Kopi de Phuket

KOPI DE PHUKET,is an old fashioned coffee shop on Phuket road in between 'The Books' and the Tourism Authority of Thailand. This branch is in fact the second Kopi. The first is located in the On-On hotel and has been operating since 1999.

OK so lets cut to the chase. I wasn't blown away by the food, cooked in a traditional style and (due to the fact I was running a charity 10k the next day) was really glad I plumped for the chicken steak (240baht).

The only western dish on the menu and it was just about the only thing I could have eaten without pulling a face. For some reason they turned the 'kana bacon (140baht)' into a bland soup and they also managed to turn wild mushrooms into the most unappetising looking dish ever.

On the plus side they serve great cheap coffee(45baht) and cakes, seriously the banoffee pie (70baht) is delicious and the coffee 'boran' a strong traditional Thai coffee (pictured above) rocks !

However neither the decor or the service stands out and the food is of a local style that doesn't suit many western taste buds. Overall I'll drop in for coffee from time to time but this is one local Phuket restaurant I wont be frequenting with any regularity.

 

Phuket Food Fair

 PHUKET FOOD FESTIVAL, running until the 22nd of October on Sappanhin the 15th annual Phuket food festival does pretty much what it says on the tin. 100 stalls, all types of food but no alcohol as this year it's a booze free zone.

I walked around for a bit and settled on some BBQ king prawns, a Saba fish, a rack of pork ribs and sticky rice. Total cost about 500 baht and it was well worth it. I love eating great, fresh food and they really make an effort here to only allow the quality vendors in. You can see by the price that it's street food for the business class (fresh oysters!!!). However the lack of decent, clean seating and a really annoying PA system that seemed to be turned up to max volume detracted somewhat from the enjoyment of what is just simple good food.

There is also a large selection of 'take home' food as in cakes, biscuits, nuts and nibbles that mean you probably wont just eat there but then spend the best part of the next hour persuading your  good lady friend that she has bought enough treats to sink an armada and it's time to leave.

Farang

 FARANG RESTAURANT literally translates as foreign food and this by my estimation means some really successful western grub :)

Located on the by-pass next to Index living mall and just past Big-C and Central festival this treat serves a range of western food at Thai prices.The owner didn't put a single baht into the decoration of this place but he does give you an indoor(air-con) or outside eating area in what only can be described as a breeze block shack.

The spaghetti is particularly good. In fact I don't think you can find a better carbonara(90 baht, above right) on the island but there's plenty more to choose from such as the Teriyaki salmon steak with green noodle (140baht, below) or the grilled vegetable salad (amazing). In fact the whole menu is pretty appealing, the only real let down are the pizzas. They use frozen bases but when the rest of the menu is so great you can't really complain.

The service here is lightning fast making it a great lunch spot also but rather unfriendly. The English of the waitresses is also limited so it can become a bit of a point and order process that I find particularly annoying. If I can learn to order basic Thai dishes in Thai how can you not understand me when I order a western dish in English and you work in a western restaurant ... it's like they are completely unfamiliar with their own menu! These however are regular gripes in 'the land of smiles' but with time and perseverance you can get there in the end. Be warned the portion size is also small, don't expect a giant bowl of pasta, they go for quality not quantity here.

These small grumbles can be put aside however when your food is as good as it is here, as cheap as it is here (300baht for 2 pastas and a salad and drinks) and quick as it is here. A friend of mine once said to me "if only we could transport this restaurant to England, we would make a fortune" and he was right. This place is busy with a mix of Thais and Foreigners for a reason .... it's truly great.

Green Curry Restaurant

Green Curry Restaurant, Located On Wirat Hong Yok (the road that connects Chao Fa East and West) a little bit further down from the weekend market ( keep an eye out for the Brainy house language school it's next door.)

Ok don't get confused by the name , this isn't a curry place it's actually a really scrummy lunch or breakfast place. Open from 6am to 3pm daily this friendly husband and wife team knock out quality dishes at low prices. I highly recommend the chicken with cashew nuts (bottom).

The portions are small but often because of the heat it's all you need and at these price (50-60baht) you can afford to try a few dishes off their menu.There are only three foreigners who have ever eaten there and all three are regulars (at least twice a week). In fact it got to a point last year when I was eating there just about every day ... worrying !
You will need transport to get there as it's unwalkable but if your hungry and driving past you won't be disappointed.

'The' Roxy

Roxy Bar, a small well run establishment on Phang-nga road, is a real treat. Populated almost exclusively by ex-pats, this place ticks all the boxes and more. The reason why I love Phuket town so much more than the rest of the island (and a huge reason why I started this blog) is the lack of complacency shown by the small business owners. Unfortunately in Thailand you can feel like a walking ATM with peoples eyes lighting up at the unsuspecting tourist whenever you walk past their establishment ( or worse taxi ). There is none of this here, this place has to serve the pickiest crown around and does it with ease. Cold drinks, cheap pool, big screen TVs and AMAZING food means Roxy is not just a bar, it's a second home.

Sometime in a previous life I was watching an American football game and saw Ray Lewis the most dominant middle linebacker of his generation introduce himself as coming from 'The U'. It started me thinking as to what his university must have meant to him to call it that. Well, now I know .... 'The Roxy' means the same to me, it's not just a place ... it's 'The Place'. It's also centrally located so is used as a great point of reference .... " you know the barber shop just around the corner from Roxy" or "the next street over from Roxy etc. ."

