River Market Review

[naboo]

Speaking of hospitality he went out of his way to put a safe side walk in for the pedestrian traffic. Previously it was walk on the narrow dark street. He even put signs on both ends telling people it was a path to the bridge.

Yes, I noticed that as an excellent move to get passing traffic. He's on the ball, is our Dave.

[Ulysses G.]

Have you even been there? The Duke's crust is just as thin as Italian style and IMO tastes a lot better than most of the places that you have mentioned - which are not any cheaper when the portions are compared.

Edited February 8, 2013 by Ulysses G.

[PostmanPat]

Have you even been there? The Duke's crust is just as thin as Italian style and IMO tastes a lot better than most of the places that you have mentioned - which are not any cheaper when the portions are compared.

"when the portions are compared". Exactly. You prove my point precisely. Most healthy people (not fat) would prefer a smaller pizza at an equivalently smaller price. Dukes seves decent food, I m not denying that, but he serves portions which are way too big and charges an equivalent higher price.....good marketting I guess but not good if like me you are trying to get through the rest of your life without blocked arteries and heart attacks!!

One of the things I dislike about eating in USA is the sheer waste of food with the size of portions in most places way too big, unless of course like most Americans these days you dont mind being 20 kilos over your safe weight!!

[Ulysses G.]

So your point is that the Duke's serves larger portions of tasty food than you would prefer personally, but it is not "over-priced". I have no problem with that.

Edited February 8, 2013 by Ulysses G.

[daoyai]

At this point for "Pat" it is obviously not about pizza, you seem to just be looking for an excuse to go "postal" on the Americans. Pizza now comes in many styles, original, thin crisp lite on toppings, Chicago, NY, deepdish, S.F. whatever, even Thai style with ketchup and sweet mayo or some other strangeness....... The reference to "true pizza" is laughable. American style is designed to be a full meal, you don't eat that much, it is heavy. so what? original guido style you eat the whole thing....

[Ulysses G.]

At this point for "Pat" it is obviously not about pizza, you seem to just be looking for an excuse to go "postal" on the Americans.

[metisdead]

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[DGS1244]

Sorry to disagree totally...but I will. This place is clearly aiming at the tourist/ occasional visitor. The prices are ridiculous for what you get served, and despite the "nice" setting on the edge of the (smelly) Ping River, its just not good value for money at all.

The (so called) Satay I was served was disgusting. It was a lump of indistinguishable meat or fish, and you literally couldnt tell from texture or flavour what it was (I ordered mixed Satay by the way before you ask).

I could but wont because I dont think I m allowed to on here name you at least three other upmarket Thai type restaurants also with a river setting where the food is both much better and less expensive.

If people think River Market is good, they really must be grasping at straws!!!

Totally agree with you, mediocre overpriced food. Might be OK for short stay tourists but as an long term stay Ex-pat here I now avoid it especially when there are many other far better places to dine. Quite a number of other ex-pats I know feel the same, poor service, tasteless and badly cooked food ugh!

[jackr]

Number One Bistro/ Beer Garden, a bit further along the same road, great ambience, loads of mainly Belgian Beer, live music, and good food freshly cooked.....Fred the owner has two top notch Thai cooks cooking both Thai and a few Belgian/ Dutch specialities. Again, better than River Market, more fun, and less expensive.

I've eaten at Number One on the river and thought it was mediocre and the ambience somewhat clique. Though I haven't eaten at the Riverside, you're comparing chalk with cheese... look at the location and setting for a start. I also find it hard to believe they would put out anything 'disgusting', unless perhaps you were on some type of hit list.

[TommoPhysicist]

Have you even been there? The Duke's crust is just as thin as Italian style and IMO tastes a lot better than most of the places that you have mentioned - which are not any cheaper when the portions are compared.

"when the portions are compared". Exactly. You prove my point precisely. Most healthy people (not fat) would prefer a smaller pizza at an equivalently smaller price. Dukes seves decent food, I m not denying that, but he serves portions which are way too big and charges an equivalent higher price.....good marketting I guess but not good if like me you are trying to get through the rest of your life without blocked arteries and heart attacks!!

One of the things I dislike about eating in USA is the sheer waste of food with the size of portions in most places way too big, unless of course like most Americans these days you dont mind being 20 kilos over your safe weight!!

Most of us have friends, I usually share a large one between four.

[vagabond48]

I know I can buy excellent pad ka pao down the road for 30 baht, and I do sometimes. However, the River Market is a restaurant and provides a good restaurant experience evening. I don't mind paying more than 30 baht per dish for this.

don't you mean paying 60, 90, 100B more per dish?

[LawrenceChee]

I wonder if we are being fair ...it seems the majority of the posters agree the ambience and the setting beside the river is great. The restaurants is well designed great air flow, beautifully made and the service great and a great place to bring friends and spend a special night together.

