Any Reasonably Priced Places To Eat Left In Phuket?

[chrisl567]

Hi am coming to Phuket this weekend for a long weekend with my Wife and we are stopping at the new Westin at Siray Bay

can anyone recommend places for Breakfast and Dinner as an alternative to the Hotel as we have not booked any meals western or Thai

We will have a car so as to avoid the Tuk Tuk Mafia

thanks

Chris

[ScubaBuddha]

Crutch (a newbie) said "Tourists come to this third-world country expecting bargain prices."

Crutch: "3rd world" refers to a Cold War designation of alignment with communist, capitalist or non-aligned countries.

This is a reoccurring theme on TV. Crutch's description is accurate, or at least it was up until 1991 when the term became obsolete. After 91, an economic model replaced the ideological model. Media and even academia soon began using the term to describe the poorest countries of the world based on poverty level, freedom of press, civil liberties, religious freedoms, etc., which is why people incorrectly refer to Thailand as third world. Incorrect when using the common modern usage anyway. Thailand is a developing country, and is considered 2nd world using the current model, although that term is rarely used. There is also a fourth world: sub-populations completely disconnected to any modern society.

Of course this has nothing to do with the fact that Fatty's, Bluefin Tavern, and the newish Italian joint at the entrance to Patak Villa in Chalong (Patak Road) are currently my favorite places to dine that are also affordable.

.

Edited October 19, 2010 by ScubaBuddha

[ilyelol]

the country was still 3rd world just a year ago.. now even if you have a salary of 60-100k USD a year, you're almost poor with the strong baht.., can't be third world.

Can you give a sample of the menu of the new italian in front of patak?

Wouldnt wanna drive 20km to eat some ketchup on some noodles for 60baht

Edited October 20, 2010 by ilyelol

[steelepulse]

The place SB is talking about is "Casa Nostra". I've never had anything but the pizzas, which I highly recommend. Their Diavola is a nice pie!

[pmgthailand]

FarangBuddha said, "Sure rents and labour may be cheaper in Thailand but this doesn't always make up for the cost of the imported inputs."

Sure, flying Australian beef into Thailand must cost quite a bit, but reevaluate the labour costs. A Thai bluecollar laborer-- restaurant worker, truck driver, bakery worker-- seldom earns more than 15,000 baht per month. In a Western country, those labour costs are typically 6x larger, with workers' comp, pension plan, possibly health insurance, etc.

It's inexplicable that restaurateurs (and real estate salesmen, etc.) aiming at the foreigner-customer, mistake "golden crust" for "made from gold, the precious metal" and charge accordingly. There is so seldom the sense that the profit-taking businesses in Thailand will simplly split the difference between a fair price for Thailand and the "back home" London/New York/Tokyo price! Tourists come to this third-world country expecting bargain prices. Instead, they get smacked with back-home prices and wish never to return to the Land of Guilty Smiles.

Well said! My friend comes from South Africa and he says that SA is a third world country, Thailand to him is still a fifth world country with pockets of developed areas where the tourist visit. I totally agree with him by the way.

[BillR]

you guys are crazy to think you will get imported anything for a cheap price. Lets take McDonalds which has a food cost% of 33%. So the markup is 3x the cost on anything you buy there and its not imported. So, if you expect to get a sandwich with imported ingredients for 50 baht it inst going to happen.

Imported Steak is around 500-600baht a kilo depending on cut, so a 200g portion costs the restaurant 120B before it hits the plate. If you're expecting to eat this even at a crap restaurant in a crap location with no staff you'd have to pay at least 300B for it.

Edited October 20, 2010 by BillR

[ScubaBuddha]

the country was still 3rd world just a year ago.. now even if you have a salary of 60-100k USD a year, you're almost poor with the strong baht.., can't be third world.

3rd world a year ago? Ermmm...140,000 to 250,000 baht a month is almost poor? I'll assume that was a joke.

[ScubaBuddha]

you guys are crazy to think you will get imported anything for a cheap price. Lets take McDonalds which has a food cost% of 33%. So the markup is 3x the cost on anything you buy there and its not imported. So, if you expect to get a sandwich with imported ingredients for 50 baht it inst going to happen.

Imported Steak is around 500-600baht a kilo depending on cut, so a 200g portion costs the restaurant 120B before it hits the plate. If you're expecting to eat this even at a crap restaurant in a crap location with no staff you'd have to pay at least 300B for it.

A Micky D's value meal in Wakiki, Hawaii, when I was there not to long ago was $8.25 cent (250B). The same meal at Micky D's in Bkk, 85B. ($2.80)

[ilyelol]

uh? mcdonalds in the USA has tons of stuff for 1$-2$ and the fries taste a lot better, the burgers too.

[MrEarl]

The Islander in Patong is still pretty good and fairly cheap.

Woody's is good for a sandwich.

Da Mario still makes a very decent pizza.

[LivinLOS]

Lets take McDonalds which has a food cost% of 33%. So the markup is 3x the cost on anything you buy there and its not imported.

Those are thai beef patties ?? thai grown pickled gerkins ??

I would have thought the bulk of it was imported bar the lettuce / tomato..

[pmgthailand]

I really feel that Phuket needs a food critic. Far too many new places opened up and you just have to take their word for it through advertising,that the food and service is good. A good undercover food critic that publishes in the local paper would sort them out. Really tired of paying overinflated prices, to pay over the top for their nice decor and surroundings when the the food and service is only average or below average. Has anyone ever tried to not pay the 10% service charge when the service has not been up to par? I would be interested to know what the outcome was. Service charge Mafia!!!