The pub quiz on a Wednesday night is great fun (and occasional hosted by yours truly). Get yourself down there and you could find yourself walking away with some free beers, a free meal or the Jackpot in cash! The drinks menu is ample and nicely priced whilst the food menu is extensive. The fajitas (160baht) are perfection whilst the outstanding cheeseburger (also 160baht) destroys not just local competitors but almost any burger I have ever eaten.

  Anywhere else I go for 'home comfort' food I constantly compare to here and it is always unfavourable. But I'm missing the key ingredient of this place and it's one that I can't put into words. Put your name up on the pool board (10 baht, winner stays on,) or stumble in alone on a quiz night and you will be accepted with open arms. Welcomed into the fold and as one drink turns to a few new friends are met, new tales told and lasting memories made.

Rockin' Angels

Rockin' Angels, A live music venue with a touch of class. From the Rassada traffic circle heading up Yaowarat Road, Rockin’Angels is on the left-hand side before the first traffic light. Beer is slightly on the expensive side (Heineken 80baht)and the cocktails seem professionally made but also expensive (from 160baht). The live music is inoffensive bordering on quiet and the tables are crammed in too close for anyone over 5foot 5 to sit at comfortably. That being said, especially on weekend nights, it's a great place for an after dinner drink. The conversation can flow, the lights are appropriately dim and the intimacy resonates long after you have left. They serve food from Rider Cafe (just across the road) and it's closed on Mondays.

Lotus

Lotus,  Located on Phang-nga road just down from Roxy and The On-On hotel this foreigner friendly eatery seems to be restoring some of it's former glory.
 Previously a teeming open air Thai restaurant. About 2 years ago the owner got some ideas about gentrification, air-conned it and turned the place into a mid-level steakhouse decorated in a quaint bistro style. With a Menu that seems to have come straight from Sizzler but perhaps with better ingredients.
 Recently however things have been looking up, the Thai food is returning to the menu ( even if the customers aren't) and their truly splendid 'massaman gai' chicken curry complete with whole onion and potato is back and still the best in town.
The lack of atmosphere caused by frequently being the only table in there is a little disconcerting but the chicken steak (120baht), whole ribs (190baht) and aforementioned chicken curry (125 baht) make it always a pleasant visit. I never understood why the crowds left this place but until they return I will continue to enjoy it ..... in an awkward silence.

Tiny Coffee

 Tiny Coffee, Located just around the corner from Lemongrass on Thepsattri road (opposite Hongyok House) Tiny coffee is a strange thing ... Step inside the air-con to be served a very mediocre coffee or a stale flavorless (but well presented) cake.  Glance down at  the plastic 'fast-food' menu and fear the worst but here is where the real surprise kicks in. THE FOOD IS GREAT !

 Cheap, quick, spicy and very very tasty. A poor coffee shop turns into an ideal breakfast/lunch venue with nearly all dishes under 100baht. I don't really want to recommend any dish because they are all good, but be warned they are spicy and if you can't stand the heat well you know what they say .... Just don't get sucked into ordering a 70 baht cappuccino it's really really not worth it.

Fresh Seafood

 Behind Robinsons department store every evening a plethora of food 'stalls' pop up with plastic tables spilling off the sidewalk and onto the street. This is where to go if you want to eat on a budget, as every possible Thai dish is available here. I love a small seafood place that is round the back with an impossible name, just look out for the cheerful owner with a flat cap on    (seriously I think he wears it everyday !). Menu's are in English and Thai but the beauty is seeing all the food laying out in front of you waiting to be cooked to your specification.They will always tell you the price before cooking but don't be afraid to point and ask. Highly recommended is the squid, seriously fresh, I always thought squid was rubbery until I ate here! A major bonus is also the price, about 500 baht for a whole fish, a squid or prawn dish and a vegetable dish. I eat here about once a week and I have never been anything other than happy with the meal. An amazing place for simple great inexpensive Thai food.

Natural Restaurant

 Sometimes known by it's Thai name Tamachart this quaint and quirky restaurant serves consistently high quality Thai dishes to a mainly foreign crowd. Highly recommended is the 'Shu Shi Goong' a spicy prawn curry that hits all the right notes and their fresh fruit shakes are all amazing. Be warned though the service is sometimes slow and you really need to be seated upstairs, in fact you should insist on it ! As hinted at by the name it's the decor that really sets this place apart, you are basically eating in a giant tree house. I keep hearing this restaurant is a hidden gem but it's really not hard to find and everyone knows about it. You can find it on Soi Phuthon , close to where the buses depart for the beach plus all the taxi's will know it. The pricing is pleasant with a meal for 2 coming in at well under 1000 baht. The only downside is too many foreigners has led the chef to dilute the taste and if your searching for authentic Thai cuisine make sure you give your server a nod when ordering and ask him to prepare it 'Thai style'.

Introduction

This blog will predominantly be about food and restaurants in and around Phuket town. In time I will try to expand it to include other cultural points of interest but for now if you have any questions just ask.  Everyone can Google restaurants in Phuket but the same hi-priced answers keep cropping up. This blog will be more about eating great food without breaking the bank. Don't worry we all crave a burger or a pizza sometimes being this far from home and i will en-devour to help you find the best or at least avoid the worst. Good Thai food is rewarding, inexpensive and fun. Good Western food is rare and treasured. Cheap food is cheap food but can still be delicious and more often than not adventurous. Fusion food is the biggest lottery, when done well it can be mind blowing .... literally ...... Curry Pizza !!!! a craze surprisingly slow to catch on.