The majority agrees that the place is well run and frequented by Thais and tourists who want the experience

We all agree its more expensive than your usual stalls that can be found along the river and frequented by us as long time stayers and residents

However the cost of the meal there is not unreasonable. I just returned from 4 months stint in Australia and New Zealand where $16 - $20 can only buy you a meal at the food court.

I hope people will not use only price as an index to whether a restaurant is good / bad and also understand when we recommend a place, we don't mean you have to eat there everyday and be seen as a "waste" of money when there is better value out there

It's a great joy to be able to try all these restaurants and we should enjoy them when the nights calls for it

[Gonzo the Face]

It would appear that there are some posts in this thread that may be made by crotchety , nit-picking people with other dislikes causing them to direct negative posts regarding David and the River Market. Although I think most posters like and approve of this fine restaurant.

It may be just a coincidence that I read today that the Thai Govt has now banned the drug Xanax. Could some of the more negative posters already be experiencing a reaction to this government edict???

[daoyai]

I wonder if we are being fair ...it seems the majority of the posters agree the ambience and the setting beside the river is great. The restaurants is well designed great air flow, beautifully made and the service great and a great place to bring friends and spend a special night together.

The majority agrees that the place is well run and frequented by Thais and tourists who want the experience

We all agree its more expensive than your usual stalls that can be found along the river and frequented by us as long time stayers and residents

However the cost of the meal there is not unreasonable. I just returned from 4 months stint in Australia and New Zealand where $16 - $20 can only buy you a meal at the food court.

I hope people will not use only price as an index to whether a restaurant is good / bad and also understand when we recommend a place, we don't mean you have to eat there everyday and be seen as a "waste" of money when there is better value out there

It's a great joy to be able to try all these restaurants and we should enjoy them when the nights calls for it

Sure, at a place like the River Market, you are paying for the whole experience, not just the food, the ambiance. I appreciate the effort and risk of attempting fusion food, that will be hit or miss as it is by nature experimental. The place looks good a fills a nitch.

[TommoPhysicist]

I hope people will not use only price as an index to whether a restaurant is good / bad and also understand when we recommend a place, we don't mean you have to eat there everyday and be seen as a "waste" of money when there is better value out there

I though we were all using 'food quality' as our guide to good/bad.

And further to that I though the overwhelming opinion was the food was mediocre at best.

If I want a great place to sit, I will go hiking to the top of a mountain.

If I want a great place to eat, I go to the best place they serve that particular dish.

The Duke's for Pizza .... wins hands down.

River Market .......... nothing much good.

Edited February 8, 2013 by TommoPhysicist

[DGS1244]

It would appear that there are some posts in this thread that may be made by crotchety , nit-picking people with other dislikes causing them to direct negative posts regarding David and the River Market. Although I think most posters like and approve of this fine restaurant.

It may be just a coincidence that I read today that the Thai Govt has now banned the drug Xanax. Could some of the more negative posters already be experiencing a reaction to this government edict???

Its you who needs the Xanax, most us us tell it how it is.

[Joop50]

Dukes Pizza is unbeatable ..... this topic is Riverside which serves overpriced and watered down Thai food.

Please don't confuse the two.

You always come up with that while I am twice dissapointed because of burned crust (take away) and it is not really my taste. Everyone has his own taste and yours is not mine.

I understand fellow Amercans and friends like to support him but it doesn't make them objective.

Edited February 8, 2013 by Joop50

[PostmanPat]

It would appear that there are some posts in this thread that may be made by crotchety , nit-picking people with other dislikes causing them to direct negative posts regarding David and the River Market. Although I think most posters like and approve of this fine restaurant.

It may be just a coincidence that I read today that the Thai Govt has now banned the drug Xanax. Could some of the more negative posters already be experiencing a reaction to this government edict???

Its you who needs the Xanax, most us us tell it how it is.

Never taken a drug in my life, pal, I guess living in the good old US of A is enough to drive most of you to drink and/ or drugs!!

[Loaded]

I know I can buy excellent pad ka pao down the road for 30 baht, and I do sometimes. However, the River Market is a restaurant and provides a good restaurant experience evening. I don't mind paying more than 30 baht per dish for this.

don't you mean paying 60, 90, 100B more per dish?

Some people clearly have a problem paying $2, $3 or $3.30 extra per dish, but I don't.

[elektrified]

Dukes Pizza is unbeatable ..... this topic is Riverside which serves overpriced and watered down Thai food.

Please don't confuse the two.

You always come up with that while I am twice dissapointed because of burned crust (take away) and it is not really my taste. Everyone has his own taste and yours is not mine.

I understand fellow Amercans and friends like to support him but it doesn't make them objective.

I don't think Tommo is a "fellow American", he just knows good pizza.

[DGS1244]

It would appear that there are some posts in this thread that may be made by crotchety , nit-picking people with other dislikes causing them to direct negative posts regarding David and the River Market. Although I think most posters like and approve of this fine restaurant.

It may be just a coincidence that I read today that the Thai Govt has now banned the drug Xanax. Could some of the more negative posters already be experiencing a reaction to this government edict???