[paulfromphuket]

I did try to refuse the service charge at the Capri in Laguna but as I was paying with a big note thet just ignored my request and took it from the change, so all i achieved was a heated argument with the owne ra thai FW and the satisfaction that I'll never eat there again, I used to get pizza twice a week so there loss, could the dumb bitch understand that, no.

However on a brighter note a new place has opened near Manik( between chentalay and the heroines) called the ceramic kitchen, this is superb western food at very sensible prices and great decour, sunday lunch lamb, beef, chicken or pork all 250Baht This place is all Thai operated and really has some of the best food I have had here.

[pmgthailand]

I did try to refuse the service charge at the Capri in Laguna but as I was paying with a big note thet just ignored my request and took it from the change, so all i achieved was a heated argument with the owne ra thai FW and the satisfaction that I'll never eat there again, I used to get pizza twice a week so there loss, could the dumb bitch understand that, no.

However on a brighter note a new place has opened near Manik( between chentalay and the heroines) called the ceramic kitchen, this is superb western food at very sensible prices and great decour, sunday lunch lamb, beef, chicken or pork all 250Baht This place is all Thai operated and really has some of the best food I have had here.

I live just around the corner so I will give it a try, seen the big banner when they opened up. Thanks for the info!

[steelepulse]

I really feel that Phuket needs a food critic. Far too many new places opened up and you just have to take their word for it through advertising,that the food and service is good. A good undercover food critic that publishes in the local paper would sort them out. Really tired of paying overinflated prices, to pay over the top for their nice decor and surroundings when the the food and service is only average or below average. Has anyone ever tried to not pay the 10% service charge when the service has not been up to par? I would be interested to know what the outcome was. Service charge Mafia!!!

Maybe a couple of different people to act as food critic so multiple dishes could be ordered and differing opinions could be given. Didn't the gazette used to do this, but the restaurant was forewarned so the critics could get free food ?

[KarenBravo]

Didn't the gazette used to do this, but the restaurant was forewarned so the critics could get free food ?

Yes they did and I can't remember a single bad review; always glowing reports. They did then for food businesses what they do now for property developers.

[Jay08]

One of my favourites is still the Anchor Inn by the Chalong Circle (on road to the pier, the first restaurant on the left).

Great Thai and Western food, very reasonably priced. Love the cheeseburger there.

And cute waitresses...

[tolsti]

The burger place near boat lagoon, can you explain exactly where that is? i drive past there to goto the royal phuket marina almost everyday and have never seen a yellow sign

Look for a yellow awning, not a yellow sign. It's about 50 meters before the entrance to Boat Lagoon, if you're coming from the "chicks with sticks" monument.

You've probably not noticed it because a) it's only been open around 2 weeks, and it's only open from noon 'til 9pm.

The yellow awning has a dark black massive grill under it, and a pair of Christmas garlands hanging off one corner. The silk-screening on their window says "surf and turf"-- not the most imaginative of names.

It's owned by the same folks who own Chili's the Thai/English restaurant on the other side of the road, across from the Moslem kids' school, a hundred meters closer to the Heroines monument.

Unfortunately Surf and Turf closed down at the weekend. Not enough customers. Pity, the burgers and ribs were tasty

[ilyelol]

Weird, 1 day before it closes they told me they had enough customers.

Hopefully they just move their stuff to chilis which seems to be always closed as well?

[Peterocket]

Unfortunately Surf and Turf closed down at the weekend. Not enough customers. Pity, the burgers and ribs were tasty

No you are kidding...I never had a chance to eat there. Everyone said it was awsome.

I can second that Ceramic Kitchen is decent. The Lamb shank is great value for 300 baht...would be about 20 quid back home.

[woodyleonhard]

Unfortunately Surf and Turf closed down at the weekend. Not enough customers. Pity, the burgers and ribs were tasty

That's a real loss for Phuket. Adrian, the owner, is a helluva nice guy. I didn't have enough time to eat when I was there a couple weeks ago, but the burgers on the grill smelled absolutely wonderful.

I hope he moved the whole kit 'n kaboodle across the street to Chili's, his other place....

[ExpatM]

The Mexican place is called the burned tortilla, I've now stopped going as they raised their (already expensive) prices and the portions just about halved in size at the same time.

Might be pricy, but its dam_n good..

The Thai / Hawaiian youngish owner was there and seemed a really nice guy, but was sweating the lack of customers and hoping for high season, lets hope he makes it. Sweet mango salsa, burnt tomato and peppers sauce, just loads of great tastes there.

Yeah but US $10 for a smallish chimichanga using only locally sourced ingredients is quite expensive.

Hi, Not trying to judge anyone's opinion just want to state mine. The Chimichanga is not smallish by all means I am a BIG guy and could not finish it. the food is amazing and there is a number of items below B100. The Ingredients are top quality specially the imported meat (beef) and cheese. This is not a road side stall where hygiene and cleanness are in question nor is it a fast food place where the quality is compromised, Don't listen to me or anyone try it for yourself, the Burnt Tortilla has yet to disappoint or leaving me hungry after a QUALITY meal for less than $10.

cheers

[steelepulse]

A perfect 2 for 2. Two posts, two plugs for Burnt Tortilla. It must be really really good to get a new poster to sing the praises. I'd love to give it a shot if they ever come down to the south part of the island as I like Mexican food.