselves is far worse - Hygiene wise.

If one knows how to apply the sauces and how to handle this type of "Sukiyaki" it's fun, it's tasty, it's healthy - come on don;t be such snobs...those who venture into an MK certainly don't expect *** Michelin french Cuisine... it's NOT what MK stands for!

It's convenient, clean, cheap, customer friendly and far better then the Golden Arches Outlets..

[smint]

Much prefer some of the local moo kata places for cook it yourself style food. Some of them are quite good, really nice marinated meats you can grill up, nice selection of curries, fried rice, etc.

May I kindly know what are these local "moo kata places"? How do they look like, something like MK too, just that it's open-air? Or they serve you all the food, there's no hotpot in the middle?

Well, tasted MK once, am not exactly a fan of it. Have tasted better soup stocks in other restaurants and in other countries with these "steamboat" outlets. The soup tastes a bit weird to me, but it might just be my taste. The meats are okay though, good cuts, while the vegetables are just so-so to me. But, I like the MK dance though. Good entertainment and the 'girliest' guy stands in the front row (I think the management put him there on purpose) as he dances the best, really good to watch. Good business strategy I suppose...

Then again, I'm a fan of BBQ plaza, food-wise. Barbecuing the nice, pork belly and the delicious soup stock at the sides of the bbq pot. Add a bit of cabbage and you have a nice, sweet soup, or some gravy for your rice... mmmm...

Edited October 5, 2009 by smint

[pampal]

I went to MK last night and it was good. The best things are the duck and pork.

The Suki is good if you select the correct ingredients, I like it.

[Insight]

I'm sure there's other just-as-healthy options out there that are not such a boring DIY bland yawn-fest.

My missus has gone off it recently, mainly down to lack in value.

[madmitch]

Sounds like I'm with the farang majority: duck and green noodles good, the rest no thanks.

But why do the waitresses have to wear such awful uniforms; they must be the worst in Thailand.

[baboon]

Apart from the Roast Duck, I'm with the OP.

Ditto.

Double ditto.

If she must go, with friends or family she knows she is going without me.

Triple ditto. And what was that bill again?

[IMA_FARANG]

After I read the comments here when something hit me.

I go to places like MK for the family...we order what we want and cook what we order in the hot pot.

But we don't drink the liquid that we use to cook the food.

As I said we order bowls of plain boiled rice...one for each person...and then we cook the meat,vegetables, etc. When ready we lift out the items, and usually eat them with the rice and possibly a little Nam Pla or such on the rice. We also use the sauces as dips, which we dip the items in (using our chopsticks).

I might take a little of the cooking water to moisten the rice in my bowl, but I wouldn't think of actually using the hot water I cooked it in as a soup.

Neither I or my family do that.

Are we wrong?

[Cuban]

But why do the waitresses have to wear such awful uniforms; they must be the worst in Thailand.

I am sure this is a reaction to the fantastic uniforms that they used to wear about 6 years ago - &^$%% the food just go for the uniforms!

Yes, the large pork & duck platter was the best thing on the menu.

Ever tried asking for a drink without ice - they serve you a half empty glass as to the strict rules say the ice is part of the drink - even trying to pay an extra 10-20 baht for a full glass appears to need a regional manager to override the till/ drink dispenser.

Much prefer independant buffet places - although prices are up from 99 Baht 18 months ago to 115-130 range fantastic places.

[dr_Pat_Pong]

Thank you thank you!!!

I am getting my wife to read this as most seem in agreement, 'MK is pants'. I agree with the cuteness of watching one's date cook for you, wears off when you have to eat the stuff.

The wife has learned a few new words too (sacrilege and crap) so thanks for those too.

I thought it was only me. Thank goodness for Tops selling minced beef and Paul Newman's spaghetti sauce.

I just found and bought a PATAK's Balti in a can. Not as good as a Leeds curry but close.

Bloody good for a bulk commercial line that is exported around the world.

[Beacher]

Yuck, cant stand it. I always get a bad stomach after eating there as well....probably from not having the patience and eating partially boiled meat.

And to top it off, the desert selection at MK is horrible. So not even a reward for my good behaviour.

Oh good - it's not just me. I also found that my stomach would be in a state of distress after eating at MK -- gassy and sore. But I don't think it's from eating partially boiled meat because we always cooked it long enough. There just seems to be something in some of the ingredients that plays hel_l with my gut.

So, I'm now allowed to pass on MK (thank gawd) when the GF and family get the urge to go. I always gave the place a failing grade anyway - not very tasty and overpriced.

[bkkjames]

I don't mind MK once and awhile. Duck is good, the pork ribs terrific, the soup I leave up to the wife to pick what goes into ours.

All those stringy green veggies and that are much better than a bran muffin and an espresso in my opinion.

[wintermute]

I used to hate MK with a passion but have grown to love it quite a bit. Do yourself a favor and just order a big heaping plate of duck like everyone has mentioned already. That's all you need to eat there in order to walk away happy.

[LazyYogi]

I love MK, but I'm also a vegetarian.

So whenever I eat there it's just veggies, mushrooms, and tofu into the soup.

Add a couple spoons of the dipping sauce into my soup bowl+a bunch of garlic...Mmmmmm.

[neverdie]

Sorry, no matter what way I look at it, MK is very bland crap foot, nothing special and overpriced for Thailand, its a food chain, no different to sizzler or ones like that. Its NOT thai food.

I think thais like eating there and sitting in the boothes closest to the external windows of the restuarants so the passing foot traffic in the shopping plaza can see them seated in there.....its something to do with hi-so or something.

Just watch the thais sitting in the window of MK Gold preening themselves as you walk past next time, its a classic.

Edited November 7, 2009 by neverdie

[YoungNRich12]

MK is terrible. If you think its good it means you have terrible taste in food.

[YoungNRich12]

You kids need to go to Chinatown, eat some real Chinese food and you won't even go back to MK. My wife and her family always joke about MK. "...Lets go to MK" then everyone makes a choking sound like they are dying.

[sibeymai]

I have one issue with MK. Before I get on to that I'll agree with almost everyone posting here.....gotta order the duck. haven't tried the ribs yet but will do so on my next visit.

What I object to is that the soup stock is full of lovely nutrients after boiling all that food in it (BTW, the idea is to NOT boild the crap out of your food and turn the pot down as soon as it comes to the boil). How nice it would be of MK to provide a container to take the unused soup stock home for further use. It would be very useful and nutritious as the base for a number of home cooked dishes.

As for the blandness of the items, try not to order the manufactured foods and stick to the original beef, pork, squid, chicken, fish, prawns etc. Fish balls, pork balls, "salmon" (haha) aren't really anything much. Doesn't matter to Thais since they smother everything in the sauce so they don't know what flavour they're supposed to be eating.