Its you who needs the Xanax, most us us tell it how it is.

Never taken a drug in my life, pal, I guess living in the good old US of A is enough to drive most of you to drink and/ or drugs!!

Wouldn't know never lived there

[TommoPhysicist]

I hope Riverside can accept my apologies, they serve really good Thai food, it's River Market that's not so good.

Although to be fair, the Ex-pats coffee/breakfasts at River Market are pretty good ...... if you like pork!

Edited February 8, 2013 by TommoPhysicist

[daoyai]

It would appear that there are some posts in this thread that may be made by crotchety , nit-picking people with other dislikes causing them to direct negative posts regarding David and the River Market. Although I think most posters like and approve of this fine restaurant.

It may be just a coincidence that I read today that the Thai Govt has now banned the drug Xanax. Could some of the more negative posters already be experiencing a reaction to this government edict???

Its you who needs the Xanax, most us us tell it how it is.

Never taken a drug in my life, pal, I guess living in the good old US of A is enough to drive most of you to drink and/ or drugs!!

Wouldn't know never lived there

I lived there, it is true, good drugs and microbrewed ales.

[vagabond48]

I know I can buy excellent pad ka pao down the road for 30 baht, and I do sometimes. However, the River Market is a restaurant and provides a good restaurant experience evening. I don't mind paying more than 30 baht per dish for this.

don't you mean paying 60, 90, 100B more per dish?

Some people clearly have a problem paying $2, $3 or $3.30 extra per dish, but I don't.

Clearly some people want to feel right at home with dinner prices (without drinks) at "inexpensive" SEA restaurants at $20 to $40 per person.

My friend and his wife recently ate at a delicious "all you can eat" Indian buffet in Tuscon AZ and paid a "whopping" $20 including tax and tip.

[hellodolly]

I hope Riverside can accept my apologies, they serve really good Thai food, it's River Market that's not so good.

Although to be fair, the Ex-pats coffee/breakfasts at River Market are pretty good ...... if you like pork!

Perhaps you and your ilk would like to try again. They do not serve Thai food it is Thai fusion food.

You can also say they do not serve good Lapland food.

Could you give us another take on Thai fusion food. Or perhaps you just don't like it in which case that is OK just step up and say so don't step up and say it is no good Thai food.

In that I would agree with you but like I say they make no claim to it.

The breakfast was good maybe they were out of eggs, pancakes and potatoes when you got there. Also some veges and fruit. I really would not expect steak and eggs at that price. All though I am sure some one will come along and say they know a place where you can get a buffet breakfast at that price t]which includes beef steak.

Well now that you mention it you can get the buffet with no pork in Islam countries. There was defiantly a lack of rice but then again rice is not a big breakfast food in most of the countries the expats come from. The breakfast sausages were the best I have had in Thailand.

[Loaded]

I know I can buy excellent pad ka pao down the road for 30 baht, and I do sometimes. However, the River Market is a restaurant and provides a good restaurant experience evening. I don't mind paying more than 30 baht per dish for this.

don't you mean paying 60, 90, 100B more per dish?

Some people clearly have a problem paying $2, $3 or $3.30 extra per dish, but I don't.

Clearly some people want to feel right at home with dinner prices (without drinks) at "inexpensive" SEA restaurants at $20 to $40 per person.

My friend and his wife recently ate at a delicious "all you can eat" Indian buffet in Tuscon AZ and paid a "whopping" $20 including tax and tip.

That's wonderful, and I'm very happy for your friend, his wife and the Indians.

Where did $20 to $40 per head without drinks come from? It certainly doesn't come from reality. My bill is usually around 800/900 baht for 2 with a couple of drinks. That's around $15 per head.

If it were $40 per head and I paid that, why is that a problem for you?

[LawrenceChee]

So food to hear the say the new fat trains will link is to Arizona for that $20 buffet .... Hahahhahahah

[vagabond48]

Where did $20 to $40 per head without drinks come from? It certainly doesn't come from reality. My bill is usually around 800/900 baht for 2 with a couple of drinks. That's around $15 per head.

If it were $40 per head and I paid that, why is that a problem for you?

I think you may have misinterpreted my comments. I never mentioned that is was a problem for me. I rarely eat at overpriced (my opinion) establishment but I do encourage the restaurant owners to continue charging high prices so that people who enjoy spending western prices will feel right at home (USA, NZ, OZ, GB etc).

[vagabond48]

So food to hear the say the new fat trains will link is to Arizona for that $20 buffet .... Hahahhahahah

Huh?

Oh, $20 is for 2 persons so it is a $10 buffet including tax and small buffet service tip.

Edited February 9, 2013 by vagabond48

[Ulysses G.]

I rarely eat at overpriced (my opinion) establishment but I do encourage the restaurant owners to continue charging high prices so that people who enjoy spending western prices will feel right at home

If these establiments were overpriced, there would be other restaurants in Chiang Mai selling similar quality Western food in similar portions for much lower prices, but there aren't.